Subject: Re: [PATCH net-next 3/4] net: macb: add safeguards for jumbo frame larger than 10240

From: Simon Horman <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2026 11:40:10 +0000

On Tue, Mar 03, 2026 at 10:03:17AM -0800, Charles Perry wrote:
> The RX buffers for GEM can have a maximum size of 16320 bytes
> (0xff in the RXBS field of the DMACFG register means 255*64 =
> 16320 bytes).
> 
> The "jumbo_max_length" field (bits 0..13) of the DCFG2 register
> can take a value of up to 16383 (0x3FFF). This field is not used
> when determining the max MTU, instead an hardcoded value
> (jumbo_max_len) is used for each platform. Right now the maximum
> value for jumbo_max_len is 10240 (0x2800).
> 
> GEM uses one buffer per packet which means that one buffer must
> allow room for the max MTU plus L2 encapsulation and alignment.
> 
> This commit adds a limit to max_mtu and rx_buffer_size so that
> the RXBS field can never overflow when a large MTU is used.
> 
> With this commit, it is now possible to add new platforms that
> have their gem_jumbo_max_length set to 16383.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Charles Perry <[email-masked]>

Hi Charles,

I am sorry if this question is a bit naïve.

I understand the need to clamp the max_mtu to avoid overflowing RXBS.
And that this hasn't been an issue up until now due to the maximum
value of jumbo_max_len used in the driver.

But I'm unclear on the relationship between DCFG2 and the max_mtu.
Why does it need to be set to a value larger than that corresponding to
the maximum mtu and RX buf size?

...