If you haven't already done so you should download the legacy MLA
<http://www.microchip.com/pagehandler/en-us/devtools/mla/legacy-mla.html>
install it and read the TCPIP help file.

The PIC18's with built in Ethernet hardware is good if you want to
build something very small, but it has limited memory and only 10Mbps
(which is probably good enough for an embedded controller).

If you want to add a web server (with or without dynamic content) I
would recommend that you use something with external SPI flash. A
SST25VF016B-75-4I-S2AF have 2MBytes and is very cheap per byte. With
the Microchip TCPIP stack you can put files for the web server either
in the controller flash or in external flash or eeprom. With the
files in internal flash you need to rebuild and reprogram the
controller for each change, wich can be fairly time consuming (you do
that a lot when building the web content). With the files in external
memory you can use an application (MPFS2) to upload just the files to
the external memory which is a lot faster. You only need to reprogram
the controller when the dynamic content has changed. I say this
because there are some Microchip Ethernet dev boards that don't have
external storage, the Ethernet Starter Kit, for example.=20

I have just uploaded schematics, BOM, cad (free Designspark PCB) and
gerber files and software based on the Microchip TCP/IP stack for a
PIC32 based board. The files are available here:
<http://www.rjjournal.net/files/ETRFBR_R1.zip>
Some pictures here:
<http://www.microchip.com/forums/FindPost/689093>
As you can see I have etched these boards myself so it can be truly
home made.

/Ruben

> Hello,
>=20
> I'm a student and am interested in doing a project involving Ethernet. I'=
m
> wanting to use a PIC18 microcontroller and it appears there are two with
> built-in Ethernet controllers:
>=20
> PIC18F66J60
> PIC18F67J60
>=20
> They appear to be essentially the same, with the only difference being th=
e
> second one having more program memory.
>=20
> Do you think it would be better to use one of the microcontrollers with
> built-in Ethernet, or to interface another PIC18 microcontroller with an
> external Ethernet controller?
>=20
> One disadvantage I can think of with using one of the above PIC18
> microcontrollers is that I would probably have to use an Ethernet
> stack/framework on the microcontroller, which might take up a lot of the
> processing power and make the software a lot more complex.
>=20
> Could anyone give me some advice on what approach I should take?
>=20
> Thanks!
>=20
> Nate
>=20
> --=20
> I'm a college student, take it easy on me ;-)
>=20

--=20
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