Ethernet

Table of Contents

  1. Hello World!
  2. API
  3. Interface

This content relates to a deprecated version of Mbed

Mbed 2 is now deprecated. For the latest version please see the Mbed OS documentation.

For the latest ethernet API, please see Ethernet.

Ethernet Network Interface

The Ethernet peripheral is of little use without an IP networking stack on top of it. You could be interested in the Ethernet Interface library.

The Ethernet Interface allows the mbed Microcontroller to connect and communicate with an Ethernet network. This can therefore be used to talk to other devices on a network, including communication with other computers such as web and email servers on the internet, or act as a webserver.

Hello World!

Read destination and source from every Ethernet packet

#include "mbed.h"

Ethernet eth;

int main() {
    char buf[0x600];

    while(1) {
        int size = eth.receive();
        if(size > 0) {
            eth.read(buf, size);
            printf("Destination:  %02X:%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X\n",
                    buf[0], buf[1], buf[2], buf[3], buf[4], buf[5]);
            printf("Source: %02X:%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X:%02X\n",
                    buf[6], buf[7], buf[8], buf[9], buf[10], buf[11]);
        }

        wait(1);
    }
}

API

API summary

Import library
mbed - Ethernet Class Reference

Public Member Functions

Ethernet ()
Initialise the ethernet interface.
virtual ~Ethernet ()
Powers the hardware down.
int write (const char *data, int size)
Writes into an outgoing ethernet packet.
int send ()
Send an outgoing ethernet packet.
int receive ()
Recevies an arrived ethernet packet.
int read (char *data, int size)
Read from an recevied ethernet packet.
void address (char *mac)
Gives the ethernet address of the mbed.
int link ()
Returns if an ethernet link is pressent or not.
void set_link (Mode mode)
Sets the speed and duplex parameters of an ethernet link.

Interface

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See the Pinout page for more details

All of the required passive termination circuits are implemented on the mbed Microcontoller, allowing direct connection to the ethernet network.

The Ethernet library sets the MAC address by calling a weak function extern "C" void mbed_mac_address(char * mac); to copy in a 6 character MAC address. This in turn performs a semihosting request to the mbed interface to get the serial number, which contains a MAC address unique to every mbed device. If you are using this library on your own board (i.e. not an mbed board), you should implement your own extern "C" void mbed_mac_address(char * mac); function, to overwrite the existing one and avoid a call to the interface.

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