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Microchip PoE to USB-C®︎ Power and Data Adapter RoadTest Review Data Success

colporteur

image

 

A credit thank you to GL for providing the configuration details required to get the lower circuit working.

 

The vendor alluded to the requirement for a lan7800 driver. When the interface didn't work initially, I thought  the driver wasn't supported in the Raspberry Pi Operating System (O/S). Microchip PoE to USB-CRegistered Power and Data Adapter RoadTest Review Data   After much testing, I became convinced a missing driver wasn't the issue and the interface wasn't being detected. I went as far as to load an ARM version of Ubuntu to prove out my understanding.

 

After multiple attempts to resolve the issue, I made an appeal to the E14 Community.Insight into lan78xx driver support for Pi  to seek a solution. GL's response provided the solution and the source of knowledge that helped him solve the issue.

 

GL solution worked with no requirement for additional cables mention in his post.

 

Here are the configurations details to establish the configuration shown in the drawing above.

 

Top connection

filename: /boot/config.txt

add

dtoverlay=dwc2

 

filename:/boot/cmdline.txt

add after rootwait

modules-load=dwc2,g_ether

 

After reboot a usb# interface will appear using the ip a command. Configure an IP address on the interface in the file /etc/dhcpcd.conf

 

Bottom connection

filename: /boot/config.txt

add

otg_mode=1

 

After reboot a eth# interface will appear using the ip a command. Configure an IP address on the interface in the file /etc/dhcpcd.conf

 

With an IP address established on the interface, ssh can be used to make a connection.

 

***************************************************

NO, THAT IS NOT COMPLETELY ACCURATE

 

Using the term “working” as it relates to technology has been a love hate relationship for me. After spending hours trying to resolve a problem I issue few simple tests to confirm it’s “working”, to discover later it actually isn’t “working”. Hey, wait a minute, I’m positive I got results! I soon discovers that the simple tests are not sufficient to define working.

 

I discovered that the trifecta of simple tests, an Interface appears and the Interface sports an IP address and you can ping it, doesn't mean it is working. Using the two circuit shown at the beginning of this post only one configuration works. That working is at a reduced bandwidth, documented in this post Microchip PoE to USB-CRegistered Power and Data Adapter RoadTest Review Data Revisited

 

Fail

PiZeroW, Pi3B & Pi3B+ does not provide an Ethernet Interface with

otg_mode=1 in /boot/config.txt

 

Success

Pi4B does provide an Ethernet Interface with

otg_mode=1 in /boot/config.txt

the interface can be connected to over a network

 

Fail

PiZeroW, Pi3B & Pi3B+ provides an usb0 Interface but cannot be assigned an IP address

with

dtoverlay=dwc2 /boot/config.txt

modules-load=dwc2,g_ether /boot/cmdline.txt

 

Fail

Pi4B does provide an usb0 Interface and can be assigned an IP address with

dtoverlay=dwc2 /boot/config.txt

modules-load=dwc2,g_ether /boot/cmdline.txt

the interface can not be connected to over a network. If the Pi4B is sporting a working Ethernet interface and you ping the usb0 interface, the Pi will respond to the pings. Remove that working Ethernet interface and you discover there are no ping replies. 

 

The results of this testing is not a reflection of the Microchip PoE USB-C device performance. This is all Raspberry Pi related. I'm sharing the details here to consolidate my testing data and to list what I discover works and what doesn't work.

  •   response(s) to my post  Insight into lan78xx driver support for Pi motivated me to step back and take a closer look at the environment with the hope of sharpening my skills and possibly make it easier for someone else.

     

    With the PoE injector plugged into one end of the cat cable and the other end of the cat cable plugged into the Microchip PoE, the version of Pi4B I've deployed powered up once the USB-C connector was plugged in. No issues with power. With the USB-C plugged in, the green indicator on the vendor cable came on.

     

    With the Pi4B powered up after a fresh install of the operating system, I issued four commands to inspect the environment.

     

    lsusb: check usb devices

    dmesg: to check for lan driver support

    ip a: check for any new interfaces

    lsmod|grep lan*: for driver modules.

    The link/act LED on the Microchip PoE is OFF.

    image

    Command output after configure otg_mode=1 and rebooting the Pi

     

    lsusb: additional usb information

    dmesg: additional lan driver information

    ip a: additional interface eth1 appears with dhcp configuring the interface with an IP

    lsmod|grep lan*: no change.

    The link/act LED on the Microchip PoE is ON.

    When the network cable connecting the PoE injector to the switch was removed, the link/act LED on the Microchip PoE went off OFF and the eth1 interface losts it IP address.

    image

     

    lui_gough down plays his experience "I am somewhat familiar with Linux and device driver issues (eugh)." I credit his rapid solution (along with my envy) to his experience. Knowing what to look for, knowing what it means and knowing what to do about it, are the trifecta of skills for troubleshooting.