TAIFATECH TF-331 Web Server Controller

[l0rd_hex]

Hey fellow electron manipulators,

I bought a second-hand NetGear GS716T-V1 16 port switch and after playing around with the software for a bit I decided to take a peek inside. The board uses a microcontroller labelled as a TAIFATECH TF-331 which appears to be a "web server controller". I haven't found a datasheet (surprise, surprise!) but I did find this product specs sheet: http://pdf.dzsc.com/88888/200813104039864.pdf

I downloaded an update from NetGear that is in the Intel Hex format. I've tried my hand at disassembling it using this instruction set https://www.win.tue.nl/~aeb/comp/8051/set8051.html and while I'm not getting illegal instructions the code doesn't seem to make much sense, lots of seemingly meaningless instructions.

Has anyone seen or worked with this IC before? I'm just curious about poking around with the firmware

[w3dg3]

I found a datasheet for the TF-331 on the kynix site:

Datasheet: https://www.kynix.com/Detail/839420/TF-331-ACL.html
Overview:   pdf.dzsc.com/88888/200813104039864.pdf

This is a 8051/80390 core device designed by what appears to be a now-defunct taiwanese company called Taifatech. This is a nice SoC solution if you want a h/w accelerated network solution. It supports external flash memory, 10/100 Mbs ethernet, external Flash memory. all you have to add is PHY inteface chip (such as Davicom DM9161A).

It was supported by older Keil compilers (Keil C v7.10, circa 2007).

I started searching for this as I was trying to repair an Aviosys IP9258 (PDU) with a faulty ethernet interface. They had erased the chip identifier from the main components, it took a while but finally I identified them all. The old models commonly used this in conjunction with the Davicom DM9161A as the ethernet transceiver. The ethernet interface doesn't use any magnetics, so is prone to damage if have any over voltage on the line.

If anyone has any further info on programming this let me know.

Joe