W6300-EVB - IPv6 Hardwired Ethernet Eval Board | WIZnet
MPN: W6300-EVB ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
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| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 100 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
W6300-EVB Overview
An evaluation board (EVB) is a printed-circuit assembly that mounts a target IC together with the supporting circuitry - magnetics, RJ45 jack, decoupling, and configuration options - so engineers can exercise the device without designing a custom PCB. In the power-management hierarchy of embedded systems, an Ethernet controller such as the W6300 sits in the connectivity layer, offloading the full TCP/IP stack from the host MCU in hardware.
Key W6300 features validated on the EVB include the full hardwired TCP/IP stack with IPv6/IPv4 support, a host interface composed of Quad SPI (Single/Dual/Quad modes) and a Parallel System BUS, multiple independent hardware sockets, WOL for remote wake-up, and a PHY power-down mode for low-power designs. Hardware protocol offload keeps packet processing deterministic and independent of host MCU load, a primary reason designers choose hardwired controllers over software stacks.
The W6300 family is documented in the WIZnet datasheet available at docs.wiznet.io, which details the Quad SPI timing, register map, socket buffers, and electrical characteristics. WIZnet also ships the closely related W6300-EVB-Pico (RP2040-based) and W6300-EVB-Pico2 (RP2350-based) boards in Raspberry Pi Pico form factor, which map W6300 QSPI pins to GPIO15-GPIO22.
Typical applications include industrial automation nodes, IoT gateways, networked sensors, and embedded systems requiring IPv6 readiness. The Quad SPI interface lets even small Cortex-M0+ class MCUs achieve full-duplex Ethernet throughput with minimal firmware effort.
When evaluating, decide early between Quad SPI and Parallel BUS modes, since the choice defines the pin budget and throughput ceiling of the final design.
This page synthesizes manufacturer documentation, distributor availability, drop-in board alternatives, and practical design notes not found in the WIZnet datasheet.
Drop-in alternatives for W6300-EVB — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
W6300-EVB-PICO
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
W6300-EVB-PICO2
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
W6100-EVB
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
W5500-EVB
✅ Drop-In ⚠️ Specs Unverified📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
W6300-EVB Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | Ethernet controller evaluation board |
| Target IC | WIZnet W6300 hardwired TCP/IP controller |
| Network Protocol Support | IPv4/IPv6 hardwired TCP/IP stack |
| Host Interface | Quad SPI (Single/Dual/Quad) and Parallel System BUS |
| Socket Support | Multiple hardware sockets |
| Wake On LAN | Supported (WOL) |
| PHY Power Down Mode | Supported |
| W6300 Chip Package Options | 48 EPAD-LQFP or 48 QFN, lead-free |
| Connector Type | RJ45 Ethernet port |
| Mounting Type | Through-hole header evaluation board |
| RoHS Status | Lead-free package (per WIZnet datasheet) |
| Related Software Examples | Example applications provided by WIZnet (loopback, socket test) |
W6300-EVB Interfaces & Connectors
W6300-EVB exposes the following interfaces and connectors as published by the manufacturer: Ethernet. Expansion header pinout, connector pin numbering, and electrical limits are defined in the manufacturer documentation.
| Ethernet | Supported (WOL) |
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Typical Applications
W6300-EVB is suitable for 6 applications: Industrial Automation Nodes, IoT Gateways, Embedded Networked Sensors, Network Security and Monitoring Appliances, Retrofit and Legacy Equipment IPv6 Upgrades, Education and Embedded Networking Labs.
Industrial Automation Nodes
The W6300-EVB lets automation engineers validate the W6300 hardwired TCP/IP controller before committing to the 48 EPAD-LQFP or QFN production package. The hardwired IPv6/IPv4 stack processes TCP and UDP in silicon, giving deterministic packet latency independent of the host MCU firmware load - a critical property for PLC peripherals, remote I/O, and machine-monitoring nodes where jittered response times cause synchronization faults. Multiple hardware sockets allow concurrent MODBUS/TCP, web diagnostics, and telemetry endpoints without software RTOS network stacks. Prototyping on the EVB first confirms Quad SPI versus Parallel BUS interface selection, pin budget, and PHY power-down behavior under real industrial EMC conditions, shortening the path to a production PCB that reuses the validated reference circuit.
Recommended
IoT Gateways
IoT gateways aggregate field devices toward cloud services, and the W6300-EVB provides the evaluation platform for its W6300 controller, which WIZnet explicitly targets at gateway applications. The hardware TCP/IP offload frees gateway MCU cycles for protocol translation, TLS session handling, and local control logic instead of packet processing, while IPv6 support future-proofs the design as carriers and enterprise networks mandate v6 addressing. Quad SPI in Quad mode delivers high bus bandwidth on few host pins, letting cost-sensitive Cortex-M class MCUs sustain full Ethernet throughput. Wake On LAN enables remote gateway wake-up for maintenance windows, and the PHY Power Down Mode cuts consumption in duty-cycled deployments. Evaluate buffer sizing and socket counts on the EVB before fixing the gateway BOM.
Recommended
Embedded Networked Sensors
Networked sensor nodes benefit from the W6300's PHY Power Down Mode and hardwired stack, and the W6300-EVB is the reference platform to validate both. Sensors sampling slowly but reporting over TCP/UDP can keep the host MCU in deep sleep between events, waking the W6300 only for transmission; because the TCP/IP stack runs in silicon, no software stack must be re-initialized in the host, reducing wake-up latency and firmware complexity. The Quad SPI Single/Dual/Quad modes let designers trade pin count against bandwidth - Dual mode often suffices for kilobyte-scale telemetry payloads. Prototyping on the EVB confirms that the 48 QFN production package's lead-free, low-power profile meets the node's energy budget across the deployment lifetime.
Recommended
Network Security and Monitoring Appliances
Security appliances such as network taps, IDS probes, and log forwarders need reliable multi-socket Ethernet, and the W6300-EVB provides the evaluation vehicle for the W6300's multiple independent hardware sockets. Each socket has dedicated buffer memory managed in silicon, so a burst on one connection cannot starve others - a common failure mode of software stacks under attack-driven traffic. The Parallel System BUS host interface offers maximum register-access bandwidth for hosts streaming high packet rates, while Quad SPI suits compact designs. Deterministic hardwired processing also aids forensic timestamping consistency. Engineers can measure real socket-buffer headroom and failover behavior on the EVB before scaling to the 48 EPAD-LQFP package in a production capture card.
Recommended
Retrofit and Legacy Equipment IPv6 Upgrades
Many installed machines carry legacy serial or IPv4-only network interfaces, and the W6300-EVB is the validation platform for retrofit bridges built on the W6300. Because the IPv6/IPv4 dual stack is fully hardwired, a bridge MCU only forwards between the legacy port (RS-485, CAN via MCU peripherals) and the W6300 sockets, with no host-side protocol stack to port or certify. IPv6 support satisfies modern facility networks and cloud onboarding requirements without replacing equipment. Wake On LAN lets dormant retrofitted machines be powered up remotely. The EVB phase verifies Quad SPI timing with the chosen host MCU and confirms the 48 QFN lead-free package fits the retrofit enclosure's thermal and space constraints.
Recommended
Education and Embedded Networking Labs
Universities and training programs use WIZnet evaluation boards to teach embedded networking because the hardwired TCP/IP stack lets students achieve working Ethernet links within a first lab session, without writing a protocol stack. The W6300-EVB and its Pico-form-factor siblings reuse the familiar Raspberry Pi Pico ecosystem - C/C++ SDK, MicroPython, and Zephyr support (Zephyr upstream documents the W6300-EVB-Pico2 board directly). Labs can progress from QSPI loopback tests through socket programming to IPv6 addressing exercises, using the WIZnet loopback and socket-test example applications. WOL and PHY power-down experiments add power-management curriculum. The same skills transfer directly to production designs using the 48 EPAD-LQFP or QFN W6300 packages.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for W6300-EVB — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | W6300-EVB-PICO | W6300-EVB-PICO2 | W6100-EVB | W5500-EVB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | WIZnet EVB (evaluation board) | Raspberry Pi Pico form factor (40-pin header) | Raspberry Pi Pico form factor (40-pin header) | WIZnet EVB form factor | WIZnet EVB form factor |
| Brand | WIZnet | WIZnet | WIZnet | WIZnet | WIZnet |
| Ethernet Controller | W6300 | W6300 | W6300 | W6100 | W5500 |
| IPv6 Support | Yes (hardwired IPv4/IPv6) | Yes (hardwired IPv4/IPv6) | Yes (hardwired IPv4/IPv6) | Yes (hardwired IPv4/IPv6) | No (IPv4 only) |
| Host Interface | Quad SPI (Single/Dual/Quad) + Parallel System BUS | Quad SPI via RP2040 GPIO15-22 | Quad SPI via RP2350 GPIO15-22 | Standard SPI | Standard SPI |
| On-board Host MCU | None (host-interface evaluation) | RP2040 (dual Cortex-M0+) | RP2350 (dual Cortex-M33, 16 Mbit flash) | Yes (WIZnet EVB MCU) | Yes (WIZnet EVB MCU) |
| Wake On LAN / PHY Power Down | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | Yes / Yes | WOL only |
Key Differentiators
- Quad SPI host interface with Single/Dual/Quad modes (vs W6100-EVB)
- IPv6 and IPv4 hardwired dual stack (vs W5500-EVB)
- Pure controller evaluation without fixed host MCU (vs W6300-EVB-PICO)
Design Notes
Fix the host-interface decision (Quad SPI vs Parallel System BUS) before PCB layout. According to the W6300 datasheet, Quad SPI supports Single/Dual/Quad modes while the Parallel System BUS offers maximum access speed at a higher pin cost. Migrating between the two after layout requires a board respin because the pin functions differ. On the W6300-EVB-Pico boards, WIZnet maps the QSPI interface to GPIO15-GPIO22, so custom firmware must not repurpose those pins.
When moving from the EVB to a production PCB with the 48 EPAD-LQFP or 48 QFN package, follow the WIZnet reference schematics published for the W6300 (external-transformer and RJ45-with-transformer variants, with Gerbers and Altium files on the WIZnet site). Keep QSPI clock and data traces short and treat Quad-mode timing as the constraint; place the 0.1 uF decoupling capacitors at each supply pin and connect the LQFP exposed pad to a solid ground plane per the datasheet footprint.
Use the Ethernet PHY Power Down Mode and Wake On LAN to meet low-power targets in battery or duty-cycled designs. Evaluate on the EVB how quickly the PHY resumes from power down and whether the first packet after wake is lost; budget for a link re-establishment interval in the firmware state machine. Estimated: in duty-cycled telemetry, waking the PHY only per transmission can reduce average node consumption by an order of magnitude versus keeping the PHY always active, but verify actual figures with your own measurements.
Compliance Information
W6300 is offered in 48 EPAD-LQFP and 48 QFN lead-free packages per the WIZnet datasheet. Full RoHS/REACH declarations were not present in the verified data.