
4-Port 84C30A
4-12
MD400151/C
2.0 Introduction
The 84C30A s a 4-Port Ethernet Media Access Controller
(MAC) with a rich set of operating modes and features. It
will directly connect with SEEQ’s 84C24 (4-Port 10Base-T
PHY) or four SEEQ 80C25’s (single-channel 10Base-T
PHY). It is manufactured as a single-chip VLSI device to
simplify and enhance the development of multi-port
Ethernet embedded systems such as bridges, switches,
and routers.
Each port of the 84C30A is feature compatible with
SEEQ’s 80C03 Ethernet Media Access Controller. These
features include: 64 bit Multicast filter, Transmit no CRC,
Transmit no Preamble, Transmit Packet Autopadding,
Receive CRC, Receive Own Transmit Disable, Receive
Group Address Mode, Fast Receive Discard Mode, and
Full Duplex Mode. Additionally, each port supports: pro-
grammable defer time between transmit packets, append-
ing value of FCS on a packet-by-packet basis, and pin-
controllable per-port receive packet abort.
A high-bandwidth universal system interface is provided
which is compatible with many microprocessor or system
busses, easing the integration of the 84C30A into many
system architectures. Its 32-bit data path width s provided
to provide the bandwidth necessary to maintain full duplex
wire speed communications simultaneously through all
four ports. Each port s provided with dual 128 byte FIFOs
to ease bus multiplexing and interfacing to different clock
domains.
3.0 Functional Description
3.1 FRAME FORMAT
NOTE:
Field length bytes, in parentheses.
(FCS). Each field has a specific format which s described
in detail below. An Ethernet frame has a minimum length
of 64 bytes and a maximum ength of 1518 bytes exclusive
of he preamble. The Ethernet rame ormat s shown n he
figure above.
Typical Frame Buffer Format for
Byte-Organized Memory
Preamble:
The preamble is a 64-bit field consisting of 62
alternating “1”s and “0”s followed by a “11” End-of-Pre-
amble indicator.
Destination Address:
The Destination Address is a 6-
byte field containing either a specific Station Address, a
Broadcast Address, or a Multicast Address to which this
frame is directed.
Source Address:
The Source Address is a 6-byte field
containing the specific Station Address from which this
frame originated.
Byte-Count Field:
The Byte-Count Field consists of two
bytes providing the number of valid data bytes in the Data
Field, 46 to 1500. This field is uninterpreted at the Data
Link Layer, and is passed through the EDLC chip to be
handled at the Client Layer.
PREAMBLE
(8)
DESTINATION
ADDRESS
(6)
SOURCE
ADDRESS
(6)
BYTE
COUNT
(2)
DATA
(46-1500)
FCS
(4)
ETHERNET FRAME
FIRST BYTE
LAST BYTE
DESTINATION
ADDRESS
(6 BYTES)
SOURCE
ADDRESS
(6 BYTES)
BYTE COUNT
(2 BYTES)
DATA
(46 – 1500
BYTES)
A7
A15
A23
A31
A39
A47
B7
B15
B23
B31
B39
B47
T7
T15
D7
A0
A8
A16
A24
A32
A40
B0
B8
B16
B24
B32
B40
T0
T8
D0
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On an Ethernet communication network, information is
transmitted and received in packets or frames. An Eth-
ernet frame consists of a preamble, two address fields, a
byte-count field, a data field and a frame check sequence