I have compiled and uploaded the Freescale 4.1.1 virtual_nic example - how do I verify it is working?

[rickstuart]

Hi all,

[What I really want is to open a discussion on the virtual_nic Freescale example to understand it better.  But in other forums I find it more effective to ask one specific per thread.  Please let me know if that is not the culture here.]

I have compiled and uploaded the Freescale 4.1.1 virtual_nic example to a Tower w/a K70.  I am working with IAR Workbench.  How do I verify it is working?

I have read somewhere that this example only implements one direction of the Ethernet-over-USB to Ethernet connection. If so, I am at a loss to think of a good test for this example.  Further, inspecting the code, it looks symmetrical.  That is, I believe I see code for transmitting in both directions (USB port and RJ45 port).

In another post/thread, a Freescale employee said I should be able to PING the connection.  I tried this but apparently it did not work.

-thank you

[rickstuart]

Success, I have been able to ping this example.  But only after I change the IP address found in virtual_nic_enet.h.  If I don't change it to match the subnet of the network I plug the RS45 into, the ping does not work.  Further, when I am using the default IP address and I look at the output of "route print", I see values that come close but DO NOT MATCH the default IP address found in virtual_nic_enet.h.

Maybe to some this is just plain Windows-networking-101.  But to me it is darn confusing - and  I would really appreciate it if someone could set me straight.

For instance, if this example is truly only a Ethernet gate way between the USB world and the RJ45 world - then why is there even the need for an IP address?

-thanks

[rickstuart]

I take that back.  No success here.   I am trying to duplicate Freescale employee's Martin comment that he plugged a router into the TWR-SER RJ45.  But that does not create the expected network (It does create a new network but the expected routing is missing).  As a GOLD test I used a off-the-shelf TRENDNET Ethernet over USB to Ethernet 10/100BaseT converter dongle in place of the Freescale TWR running the Freescale CDC Ethernet over USB example.  That worked with the router.  It created a network and the Win7 box connected through the router's WIFI to the local network.  I repeated this GOLD test successfully using Ubuntu and all the same hardware (same Win7 box, TRENDNET & ASUS router).

Any pointers getting this Freescale running like the TRENDNET dongle would be appreciated.

-thanks

[rickstuart]

Tidying up this thread...

I think the Freescale virtual_nic CDC Example has a problem in the USB to Ethenet direction.  I explain what I did here in this thread:

USB Virtual NIC

I'm not sure my solution is a good one.  But I can ARP and Ping now using my modified virtual_nic code.

[RadekS]

Thank you for your bug report.

It was reported to our internal bug database and it will be fixed in one of next MQX releases.

Have a great day,
RadekS

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[rickstuart]

I think I found the problem.  In file "virtual_nic_enet.c" in "fuction VNIC_FEC_Send()"  if you change this code:

	USB_mem_copy(ethernet_frame_ptr + 2 * MAC_ADDR_SIZE,
	g_enet_hdr.TYPE, 2);

protocol = *((uint16_t *)(((ENET_HEADER_PTR)ethernet_frame_ptr)->TYPE));

	nic_pcb = _mem_alloc_system_zero(sizeof(PCB) + sizeof(PCB_FRAGMENT));
	if(nic_pcb == NULL)

...to this...

	USB_mem_copy(ethernet_frame_ptr + 2 * MAC_ADDR_SIZE,
	g_enet_hdr.TYPE, 2);

protocol = *((uint16_t *)(((ENET_HEADER_PTR)ethernet_frame_ptr)->TYPE));

protocol = htons(protocol);

	nic_pcb = _mem_alloc_system_zero(sizeof(PCB) + sizeof(PCB_FRAGMENT));
	if(nic_pcb == NULL)

The Type field sent out the RJ45 side will work for ARP & Ping.  It appears to work for other message but I wasn't testing for them specifically.

-thanks