Ethernet Modules and Controllers W5500 from WIZnet

Since the Internet has become widespread and almost every household has some kind of local network (WAN or LAN), Ethernet has become a convenient and widely used interface. It is now used not only in computers but also in consumer electronics (TVs, PVRs), and even in home and building automation systems. On this foundation, a massive segment of IoT products (Internet of Things) has emerged. Today, we recommend components and modules to our customers that simplify the construction of circuits equipped with network connectivity.

The company WIZnet developed the W5500 chip to enable the implementation of wired TCP/IP connections in projects based on microcontrollers of any type, as long as they support the SPI interface. The supplier's offering includes both integrated circuits and expansion boards and communication modules based on them.

The W5500 is a standalone and integrated Ethernet controller that contains all the necessary elements required for establishing a network connection: MAC identifier and TCP/IP stack, including both its physical and software layers, with support for protocols like TCP, UDP, IPv4, ICMP, ARP, IGMP, and PPPoE. To further relieve the microcontroller, the chip is also equipped with a 32kB buffer, meaning that only a small program handling the communication port is required on the application managing unit. As mentioned before, data transmission with the W5500 is done using the SPI serial interface, which is widely implemented in microcontrollers. In this case, clock signal frequencies of up to 80MHz are supported. It is also worth noting that the W5500 can operate in sleep mode (low power consumption) and supports WoL technology (Wake on LAN) for remote controller wake-up.

The W5500 chip is made in an SMD format and enclosed in a LQFP48 package. For testing and educational purposes, WIZnet has also prepared expansion boards compatible with the Arduino platform and standalone development modules based on the RP2040 microcontroller from Raspberry Pi (programmed in MicroPython). To simplify the implementation of the W5500 in existing designs, such as during the prototyping stage, communication modules based on the W5500 can be used—these modules are also developed by the manufacturer, featuring integrated RJ45 connectors and all the external components required to enable Ethernet connectivity.

WIZnet Modules and Controllers  

* depending on the model