
KS8999
Micrel
KS8999
24
January 2005
MII Interface Operation
The MII (Media Independent Interface) operates in either a MAC or PHY mode. In the MAC mode, the KS8999 MII acts like
a MAC and in the PHY mode, it acts like a PHY device. This interface is specified by the IEEE 802.3 committee and provides
a common interface between physical layer and MAC layer devices. There are two distinct groups, one being for transmission
and the other for receiving. The table below describes the signals used in this interface in MAC and PHY modes.
PHY Mode Connection
MAC Mode Connection
External MAC
KS8999
External
KS8999
Controller Signals
PHY Signals
Description
PHY Signals
MAC Signals
MTXEN
Transmit enable
MTXEN
MRXDV
MTXER
Transmit error
MTXER
Not used
MTXD3
MTXD[3]
Transmit data bit 3
MTXD3
MRXD[3]
MTXD2
MTXD[2]
Transmit data bit 2
MTXD2
MRXD[2]
MTXD1
MTXD[1]
Transmit data bit 1
MTXD1
MRXD[1]
MTXD0
MTXD[0]
Transmit data bit 0
MTXD0
MRXD[0]
MTXC
Transmit clock
MTXC
MCOL
Collision detection
MCOL
MCRS
Carrier sense
MCRS
MRXDV
Receive data valid
MRXDV
SMTXEN
MRXER
Not used
Receive error
MRXER
MTXER
MRXD3
MRXD[3]
Receive data bit 3
MRXD3
MTXD[3]
MRXD2
MRXD[2]
Receive data bit 2
MRXD2
MTXD[2]
MRXD1
MRXD[1]
Receive data bit 1
MRXD1
MTXD[1]
MRXD0
MRXD[0]
Receive data bit 0
MRXD0
MTXD[0]
MRXC
Receive clock
MRXC
Table 1. MII Signals
This interface is a nibble wide data interface and therefore runs at _ the network bit rate (not encoded). Additional signals on
the transmit side indicate when data is valid or when an error occurs during transmission. Likewise, the receive side has
indicators that convey when the data is valid and without physical layer errors.
For half-duplex operation there is a signal that indicates a collision has occurred during transmission.