Re: [PATCH] net: mdio: force deassert MDIO reset signal

[Pierluigi Passaro]

On Mon, Jan 16, 2023 at 1:11 AM Andrew Lunn <andrew@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> > IMHO, since the framework allows defining the reset GPIO, it does not sound
> > reasonable to manage it only after checking if the PHY can communicate:
> > if the reset is asserted, the PHY cannot communicate at all.
> > This patch just ensures that, if the reset GPIO is defined, it's not asserted
> > while checking the communication.
>
> The problem is, you are only solving 1/4 of the problem. What about
> the clock the PHY needs? And the regulator, and the linux reset
> controller? And what order to do enable these, and how long do you
> wait between each one?
>
Interesting point of view: I was thinking about solving one of 4 problems ;)
This problem affects all the platforms using the reset GPIO without
ensuring that either u-boot or the HW put a pull-up on it.
In our test, the problem is reproducible simply setting the reset to 0 from
u-boot and then use the GPIO reset as designed in the MDIO framework.
Is this approach reasonable or a comprehensive solution is expected to
cover all additional HW actors (clocks, regulators, ...) ?>
> And why are you solving this purely for Ethernet PHYs when the same
> problem probably affects other sorts of devices which have reset
> GPIOs, regulators and clocks? It looks like MMC/SDIO devices have a
> similar problem.
>
> https://lwn.net/Articles/867740/
>
> As i said, i've not been following this work. Has it got anywhere? Can
> ethernet PHYs use it?
>
>          Andrew
I'm not that familiar with the article's implications, but it sounds like a
partial redesign of the framework is needed.
I'm not sure this is the real point.
Let's refer to I2C/SPI/USB busses, the sequence is something like
- probe and setup the bus
- once the bus is up & running, start probing the connected slaves
Apparently, in the MDIO framework there's an excessive coupling
between the MDIO bus and the PHYs.
I can't really understand why the MDIO bus must check the PHY presence.
Other busses try the communication only while probing the slaves,
never before.