netdev - Re: [PATCH RFC net-next 0/3] net: phy: sfp: Warn when using generic PHY driver

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Date:   Wed, 7 Nov 2018 00:34:48 +0000
From:   Russell King - ARM Linux <linux@...linux.org.uk>
To:     Florian Fainelli <f.fainelli@...il.com>
Cc:     David Miller <davem@...emloft.net>, netdev@...r.kernel.org,
        andrew@...n.ch
Subject: Re: [PATCH RFC net-next 0/3] net: phy: sfp: Warn when using generic
 PHY driver

On Tue, Nov 06, 2018 at 04:09:35PM -0800, Florian Fainelli wrote:
> On 11/6/18 4:03 PM, Russell King - ARM Linux wrote:
> > On Tue, Nov 06, 2018 at 03:38:44PM -0800, David Miller wrote:
> >> From: Florian Fainelli <f.fainelli@...il.com>
> >> Date: Tue,  6 Nov 2018 15:29:10 -0800
> >>
> >>> This patch series allows warning an user that the generic PHY driver(s)
> >>> are used when a SFP incorporates a PHY (e.g: 1000BaseT SFP) which is
> >>> likely not going to work at all.
> >>>
> >>> Let me know if you would want to do that differently.
> >>
> >> Is there ever a possibility that the generic PHY driver could work
> >> in an SFP situation?
> > 
> > I don't yet see the reason for Florian's patch series - all the Marvell
> > 88e1111 based modules I have, or have come across in information from
> > manufacturers self-configure themselves and don't really need the
> > Marvell 1G PHY driver.
> > 
> > For example, the Source Photonics were offering a range of 1GbaseT
> > modules with the 88e1111 programmed in different modes, but published
> > instructions for the register accesses to configure them differently
> > (eg, SGMII vs 1000base-X interface facing the MAC).  Depending on
> > the module part number determines which mode the PHY has been
> > programmed to come up in.
> > 
> > So in theory, you don't need any PHY driver for these modules - but
> > it's useful to have a functional PHY driver to be able to read out
> > the negotiated flow control results.
> > 
> > I'd like more information from Florian about the reasoning behind
> > this patch series before it's merged.
> > 
> 
> The module that I am using [1] would not work, as in , no link up being
> reported without turning on the Marvell PHY driver:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LW2P72V/ref=twister_B07F3WQJQX?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
> 
> this module uses a 88E1111 PHY as well (OUI: 0x01410cc2).

>From the above URL:

     * This is 1000M SFP-T Transceiver, not 10/100/1000M Multi-Rate SFP-T. If
       you want to buy 10/100/1000M Multi-Rate SFP-T, pls contact us.10Gtek
       offer more compatible options, if your brands not listed above, pls
       contact us.

I wonder if this is like the Source Photonics situation, where the
1000base-T only variant of their module uses 1000base-X on the MAC
side, whereas their 10/100/1000base-T variant uses SGMII.  The only
difference between these are the part numbers and the programming
of the 88E1111 to tell it which mode to default to for the host
side.  (There's no true way to know from the EEPROM whether a module
wants SGMII or 1000base-X.)

What I also gather is that this is a 10Gtek-manufactured version of
the Ubiquiti UF-RJ45-1G - the original Ubiquiti version supports
10/100/1G speeds which would require the 88e1111 to configure for
a SGMII host interface by default.

Now, the reason that modules with an 88E1111 configured to default to
1000base-X will work when the marvell PHY driver is present, but not
with the generic driver is that the marvell PHY driver will see that
SFP/phylink is wanting to use SGMII mode, and the Marvell PHY driver
reprograms the PHY to use SGMII.  This is only a problem for these
modules.

So, in so far as your patch 3 goes to give a hint that the Marvell
driver should be selected, that's correct.

However, where the 88e1111 is configured for SGMII by default, the
Marvell driver shouldn't be required, and I wonder whether we ought
to be issuing a warning in that case.  The problem, however, is there
is no way to know for certain.

We could have modules that do not use the Marvell PHY, and if we don't
have a PHY driver for their particular PHY, do we want a warning to be
issued?

The whole 1000base-X vs SGMII with SFP modules is all very icky. :(

-- 
RMK's Patch system: http://www.armlinux.org.uk/developer/patches/
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