Hi,all!
I'm still poor in knowledge of ethernet.I'm now making my project.I'm dying to know which pins of ethernet chip to connect to user controller such as pic16f877 for data sharing.
think the better way to do is to interface an old ISA card with rtl8019as chip. this is the most documented chip for such projects. You can also buy modules that have this chipplus other peripherals and connector.
you need a MAC controller and PHY for interfacing your controller with ethernet.
Now a days there are many embedded controllers includes MAC.Better make use of them.