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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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16 years ago

Network Supervision

Hi all,

I'm just starting 'my adventure' with Altera DE2 and I've been given a project that requires reading data from board's registers and passing it to a program on a computer via the Ethernet Port. It sounds like a complicated task and my first idea is to use SOPC Builder for passing the content of registers to Ethernet Controller and then using the demonstration project as a starting point to send it to a computer, where I would initially receive it with Wireshark and later write a program in Java, for example.

I would like to ask all of you that have a bit more experience with Altera (since I have none :)) if it is a good way of thinking. What is more, I would be sooooo grateful if you could provide me with some tips (any information on how to do it).

Finally, does the ethernet controller do the framing for the information to be sent?

Please, if you have some comment for at least one of my doubts, help me... :)

Cheers,

Adam

17 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Hi Adam.

    Read this thread please.

    You can download a demo that maybe help you a lot.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Hi,

    Excuse me, but I can't quite understand what you're saying. What thread are you refering to? I've run the demonstration from the CD, but unfortunately I still don't know how to send data stored in a board's register.

    Help me :).

    Cheers,

    Adam
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Thank you very much Alberto.

    I will analyze it and try to understand as much as possible :). But I'm afraid I will have some more questions in a few days so sorry in advance for being a pain in the *** :).

    Cheers,

    Adam
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Don't worried Adam.

    I like to help anybody,when I know the answers, and I also like to be helped by someone, when I don't know them. ;)

    Cheers.

    Alberto.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Hi again :),

    In fact, I have a question right now. Because from what I can see, your project wraps the content to be sent in a UDP framing of some kind. It helps me a bit, but I still need the sent content to be a part of a board's register (for example, some part of SDRAM, instead of a fixed table of numbers). Does anybody know how to do that?

    I'm also looking forward to see the version that receives the packets as well - good luck with that.

    Thanks again and hopefully I'll hear from someone again :).

    Cheers,

    Adam
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Hi Adam.

    In the snd[] vector I charge all data, first portion is the ethernet UDP nescesary data header, last four bytes are the CRC, in the middle of them, you simply charge your usefull data, take it out from SDRAM or any place, and load the snd[42] to snd[flenght-4] with it.

    You also could modify your packet size, anyway, "How to get the data from SDRAM" is another thing, if SDRAM is your NIOS main memory, the data is in the SDRAM yet, if not,..... explain me better which is your case.

    Recieve part is a nightmare still for me... and I've not free time to play with that this days. :(

    Cheers.

    Alberto.
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Ok, I think I got it from here. The question was imprecise, but I think I know what to do no.

    Thanks again for all the help

    cheers,

    Adam
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Hi Alberto and others that know something about Altera DE2 and Ethernet,

    It' me again :). I'm writing cause I have to continue working on the project but I got stuck again. Could you tell me how would you change your program (or the demonstration project) to have the input of a UDP packet read from onboard switches? I already added the component in the SOPC Builder, generated the system and added the files to the Quartus project. What should I do next? Should I change some files in the Quartus Project itself and the C program?

    Please, I'll be grateful for any help.

    cheers,

    Adam
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    16 years ago

    Hi Adam

    Read the "tut_sopc_introduction_verilogDE2.pdf" in the "DE2_tutorials" folder of the DE2 CD.

    In Page 19 (last page) there is an example in C language, where says: *LEDs = *Switches

    Then, instead showing the "switches states" in the LEDs, you can save their state in some memory variable.

    Cheers

    Alberto.