Gigabit Ethernet device design and implementation

[mmichala]

Hi all,

I would like to design a device with the following features:

• Dual Gigabit ethernet,
• Encrypted communication: SNMPv3, HTTPS, SMTPS.

I am looking for a SoC that makes it possible to achieve this functionality. After doing some research, I have found the STM32MP135F which seems to be able to achieve this functionality.

There is a development board of the mentioned SoC, but it has 2 ethernet ports that run only at 100Mb/s. Regarding the STM32MP135F datasheet, it is able to run two gigabit ports by having two RGMII interfaces.

My Concerns are:

1) Is it possible to run gigabit ethernet by using the STM32MP135F SoC?

2) If yes, then I am wondering if there is an easy way to test it?

3) Can I test the GbE link by using the STM32MP135F-DK board?

4) Are there other ICs (that would require less complicated design), that allow to achieve the same functionality?

Any help is apprecciated!

[ravo]

Dear @mmichala,

It's long time from post...

I do similar research for dual ethernet. After playing with STM32MP135F-DK board I summarize:

1) yes you can run 1gbit ethernet on STM32MP135F

2) you can test with NetX Duo API - but for 1Gbit you will need custom HW

3) STM32MP135F-DK board support only 100Mbit

4) I know that from STM is STM32MP13 only MPU which has dual Ethernet capability.

Radim

[PatrickF]

Hi @ravo 

You should build you own board or find a 3rd party STM32MP135F board providing dual gigabit ethernet, (there is no ST development board with dual Gigabit ethernet).

In addition, the brand new STM32MP25 could provide a 2 x Gigabit Ethernet GMAC and includes a internal Gigabit switch to achieve a total of 3 x Gigabit Ethernet ports.

All the ports provides also Time Sensitive Network (TSN) capabilities.

Last but not least, the STM32MP257F-EV1 board is providing all of this natively (prerelease board currently available under request thru https://www.mouser.fr/ProductDetail/STMicroelectronics/STM32MP257F-EV1?qs=ZcfC38r4PosgjLnr0guC7A%3D%3D).
You can see it in action here.
Please have a look to https://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers-microprocessors/stm32mp2-series.html

Full product availability is planned for end of June 2024.

Regards.

[ravo]

Dear @PatrickF 

Thanks for comments and information about new STM32MP25. It looks great. But I would like to ask if STM32MP25 will have bare metal support from ST, or if it will be same as with STM32MP15 series (support only for cortex M4 mcu) ? We have project based on STM32 H7 but would like to migrate to MP13 or MP25. But we prefer no OS, maybe only FreeRTOS / ThreadX.

Best Regards

Radim

 

[PatrickF]

Hi,

Situation is very similar than STM32MP15 and STM32MP13.
In first intent, the STM32MP25 focus on Linux and Android, and so, will not have any bare-metal delivery for Cortex-A35. Bare-metal only provided for Cortex-M33 (available today).
There will be bare-metal offer on future STM32MP21, still having two GMAC, but no HW ethernet switch.

Regards.

[ravo]

Dear @mmichala 

Thanks for info,

I don't need HW ethernet switch. If it will also have two GMAC than STM32MP21 could look good. On eval board will have 100Mbit or 1Gbit ETH ?

Radim

 

[ravo]

Dear @PatrickF 

Thanks for more detailed information about STM32MP21. It looks similar to STM32MP13 but I have look ad device selector https://www.st.com/en/microcontrollers-microprocessors/stm32mp2-series/products.html

And for single core STM32MP251 there are only variants which have only 1 ethernet port. So it is useless for our application (better use STM32MP13) 

I just do some research for SOM manufactures and they provide BSP and support preferably only for Linux.

But I would like to program "bare metal" so I am now back on ST development board only.

I don't found eny EVK evaluation board with 1Gbit PHY, buti found that there is already driver for rtl8211eg (found on STM32MP157 dvk board) but I hope that it should also work with STM32MP13 without problem, but there we must design own board. 

Regards

Radim

 

 

[PatrickF]

Hi,

please have a look to this board, which provide STM32MP135F together with dual Gigabit ethernet.
https://www.dh-electronics.com/en/embedded-products/development-carrier-boards/detail/dhsbc-stm32mp13

Regards