LILYGO T-ETH-Lite - An ESP32-S3 board with Ethernet, optional PoE support

Original : https://www.cnx-software.com/2023/09/27/lilygo-t-eth-lite-esp32-s3-board-ethernet-poe/

Author : Jean-Luc Aufranc(CNXSoft)

Published On : 20230927

This content was created with the assistance of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence language model developed by OpenAI.

The LILYGO T-ETH-Lite ESP32-S3 board is equipped with a WIZnet W5500 Ethernet controller, which is known for its efficient TCP/IP Offload Engine (TOE) technology.

This technology offloads the processing of TCP/IP protocols from the host microcontroller, enabling smoother network communications.

The board's specifications include an ESP32-S3 dual-core microprocessor, 8MB PSRAM, 16MB SPI flash, WiFi 4, and Bluetooth 5 connectivity.

LILYGO T-ETH-Lite ESP32-S3 specifications:

• Wireless module ESP32-S3-WROOM-1
  • MCU – ESP32-S3 dual-core LX7 microprocessor @ up to 240 MHz with Vector extension for machine learning
  • Memory – 8MB PSRAM
  • Storage – 16MB SPI flash
  • Connectivity – WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5 with LE/Mesh
  • PCB antenna
• Storage – MicroSD card slot
• Connectivity
  • 802.11 b/g/n WiFi 4 up to 150 Mbps and Bluetooth 5 via ESP32-S3 SoC
  • 10/100M Ethernet via SPI Ethernet board based on WIZnet W5500, optional PoE
• I/Os – 2x 15-pin headers with up to 23x GPIOs, 2x UART, 14x ADC, touch interface, Reset, 5V, 3.3V, GND
• Misc
  • Boot & Reset button
  • Power, Link, and Act LEDs
• Power Supply
  • 5V via “5V-IN” pin
  • 36 to 57V via optional PoE shield
• Dimensions – 59 x 28 x 11 mm

Additionally, it has a MicroSD card slot, 10/100M Ethernet via the W5500 controller, and numerous GPIOs for extended functionality, making it a robust platform for various network-related projects​​.

The WIZnet W5500 Ethernet controller is heralded for its TCP/IP Offload Engine (TOE) technology which significantly alleviates the host microcontroller from the burdensome tasks of processing TCP/IP protocols.

This results in enhanced network communication efficiency and frees up the microcontroller's resources for other critical tasks. Moreover, the W5500 provides a simpler and more streamlined solution for internet connectivity, lowering the complexity and driving quicker development cycles. 

By incorporating this controller, boards like the LILYGO T-ETH-Lite ESP32-S3 become more adept and reliable in handling network communications, making them suitable for a myriad of IoT and ethernet-based projects.

Thank you for reading.