AUTOMOTIVEETHERNET CONSORTIUM
Clause 96
100BASE-T1 Physical Medium Attachment Test Suite
Version 1.0
Technical Document

Last Updated: March 9, 2016

Automotive Ethernet Consortium
University of New Hampshire
InterOperability Laboratory

21 Madbury Rd, Suite 100
Durham, NH 03824
Phone: (603) 862-0090
Fax: (603) 862-4181
http://www.iol.unh.edu/testing/ethernet/ae

The University of New Hampshire
InterOperability Laboratory
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MODIFICATION RECORD ................................................................................................................ 3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................................................... 4
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 5
DEVICE UNDER TEST (DUT) REQUIREMENTS............................................................................ 7
GROUP 1: Electrical Measurements .................................................................................................... 8
Test 96.1.1 – Maximum Transmitter Output Droop .............................................................................. 9
Test 96.1.2 – Transmitter Distortion................................................................................................... 11
Test 96.1.3 – Transmitter Timing Jitter .............................................................................................. 13
Test 96.1.4 – Transmitter Power Spectral Density .............................................................................. 15
Test 96.1.5 – Transmit Clock Frequency ............................................................................................ 16
Test 96.1.6 – MDI Return Loss .......................................................................................................... 17
Test 96.1.7 – MDI Mode Conversion Loss ......................................................................................... 18
GROUP 2: PMA Receive Tests ........................................................................................................... 19
Test 96.2.1 – Bit Error Rate Verification ............................................................................................ 20
Test 96.2.2 – Receiver Frequency Tolerance ...................................................................................... 21
Test 96.2.3 – Alien Crosstalk Noise Rejection ................................................................................... 22
TEST SUITE APPENDICES .............................................................................................................. 24
Appendix 96.A – 100BASE-T1 Transmitter Test Fixtures.................................................................. 25
Appendix 96.B – 100BASE-T1 Cabling for Receiver Testing ............................................................ 33

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MODIFICATION RECORD•

March 9, 2016 (Version 1.0)
Initial Release

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The University of New Hampshire would like to acknowledge the efforts of the following
individuals in the development of this test suite.
Curtis Donahue
Stephen Johnson

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INTRODUCTIONThe University of New Hampshire’s InterOperability Laboratory (IOL) is an institution designed
to improve the interoperability of standards based products by providing an environment where a productcan be tested against other implementations of a standard. This particular suite of tests has beendeveloped to help implementers evaluate the functionality of the PMA sublayer of their 100BASE-T1
products.
These tests are designed to determine if a product conforms to specifications defined in the IEEE
802.3bw 100BASE-T1 Standard. Successful completion of all tests contained in this suite does notguarantee that the tested device will operate with other devices. However, combined with satisfactory
operation in the IOL’s interoperability test bed, these tests provide a reasonable level of confidence thatthe Device Under Test (DUT) will function properly in many 100BASE-T1 automotive environments.
The tests contained in this document are organized in such a manner as to simplify theidentification of information related to a test, and to facilitate in the actual testing process. Tests areorganized into groups, primarily in order to reduce setup time in the lab environment, however thedifferent groups typically also tend to focus on specific aspects of device functionality. A three-partnumbering system is used to organize the tests, where the first number indicates the section of the IEEE
100BASE-T1 Standard on which the test suite is based. The second and third numbers indicate the test’s
group number and test number within that group, respectively. This format allows for the addition of
future tests to the appropriate groups without requiring the renumbering of the subsequent tests.
The test definitions themselves are intended to provide a high-level description of the motivation,
resources, procedures, and methodologies pertinent to each test. Specifically, each test description
consists of the following sections:PurposeThe purpose is a brief statement outlining what the test attempts to achieve. The test is written at
the functional level.
References
This section specifies source material external to the test suite, including specific subsections
pertinent to the test definition, or any other references that might be helpful in understanding the test
methodology and/or test results. External sources are always referenced by number when mentioned in
the test description. Any other references not specified by number are stated with respect to the test suite
document itself.
Resource Requirements
The requirements section specifies the test hardware and/or software needed to perform the test.
This is generally expressed in terms of minimum requirements, however in some cases specificequipment manufacturer/model information may be provided.

Last Modification
This specifies the date of the last modification to this test.
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Discussion
The discussion covers the assumptions made in the design or implementation of the test, as wellas known limitations. Other items specific to the test are covered here.
Test Setup
The setup section describes the initial configuration of the test environment. Small changes in theconfiguration should not be included here, and are generally covered in the test procedure section, below.
Test Procedure
The procedure section of the test description contains the systematic instructions for carrying out
the test. It provides a cookbook approach to testing, and may be interspersed with observable results.
Observable Results
This section lists the specific observables that can be examined by the tester in order to verify thatthe DUT is operating properly. When multiple values for an observable are possible, this section provides
a short discussion on how to interpret them. The determination of a pass or fail outcome for a particular
test is generally based on the successful (or unsuccessful) detection of a specific observable.
Possible Problems
This section contains a description of known issues with the test procedure, which may affect test
results in certain situations. It may also refer the reader to test suite appendices and/or whitepapers thatmay provide more detail regarding these issues.

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DEVICE UNDER TEST (DUT) REQUIREMENTS
For the purposes of this test suite, the DUT is one port of a 100BASE-T1 capable device that includes a100BASE-T1 PHY mounted on a PCB with an MDI connector and any necessary circuitry such as a low
pass filter or common mode choke. All tests will be performed at the MDI connector of the DUT.
Please see the additional requirements listed in the following table:
Test Number and NameGroup 1: Electrical Measurements
Test 96.1.1 – Maximum Transmitter Output Droop
Test 96.1.2 – Transmitter Distortion
Test 96.1.3 – Transmitter
Case 1: MASTER
Timing Jitter
Case 2: SLAVE
Test 96.1.4 – Transmitter Power Spectral Density
Test 96.1.5 – Transmit Clock Frequency
Test 96.1.6 – MDI Return Loss
Test 96.1.7 – MDI Mode Conversion Loss
Group 2: PHY Control State Diagram
Test 96.2.1 – Bit Error Rate Verification
Test 96.2.2 – Receiver Frequency Tolerance
Test 96.2.3 – Alien Crosstalk Noise Rejection
1

Required Capabilities
Test Mode 1
Test Mode 4
Test Mode 2
TX_TCLK access
Test Mode 5
Test Mode 2
Active Transmitter
Active Transmitter
The ability to send and receive frames1
The ability to send and receive frames1
The ability to send and receive frames1

This can be accomplished through a loopback, responding to ICMP requests, or by forwarding traffic through two ports

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GROUP 1: Electrical Measurements
Overview:
The tests defined in this section verify the electrical specifications of the 100BASE-T1 PhysicalMedium Attachment sublayer outlined in Clause 96 of the IEEE 802.3bw standard.

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Test 96.1.1 – Maximum Transmitter Output Droop
Purpose: To verify that the transmitter output level does not droop more than the maximum specified
amount.
References:[1] IEEE Std. 802.3bw, subclause 96.5.2 - Test modes[2] Ibid., subclause 96.5.3 - Test Fixtures[3] Ibid., subclause 96.5.4.1 - Transmitter Output Droop[4] Test suite appendix 96.A – 100BASE-T1 Transmitter Test Fixtures
Resource Requirements:• DSO• 2-pin to SMA Adapter• Short Automotive Cable• 50Ω coaxial cables, matched length
Last Modification: March 9, 2016 (version 1.0)
Discussion:
Reference [1] states that a 100BASE-T1 device shall implement 5 test modes. These test modes
are provided to measure electrical characteristics and verify compliance. Reference [2] defines the test
fixture to be used to perform the test. Reference [1] defines the operation of a device while in test mode 1,
and reference [3] provides a specification for the maximum allowable droop for the transmitter.
This test requires the DUT to operate in transmitter test mode 1. While in test mode 1, the DUT
shall generate a sequence of at least 40 +1 symbols followed by at least 40 -1 symbols continuallytransmitted.
Droop is calculated after measuring the peak voltage (Vpk) and the voltage 500 ns after the peak
(Vdelay). The difference Vd = Vpk - Vdelay. Droop = Vd/Vpk * 100%. This is performed on both the positive
and negative peaks of the waveform transmitted by test mode 1. The magnitude of the droop should beless than 45.0%.
Test Setup: Refer to test suite appendix 96.A.3
Procedure:
1. Configure the DUT so that it is operating in transmitter test mode 1.
2. Connect BI_DA from the MDI to Test Fixture 1.
3. Find the rising-edge initial peak voltage (Vpk) in the waveform.
4. Measure the amplitude of the waveform at 500 ns after the initial peak (Vdelay) to find the droop
voltage (Vd).
5. Compute the droop between Vpk and Vd.
6. For enhanced accuracy, repeat steps 3-5 multiple times and average the results.
7. Repeat steps 1 through 6 using a falling edge reference.

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Observable Results:
a. The magnitude of the positive droop shall be less than 45.0%.
b. The magnitude of the negative droop shall be less than 45.0%.
Possible Problems:

None.

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Test 96.1.2 – Transmitter Distortion
Purpose: To verify that the distortion of the transmitter is within the conformance limits.
References:[1] IEEE Std. 802.3bw, subclause 96.5.2 - Test modes[2] Ibid., subclause 96.5.3 - Test Fixtures[3] Ibid., subclause 96.5.4.2 - Transmitter Distortion[4] Test suite appendix 96.A – 100BASE-T1 Transmitter Test Fixtures
Resource Requirements:• DSO• High Impedance Differential Probe• Short Automotive Cable• Transmitter Distortion Adapter
Last Modification: March 9, 2016 (version 1.0)
Discussion:
Reference [1] states that a 100BASE-T1 device shall implement 5 test modes. These test modes
are provided to measure electrical characteristics and verify compliance. Reference [2] defines the test
fixture to be used to perform the test, as well as the disturbing signal characteristics (see [4] for moredetails). Reference [1] defines the operation of a device while in test mode 4, and reference [3] provides a
specification for the maximum allowable distortion for the transmitter.
In this test, the peak distortion is measured by capturing the test mode 4 waveform and finding
the least mean squared error. The peak error between the ideal reference and the observed symbols is thepeak transmitter distortion. Reference [3] provides Matlab code for determining the peak distortion, note
this code assumes the disturber signal and the data acquisition clock of the oscilloscope are frequency
locked to the DUT TX_TCLK.
Test Setup: Refer to appendix 96.A.4
Procedure:
1. Configure the DUT so that it is sourcing the transmitter test mode 4 waveform.
2. Configure the disturber source as described in [2].
3. Connect BI_DA from the MDI to Test Fixture 2.
4. Capture 2ms of consecutive symbols in the test mode 4 waveform.
5. Using the code provided in [3], process the 2ms capture in Matlab to calculate the peak distortion
at 10 uniformly spaced phase offsets over 1 UI.
Observable Results:
a. The peak transmitter distortion should be less than 15mV for all of the sampled phase offsets over
1 UI.
Possible Problems:a. If the vertical resolution of the oscilloscope is less than 10 bits, then a low pass filter must be usedduring post-processing. The Matlab code provided in [3] includes such a LPF.
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b. If the TX_TCLK of the DUT is not accessible or the DUT does not have an external clock input,
the test equipment will not be able to synchronize internal sampling clocks. Because of this,phase offsets will occur in test equipment and measured distortion values will not be as accurate
than if the DUT’s TX_TCLK was available.

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Test 96.1.3 – Transmitter Timing Jitter
Purpose: To verify that the transmitter timing jitter of the PMA is within the conformance limits.
References:[1] IEEE Std. 802.3bw, subclause 96.5.2 - Test modes[2] Ibid., subclause 96.5.3 - Test Fixtures[3] Ibid., subclause 96.5.4.3 - Transmit timing jitter[4] Test suite appendix 96.A – 100BASE-T1 Transmitter Test Fixtures
Resource Requirements:• DSO• 2-pin to SMA Adapter• Short Automotive Cable• 50Ω Coaxial Cables, matched length
Last Modification: March 9, 2016 (version 1.0)
Discussion:
Reference [1] states that a 100BASE-T1 device shall implement 5 test modes. These test modes
are provided to measure electrical characteristics and verify compliance. Reference [2] defines the test
fixture to be used to perform the test. Reference [3] provides a specification for the maximum allowabletiming jitter for the transmitter.
Case 1 – MASTER transmitter timing jitter
When in test mode 2, the PHY transmits +1 symbols followed by -1 symbols continuously. In this1

mode, the transmitter output should be a 333 MHz signal and the RMS TIE jitter measured at the
PHY MDI output shall be less than 50 ps. The RMS period jitter is measured over an integration
time interval of at least 1 ms.

Case 2 – SLAVE transmitter timing jitter (if applicable)
SLAVE transmitter timing jitter can only be performed when the DUTs TX_TCLK is exposed
and accessible. For normal operation as the SLAVE, the DUTs reference clock is recovered froma compliant LP PHY operating as MASTER. The RMS TIE jitter of the SLAVE TX_TCLK shallnot exceed 0.01 UI (150 ps).
Test Setup: Refer to test suite appendix 96.A.3
Procedure:Case 1 – MASTER transmitter timing jitter1. Configure the DUT so that it is operating in transmitter test mode 2.
2. Connect BI_DA from the MDI to Test Fixture 1.
3. Capture at least 1ms and process the capture to determine the RMS TIE jitter.
4. For enhanced accuracy, repeat step 3 multiple times.

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Case 2 – SLAVE transmitter timing jitter1. Configure the DUT so that it is operating in normal mode, forced to SLAVE.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Configure the LP so that it is operating in normal mode, forced to MASTER.
Connect the DUT TX_TCLK to channel 2 of the DSO.
Capture at least 1ms and process the capture with a PC to determine the RMS TIE jitter.
For enhanced accuracy, repeat step 4 multiple times.

Observable Results:
Case 1 – MASTER transmitter timing jittera. The RMS TIE jitter measured at the MDI output should not exceed 50 ps.
Case 2 – SLAVE transmitter timing jitter (if applicable)
a. The RMS TIE jitter of the SLAVE TX_TCLK should not exceed 0.01 UI (150 ps).
Possible Problems: If the DUT does not provide access to the TX_TCLK, SLAVE jitter (case 2) testing
cannot be performed.

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Test 96.1.4 – Transmitter Power Spectral Density
Purpose: To verify the transmitter power spectral density are within the conformance limits.
References:[1] IEEE Std. 802.3bw, subclause 96.5.2 - Test modes[2] Ibid., subclause 96.5.3 - Test Fixtures[3] Ibid., section 96.5.4.4 - Transmitter Power Spectral Density (PSD)[4] Test suite appendix 96.A – 100BASE-T1 Transmitter Test Fixtures
Resource Requirements:• SA or DSO with spectral measurement capabilities• Balun• 2-pin to SMA Adapter• Short Automotive Cable• 50Ω coaxial cables, matched length
Last Modification: March 9, 2016 (version 1.0)
Discussion:
Reference [1] states that a 100BASE-T1 device shall implement 5 test modes. These test modes
are provided to measure electrical characteristics and verify compliance. Reference [2] defines the test
fixture to be used to perform the test. Reference [1] defines the operation of a device while in test mode 5,
and reference [3] provides the transmitter PSD mask.
Test Setup: Refer to test suite appendix 96.A.5
Procedure:
1. Configure the DUT so that it is operating in transmitter test mode 5.
2. Connect BI_DA from the MDI to Test Fixture 3.
3. Capture the spectrum of the transmitted test mode waveform using a SA (or DSO).
4. For enhanced accuracy, repeat step 3 multiple times and average the power measured at eachpoint.
5. Compute the transmitter PSD.
Observable Results:
a. The PSD of the transmitter output while operating in test mode 5 shall fit within the transmitter
PSD mask defined in [3].
Possible Problems: None.

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Test 96.1.5 – Transmit Clock Frequency
Purpose: To verify that the frequency of the Transmit Clock is within the conformance limits
References:[1] IEEE Std. 802.3bw, section 96.5.4.5 - Transmit Clock Frequency[2] Test suite appendix 96.A – 100BASE-T1 Transmitter Test Fixtures
Resource Requirements:• DSO• 2-pin to SMA Adapter• Short Automotive Cable• 50Ω coaxial cables, matched length
Last Modification: March 9, 2016 (version 1.0)
Discussion:
2
Reference [1] states that all 100BASE-T1 devices must have a symbol transmission rate of 663

MHz ± 100ppm while operating in MASTER timing mode. This corresponds to a transmit clock of
66.6603 MHz to 66.6736 MHz.
The reference clock used in this test is the one obtained in test 5.1.3, Transmitter Timing Jitter Case 1. The frequency of this clock, extracted from the transmitted test mode 2 waveform, shall have a2base frequency of 663 MHz ± 100ppm.

Test Setup: Refer to test suite appendix 96.A.3
Procedure:
1. Configure the DUT for test mode 2 operation.
2. Connect BI_DA from the MDI to Test Fixture 1.
3. Using a narrow-bandwidth PLL, extract the clock frequency from the transmitted symbols.
4. For enhanced accuracy, repeat step 2 multiple times.
5. Measure the frequency of the transmit clock.
Observable Results:
a. The transmit clock generated by the DUT shall have a frequency between 66.6603MHz and66.6736MHz.
Possible Problems: None.

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Test 96.1.6 – MDI Return Loss
Purpose: To measure the return loss at the MDI.
References:[1] IEEE Std. 802.3bw, subclause 96.8.2.1 – MDI Return Loss[2] Test suite appendix 96.A – 100BASE-T1 Transmitter Test Fixtures
Resource Requirements:• VNA or TDR with frequency domain capabilities• Balun• 2-pin to SMA Adapter• Short Automotive Cable• 50Ω coaxial Cables, matched length
Last Modification: March 9, 2016 (version 1.0)
Discussion:
A compliant 100BASE-T1 device shall ideally have a differential characteristic impedance of100Ω. This is necessary to match the characteristic impedance of the automotive cabling. Any difference
between these impedances will result in a partial reflection of the transmitted signals. Return loss is ameasure of the signal power that is reflected due to the impedance mismatch. Reference [1] specifies theconformance limits for the reflected power measured at the MDI. The specification states that the returnloss must be maintained transmitting data or control symbols.
Test Setup: Refer to test suite appendix 96.A.6
Procedure:
1. Configure the DUT for test mode 5 operation.
2. Calibrate the VNA (or TDR) to remove the effects of the test jig and connecting cable.
3. Connect the BI_DA from the MDI to the reflection port of the network analyzer.
4. Measure the reflections at the MDI referenced to a 100Ω characteristic impedance.
Observable Results:
a. The return loss measured at the MDI shall be at least 20 dB from 1 to 30MHz, and at least 2020*log10(f/30) dB from 30 to 66MHz when referenced to a characteristic impedance of 100Ω.
Possible Problems: None.

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Test 96.1.7 – MDI Mode Conversion Loss
Purpose: To measure the mode converison loss at the MDI.
References:[1] IEEE Std. 802.3bw, subclause 96.8.2.2 – MDI Mode Conversion Loss[2] Test suite appendix 96.A – 100BASE-T1 Transmitter Test Fixtures
Resource Requirements:• VNA or TDR with frequency domain capabilities• Balun• 2-pin to SMA Adapter• Short Automotive Cable• 50Ω coaxial Cables, matched length
Last Modification: March 9, 2016 (version 1.0)
Discussion:
A compliant 100BASE-T1 device shall ideally have a differential characteristic impedance of100Ω, however mismatches in the positive and negative polarities of the MDI output will introduce mode
conversion. Reference [1] specifies the conformance limits for the mode conversion measured at the MDI.
Test Setup: Refer to test suite appendix 96.A.6
Procedure:
1. Configure the DUT for test mode 5 operation.
2. Calibrate the VNA (or TDR) to remove the effects of the test jig and connecting cable.
3. Connect the BI_DA from the MDI to the reflection port of the network analyzer.
4. Measure the mode conversion loss at the MDI referenced to a 100Ω characteristic impedance.
Observable Results:
a. The mode conversion loss measured at the MDI shall be at least 50 dB from 1 to 33MHz, and at
least 50-20*log10(f/33) dB from 33 to 200MHz when referenced to a characteristic impedance of100Ω.
Possible Problems: None.

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GROUP 2: PMA Receive Tests
Overview:
This section verifies the integrity of the 100BASE-T1 PMA Receiver through frame reception
tests.

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Test 96.2.1 – Bit Error Rate Verification
Purpose: To verify that the DUT can maintain a BER of less than 10-10.
References:[1] IEEE Std. 802.3bw, subclause 96.5.5.1 - Receiver Differential Input Signals[2] Ibid., subclause 96.7 – Link Segment Characteristics[3] IOL TP-PMD Test Suite Appendix 25.D
[4] Test suite appendix 96.B – 100BASE-T1 Cabling for Receiver Testing
Resource Requirements:• Packet transmit/monitoring station• Automotive cables of varying lengths
Last Modification: March 9, 2016 (version 1.0)
Discussion:
Reference [1] states that a 100BASE-T1 capable PHY shall not exceed a BER of less than 10-10.
The cables used for receiver BER testing are automotive cables, conformant to the characteristics
described in [2] but representative of a worst case channel. Channel characteristics of the worst casechannel are further discussed in [4]. Packet transmit and monitoring stations are used to verify the BER of
the DUT.
10

Based on the analysis given in reference [3], if more than 7 errors are observed in 3x10 bits
-10

(about 2,470,000 1,518-byte packets), it can be concluded that the error rate is greater than 10 with lessthan a 5% chance of error. Note that if no errors are observed, it can be concluded that the BER is no-10

more than 10with less than a 5% chance of error.

Test Setup: Refer to test suite appendix 96.A.7
Procedure:
1. Configure the DUT as MASTER.
2. Connect the packet monitoring station to the automotive cable.
3. Connect the DUT to the automotive cable.
4. Send 2,470,000 1,518-byte packets (for a 10-10 BER) and the monitor will count the number ofpacket errors.
5. Repeat step 4 for the remaining automotive cables.
6. Repeat steps 4-5 with the DUT configured as SLAVE.
Observable Results:
a. The DUT shall maintain a BER of less than 10-10 for all automotive cable lengths.
Possible Problems: None.

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Test 96.2.2 – Receiver Frequency Tolerance
2

Purpose: To verify that the DUT can properly accept incoming data with the symbol rate of 66 3 MHz+/- 100 ppm.

References:[1] IEEE Std. 802.3bw, subclause 96.5.5.2 - Receiver Frequency Tolerance[2] Ibid., subclause 96.7 – Link Segment Characteristics[3] Test suite appendix 96.B – 100BASE-T1 Cabling for Receiver Testing
Resource Requirements:• Packet transmit/monitoring station capable of a configurable transmit clock• Automotive cable representative of worst case channel
Last Modification: March 9, 2016 (version 1.0)
Discussion:
Reference [1] states that a 100BASE-T1 capable PHY shall properly accept incoming data with2

the symbol rate of 66 3 MHz +/- 100 ppm. This corresponds to a transmit clock of 66.6603MHz to

66.6736 MHz. Please refer to Test 96.2.1 – Bit Error Rate Verification, of this document, for further
details regarding the worst case channel and packet analysis. The cables used for receiver frequency
tolerance testing are automotive cables, conformant to the characteristics described in [2] but
representative of a worst case channel. Channel characteristics of the worst case channel are further
described in [3].
Test Setup: Refer to test suite appendix 96.A.7
Procedure:Part A
1. Configure the DUT as SLAVE.
2. Connect the packet transmit/monitoring station to the automotive cable.
3. Connect the DUT to the automotive cable.
4. Configure the packet transmit/monitoring station to transmit data with a clock of 66.6603 MHz.
5. Send 2,470,000 1,518-byte packets (for a 10-10 BER) and monitor the number of packet errors.
6. Repeat step 3-5 using a transmit clock of 66.6736 MHz.
Observable Results:
a. The DUT shall maintain a BER of less than 10-10 when recovering a transmit clock of 66.6603
MHz or 66.6736 MHz for all automotive cable lengths.
Possible Problems: None.

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Test 96.2.3 – Alien Crosstalk Noise Rejection
Purpose: To verify that the DUT can maintain a bit error rate of less than 10-10 in the presence of a noise
source.
References:[1] IEEE Std. 802.3bw, subclause 96.5.5.3 – Alien Crosstalk Noise Rejection[2] Ibid., subclause 96.7 – Link Segment Characteristics[3] Test suite appendix 96.B – 100BASE-T1 Cabling for Receiver Testing
Resource Requirements:• Packet transmit/monitoring station• Worst case automotive crosstalk noise injection cable• 100BASE-T1 100 Mbps idle symbol noise source• Gaussian signal generator
Last Modification: March 9, 2016 (version 1.0)
Discussion:
Reference [1] defines a test cable which uses a resistive network to inject crosstalk noise into thereceive path of the DUT. Reference [1] goes on to state that a 100BASE-T1 capable PHY shall not
exceed a BER of less than 10-10, even with alien crosstalk noise present. The cables used for receiverfrequency tolerance testing are automotive cables, conformant to the characteristics described in [2] but
representative of a worst case channel. Channel characteristics of the worst case channel are further
discussed in [3].
Test Setup: Refer to test suite appendix 96.A.8
Procedure:
1. Configure the DUT as MASTER.
2. Connect the packet transmit/monitoring station to the worst case automotive crosstalk noise
injection cable.
3. Connect the DUT to the worst case automotive crosstalk noise injection cable.
4. Send 2,470,000 1,518-byte packets (for a 10-10 BER) and the monitor will count the number ofpacket errors.
5. Repeat step 4 with the DUT configured as SLAVE.
6. Repeat steps 1 through 5 using a Gaussian signal generator as the noise source.
Observable Results:
a. The DUT shall maintain a BER of less than 10-10 when using the worst case automotive crosstalknoise injection cable with a compliant 100BASE-T1 transmitter as the noise source.
b. The DUT shall maintain a BER of less than 10-10 when using the worst case automotive crosstalknoise injection cable with a Gaussian signal generator as the noise source.
Possible Problems: None.
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TEST SUITE APPENDICES
Overview:
The appendices contained in this section are intended to provide additional low-level technicaldetails pertinent to specific tests defined in this test suite. Test suite appendices often cover topics that are
beyond the scope of the standard, but are specific to the methodologies used for performing themeasurements covered in this test suite. This may also include details regarding a specific interpretationof the standard (for the purposes of this test suite), in cases where a specification may appear unclear orotherwise open to multiple interpretations.
Scope:
Test suite appendices are considered informative, and pertain only to tests contained in this test
suite.

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Appendix 96.A – 100BASE-T1 Transmitter Test Fixtures
Purpose: To provide a reference implementation of Test Fixtures 1 through 3 as well as other transmit
and receive test setups.
References:[1] IEEE Std. 802.3bw, subclause 96.5.3 - Test fixtures[2] Ibid., subclause 96.7 – Link Segment characteristics[3] Ibid., subclause 96.8 – MDI specification[4] Ibid., subclause 96.5.5.3 – Alien Crosstalk Noise Rejection[5] IOL TP-PMA Test Suite Appendix 40.B
[6] Test suite appendix 96.B – 100BASE-T1 Cabling for Receiver Testing

Resource Requirements:• DSO: Capable of 1 GHz DSO bandwidth and a sampling rate of 2 GS/s or higher.
• SA: Capable of operating up to 200 MHz with a dynamic range of 50 dBm or higher, or
equivalent Digital oscilloscope with spectral measurement capabilities.
• VNA: Capable of measuring up to 100 MHz, or equivalent TDR with frequency domain
capabilities• Packet transmit/monitoring system• 2-pin to SMA Adapter• Transmitter distortion Adapter• High Impedance Differential Probe: Capable of operating up to 1 GHz or higher.
• Balun: Capable of operating up to 200 MHz or higher.
• Disturbing signal generator: Capable of producing a sinusoid with differential amplitude of
� MHz
5.4 Vpp and a frequency of 11.111• Automotive cabling: Various lengths• 50Ω coaxial cables, matched length• Worst case automotive crosstalk noise injection cable• 100BASE-T1 Idle Symbol Noise Source• Gaussian signal generator
Last Modification: March 9, 2016 (version 1.0)
Discussion:
96.A.1- Introduction
Reference [1] defines three test fixtures to be used in the verification of 100BASE-T1 transmitter
specifications. The purpose of this appendix is to present a reference implementation of these test fixtures.
This appendix describes test setups that can be used as Test Fixtures 1 through 3, a setup for Return Loss,and Group 2: PMA Receive Test measurements.
96.A.2 – Cabling and Adapters
Reference [2] states that 1 is designed to operate over 100Ω one pair cable (automotive cable),and [3] defines the MDI connector can be any connector currently used in the automotive industry that
does not degrade a signal worse than a 15 meter 100Ω one pair cable. Leaving the choice of cabling andAutomotive Ethernet Consortium

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MDI connector up to the DUT manufacturer; because of this, flexibility is required in the development of
the test setups. An SMA adapter board accompanied by a short automotive cable will be used to connect
the DUT to test equipment. Figure A.1 illustrates the SMA adapter.

Side View
Angled View

Top View
Figure A.1: 2-pin to SMA Adapter

Due to the wide variety of connectors that could be tested, a single cable cannot be used toconnect every DUT to the SMA adapter. A Short automotive cable with a connector that can mate with
the DUT MDI on one end and can connect to the two pins on the SMA adapter, described above, on theother end will be used. By doing this a different cable can be used for each DUT and allow calibrating out
the loss of the cable and adapter so that the test point will be at the devices MDI.

Side View
Angled View

Top View

Figure A.2: Transmitter Distortion Adapter
A second adapter was developed for measuring transmitter distortion, illustrated in Figure A.2.
To measure distortion an additional probing point is needed so that the disturbing sine wave can bedelivered to the DUT, as well as measure the sum of the test mode 4 pattern and the disturbed voltage
with a high impedance differential probe. This adapter is incorporated into the Test Fixture 3 test setup
described in Figure A.5.

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96.A.3 – Test Fixture 1
Test Fixture 1 described in [1] will be used for maximum transmitter output droop and transmitter
timing jitter (when the DUT is in MASTER mode). Figure A.3 shows a diagram of the Test Fixture 1
setup.

Figure A.3: Droop, Jitter (Master) Test Setup (Test Fixture 1)
The DUT is connected to the short automotive cable and 2-pin to SMA adapter described in
96.A.2, then connected to the DSO using matched length SMA cables. The test mode waveforms aredownloaded to a pc where Matlab scripts post-process the data.
When testing SLAVE jitter Test Fixture 1 must be modified to include the use of a 100BASE-T1
link partner. The DUT is forced to link in SLAVE mode and the MDI is connected to the MDI of the LP(which is forced to link in MASTER mode) using a short automotive cable. The TX_TCLK of the DUT isthen connected to the DSO. See Figure A.4 for this setup. If the TX_TCLK of the DUT is not accessible
SLAVE jitter cannot be performed.

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Figure A.4: Jitter (SLAVE) Test Setup
96.A.4 – Test Fixture 2
In Test Fixture 2, the DUT is directly connected to a 100Ω differential voltage generator. The
voltage generator transmits a sine wave of specific frequency and amplitude; which is referred to as thedisturbing signal, Vd. An oscilloscope monitors the output of the DUT through a high impedance
differential probe. The disturbing sine wave characteristics are given in Table A-1.
Table A-1: Characteristics of disturber waveform
Vd Amplitude
Vd Frequency
� MHz
5.4 V peak-to-peak
11.111The purpose of Vd is to simulate the presence of a remote transmitter. If the DUT is not
sufficiently linear, the disturbing signal will cause significant distortion products to appear in the DUT
output. Note that while the oscilloscope sees the sum of the Vd and the DUT output, only the DUT output
is of interest. Therefore post-processing is required to remove the disturbing signal from themeasurement.
Upon looking at the Test Fixture 3 definition shown in [1], it is important to note that Vd isdefined as the voltage before the 50Ω resistors. Thus, the amount of voltage seen at the transmitter under
test is 50% of the original amplitude of Vd.

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Figure A.5: Distortion Test Setup (Test Fixture 2)
The IEEE802.3bw standard requires the test equipment used for transmit distortion measurements
be synchronized with the DUT’s TX_TCLK, this guarantees that the internal sampling clock of eachpiece of equipment shares a common clock source and is phase locked. How to generate a reference clockfrom the TX_TCLK is not defined but can be achieved in several ways. Using a frequency divider to2generate a 10 MHz clock from the 66 MHz TX_CLK is one such technique. This is depicted in Figure3

A.4 with a dashed line. However, depending on the DUT’s design and form factor the TX_TCLK may not
be exposed or brought out to a probe-able pin. When the TX_TCLK is not accessible distortion testing
will need to be tested without test equipment synchronization. Because of this phase offsets will occur
between the clock sources of each test equipment, and measured distortion values will most likely beworse than if the DUT’s TX_TCLK was available.
A Matlab script is provided in the IEEE802.3bw standard to calculate transmitter distortion.
Embedded within the script are hardware requirements for the oscilloscope used to capture the test mode
4 pattern. The requirements include a sample rate of 2GS/s and an ADC vertical resolution of 8 bits ormore. It also goes on to state that if the ADC resolution is less than 10 bits then the data is to be processed1through an optional section of code that includes a 33 MHz low pass filter. However since the3oscilloscope sample rate and ADC resolution are not discussed outside the Matlab code it makes theimplementation of the optional code subjective and left to the interpretation of the tester. Additionally,
ADC vertical resolution settings available to the user will differ from equipment vendor to equipmentvendor. There are DSOs in the market that offer >8 bit native ADC vertical resolution but most DSOs
have a native ADC vertical resolution of 8 bits. Depending on the DSO the ADC resolution may be
increased above the native settings, this is achieved by applying DSP techniques. The exact details of the
DSP used to increase the ADC resolution is proprietary and is up to the equipment vendor to divulge.
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Since the DSP techniques used to increase the ADC resolution are not fully available to the user it ispossible that the unspecified filtering can artificially lower distortion values. Measured distortion values
will vary significantly based on the ADC settings, care should be taken when choosing ADC settings. For
testing performed at the IOL, equipment will be chosen so that when testing transmitter distortion thesample rate will be exactly 2GS/s and the Matlab low pass filter will only be used if the native ADC
resolution is less than 10 bits.
96.A.5 – Test Fixture 3
Test Fixture 3 described in [1] will be used for transmitter PSD measurements. The PSD profile isdownloaded from the SA and post-processed in Matlab. Figure A.6 shows a diagram of the Test Fixture 3
setup. A balun is necessary to convert the differential transmission of the DUT to a single-ended input for
the SA.

Figure A.6: PSD Test Setup (Test Fixture 3)
96.A.6 – MDI Return Loss and Mode Conversion Loss Setup
The MDI return loss and mode conversion loss measurements are performed with a VNA.
Depending on the design of the VNA there may only be a single input port, if this is the case a balun willneed to be used to convert the differential transmission of the DUT to a single-ended input for the VNA.
See figure A.7. However, if the VNA has two or more input ports a balun is not necessary, see Figure A.8.

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Figure A.8: Two Input VNA

Figure A.7: Single Input VNA

96.A.7 – PMA Receiver Testing Setup
Figure A.9 describes the setup for Test 96.2.1 and 96.2.2, the only difference between the setups
is the frequency of the link partner transmit clock (please see subclause 96.5.5.1 and 96.5.5.2 for eachtests respective clock settings). A packet generation and monitoring station will be used to measure theamount of dropped packets. This test is performed over various automotive cable lengths, representativeof the worst case channel defined in [2], to simulate real world environments. The channel characteristics
regarding the worst case channel is discussed in [6].

Figure A.9: BER & Receiver Frequency Tolerance Test Setup
96.A.8 – Alien Crosstalk Noise Rejection Setup
Figure A.10 describes the test cable used to introduce the crosstalk source defined in [4]. A small
adapter populated with the necessary resistors is soldered to the end of an automotive cable, closest to thereceiver under test. Since the MDI mechanical specification can vary between vendors an additional, very
short, automotive cable is necessary to connect the DUT to the adapter. The insertion loss of the test cable,
including the very short patch cable, is conformant to the worst case characteristics described in [2]. The
channel characteristics regarding the worst case channel is discussed in [6].

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Figure A.10: Alien Crosstalk Noise Rejection Setup

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Appendix 96.B – 100BASE-T1 Cabling for Receiver Testing
Purpose: To describe the characteristics of various automotive cables used to verify BER, ReceiverFrequency Tolerance, and Alien Crosstalk Noise Rejection.
References:[1] IEEE 802.3bw, subclause 96.7 – Link Segment characteristics
Last Modification: March 10, 2016(version 1.0)
Discussion:
Reference [1] specifies the 100BASE-T1 cabling system by defining it as a differential 100Ω onepair cabling system up to 15 meters in length with inline connectors, and goes on to give specification
limits for insertion loss, return loss, mode conversion loss, and alien crosstalk. While [1] does specify amaximum whole communication channel (WCC) segment length of 15 meters, component and cablequality used in the WCC will dictate the overall performance, meaning a WCC may be greater than 15
meters in length but still be conformant to the previously listed parameter limits. That being said, a “worst
case” channel is ideally defined as a WCC with 4 inline connectors and channel characteristics that are as
close to the parameter limit values as possible while still being in the conformant range.
While a “worst case” WCC (WC-WCC) is ideally a channel that is close to violating theparameter limits but still conformant, it is nearly impossible to meet this criteria for all channel
parameters. Instead, the WC-WCC is more specifically defined as a channel with 4 inline connectors thatis tuned to nearly violate the insertion loss specifications while being conformant to the return loss limit.
Figure B.1 shows the insertion loss limit defined in [1] in red, while all other curves represent channels
that have losses equivalent to 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 % of the WC-WCC.

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Figure B.1: Worst Case Whole Communication Channels
Testing over more than one WCC ensures that the DUT can not only communicate with a LPover channels with significant loss but also can communicate over shorter WCCs which are less lossy but
usually have worse return loss characteristics.

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