
LU3X32FT Two-Port 3 V 10/100
Ethernet Transceiver TX/FX
Preliminary Data Sheet
July 2000
24
Lucent Technologies Inc.
Functional Description
(continued)
Autonegotiation
The autonegotiation function provides a mechanism for exchanging configuration information between two ends of
a link segment and automatically selecting the highest-performance mode of operation supported by both devices.
Fast link pulse (FLP) bursts provide the signaling used to communicate autonegotiation abilities between two
devices at each end of a link segment. For further detail regarding autonegotiation, refer to Clause 28 of the IEEE
802.3U specification. The LU3X32FT supports four different Ethernet protocols, so the inclusion of autonegotiation
ensures that the highest-performance protocol will be selected based on the ability of the link partner.
The autonegotiation function within the LU3X32FT can be controlled either by internal register access or by the use
of configuration pins. At powerup and at device reset, the configuration pins are sampled. If disabled, autonegotia-
tion will not occur until software enables bit 12 in register 0. If autonegotiation is enabled, the negotiation process
will commence immediately.
When autonegotiation is enabled, the LU3X32FT transmits the abilities programmed into the autonegotiation
advertisement register at address 04h via FLP bursts. Any combination of 10 Mbits/s, 100 Mbits/s,
half-duplex, and full-duplex modes may be selected. Autonegotiation controls the exchange of configuration infor-
mation. Upon successful autonegotiation, the abilities reported by the link partner are stored in the autonegotiation
link partner ability register at address 05h.
The contents of the autonegotiation link partner ability register are used to automatically configure to the highest-
performance protocol between the local and far-end nodes. Software can determine which mode has been config-
ured by autonegotiation by comparing the contents of register 04h and 05h and then selecting the technology
whose bit is set in both registers of highest priority relative to the following list:
1. 100Base-TX full duplex (highest priority)
2. 100Base-TX half duplex
3. 10Base-T full duplex
4. 10Base-T half duplex (lowest priority)
The basic mode control register at address 00h provides control of enabling, disabling, and restarting of the auto-
negotiation function. When autonegotiation is disabled the speed selection bit (bit 13) controls switching between
10 Mbits/s or 100 Mbits/s operation, while the duplex mode bit (bit 8) controls switching between full-duplex opera-
tion and half-duplex operation. The speed selection and duplex mode bits have no effect on the mode of operation
when the autonegotiation enable bit (bit 12) is set.
The basic mode status register at address 01h indicates the set of available abilities for technology types (bits 15 to
10), autonegotiation ability (bit 3), and extended register capability (bit 0). These bits are hardwired to indicate the
full functionality of the LU3X32FT. The BMSR also provides status on:
I
Whether autonegotiation is complete (bit 5).
I
Whether the link partner is advertising that a remote fault has occurred (bit 4).
I
Whether a valid link has been established (bit 2).
The autonegotiation advertisement register at address 04h indicates the autonegotiation abilities to be advertised
by the LU3X32FT. All available abilities are transmitted by default, but any ability can be suppressed by writing to
this register or configuring external pins.
The autonegotiation link partner ability register at address 05h indicates the abilities of the link partner as indicated
by autonegotiation communication. The contents of this register are considered valid when the autonegotiation
complete bit (bit 5, register address 01h) is set.