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Design Help (Some Basic Questions About MCU - Ethernet Connection)

Erhan Ergun
Intellectual 270 points
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: TM4C129XNCZAD, TM4C129ENCPDT

We are tying to build a board which will connect to a LAN via ethernet and will seen at LAN with its own IP address. We will send some datas to MCU via ethernet.

In this purpose:
1_Do i need MAC layer? I mean should i choose MAC+PHY or PHY alone ICs.
2_Should i choose MAC+PHY intergrated MCUs or External PHY and MAC ICs.

3_i could not understand the purpose of MAC. Do i need it while i am trying to work in a LAN with no internet.

4_Put MCU+MAC+PHY and programme MCU with TCP/IP stack. Is this the whole process? Do i missed something?

Thank You

  • 0
    TI__Mastermind 31600 points

    Regarding your question about the choice of an MCU with an integrated PHY or an MCU that supports an external PHY, it really depends on your needs.  For example you might choose an external PHY if you require specific functionality that is not available in your MCU, e.g. higher ESD on the Ethernet cable pins, longer cable reach, fiber support, etc. 

    Within the TI portfolio, there are offerings that allow both choices.  One such option would be the TM4C129XNCZAD:

    http://www.ti.com/product/tm4c129xnczad

    It offers an internal Ethernet PHY and an exposed Ethernet MAC. 

    The focus of the Ethernet E2E forum is the external Ethernet devices.  If you need assistance in choosing an external PHY, we can continue this thread in the Ethernet E2E forum. 

    If, however, you want to pursue an MCU with an integrated PHY, just let me know and I can move your post to an MCU E2E forum.  Just let me know how you would like to proceed.

    Patrick

  • 0 in reply to Patrick OFarrell
    Intellectual 270 points

    Thank you patrick for your answer.

    I decided to choose TM4C129ENCPDT.

    I have several questions:

    1_ We are working in harsh industrial environment. We had some EMC problems.  This MCU has MAC+PHY internally and i am not sure whether can it handle that environment? I read some documents about that, they prefer to use external PHY in order to increase EMC resistance.

    2_On the other hand, i think using internally MAC+PHY leads to easy programming. Do you agree with me? This will be my first design and programming for Ethernet/IP and that is why programming  is another important topic for me. If i choose external PHY i will work on MII too and this will increase my duties =).

    3_An extra question next to ethernet, I also thinking about to use USB in order to communicate MCU serially. Can it possibble? And i know that TI development boards uses USB in order to debugging but what are the other reasons people use USB connection of MCU?

    4_I found XM4C129ENCPDTI1 at my supplier. Are they different?


    Thank You.