Although Raspberry Pi Pico has many unique, impressive features, one thing it has been lacking is networking capability. But not anymore!
With all the growing demand for networking, Pi enthusiasts knew it would only be a matter of time before this request was fulfilled. True enough, Pi Day weekend witnessed the inclusion of both Ethernet PHY and USB Ethernet for both the RP2040 and Pico.
The added PHY support is the brainchild of Sandeep Mistry, who also authored the Arduino LoRa library and the bleno and noble Node.js libraries, among others. Based on the IwIP stack, this new feature leverages the dual-core, DMA, and PIO features of the RP2040 by creating a software-based Ethernet MAC stack. Currently supported by the project are the Microchip LAN8720 and other Ethernet PHY modules that are built around RMII.
With LAN8270 breakout boards available from some international retailers for as little as $1.50, you can now connect to the Internet not only easily but rather cheaply. Here at Vilros, we’re proud to be an official reseller of Raspberry Pi products, one of only a few in North America that offer the Raspberry Pi Pico, and you can buy Pico from us for just $4. Amazing cutting-edge tech for such a low cost!
Breadboard Wirings
Unfortunately, the cheapest and most common LAN8720 breakout isn’t the most breadboard-friendly option out in the market. So, you’ll probably have to grab some of those male-to-female jumper wires with the breadboard before you’re ready to get started.
To get set up, you’ll need to wire your Pico to the breakout board. You should find that the board is well-labeled with the top row of breakout pins corresponding to the left-hand label. Here’s is how to map out the pins of your Pico with the RMII-based LAN8720 breakout board: