PIC32MX795F512L Ethernet Connection/Ethernet Firmware Upgrade

[MarkoSiroki]

Dear Sirs and Madams!

Can someone give me reference schematics/pcb design of PIC32MX795F512L connected to Ethernet? And can someone help me with some ideas regarding Ethernet Firmware Upgrade.

Sincerely,
Marko

 

[keith1200rs]

Have a look at the documentation here:

**broken link removed**

Keith

 

[MarkoSiroki]

Have a look at the documentation here:

**broken link removed**

Keith

Thank you very much! Already reading!

 

[MarkoSiroki]

Thank you very much! Already reading!

Ok, no long hearing from me ... But do you think I need another CPU for firmware upload/download beside main PIC32MX?

 

[keith1200rs]

Your question is not clear. Normally you would program a PIC using ICSP using a PICKIT or ICD3 debugger. No second processor is required.

Keith

 

[MarkoSiroki]

Your question is not clear. Normally you would program a PIC using ICSP using a PICKIT or ICD3 debugger. No second processor is required.

Keith

No, let's me present you with my case: I am building "web-aware" audio preamplifier, which main workhorse CPU is PIC32MX795F512L (on custom made PCB board). I have webserver (configuration, settings, etc ...) running on it (just like routers work) and user connects to this webserver and configures settings. Now, apart from this tiny web server, there is a desktop linux server with mysql database containing binary firmware files (sorted according to firmware version) among other things. Now, I as developer upgrade project and build final image file for PIC32MX board - create new version of firmware and upload it to server. What I want now from PIC32 webserver, is to add "Firmware update" button (this is php, not our focus now) and when I press this button, PIC32 board connects to this mysql server and if there is a new version of firmware, downloads it using TFTP and then "installs" this firmware into PIC32 memory. Question is, do I need second CPU for upgrading PIC32MX firmware and therefore major PCB changes are needed. The PIC32MX is custom made by me. I hope I've clarified the problem.

Sincerely,
Marko

 

[keith1200rs]

It sounds to me like you need a bootloader. It will allow you to update the firmware of the PIC through USB, serial or whatever.

There are some on Microchip's web site and other independent ones, some of which allow encrypting of the firmware image.

**broken link removed**

Keith

 

[MarkoSiroki]

It sounds to me like you need a bootloader. It will allow you to update the firmware of the PIC through USB, serial or whatever.

There are some on Microchip's web site and other independent ones, some of which allow encrypting of the firmware image.

**broken link removed**

Keith

Keith, thank you very much!!! Did not see that Application Note, very interesting reading. But, I am still confused. Why then, for instance, PIC32 Ethernet Starter Kit, has, according to User's Manual's schematic of this board, second CPU for programming the main one. Why I am asking this is, because in Application Note you gave me link to it there is not need for 2nd CPU mentioned!

Sincerely,
Marko

 

[keith1200rs]

A normal microcontroller program is placed at the reset vector (usually address zero) and your code starts there. Programming is by ICSP (or I think you can program a PIC32 through JTAG). If you want to program it through USB, SPI, RS232 etc then you need to so something different. A bootloader is some extra code which you can write yourself, but there is ready made code for you, which resides at the reset vector and runs before your code. It detects a request to reprogram the micro and re-writes the flash with the new code (while being careful to not overwrite itself). If you want to program by USB, SPI, RS232 etc without a bootloader then you need something else to take the data from the USB... and program the PIC through the ICSP pins.

To allow you to write and test code for the development boards without using a bootloader, but still using something other than ICSP, Microchip include a second micro to do the programming. If you use bootloader code then you can do it without the extra micro/

Keith