Research question - users with WC32 please read!

[CAI_Support]

Hi AZ1324,
 
Thanks for your input, I will forward your discovery to our engineers. Our configuration to the NIC chip is always auto-negotiation. How the realtek chip inside negotiate sequence is not under our control. In auto negotiation, if duplex mismatch and missed the negotiation window, it will not work.  If your switch support management, you may change its auto negotiation using longer timing and 100 baseT first. 
 
Current switches on market all have auto negotiate from 1000, then 100. So they will work fine.  Only older switches may not have auto negotiation. WC32 RealTek NIC does not work if switch does not support auto negotiation.

 

[az1324]

It would make the most sense to:

1. Enable auto-negotiation
2. If no link established after timeout, set manual link parameters
3. If no link established go back to 1
4. If a link is established, operate normally

Arguably this is sort of what it does already because it sort of works on my 10M switch however it does not stop restarting even though the link is up.

 

[CAI_Support]

We will compare with ETHPIC32INtMAC.c and ETHEPIC32ExtPHy.c to see if anything can be tweaked.
If you have any suggestion for those two files change, please let us know.  As far as RealTek chip specific logic, factory told us nothing we need to change.  As far as Microchip provided Realtek example code, it mostly just adjusted the LED indicators to reflect the NIC socket being used, which is not really matter to WC32.

 

[Efried]

What kind of unexpected behavior

hostile takeover ;-)

 

[jzsjr]

I'm not sure I want to open this thread back up but I plugged my new wc32 into a Brocade ICX6450 using 10/100/1000 auto negotiating ports and the unit would not link up (right light would blink every 3 to 5 seconds).  It has a fixed IP and would not link up until I put a bogus TP-Link gig switch in between.  This is a port on my work bench that I use all the time for testing all kinds of switches and computers.  WC8 plugs up and works fine.  
thanks,
Jim 

 

[CAI_Support]

Hi Jim,
 
The Realtek Ethernet controller require the switch support auto negotiate. We had tried to change its behavior, but there is nothing we can actually change.
From Brocade web site, that switch port auto negotiation mode can be configured.  Maybe you can try to configure the switch and providing us a negotiation sequence that works better.  Thanks.

 

[jzsjr]

The Brocade switches default to auto negotiation which does not work.  There is no choice like auto-100 which some switches do offer and I believe that was mentioned earlier in this thread.  When I fix it at 100-full I get a link light but no data flow.  It looks like I will have to hang it off a cheap 5 port for now unless used on some of our HP Procurves.
 
Jim

 

[CAI_Support]

We do not have that switch. If possible, could you send us the switch, so that we can test then send it back to you?
I wish they set standard really standard, but each chip and switch IC company having their own way to handle it.  Realtek is a large company based on chip number out there.
but not all switch company would check against all Realtek chips.