Can Linux kernel support RSTP (802.1w)?

Solution 1:

There was a daemon implementation of RSTP by Stephen Hemminger (https://github.com/shemminger/RSTP), but he has stated that it is EOL (last commit was 2011).

The kernel only implements 802.1D-1998 STP, and the kernel documentation on bridging links to docs that state "STP should be in user space" :)

Your best bet is the mstpd daemon.