Ethernet design

Jul 16, 2008 4 Replies
N

I need to start thinking about some Ethernet designs, one as a standalone switch and the other to integrate a 2 port switch with a microcontroller.



I've looked at some datasheets and reference designs and it doesn't seem too difficult but I'm losing myself in a seething morass of unfamiliar acronyms, MII, PHY, OAM Frame, ToS, QoS, VLAN. Well, OK, I've figured out what most of them mean now but there's still bit to go.



Is there any reference or primer anyone can point me to that will give me a quick introduction to Ethernet, switches, and interfacing and the like? I'm an experienced embedded system designer who's never had to deal with Ethernet before, if that helps judge the level of information I'd like. A book or a web reference would be OK.



Cheers, Nobby


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R

Perhaps "Networking and Internetworking with Microcontrollers" by Fred Eady. There are sections on UARTs and I2C that may or may not be useful to you. For Ethernet, the bulk of the book, he goes through a couple of step-by-step examples with the CS8900A and RTL8019AS interface chips. These are 10Base chips but there are quite a lot of inexpensive dev kits that use them.

Rich Webb Norfolk, VA
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B

out

Hi,

I have a huge amount of information (PDF) about Ethernet, I will send you some by email.

Bye, Bert

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N

Thanks, I'll give it a look.

Nobby

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N

Hi Bert,

Thanks, that would be kind.

I can't figure out how to unmunge your email address, so here's mine.

dilbert dot grumpyman at google mail dot com

Note that's googlemail not gmail.

Regards, Norbert

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