GigaBlox Nano – 1 Inch GigaBit Ethernet Switch

Gigabit Ethernet, 1 inch.

GigaBlox Nano is the most compact solution for Gigabit ethernet currently available, providing 4 GigaBit ethernet ports in a 26mm x 26mm footprint.

Transformerless Ethernet

Transformers provide three performance aspects...

1) To reject differences in ground potentials on different ethernet devices.
2) To allow the injection of common-mode voltages (such as PoE).
3) To allow the generation of voltage waveforms when using current-mode PHY transceivers.

Removing the transformers restricts the use of transformerless ethernet to systems that share a common ground and do not need PoE.

Despite this limitation, most compact systems (drones and robots) use a single ground and for those that don't use PoE, using transformerless ethernet is a perfectly acceptable tradeoff to make to achieve a drastic reduction in size and weight.

This is how we have achieved the world's smallest solution for a GigaBit ethernet switch.

Can I use GigaBlox Nano in my system?

Not sure if GigaBlox Nano is suitable for your system? Check the flowchart below.



You can read more about transformerless ethernet in the application notes below:
ENT-AN0110
AN-1519

Still not sure? Get in touch with our Application Engineers.

Port Connectivity

GigaBlox Nano is our first truly modular, stackable board. The 4 ports are placed onto a Samtec Razor Beam™ (MPN: LSHM-120-02.5-L-DV-A-S-K-TR) stackable header.


This allows direct integration of GigaBlox Nano into any daughterboard design, allowing our customers to design simple breakout boards with full connector flexibility.

We also offer two of our own daughterboards that stack with GigaBlox Nano to either provide BotBlox pinout PicoBlade connectors or standard RJ-45 connectors.

Pico-Conn Daughterboard

Pico-Conn Daughterboard is a simple breakout board for GigaBlox Nano that puts the 4 ports and power onto Molex Pico-Blade connectors. The pinout used is the same as on our standard GigaBlox to allow easy substitution of the boards.

Buy PicoConn DaughterBoard

RJ-Conn DaughterBoard

RJ-Conn Daughterboard puts the 4 GigaBit ports onto traditional RJ-45 jacks allowing use in a system with traditional RJ-45 cables.

While this approach does add size, the RJ-45 jacks have integrated magnetics meaning that true transformer-based GigaBit ethernet can be achieved with this solution.

Buy RJConn DaughterBoard

Custom integration

The modularity of GigaBlox Nano also allows customers to directly integrate GigaBlox Nano with their own daughterboards for ultimate flexibility in application. Our Pico-Conn and RJ-Conn boards are made fully open-source to assist with integration, the link is below. 

Daughterboard design files

Specifications

Datasheets

Daughterboard design files
GrabCAD 3D Models
GigaBlox Nano Datasheet

Dimensional Drawings

GigaBlox Nano Dimensional Drawing PDF
GigaBlox Nano Dimensional Drawing DXF

GigaBlox PicoConn Dimensional Drawing PDF
GigaBlox PicoConn Dimensional Drawing DXF

GigaBlox RJConn Dimensional Drawing PDF
GigaBlox RJConn Dimensional Drawing DXF