With the IEEE 802.3cg 10BASE-T1L standard, engineers can expand the cable reach of their applications beyond what was previously possible – enabling new opportunities for long-distance Ethernet communications. To achieve this longer reach, however, engineers still have to contend with cable faults and degradation, which can lead to costly and labor-intensive troubleshooting and repair. 10BASE-T1L Ethernet PHYs such as the DP83TD510E provide a wide array of cable diagnostic tools to monitor cable performance and provide the longest cable reach. This application note highlights features of the PHY for detecting fault and monitoring link quality in real time.
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The DP83TD510E offers cable diagnostic tools to assist in system design and insitu monitoring. Cable diagnostic tools allows designers to quickly bring-up their systems, evaluate the quality of link between PHYs, and effectively identify cable faults. By enabling the PHY to provide valuable information about the cable and link, designers can have confidence that their systems are robust before deployment. The diagnostic data enables engineers to evaluate the health of their system over time and take action to avoid failures and down-time.
Cable diagnostic tools included in the DP83TD510E:
The following sections will discuss each of these features or tools. Each section will provide background into the functionality of the PHY, instructions on how to configure each item, and procedure for how to analyze the data retrieved. Example scripts are included for each item, and can be used with the USB-2-MDIO software tool for easy evaluation.