Re: [PATCH v1] ethtool: provide UAPI for PHY master/slave configuration.

[Oleksij Rempel]

On Fri, Apr 17, 2020 at 11:11:45AM +0100, Russell King - ARM Linux admin wrote:
> On Wed, Apr 15, 2020 at 11:57:39PM +0200, Andrew Lunn wrote:
> > > diff --git a/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c b/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
> > > index c8b0c34030d32..d5edf2bc40e43 100644
> > > --- a/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
> > > +++ b/drivers/net/phy/phy_device.c
> > > @@ -604,6 +604,7 @@ struct phy_device *phy_device_create(struct mii_bus *bus, int addr, u32 phy_id,
> > >  	dev->asym_pause = 0;
> > >  	dev->link = 0;
> > >  	dev->interface = PHY_INTERFACE_MODE_GMII;
> > > +	dev->master_slave = PORT_MODE_UNKNOWN;
> > 
> > phydev->master_slave is how we want the PHY to be configured. I don't
> > think PORT_MODE_UNKNOWN makes any sense in that contest. 802.3 gives
> > some defaults. 9.12 should be 0, meaning manual master/slave
> > configuration is disabled. The majority of linux devices are end
> > systems. So we should default to a single point device. So i would
> > initialise PORT_MODE_SLAVE, or whatever we end up calling that.
> 
> I'm not sure that is a good idea given that we use phylib to drive
> the built-in PHYs in DSA switches, which ought to prefer master mode
> via the "is a multiport device" bit.
> 
> Just to be clear, there are three bits that configure 1G PHYs, which
> I've framed in briefer terminology:
> 
> - 9.12: auto/manual configuration (1= manual 0= slave)
> - 9.11: manual master/slave configuration (1= master, 0 = slave)
> - 9.10: auto master/slave preference (1= multiport / master)
> 
> It is recommended that multiport devices (such as DSA switches) set
> 9.10 so they prefer to be master.
> 
> It's likely that the reason is to reduce cross-talk interference
> between neighbouring ports both inside the PHY, magnetics and the
> board itself. I would suspect that this becomes critical when
> operating at towards the maximum cable length.
> 
> I've checked some of my DSA switches, and 9.10 appears to default to
> one, as expected given what's in the specs.

Hm..
I've checked one of my DSA devices and 9.10 is by default 0 (proffered
slave). It get slave even if it is preferred master and it is
connected to a workstation (not multiport device) with a e1000e NIC.
The e1000e is configured by default as preferred master.

Grepping over current linux kernel I see following attempts to
configure master/slave modes:
drivers/net/ethernet/intel/e1000e/phy.c:597
  e1000_set_master_slave_mode()

all intel NICs have similar code code and do not touch preferred bit
9.10. Only force master/slave modes. So the preferred master is probably
PHY defaults, bootstrap or eeprom.

drivers/net/ethernet/broadcom/tg3.c
this driver seems to always force master mode

drivers/net/phy/broadcom.c:39
if ethernet controller is BCMA_CHIP_ID_BCM53573 and the PHY is PHY_ID_BCM54210E
then force master mode.

drivers/net/phy/micrel.c:637
Force master mode if devicetree property is set: micrel,force-master

drivers/net/phy/realtek.c:173
	/* RTL8211C has an issue when operating in Gigabit slave mode * 
	return phy_set_bits(phydev, MII_CTRL1000,
		CTL1000_ENABLE_MASTER | CTL1000_AS_MASTER)

Regards,
Oleksij
-- 
Pengutronix e.K.                           |                             |
Steuerwalder Str. 21                       | http://www.pengutronix.de/  |
31137 Hildesheim, Germany                  | Phone: +49-5121-206917-0    |
Amtsgericht Hildesheim, HRA 2686           | Fax:   +49-5121-206917-5555 |

Attachment: signature.asc
Description: PGP signature