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1000BaseT

What are the options for verifying and validating a 1000BaseT design when the test signal defined by the Ethernet standard(802.3) in not available/accessible?

I understand that the 1000BaseT interface is a simultaneous bidirectional multilevel interface and can not be probed with an oscilloscope.  

How does one go about characterizing or understanding its performance in a design if one can not probe or simulate the interface?

  • Hi Bernadine,

    To verify a 1000base-t application, an IEEE 802.3 compliance suite is typically used. This performs a battery of tests that ensure the PHY and your PHY design are compliant to the 1000base-t specification.

    I know it is hard for engineers to push the I believe button, but the tests specified by the IEEE 802.3 clause 40 PMA are designed to give you the tools to validate your design without measuring the eye opening during normal communications.

    Simulating a PCB design is a different story. We do not have a good way to perform this except to consider the channel specification for 1000base-t and verify your PCB's MDI meets those requirements for IL and RL.

    Below is an app note that lists some of the IEEE compliance software suites by Oscope vendor.
    www.ti.com/.../snla239a.pdf

    Best Regards,
  • Thanks Rob, unfortunately our system design works with off the shelf cards.  We have queried the company about activating the "mandatory" test signal on the chip and they have told us they cannot access it.

    I have advised the team to have our system tested at the UNH Interoperability lab  to have it characterized.

    Kind Regards;

    Bernadine