Re: [PATCH] arm64: dts: allwinner: Orange Pi One Plus PHY support

From: Andre Przywara
Date: Wed Dec 13 2023 - 09:37:54 EST

On Wed, 13 Dec 2023 12:55:58 +0000
Anne Macedo <retpolanne@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi Anne,

> On Wed, Dec 13, 2023 at 12:25:23PM +0000, Andre Przywara wrote:
> > On Wed, 13 Dec 2023 11:02:39 +0000
> > Anne Macedo <retpolanne@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Anne,
> >
> > > On Wed, Dec 13, 2023 at 01:35:44AM +0000, Andre Przywara wrote:
> > > > On Tue, 12 Dec 2023 19:27:14 +0000
> > > > Anne Macedo <retpolanne@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Hi Anne,
> > > >
> > > > > On Tue, Dec 12, 2023 at 04:22:00PM +0000, Andre Przywara wrote:
> > > > > > On Tue, 12 Dec 2023 12:28:30 +0000
> > > > > > Anne Macedo <retpolanne@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Hi Anne,
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Adds compatible values to mdio subnodes for Ethernet PHY representing
> > > > > > > Realtek 8211 PHY to Orange Pi One Plus.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > So can you state why this would be needed? This is the RTL8211 ID,
> > > > >
> > > > > Apologies, I completely forgot to include some context.
> > > > >
> > > > > > right? Which should be autodetected via MDIO. Looking back in my inbox
> > > > > > you proposed this change before, for U-Boot, specifically, but I fail to
> > > > > > find a solution or explanation what really happens here. Two Renesas .dts
> > > > > > files have the same compatible, and the commit message talks about the
> > > > > > reset line there, is this related?
> > > > > >
> > > > > > So can you please give some more background and explanation? That would be
> > > > > > part of a good commit message anyway ("why", not "what").
> > > > >
> > > > > Should I resend the commit with a more meaningful explanation? The
> > > > > context is the following:
> > > > >
> > > > > currently, ethernet doesn't seem to work on both u-boot and Linux on the
> > > > > Orange Pi One Plus board.
> > > > >
> > > > > On the kernel, this error shows up:
> > > > >
> > > > > Configuring network interfaces... [ 5.992589] dwmac-sun8i 5020000.ethernet eth0: Register MEM_TYPE_PAGE_POOL RxQ-0
> > > > > [ 6.000823] dwmac-sun8i 5020000.ethernet eth0: __stmmac_open: Cannot attach to PHY (error: -19)
> > > > >
> > > > > After applying this fix, the PHY gets attached:
> > > > >
> > > > > Configuring network interfaces... [ 6.060020] dwmac-sun8i 5020000.ethernet eth0: Register MEM_TYPE_PAGE_POOL RxQ-0
> > > > > [ 6.069460] dwmac-sun8i 5020000.ethernet eth0: PHY [stmmac-0:01] driver [RTL8211E Gigabit Ethernet] (irq=POLL)
> > > > >
> > > > > The previous compatible list that had ethernet-phy-ieee802.3-c22 fails
> > > > > to find a PHY, so this patch includes the correct PHY ID with the
> > > > > RTL8211 ID.
> > > > >
> > > > > The behaviour is described on [1].
> > > >
> > > > So this is all an observation, but no real explanation, isn't it?
> > >
> > > I've made some analysis on [3] on this bug, but it was based solely on
> > > u-boot. I was having trouble with the regulator and on u-boot nothing
> > > would trigger the GPIO PD6 and the vcc-gmac-3v3 regulator, so the NIC
> > > was completely dead. Next I did an analysis based on [2] because the
> > > u-boot PHY initialization was flaky.
> > >
> > > > To cite [1]: "If the PHY reports an incorrect ID (or none at all) ...".
> > > > I am pretty sure this is not the case here, instead we are looking at
> > > > some missing platform bits, like a missing clock, reset, or most likely
> > > > regulator. Or one of the existing resources is wrongly assigned or
> > >
> > > As I mentioned, PHY initialization is flaky on u-boot, so maybe that
> > > assumption is correct.
> > >
> > > > configured? If the PHY is not (yet?) powered correctly when the code
> > > > does the auto-detection via the MDIO bus, then the initialisation would
> > >
> > > If I recall correctly (I don't know if I kept it in my notes :c), that
> > > could be the case. regulator-boot-on makes the NIC work (LEDs blink, at
> > > least) but it doesn't get initialized.
> > >
> > > > fail. But since it works when overriding the auto-detection, I feel
> > > > like we are papering over something here.
> > > > Do you have the schematics for this board? I can only find the one for
> > > > the Orange Pi Plus 2E, and I don't know how similar those two are. This
> > > > shows *two* regulators, but both are activated by the same GPIO.
> > >
> > > I do. It's available on [4]
> >
> > Oh damn it, I got lost in Orange Pi's naming maze again - and was looking
> > for the wrong board! So thanks for the link, and this clears things up!
>
> Yay!
>
> >
> > So yes, the Orange Pi *One* Plus, much like the Orange Pi 3, uses *two*
> > regulators for Ethernet: one 3.3V from the PMIC's ALDO2 rail to power the
> > PHY, and a discrete 2.5V regulator, enabled by GPIO PD6, for the voltage
>
> Oh! I didn't know about the PMIC's ALDO2.

That's a bit obscure in the schematic, but it's a common thing to do:
- On page 12 (LAN), in the top right box, you see the EPHY-DVDD33 and
EPHY-AVDD33 signals connected to GMAC-3V.
- On the same page, in the middle left part, you see GMAC-3V connected to
VCC3V3-MAC.
- On page 8 (POWER), in the lower left corner, you see VCC3V3-MAC
connected to ALDO2.
- On the same page, in the right hand part, you see the ALDO2 signal
connected to the ALDO2 pin on the PMIC.

Easy, huh? ;-)

> > level on the MDIO lines. On top of this there is a reset line for the PHY,
> > though this is held up by a pull-up resistor, so it *should* work,
> > although we should describe this in the DT.
>
> Noting here to take a look at the reset line so I can add it as well to
> the DT.

Yeah, maybe it helps to bring the PHY back into a sane state?

> > So the DT looks wrong then: The reg_gmac_3v3 is actually a 2.5V regulator,
> > and phy-supply is aldo2. I think it was done the way it is to somehow make
> > it work with the current DT binding and code, which just supports one
> > regulator. And aldo2 is referenced as the source of reg_gmac_3v3, which
> > smells like another hack to me.
>
> reg_gmac_3v3: gmac-3v3 {
> compatible = "regulator-fixed";
> regulator-name = "vcc-gmac-3v3";
> regulator-min-microvolt = <3300000>;
> regulator-max-microvolt = <3300000>;
> startup-delay-us = <100000>;
> enable-active-high;
> gpio = <&pio 3 6 GPIO_ACTIVE_HIGH>; /* PD6 */
> vin-supply = <&reg_aldo2>;
> };
>
> Interesting, I see the reg_aldo2 on vin-supply for reg_gmac_3v3. I don't
> understand how it works, is it linking the regulator with the ALDO2 but
> it also enables the PD6 GPIO?

So yes, this is one hack I was talking about: This DT node describes a
regulator with a GPIO controlled enable pin (PD6), which feeds itself off
another regulator (vin-supply), namely ALDO2.
So to enable reg_gmac_3v3, which is referenced by the MAC DT node as the
"phy-supply", the regulator driver code would need to enable ALDO2 first,
then make PD6 go high, (to enable this regulator here), then wait 100ms.
So even though the MAC DT node only references one regulator, this trick
will allow *two* regulators to be turned on.

The only problem with this is that it's the wrong order: there are
comments somewhere that say it's required to enable the 2.5V supply
*earlier* or at the same time as the 3.3V supply. And since this PD6
controlled regulator is actually the 2.5V regulator (compare the
schematic!), and ALDO2 is the 3.3V supply, we get it the other way around,
and the PHY operation becomes unstable (that's what those comments say).

And we can't apply this same trick the other way around, since the ALDO
input supply clearly does not feed off this PD6 regulator.
And besides, it would be wrong and a hack anyway, as we should be able to
describe two regulators as the requirement: this is what Corentin's
of_regulator_bulk_get_all() patch takes care of.

> > > > It would also be interesting to see if any of Corentin's work for the
> > > > Orange Pi 3 helps here?
> > >
> > > Adding [5] for reference here, thanks! Will check it out.
> >
> > This is an older version, there are actually updates. And he also mentions
> > your board as well, so I think it just can sail in the wake of the OPi 3
> > Ethernet enablement.
> >
> > Can you try if this change, just applied to your .dts instead, works?
> > https://github.com/montjoie/linux/commit/cf6e192eca1d59be630e6729d2cef9e897b3da8c
>
> Will do! I'll be out of my lab today but will try it at night Brazil
> time.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Andre
> >
> > P.S. Is there any chance where I can reply/comment on your blog? It seems
> > like I can clear some things up...
>
> Please send me suggestions off thread, the blog is a static GHPages
> blog, so I didn't implement replies yet. I will be happy to include them
> to my notes :)

OK, will do later today!

Cheers,
Andre

>
> >
> > > [3] https://blog.retpolanne.com/hardware/embedded/2023/07/07/embedded-phy.html
> > > [4] https://linux-sunxi.org/images/7/7c/OrangePi_OnePlus_Schematics_v2.0.pdf
> > > [5] https://lore.kernel.org/netdev/20220509074857.195302-1-clabbe@xxxxxxxxxxxx/
> > >
> > > Regards, Anne
> >
>
> Regards, Anne
>