Is there a recommendation for a switch-chip with 2 ports to integrate into a device?

[Webinar_Question]

Is there a recommendation for a switch-chip with 2 ports to integrate into a device?

[Alex.W]

Is there a recommendation for a switch-chip with 2 ports to integrate into a device?

The Microchip KSZ8863 is an option. Please keep in mind that PROFINET sees this device as a PROFINET device with 2 PROFINET ports. The Switch controller needs to be a managed Switch Controller (Layer 2+) and your PROFINET solution needs to bring the management functionality to manage this switch. You are not only embedding a Plug-and-Play Ethernet Switch – you are embedding a Managed Ethernet Switch.

Only then the PROFINET Stack can provide LLDP data, SNMP data, VLAN settings and miscellaneous other settings. Practically you would connect the switch with the MII or RMII interface to the Ethernet port of your MCU and in parallel with SPI to access the management registers. The frames coming to your MCU and leaving from the MCU will have a so called tail-tag, this tag defines on which Ethernet port the switch has received the incoming frame resp. which Ethernet port the outgoing frame is supposed to go out. This tail-tag is stripped off by standard Layer 2 Ethernet drivers, latest the TCP/IP Stack is discarding it. You will need to retain this tag by your own measures in your used Switch Management Software.

There are PROFINET stacks available with integrated Ethernet Switch Management.