The ability to describe the physical ports of Ethernet devices is useful
to describe multi-port devices, as well as to remove any ambiguity with
regard to the nature of the port.
Moreover, describing ports allows for a better description of features
that are tied to connectors, such as PoE through the PSE-PD devices.
Introduce a binding to allow describing the ports, for now with 2
attributes :
- The number of pairs, which is a quite generic property that allows
differentating between multiple similar technologies such as BaseT1
and "regular" BaseT (which usually means BaseT4).
- The media that can be used on that port, such as BaseT for Twisted
Copper, BaseC for coax copper, BaseS/L for Fiber, BaseK for backplane
ethernet, etc. This allows defining the nature of the port, and
therefore avoids the need for vendor-specific properties such as
"micrel,fiber-mode" or "ti,fiber-mode".
The port description lives in its own file, as it is intended in the
future to allow describing the ports for phy-less devices.
Signed-off-by: Maxime Chevallier <maxime.chevallier@bootlin.com>
---
.../bindings/net/ethernet-connector.yaml | 57 +++++++++++++++++++
.../devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-phy.yaml | 18 ++++++
MAINTAINERS | 1 +
3 files changed, 76 insertions(+)
create mode 100644 Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-connector.yaml
diff --git a/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-connector.yaml b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-connector.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2ccac24bd8d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-connector.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: (GPL-2.0-only OR BSD-2-Clause)
+%YAML 1.2
+---
+$id: http://devicetree.org/schemas/net/ethernet-connector.yaml#
+$schema: http://devicetree.org/meta-schemas/core.yaml#
+
+title: Generic Ethernet Connector
+
+maintainers:
+ - Maxime Chevallier <maxime.chevallier@bootlin.com>
+
+description:
+ An Ethernet Connector represents the output of a network component such as
+ a PHY, an Ethernet controller with no PHY, or an SFP module.
+
+properties:
+
+ pairs:
+ description:
+ Defines the number of BaseT pairs that are used on the connector.
+ $ref: /schemas/types.yaml#/definitions/uint32
+ enum: [1, 2, 4]
+
+ media:
+ description:
+ The mediums, as defined in 802.3, that can be used on the port.
+ enum:
+ - BaseT
+ - BaseK
+ - BaseS
+ - BaseC
+ - BaseL
+ - BaseD
+ - BaseE
+ - BaseF
+ - BaseV
+ - BaseMLD
+
+required:
+ - media
+
+allOf:
+ - if:
+ properties:
+ media:
+ contains:
+ const: BaseT
+ then:
+ required:
+ - pairs
+ else:
+ properties:
+ pairs: false
+
+additionalProperties: true
+
+...
diff --git a/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-phy.yaml b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-phy.yaml
index bb4c49fc5fd8..58634fee9fc4 100644
--- a/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-phy.yaml
+++ b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-phy.yaml
@@ -281,6 +281,17 @@ properties:
additionalProperties: false
+ mdi:
+ type: object
+
+ patternProperties:
+ '^connector-[0-9]+$':
+ $ref: /schemas/net/ethernet-connector.yaml#
+
+ unevaluatedProperties: false
+
+ additionalProperties: false
+
required:
- reg
@@ -317,5 +328,12 @@ examples:
default-state = "keep";
};
};
+ /* Fast Ethernet port, with only 2 pairs wired */
+ mdi {
+ connector-0 {
+ pairs = <2>;
+ media = "BaseT";
+ };
+ };
};
};
diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
index 0dc4aa37d903..92d6309a968d 100644
--- a/MAINTAINERS
+++ b/MAINTAINERS
@@ -9277,6 +9277,7 @@ R: Russell King <linux@armlinux.org.uk>
L: netdev@vger.kernel.org
S: Maintained
F: Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-class-net-phydev
+F: Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-connector.yaml
F: Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-phy.yaml
F: Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/mdio*
F: Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/qca,ar803x.yaml
--
2.49.0On Thu, 13 Nov 2025 09:14:03 +0100, Maxime Chevallier wrote: > The ability to describe the physical ports of Ethernet devices is useful > to describe multi-port devices, as well as to remove any ambiguity with > regard to the nature of the port. > > Moreover, describing ports allows for a better description of features > that are tied to connectors, such as PoE through the PSE-PD devices. > > Introduce a binding to allow describing the ports, for now with 2 > attributes : > > - The number of pairs, which is a quite generic property that allows > differentating between multiple similar technologies such as BaseT1 > and "regular" BaseT (which usually means BaseT4). > > - The media that can be used on that port, such as BaseT for Twisted > Copper, BaseC for coax copper, BaseS/L for Fiber, BaseK for backplane > ethernet, etc. This allows defining the nature of the port, and > therefore avoids the need for vendor-specific properties such as > "micrel,fiber-mode" or "ti,fiber-mode". > > The port description lives in its own file, as it is intended in the > future to allow describing the ports for phy-less devices. > > Signed-off-by: Maxime Chevallier <maxime.chevallier@bootlin.com> > --- > .../bindings/net/ethernet-connector.yaml | 57 +++++++++++++++++++ > .../devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-phy.yaml | 18 ++++++ > MAINTAINERS | 1 + > 3 files changed, 76 insertions(+) > create mode 100644 Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-connector.yaml > Reviewed-by: Rob Herring (Arm) <robh@kernel.org>
Le 13/11/2025 à 09:14, Maxime Chevallier a écrit :
> The ability to describe the physical ports of Ethernet devices is useful
> to describe multi-port devices, as well as to remove any ambiguity with
> regard to the nature of the port.
>
> Moreover, describing ports allows for a better description of features
> that are tied to connectors, such as PoE through the PSE-PD devices.
>
> Introduce a binding to allow describing the ports, for now with 2
> attributes :
>
> - The number of pairs, which is a quite generic property that allows
> differentating between multiple similar technologies such as BaseT1
> and "regular" BaseT (which usually means BaseT4).
>
> - The media that can be used on that port, such as BaseT for Twisted
> Copper, BaseC for coax copper, BaseS/L for Fiber, BaseK for backplane
> ethernet, etc. This allows defining the nature of the port, and
> therefore avoids the need for vendor-specific properties such as
> "micrel,fiber-mode" or "ti,fiber-mode".
>
> The port description lives in its own file, as it is intended in the
> future to allow describing the ports for phy-less devices.
>
> Signed-off-by: Maxime Chevallier <maxime.chevallier@bootlin.com>
Reviewed-by: Christophe Leroy <christophe.leroy@csgroup.eu>
> ---
> .../bindings/net/ethernet-connector.yaml | 57 +++++++++++++++++++
> .../devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-phy.yaml | 18 ++++++
> MAINTAINERS | 1 +
> 3 files changed, 76 insertions(+)
> create mode 100644 Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-connector.yaml
>
> diff --git a/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-connector.yaml b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-connector.yaml
> new file mode 100644
> index 000000000000..2ccac24bd8d6
> --- /dev/null
> +++ b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-connector.yaml
> @@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
> +# SPDX-License-Identifier: (GPL-2.0-only OR BSD-2-Clause)
> +%YAML 1.2
> +---
> +$id: http://devicetree.org/schemas/net/ethernet-connector.yaml#
> +$schema: http://devicetree.org/meta-schemas/core.yaml#
> +
> +title: Generic Ethernet Connector
> +
> +maintainers:
> + - Maxime Chevallier <maxime.chevallier@bootlin.com>
> +
> +description:
> + An Ethernet Connector represents the output of a network component such as
> + a PHY, an Ethernet controller with no PHY, or an SFP module.
> +
> +properties:
> +
> + pairs:
> + description:
> + Defines the number of BaseT pairs that are used on the connector.
> + $ref: /schemas/types.yaml#/definitions/uint32
> + enum: [1, 2, 4]
> +
> + media:
> + description:
> + The mediums, as defined in 802.3, that can be used on the port.
> + enum:
> + - BaseT
> + - BaseK
> + - BaseS
> + - BaseC
> + - BaseL
> + - BaseD
> + - BaseE
> + - BaseF
> + - BaseV
> + - BaseMLD
> +
> +required:
> + - media
> +
> +allOf:
> + - if:
> + properties:
> + media:
> + contains:
> + const: BaseT
> + then:
> + required:
> + - pairs
> + else:
> + properties:
> + pairs: false
> +
> +additionalProperties: true
> +
> +...
> diff --git a/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-phy.yaml b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-phy.yaml
> index bb4c49fc5fd8..58634fee9fc4 100644
> --- a/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-phy.yaml
> +++ b/Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-phy.yaml
> @@ -281,6 +281,17 @@ properties:
>
> additionalProperties: false
>
> + mdi:
> + type: object
> +
> + patternProperties:
> + '^connector-[0-9]+$':
> + $ref: /schemas/net/ethernet-connector.yaml#
> +
> + unevaluatedProperties: false
> +
> + additionalProperties: false
> +
> required:
> - reg
>
> @@ -317,5 +328,12 @@ examples:
> default-state = "keep";
> };
> };
> + /* Fast Ethernet port, with only 2 pairs wired */
> + mdi {
> + connector-0 {
> + pairs = <2>;
> + media = "BaseT";
> + };
> + };
> };
> };
> diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
> index 0dc4aa37d903..92d6309a968d 100644
> --- a/MAINTAINERS
> +++ b/MAINTAINERS
> @@ -9277,6 +9277,7 @@ R: Russell King <linux@armlinux.org.uk>
> L: netdev@vger.kernel.org
> S: Maintained
> F: Documentation/ABI/testing/sysfs-class-net-phydev
> +F: Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-connector.yaml
> F: Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/ethernet-phy.yaml
> F: Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/mdio*
> F: Documentation/devicetree/bindings/net/qca,ar803x.yaml
On Thu, Nov 13, 2025 at 09:14:03AM +0100, Maxime Chevallier wrote:
> The ability to describe the physical ports of Ethernet devices is useful
> to describe multi-port devices, as well as to remove any ambiguity with
> regard to the nature of the port.
>
> Moreover, describing ports allows for a better description of features
> that are tied to connectors, such as PoE through the PSE-PD devices.
>
> Introduce a binding to allow describing the ports, for now with 2
> attributes :
>
> - The number of pairs, which is a quite generic property that allows
> differentating between multiple similar technologies such as BaseT1
> and "regular" BaseT (which usually means BaseT4).
>
> - The media that can be used on that port, such as BaseT for Twisted
> Copper, BaseC for coax copper, BaseS/L for Fiber, BaseK for backplane
> ethernet, etc. This allows defining the nature of the port, and
> therefore avoids the need for vendor-specific properties such as
> "micrel,fiber-mode" or "ti,fiber-mode".
>
> The port description lives in its own file, as it is intended in the
> future to allow describing the ports for phy-less devices.
>
> Signed-off-by: Maxime Chevallier <maxime.chevallier@bootlin.com>
Reviewed-by: Andrew Lunn <andrew@lunn.ch>
Andrew
© 2016 - 2026 Red Hat, Inc.