OpenWrt Forum Archive

Topic: QUESTION: GPIO via RJ45

The content of this topic has been archived on 4 Apr 2018. There are no obvious gaps in this topic, but there may still be some posts missing at the end.

I wonder if there is a possibility to use one or several network ports as a GPIO "port"?

I know there is a bootup sequence checking for tftp and vice versa, but after the bootup if the ports can be used in the same manner as other GPIO's n other routers.
If possible it could add alot of extra features for the router modding community.

Is just an idea and a thought, if i were more in-depth into this i would have researched it myselves.

I don't see, how it could be done in any easy way. For example on the AR9331, the ethernet pins are not multiplexed with GPIOs. Additionally, the integrated switch has certainly its own intelligence, which would be confused with reading or writing constant high or low signals. And also the ethernet signals are probably not what you want to use. See wikipedia for the details.

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