Enable Ethernet Controller in Orin NX 8GB Devicetree

[david.roerich]

Hi,

the Orin NX 8GB has an on-module Ethernet controller as per datasheet:

I am trying to enable this Ethernet controller in our system that uses a custom carrier board. I realize that in the Devicetree for the Orin NX 8GB DevKit there are five Ethernet controllers but all are disabled. Do I need to enable one of those? Which one?

I am also aware of this table:

But I don’t understand what it means. What is the connection between PCIe and GbE? This figure from the TRM implies that the share UPHYs but the Ethernet controllers should be independent from the PCIe controllers, aren’t they?

Would be great if someone could clear this up for me. Thanks!

[WayneWWW]

Hi,

You got misled here. There is no ethernet controller for Orin NX.

The interface you are talking about only exists on Orin AGX. Not on Orin NX.

There is only PCIe/USB interface you can use for ethernet card on Orin NX/Nano.

[david.roerich]

Hi,

thank you for your response. Are you sure there is no Ethernet MAC controller on the module? This is a screenshot from the Orin NX DevKit (P3768-A04) where the GbE signals are directly connected to the module:

There is no external Ethernet controller on the board.

[WayneWWW]

Hi,

The point here is if you are using Orin AGX module, then you can change the PHY on your carrier board and configure the MAC controller

But if you are using “Orin NX/Nano”, then the PHY is built-in inside the module and it is a PCIe based card from Realtek.

As this picture showed,

You cannot change and don’t need to enable anything because this PCIe is already enabled by default in our BSP.

[WayneWWW]

My point is this picture is not related to your issue.

[david.roerich]

Ok, thank you for the clarification. My understanding of the screenshot from the design guide is that the internal GbE PHY is connected to PCIe controller 8. Is this correct? So that controller should be enabled in the Devicetree, right?

[WayneWWW]

Yes, that one is on PCIe controller #8 and you don’t need to enable it because we already enabled it in default driver package. Unless you disabled it by yourself, it shall work by default.