0

I have a Dell Server (192.168.10.10) connected to Windows laptop (192.168.10.5) via regular Ethernet LAN. The Dell Server is running ESXi (192.168.10.15) server on it. A Firewall VM (firewallsm, 192.168.10.7) is running on the ESXi that has network 10.0.64.0 / 27 behind it.

On the Windows laptop I have VMware Workstation installed, A Firewall VM (firewallwm, 192.168.10.3) is running on it with the network 192.168.28.0 / 27 behind it.

I wanted to connect the network running on ESXi (10.0.64.0) to VMware Workstation's Host-Only network on my laptop. I tried many things like route add 192.168.10.0 mask 255.255.255.0 192.168.99.0, ICS (Internet Connection Sharing), putting the VMware Workstation's Host-Only network in 192.168.10.0, adding a Bridged NIC in VMware Workstation, none of these worked, the Dell Server would just not ping the Host-Only (192.168.10.2) interface of VMware Workstation even though both (dell and VMware Workstation Host-Only) were in the same network.

I eventually Bridged the windows Ethernet LAN (Connected to Dell) to Host-Only NIC of VMware Workstation (192.168.10.1), and finally got it working but every now and then the Bridge causes BSoD with Bridge.sys file.

I need to know how can get the 2 networks connected without a Bridge, any router software I can use, or any other way.

Network Diagram

Improve this question
15
  • 1
    Host only Mode is an isolated guest. The Server ESX should already be using Bridged Network Mode. Put your other machine Workstation Guest machine on its Bridged network and see if you can connect that way.
    – anon
    Commented Mar 7, 2021 at 21:47
  • VMware Workstation can have a VM with Bridged NIC but ESXi does not have any kind of Bridged network, unless I'm misunderstanding something
    – Huud Rych
    Commented Mar 7, 2021 at 21:54
  • The last time I worked on ESX (some time back) the ESX network mode was bridged. If I am mistaken then NAT on the Server will work with Bridged on the host.
    – anon
    Commented Mar 7, 2021 at 21:58
  • Where can I find those settings, to my knowledge I was unable to set bridged mode in ESXi, are you talking about Promiscuous Mode ?!
    – Huud Rych
    Commented Mar 7, 2021 at 22:00
  • 1
    Here is a Settings VMware tutorial. ESXI is just Bridged networking; It does not have NAT mode. communities.vmware.com/t5/ESXi-Discussions/…
    – anon
    Commented Mar 7, 2021 at 22:05

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

In this setup, Host only Mode is an isolated guest and Host Only prevents outside connections. You will need to use NAT or Bridged Network mode and I suggest using Bridged Mode.

The Server ESX should already be using Bridged Network Mode. Put your other machine Workstation Guest machine on its Bridged network and see if you can connect that way.

Here is a Settings VMware tutorial. ESXI is just Bridged networking; It does not have NAT mode.

Edit ESXi vSwitch0 configuration and change the promiscuous mode inside the "security" tab from reject to accept, now the hosts who live inside the VM will be able to bridge the main VM adapter

Use Bridged Mode on the Workstation Guest mahcine. Keep everything on one subnet. Check on your workstation machines (real and guest) that Network Discovery is ON.

ESX Settings Mode

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .