Can sitara support 3 Ethernet ports?

Tianlei Zhang

Hi, I have long been looking for a SOC that can support 3 Ethernet ports. I have raised the question here years ago, but the answer was negative at the moment. Can anybody please update me with the latest information?

Is it possible to use the PRUs as 2 regular Ethernet port now? This is just a quick question, If the answer is yes, I will be exited to explore the information.

Thanks!

over 9 years ago

0 Biser Gatchev-XID over 9 years ago

TI__Guru**** 393215 points

Hi,

Check this wiki: processors.wiki.ti.com/.../ICSS_EMAC_LLD_developers_guide

0 Tianlei Zhang over 9 years ago in reply to Biser Gatchev-XID

Expert 1320 points

Thanks Biser, sounds like something sweet has happened recently.

the SDK comes with an Ethernet MAC example. This example uses two PRU's to implement two independent MAC's with two different MAC addresses and two different IP addresses. To provide an analogy, this is somewhat similar to a two port Ethernet PCIe NIC card on a PC, only here, the Ethernet interface is available along with the Host processor on a single SoC.

Can you please let me know when this document (or the SDK that supports this) was published? I just want to make sure that I was not under the wrong impression that IT used not to support this.

0 Biser Gatchev-XID over 9 years ago in reply to Tianlei Zhang

TI__Guru**** 393215 points

Which SDK do you have in mind?

0 Tianlei Zhang over 9 years ago in reply to Biser Gatchev-XID

Expert 1320 points

Hi Biser,
I want to re-phrase my question. Here is my old post:
e2e.ti.com/.../293640
My question is actually: Has the answer to my original question(in this old post) changed?
Thanks,
Tianlei

0 Biser Gatchev-XID over 9 years ago in reply to Tianlei Zhang

TI__Guru**** 393215 points

No, there is no change at present. I have asked for more information on this regarding future plans.

0 Tianlei Zhang over 9 years ago in reply to Biser Gatchev-XID

Expert 1320 points

I am confused.
From the link you provided: processors.wiki.ti.com/.../ICSS_EMAC_LLD_developers_guide
It says (in Introduction):
In addition to these, the SDK comes with an Ethernet MAC example. This example uses two PRU's to implement two independent MAC's with two different MAC addresses and two different IP addresses. To provide an analogy, this is somewhat similar to a two port Ethernet PCIe NIC card on a PC, only here, the Ethernet interface is available along with the Host processor on a single SoC
Can you please clarify?
Thanks

0 Biser Gatchev-XID over 9 years ago in reply to Tianlei Zhang

TI__Guru**** 393215 points

This is the TI-RTOS SDK, not Linux. This is also the reason I asked you which SDK you have in mind.

0 Tianlei Zhang over 9 years ago in reply to Biser Gatchev-XID

Expert 1320 points

We don't need Linux or any RTOS. Our project will be bare metal. All we need is 3 Ethernet ports (at least one of which will be PRU) that can Tx/Rx Ethernet packets individually. Does the PRU support this now?
Thanks
Tianlei

0 Biser Gatchev-XID over 9 years ago in reply to Tianlei Zhang

TI__Guru**** 393215 points

TI does not offer software support for bare-metal applications. You could base your development on what's offered in the RTOS SDK.

0 Tianlei Zhang over 9 years ago in reply to Biser Gatchev-XID

Expert 1320 points

OK, just to confirm, if we start off with TI-RTOS, we should have 3 Ethernet ports available from the chip, right? If the answer is yes, it is also a great news. We can just buy a IDK board and start our project.

0 Biser Gatchev-XID over 9 years ago in reply to Tianlei Zhang

TI__Guru**** 393215 points

Correction, it's ISDK 2.1.0.1 in the wiki above, not RTOS. Link is downloads.ti.com/.../index_FDS.html

As for boards I suggest you check the board schematics before buying. Here are the links:
processors.wiki.ti.com/.../AM335x_Boards
processors.wiki.ti.com/.../AM437X_EVM_Boards

Note that the AM335X IDK is no longer being offered.

0 Tianlei Zhang over 9 years ago in reply to Biser Gatchev-XID

Expert 1320 points

Aha, that not good news for me. It looks like the AM335X IDK is the only one that has 3 Ethernet port on it.

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Can sitara support 3 Ethernet ports?