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Integrate Ethernet card onto propeller board with C? — Parallax Forums

Integrate Ethernet card onto propeller board with C?

2coolcode2coolcode Posts: 5
edited 2013-09-04 14:56 in Propeller 1
Has anyone been able to integrate Ethernet capability on a propellor board with C by using a PCI Ethernet card ? Or is this only possible with the Ethernet modules that paralax sells?

The PCI Ethernet card already has a tcp/ip stack framework to communicate over an ethernet lan but would you have to know how the chip is programmed to read any packet ip data on the propeller boat that it would normally be communicating on a computer motherboard via PCI slot?

Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2013-09-03 22:52
    PCI is a hardware standard for connecting I/O boards to motherboards. Both the I/O board and the motherboard have to have the proper interface hardware on them. No one (currently) has a motherboard using the Propeller that's designed for the PCI bus standard and it's not likely since there are simpler interfaces that can be used. There are several Ethernet interfaces that can be used with a Propeller including the Spinneret which uses a WIZnet 5100 controller. The WIZnet 5200 is also available and one of the forum members uses (and sells) a TI Ethernet controller. The WiFly module can be used for Ethernet over WiFi.
  • 2coolcode2coolcode Posts: 5
    edited 2013-09-03 23:20
    Cool thanks
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2013-09-04 05:42
    You could try a Raspberry Pi B. It has ethernet built right in, as it is a full linux workstation, albeit underpowered compared to most other workstations.
    At $35 is is cheaper and more bang for the buck than most other solutions.

    We connect 2 RPI GPIO pins to 2 Prop pins. A regular serial driver on the prop talks to a a task on the RPi synchronously in the fastest case. The asynch serial driver is where we started, and it also works, just not quite as fast.

    We use forth on the prop and GO language on the Rpi, but this at least demonstrates the hardware is adequate for this purpose. You could do the same in PASM or possible C on the prop, and probably C on the RPi.
  • 2coolcode2coolcode Posts: 5
    edited 2013-09-04 14:56
    Thanx Im familiar with the raspberry Pi, I actually have one on the way in the mail..
    Till then I was experimenting on building something a little more from scratch...
    I do have the Speed Studio Ethernet sheild it says it uses the inboard Wiz5100 , this should integrate with the paralax board just fine right ?
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