Is it difficult to implement an ethernet switch in my design?

[Janos 5]

Hi everyone,

 

i'm working with a TM4C1294XL launchpad, that has an built in Ethernet port that I use for my recent project. I'd like to build a "Booster Pack" that gives me all the I/O, Switches, Displays I need to put my prototype into a Box to take it out into the real world. Now it would be great to have a built in Ethernet Switch with one port attached to the MCU and two ports attached to a Neutrik Ethercon Connector. Of course, I could buy a three port switch, some short Ethernet cables and plug it all together into the box, but I'd prefer to have it all on one PBC.

 

But I've no idea how easy or difficult this could be. I found the Microchip LAN9313 chip that is a 3 port Ethernet switch IC, but I'm not sure how difficult it is to actually design everything around it. Is it just Attaching these little transformers and an ethernet connector to the chip, or does it require more than that? What about the internal connection to the MCU's ethernet interface, the Microchip IC has one port without a PHY, could this be used to hook up the network port of the MCU in a simple way?

 

If you know a website describing the design of ethernet schematics in a good way, I'd also be happy about links, I didn't find that much useful information.

 

Edit: Corrected the Title, of course I meant "ethernet switch" instead of "ethernet witch"

[igor 163]

Hi everyone,

Edit: Corrected the Title, of course I meant "ethernet switch" instead of "ethernet witch"

 

Seems like an ethernet witch would be just the thing for the thread on halloween projects. ;-)