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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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16 years ago

Cyclone 2 issue with ethernet

Hi all. I have been searching and searching and hope I either have a simple problem that I am over looking or just somehow missed the one thing that would have helped.

I am more or less brand new to VHDL and FPGAs. I am using an Altera Cyclone II board with Quartus 2 and Nios 2 software. I am using Quartus 2 9.1sp1 Web Edition and Nios 2 9.1 IDE. Currently I am trying to get the webserver example working. I did the socket server and the mouse test programs that came with the software and both worked fine.

The webserver program I got was from Terasic (board won't let me link site because of my lack of posts. was the one labeled "DE2 Web Server Source Code and Drivers Version: for Quartus II 6.0 - Require Nios II 6.0 Full Edition installed" ). The program will build fine in Nios with no errors at all. With a cable connected from the computer with the Nios software to a switch, and another cable from the switch to the Altera board I try to run the program. When I run I keep getting

--- Quote Start ---

nios2-terminal: connected to hardware target using JTAG UART on cable

nios2-terminal: "USB-Blaster [USB-0]", device 1, instance 0

nios2-terminal: (Use the IDE stop button or Ctrl-C to terminate)

=============== Software License Reminder ================

This software project uses an unlicensed version of the NicheStack TCP/IP

Network Stack - Nios II Edition. If you want to ship resulting object

code in your product, you must purchase a license for this software from

Altera. For information go to: "board won't allow this portion, lack of posts"

=====================================================

InterNiche Portable TCP/IP, v3.1

Copyright 1996-2008 by InterNiche Technologies. All rights reserved.

prepped 0 interfaces, initializing...

inet startup error: unable to find any working interfaces

panic: IP

dtrap - needs breakpoint

--- Quote End ---

When I searched for the error on Google the only hits that seemed related were to a forum post about the nichestack tcp/ip or a link to Altera's site talking about the NicheStack.

I suppose my question is, is this a common error that I am just making a rookie error on? Am I missing something completely? Any help pointing me in the right direction would be great. If I didn't add enough information or you need to know anything else please just tell me and I will try to supply all I have. I am a complete and total noobie when it comes to this, so thank you for your patience

8 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    which board are you using? DE2? Which Ethernet Hardware ist on the board (Phy, MAC)? Are you using the TSE MAC from Altera?

    It seems that the webserver program doesn't correct initialize the device driver for Iniche stack. May be it's not compatible to the NiosII version 9.1. Compare this with the already running socket server example. Is the socket server example based on Iniche stack? Are you using ucosII? Could you provide the Hardware desing as .qar file and the corresponding software projects (socke server, webserver)?

    Jens
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    --- Quote Start ---

    which board are you using? DE2? Which Ethernet Hardware ist on the board (Phy, MAC)? Are you using the TSE MAC from Altera?

    It seems that the webserver program doesn't correct initialize the device driver for Iniche stack. May be it's not compatible to the NiosII version 9.1. Compare this with the already running socket server example. Is the socket server example based on Iniche stack? Are you using ucosII? Could you provide the Hardware desing as .qar file and the corresponding software projects (socke server, webserver)?

    Jens

    --- Quote End ---

    Sorry for the long delay in replying to your response, it is my last semester as an undergrad and last week and most of this week was spent working on group projects and exams. I am using an Altera DE2 board (Cyclone II). The socket server example had no iniche files in Nios when I ran it, so I believe it is not based off of the Iniche stack? I have the Quartus II project file (.qar file) for the DE2_web program I am trying to get to work, but do not have anything similar for the socket example. The example only had software on the NIOS end (got it off of the CD that came along with the FPGA). I am very sorry if my responses here seem vague or completely useless, I am completely new to this FPGA and have had very little experience with FPGAs in the past (worked with a Digilent Basys 2 board a bit last semester, but only used schematic capture tools)
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    InternNoob, o.k. you are using DE2. There is a Davicom DM9000 ethernet controller onboard which is not directly supported by SOPC Builder. I'm using the Altera Triple Speed Ethernet with Marvell Phy so I didn't have any experience with Davicom. But you can find many post about that in the forum. For example here:

    http://www.alteraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4832&highlight=dm9000 (http://www.alteraforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4832&highlight=dm9000)

    Jens
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Thank you very much for trying to help :) Sorry for being vague and probably frustrating but thank you very much for answering anyway :)

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Hi IntrnNoob,

    Did you managed to overcome the problem? I am having the smae problem.

    thanks.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    No, I still have not solved the issue. I tried working on other stuff for a little bit to clear my head and come back to it with a fresh set of eyes but I am still having the same problem with no clear reason as to why.

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Correction: I did get past this problem. A .sof file was in the folder with all of the files from my project in Nios. I copied the DE2_WEB folder into a different folder to make all of my changes on, that way if I screwed up bad everything would still be ok in a different location. When I use the .sof file from the original folder I do not get the dtrap error at all, instead I get

    --- Quote Start ---

    nios2-terminal: connected to hardware target using JTAG UART on cable

    nios2-terminal: "USB-Blaster [USB-0]", device 1, instance 0

    nios2-terminal: (Use the IDE stop button or Ctrl-C to terminate)

    --- Quote End ---

    And then nothing happens on the board or the terminal.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Be sure the syslib is set to the correct PTF file. Best way to be sure is use File -> New -> System Library and point it to this PTF file. Then use the program properties to be sure this syslib is being used for the program.

    Bill