Complete list of Ethernet chips?

I will compile a comprehensive and systematic guide for Ethernet chip analysis for you, with the following main contents:

Core chip types and application solutions: Use classification introduction and table comparison to provide detailed explanations of the main chip types such as physical layer transceivers, controllers, protocol stack chips, and their applicable scenarios.

Mainstream manufacturers and representative products: Display the technical characteristics and market positioning of international giants and domestic enterprises through manufacturer classification and product tables.

Application scenarios and selection suggestions: Provide selection solutions for five major scenarios, including industrial control, vehicle networking, etc., including specific chip recommendations and performance indicators.

Localization Progress and Future Trends: Analyze the current situation and technological development direction of domestic substitution, including innovative achievements and market breakthrough cases of domestic enterprises.

Next, we will begin writing the main text of the complete list of Ethernet chips.

Comprehensive Analysis of Ethernet Chips: A Guide from Core Types to Scenario Applications

Core chip types and application solutions

The implementation of Ethernet communication relies on the collaborative work of multiple specialized chips, which can be classified into multiple categories based on their functional positioning, each addressing different levels of technical requirements. A deep understanding of the architecture classification and working mechanism of Ethernet chips is the cornerstone of designing efficient network communication systems.

1.1 Physical layer transceiver (PHY chip)

The physical layer transceiver (PHY) undertakes the most fundamental signal conversion task in network communication and is located at the bottom layer of the OSI network model. The core function of such chips is to achieve digital to analog signal conversion and physical medium adaptation, ensuring that digital signals can be reliably transmitted over analog cables.

Basic PHY: Targeting general embedded scenarios, the Qinheng CH182 series supports 10/100M Ethernet specifications and can flexibly adapt to various main control chips through MII/RMII interfaces. It supports multiple voltages of 1.8V/2.5V/3.3V and has the unique advantage of built-in impedance matching resistors and crystal oscillator required capacitors, greatly simplifying peripheral circuit design. The CH182D packaged in QFN20 has a size of only 3x3mm, making it an ideal choice for space constrained applications. The DP83848 from Texas Instruments (TI) is also a cost-effective 10/100M solution widely recognized for its reliability and long lifespan in industrial environments.

High speed PHY: To meet the growing demand for high bandwidth, Yutaiwei YT8821 series supports 2.5GBEST (IEEE 802.3bz) and 1000BASET (IEEE 802.3ab) protocols, and is compatible with multi rate transmission (2.5G/1000M/100M/10M). The chip adopts high-speed DSP technology and analog front-end (AFE) design, integrating 625MPS ADC and 2.5GSPS DAC, and achieves stable transmission of 120m @ 2.5Gbps and 160m @ 1000Mbps through CAT5e unshielded twisted pair, perfectly adapting to WIFI6 routers and 5G terminal devices. Microchip's LAN8720A occupies an important position in battery powered devices due to its ultra-low power consumption characteristics.

Vehicle specific PHY: Developed for the harsh environment of automotive electronics, Yutaiwei YT8010A meets the AECQ100 Level 1 standard and implements the 100BASET1 standard defined by IEEE 802.3bw, transmitting data through a single pair of twisted pair cables. The YT8011A series goes further and is compatible with the 1000BASET1 standard, supporting the necessary sleep wake-up function and 1588 time synchronization protocol for in car environments. It has built-in enhanced EMC design and ESD protection to ensure stable communication in complex electromagnetic environments.

1.2 Ethernet Controller and Protocol Stack Chip

When the main control chip lacks network processing capabilities or requires expansion interfaces, Ethernet controllers and protocol stack chips provide solutions at different levels, ranging from hardware interfaces to full coverage of protocol processing.

Interface expansion controller: The Qinheng CH390 Ethernet controller integrates MAC controller and PHY internally, and is connected to the main control through SPI or parallel port, supporting 10/100M Ethernet. This chip is particularly suitable for scenarios where the main Ethernet interface is insufficient or does not provide a MAC controller. It supports a wide interface voltage of 1.8V/2.5V/3.3V, has a unique MAC address built-in, saves external EEPROM, and is widely used in dual port and multi port expansion solutions. As a gigabit controller, the Realtek RTL8111 is integrated into numerous PC motherboards, winning the market with its high compatibility and stable drivers.

Hardware protocol stack chip: provides a development free protocol stack solution for resource constrained systems. The Qinheng CH395/CH394 series integrates a complete TCP/IP protocol suite (UDP/TCP/IPv4/DHCP/ARP, etc.) and connects to the main control through SPI, serial or parallel ports. Its unique value lies in providing 8 independent sockets that can handle multiple connections simultaneously, greatly reducing the development difficulty of remote device management and status monitoring applications. WIZnet W5500 also has a built-in hardware TCP/IP protocol stack, supporting 8 independent Socket communications. The SPI interface simplifies hardware design, but the transmission rate is limited by the SPI bus and cannot achieve the performance of an independent PHY+MAC solution.

Transparent transmission adapter chip: Targeting the needs of simple networking, the Qinheng CH9121 provides out of the box TCP/UDP Client/Server functionality based on the protocol stack chip. By simply configuring the serial port, bidirectional transparent transmission of network packets and serial data can be achieved without programming, greatly reducing the development threshold and becoming an economical and efficient solution for the networked transformation of traditional serial port devices.

Table: Comparison of Key Characteristics of Ethernet Chip Types

1.3 Switching chip and integration solution

With the increasing complexity of network architecture, switch chips and highly integrated SoCs provide higher-level solutions for multi device networking and system simplification.

Switching chip: realizes efficient forwarding of multi port data. Yutaiwei YT9215 series L2 LiteManaged switching chip supports 5-port gigabit+2-channel 2.5G uplink interfaces and integrates self-developed physical layer IP. Its innovation lies in the built-in RISCV processor, which supports lightweight remote management and cloud management. The elastic switching architecture fully realizes layer 2 forwarding, virtual LAN, security detection and other functions, meeting the needs of multiple scenarios such as home wireless gateway, SMB enterprise access, and industrial control.

Integrated Ethernet MCU: Single chip implementation of network communication and control functions. The Qinheng CH32V317 innovatively integrates the RISCV core with 480Mbps high-speed USB PHY and 10/100M Ethernet PHY on a single chip, greatly simplifying device design. The LeXin ESP32 series focuses on the field of the Internet of Things, integrating WiFi and Ethernet MAC to provide flexible network access options.

High performance MPU: For industrial applications, the Renesas RZ/N2L is equipped with an Arm CortexR52 core (400MHz), integrated with a 3-port Gigabit Ethernet switch that supports TSN, and natively supports industrial protocols such as EtherCAT, PROFINET RT/IRT, EtherNet/IP, etc. 256KB tightly coupled memory and 1.5MB internal RAM, combined with a trigonometric accelerator, provide powerful computing power for real-time industrial communication and motor control.

2 Mainstream manufacturers and representative products

The global Ethernet chip market presents a diversified competitive pattern, with international giants dominating with their first mover advantage, while domestic enterprises are accelerating the process of domestic substitution through technological breakthroughs. Different manufacturers have their own characteristics in technology routes, product positioning, and market strategies, forming a complementary and symbiotic industrial ecosystem.

2.1 International leading enterprises

International semiconductor giants, with decades of technological accumulation, have built high barriers in high-speed, high reliability, and advanced processes, especially occupying significant advantages in the high-end market.

Broadcom: As a leader in the field of Ethernet chips, Broadcom focuses on high-performance solutions. The BCM54616S single port gigabit PHY chip adopts advanced signal processing technology and performs excellently in miniaturized high-speed network applications; The BCM5719 four port Gigabit Ethernet controller is designed for servers and high-performance network devices, supporting virtualization and advanced network offloading capabilities to meet the high throughput and low latency requirements of data centers. Although Broadcom products are relatively expensive, they hold an irreplaceable position in the critical infrastructure sector.

Realtek: Dominating the consumer electronics market, its products are known for their high cost-effectiveness and wide compatibility. The RTL8111 Gigabit Ethernet controller is widely integrated into PC motherboards and network cards, driving the networking of hundreds of millions of devices worldwide; RTL8201F is a model of low-power PHY, suitable for embedded devices with limited space and power consumption. Ruiyu's unique advantage lies in its ability to quickly respond to market demand and provide highly integrated solutions.

Texas Instruments (TI): Focusing on the industrial and automotive markets, our products emphasize robustness and long lifespan. DP83867 industrial grade gigabit PHY has excellent anti-interference ability and extended temperature range (40 ℃ to 105 ℃), supporting harsh applications in industrial environments; DP83822 is optimized for cost sensitive consumer electronics and IoT devices, controlling power consumption and cost while ensuring basic performance. TI's product lifecycle management strategy is particularly suitable for industrial customers with long-term supply requirements.

Microchip: Provides comprehensive embedded network solutions, and the LAN8720A low-power 10/100 PHY is widely used in various microcontroller platforms, especially in conjunction with the STM32 series to form a classic combination; The KSZ9031 Gigabit PHY is designed for higher performance requirements and supports RGMII interfaces and cable diagnostic functions. The unique value of Microchip lies in its improved development ecosystem and cross platform compatibility.

2.2 Domestic Innovation Forces

Through continuous technological breakthroughs, domestic chip companies have achieved breakthroughs in multiple segmented fields, gradually changing the market pattern highly dependent on imports, especially making significant progress in the consumer and industrial sectors.

Qinheng Microelectronics: Adopting a vertical integration strategy, providing Ethernet full stack solutions. Its product line covers PHY (CH182), controller (CH390) to protocol stack chip (CH395), forming a complete technical chain. Of particular note is the CH32V317 interconnect MCU, which innovatively integrates RISCV core, 480Mbps USB PHY, and 10/100M Ethernet PHY, providing a streamlined design solution for highly integrated devices. Qinheng's development toolchain and Chinese documentation support are particularly friendly to domestic developers.

Yutai Microelectronics: Focusing on the research and development of high-speed physical layer chips, representing China's highest level in this field. The YT8821 series 2.5G PHY chip supports the IEEE 802.3bz standard and achieves stable transmission of 120 meters through CAT5e unshielded twisted pair cables, with performance comparable to similar international products. It has been successfully introduced into the supply chain of top domestic customers. In the automotive field, the YT8011A series achieves automotive grade gigabit transmission and supports the AECQ100 standard, successfully breaking the foreign monopoly. Yutaiwei's innovative strength has been highly recognized by the industry, and its YT8821 has won the "China IC Fengyun Annual Excellent Product Innovation Award".

LeXin Technology: Focusing on wireless connectivity in the Internet of Things, the ESP32 series creatively integrates WiFi, Bluetooth, and Ethernet MAC on a single chip, providing flexible network access solutions. Its unique advantage lies in its rich development ecosystem and extremely low learning curve, with the global developer community contributing a massive number of open source projects. Although Lexin's products are not focused on wired networks, their hybrid networking capabilities have unique value in scenarios such as smart homes.

Table: Major Ethernet chip manufacturers and product positioning

|| LeXin | Wireless+Wired Integration | ESP32 | IoT Devices|

3 Application Scenarios and Selection Suggestions

The performance, power consumption, and reliability requirements of Ethernet chips vary significantly in different application scenarios, and precise matching of requirements and chip characteristics is the key to successful design. Analyzing the core demands of various scenarios can avoid pitfalls such as excessive design or insufficient performance.

3.1 Industrial Control and Automation

The industrial environment is characterized by strong electromagnetic interference, wide temperature range, and high reliability requirements. Chip selection should prioritize anti-interference ability and long-term stability.

Real time Industrial Ethernet: It is recommended to use an MPU that integrates industrial protocols, such as Renesas RZ/N2L, which supports mainstream industrial protocols such as EtherCAT and PROFINET RT/IRT. Its Time Sensitive Network (TSN) feature ensures accurate transmission of real-time control instructions. The three port gigabit switching capability of this chip can build a compact industrial gateway, and the 400MHz CortexR52 core combined with a trigonometric accelerator can simultaneously handle network communication and motion control algorithms. At the PHY level, TI's DP83867 is an ideal choice due to its excellent ESD protection (± 16kV HBM) and operating temperature range of 40 ℃ to 105 ℃.

Industrial equipment networking transformation: For traditional devices that require network functionality, the W5500 protocol stack chip provides a quick solution. Its hardware processing TCP/IP protocol stack does not occupy main control resources, 8 independent sockets support multi connection parallel, and SPI interface simplifies hardware design. However, it should be noted that its 10/100M speed and SPI interface bandwidth limitations are only applicable to medium to low-speed data transmission scenarios. If the main controller comes with a built-in MAC and is paired with an industrial grade PHY such as DP83848, it is a higher performance option.

3.2 Vehicle Network System

Automotive electronics have strict requirements for temperature adaptability, anti vibration performance, and electromagnetic compatibility, and must use specialized chips that meet automotive standards.

Intelligent driving and entertainment system: Yutaiwei YT8011A is a representative of domestic car gigabit chips, supporting 1000BASET1 (IEEE 802.3bp) and 100BASET1 (IEEE 802.3bw) standards, and transmitting data through a single pair of unshielded cables. Its unique value lies in the integration of sleep wake-up function, supporting 1588 time synchronization protocol, and meeting the data synchronization requirements of ADAS sensors. The chip complies with AECQ100 Level 1 certification (40 ℃~125 ℃), providing high ESD protection and excellent EMC performance. NXP's TJA1100 also complies with automotive standards and offers MII/RMII interface options.

Evolution of Vehicle Network Architecture: With the popularization of domain controller architecture, PHY supporting multi rate transmission has become necessary. The Yutaiwei YT8821 series is compatible with multiple speeds of 2.5G/1000M/100M/10M and can seamlessly integrate into subsystems with different bandwidth requirements. Its adaptive equalization and echo cancellation technology ensures signal integrity in complex electromagnetic environments of vehicles.

3.3 Consumer Electronics and the Internet of Things

The consumer sector focuses on cost control, power optimization, and development convenience, and high integration solutions are often more competitive.

Smart home devices: LeXin ESP32 provides WiFi+Ethernet dual-mode connection, with single-chip integrated control and communication functions, especially suitable for smart home appliances with limited space. Its Ethernet MAC supports MII/RMII interfaces and requires an external PHY to achieve full functionality. For fixed devices that require wired connections, Realtek's RTL8201F low-power PHY combined with MCU solution wins with high cost-effectiveness.

Fast networking solution: The transparent chip CH9121 achieves zero programming conversion from serial port to network, allowing traditional devices to be connected to the network with simple AT command configuration, greatly reducing the product launch cycle. The W5500 protocol stack chip provides more flexible Socket level control, suitable for scenarios that require multi connection management such as intelligent gateways.

3.4 Data Center and Enterprise Network

The core demands of data centers are ultra-high bandwidth, low latency, and virtualization support, and high-end chips are competing for technology in this field.

Server network interface: Intel X550 dual port 10G controller supports virtualization technology (SRIOV) to achieve efficient network resource allocation; The advanced network offloading function significantly reduces CPU load. The Broadcom BCM5719 four port gigabit controller focuses on high-density server environments, providing excellent throughput performance.

Network Switching Equipment: The Marvel Prestera CX series switching chips support multi gigabit speeds and advanced security features, meeting the dual requirements of scalability and security in cloud data centers. Yutaiwei YT9215 switch chip provides an economical gigabit switching solution with 2.5G upstream ports, suitable for network deployment in small and medium-sized enterprises.

3.5 Selection Decision Framework

Faced with diverse chip choices, a systematic evaluation framework can avoid missing key elements and ensure optimal design matching:

Performance matching analysis:

Bandwidth requirements: 10/100M (W5500), Gigabit (DP83867), 2.5G (YT8821)

Delay requirements: Industrial real-time control (RZ/N2L), ordinary data transmission (CH395)

Number of Connections: Single Connection (CH9121), Multi Socket Parallel (W5500)

Development resource assessment:

Protocol Stack Experience: Hardware Integration (CH395) vs Software Porting (DP83848+LWIP)

Development toolchain: RTThread provides comprehensive support for RZ/N2L

Documentation and Community: The Rich Open Source Ecosystem of LeXin ESP32

Cost and supply considerations:

Chip unit price: Consumer grade (RTL8201F) vs Industrial grade (DP83867)

Peripheral component cost: CH182 built-in impedance matching circuit saves external components

Supply Chain Security: Domestic Alternative Solution (YT8821 vs Imported 2.5G PHY)

Certification and Environmental Requirements:

Vehicle Certification: AECQ100 (YT8011A)

Industrial temperature range: 40 ℃~85 ℃ (DP83848I)

Electrostatic protection: ± 8kV contact discharge (YT8011A)

4. Localization Progress and Future Trends

The field of Ethernet chips has long been dominated by international giants, but in recent years, technological breakthroughs by domestic enterprises are gradually changing the industry landscape. Domestic chips have not only made progress in the general field, but also achieved breakthroughs in high-end scenarios such as high-speed and automotive applications, demonstrating strong development momentum.

4.1 Domestic substitution status and technological breakthroughs

Domestic enterprises have formed unique competitive advantages in specific fields through differentiated innovation strategies, gradually building a complete technological ecosystem.

High speed chip breakthrough: Yutaiwei's 2.5G PHY chip YT8821 series adopts an independent intellectual property DSP architecture and AFE technology to achieve high-performance SerDes design. Its innovation lies in achieving stable transmission over 120 meters on low-cost CAT5e cables through adaptive equalization and timing recovery algorithms, breaking through the physical limitations of traditional gigabit PHY. This product has been validated and mass-produced by top customers, marking that domestic chips have reached the international advanced level in the field of high-speed physical layer design.

Progress of in car chips: Faced with the wave of automotive intelligence, Yutaiwei YT8011A series fills the gap of domestic in car gigabit PHY. Chip innovation integrates polarity detection correction and echo cancellation technology to meet the strict EMC requirements of vehicle networks; The sleep wake function is perfectly adapted to the energy management strategy of new energy vehicles. This series forms a complete product line with YT8010A (100Mbps in car PHY), covering different bandwidth demand scenarios such as ADAS and entertainment systems.

Protocol stack chip innovation: Qinwei CH395 implements complete TCP/IP protocol processing through hardware, providing 8 independent Socket channels, effectively solving the networking problem of resource limited MCUs. Its unique value lies in supporting parallel SPI/UART interfaces, providing flexible connection solutions for different controllers. Compared to traditional soft protocol stack solutions, CH395 reduces MCU resource usage by about 70%, significantly improving system real-time performance.

4.2 Market Drivers and Technological Trends

The combination of multiple technological waves is driving the development of Ethernet chips towards higher performance and wider application scenarios, creating new market opportunities.

WIFI6 and 5G Fusion Deployment: The surge in demand for the 2.5G uplink interface of WIFI6 routers is driving the market for high-speed PHY chips such as YT8821. This chip achieves a transmission capacity of 120 meters @ 2.5Gbps on CAT5e cables, making it particularly suitable for economical upgrade solutions for households and small and medium-sized enterprises. According to industry predictions, the global 2.5G PHY market size is expected to exceed 5 billion yuan by 2025, with a compound growth rate of over 30%.

Explosion of in car Ethernet: Intelligent driving drives exponential growth in demand for in car network bandwidth. The traditional CAN bus (1Mbps) is gradually evolving towards vehicle Ethernet (100M/1G/2.5G), creating a new market space for PHY chips. Domestic chips such as Yutaiwei YT8011A are expected to break the monopoly pattern of international manufacturers. It is expected that by 2027, the global market size of in vehicle Ethernet PHY will exceed 1.5 billion US dollars, with a compound annual growth rate of over 25%.

The rise of Time Sensitive Network (TSN): Industrial Internet and intelligent manufacturing rely on deterministic network transmission, and chips supporting TSN become the core of industrial automation. Renesas RZ/N2L integrated three port TSN switch, native support for industrial protocols such as EtherCAT, CortexR52 core ensures real-time task processing. Domestic chip manufacturers are accelerating their layout in this field, and the next generation of industrial switching chips is expected to support more TSN standards.

Evolution of process and integration: Advanced process (28nm and below) applications improve chip energy efficiency, such as Yutai Micro's new generation PHY using 28nm process, which reduces power consumption by 40%. Heterogeneous integration has become a trend, and the Qinheng CH32V317 integrates RISVC core, USB 3.0 PHY, and Ethernet PHY on a single chip, reducing board level space by more than 30%.

4.3 Development Challenges and Breakthrough Paths

Despite significant progress, domestic Ethernet chips still need to overcome multiple challenges to achieve comprehensive leadership:

High end technology gap: In the field of 10G and above ultra high speed PHY, the market share of domestic chips is still less than 5%. We need to strengthen the research and development of SerDes technology to break through the bottleneck of high-speed ADC/DAC design. It is suggested to focus on key technologies such as PAM4 modulation and forward error correction through industry university research cooperation.

Insufficient ecological construction: Compared with the perfect development ecology of international manufacturers, there is still a gap in the driver support and tool chain of domestic chips. RTThread provides a good demonstration of comprehensive adaptation to RZ/N2L, and domestic chips need to strengthen mainstream RTOS and protocol stack adaptation.

Obstacles to Vehicle Certification: The certification cycle for onboard chips is long and the standards are strict. YT8011A has set a benchmark for domestic chips through AECQ100 certification, and future enterprises can learn from its systematic automotive specification methodology of "Functional Safety EMC Design Process Control".

Domestic Ethernet chips have moved from being "usable" to being "user-friendly". With continuous technological iteration and increased market recognition, they are expected to achieve large-scale replacement in the mid to high end market within 35 years, reshaping the global industrial landscape.

Ethernet chips, as the connecting hub of the digital world, are driving the intelligent transformation of various industries through technological innovation. From consumer electronics to industrial control, from smart homes to autonomous driving, choosing the right Ethernet solution has become a key factor in product success. With the breakthroughs of domestic chips in multiple fields and the increasingly perfect industrial ecology, Chinese chips are injecting strong impetus into the global evolution of Ethernet technology.