Non-PCI Single-Chip Full Duplex Ethernet Controller with Magic Packet
Chapter 2
Overview
A unique architecture allows the LAN91C96 to combine high performance, flexibility, high integration and
simple software interface.
The LAN91C96 incorporates the LAN91C92 functionality for LOCAL BUS environments, as well as a
PCMCIA interface and attribute registers like the LAN91C94 It also includes a subset of the Motorola
68000 interface. Mode selection between LOCAL BUS and PCMCIA is static and is done only at the end
of a reset. Selection of 68000 operation mode is performed at power-up.
The LAN91C96 consists of the same logical I/O register structure in LOCAL BUS and PCMCIA modes.
However, some of the signals used to access the PCMCIA differ from the LOCAL BUS mode. The MMU
(Memory Management Unit) architecture used by the LAN91C96 combines the simplicity and low
overhead of fixed areas with the flexibility of linked lists providing improved performance over other
methods.
Packet reception and transmission are determined by memory availability. All other resources are always
available if memory is available. To complement this flexible architecture, bus interface functions are
incorporated in the LAN91C96, as well as a 6144 byte packet RAM - and serial EEPROM-based setup.
The user can select or modify configuration choices. The LAN91C96 integrates most of the 802.3
functionality, incorporating the MAC layer protocol, the physical layer encoding and decoding functions
with the ability to handle the AUI interface. For twisted pair networks, LAN91C96 integrates the twisted pair
transceiver as well as the link integrity test functions.
The LAN91C96 is a true 10BASE-T single chip device able to interface to a system or a local bus.
Support for direct-driven LEDs for installation and run-time diagnostics is provided. 802.3 statistics are
gathered to facilitate network management.
The LAN91C96 is a single chip Ethernet controller designed to be 100% pin and software compatible with the
LAN91C92 and LAN91C94 in LOCAL BUS mode. Similar to the LAN91C94, the LAN91C96 has support
necessary for providing a true single chip single function PCMCIA Ethernet socket adapter. The LAN91C96
incorporates all of the PCMCIA registers and signals that interface to the PCMCIA bus.
The LAN91C96 has been designed to support full duplex switched Ethernet and provides Fully independent
transmit and receive operations.
The LAN91C96 internal packet memory is extended to 6k bytes, and the MMU will continue to manage
memory in 256 byte pages. The increase in memory size accommodates the potential for simultaneous
transmit and receive traffic in some full duplex applications as well as support for enhanced performance on
systems that introduce increased latency.
The LAN91C96 has the ability to retrieve configuration information from a serial EEPROM on reset or power-
up. In LOCAL BUS mode, the serial EPROM acts as storage of configuration and IEEE Ethernet address
information compatible with the existing LAN91C90, LAN91C92, and LAN91C94 LOCAL BUS Ethernet
controllers. In PCMCIA mode, the EEPROM function is the same as in LOCAL BUS mode. External Flash
ROM is required for CIS storage.
THE LAN91C96 OFFERS:
High integration:
Single chip controller including:
Packet RAM
LOCAL BUS interface
SMSC LAN91C965v&3v
Page 7
Rev. 03-28-07
DATASHEET
SMSC [ SMSC CORPORATION ]
