D-link DGE-528T card driver install on ESXI 6.7

[dalleuh]

Hi there, I have a Dell VOSTRO 3888 running an ESXi 6.7, I have 2 NICs both are unsupported, I managed to add one to the installation iso (the Realtek card) but not the 2nd one (the D-link card).

Now the host only sees the realtek interface (from the esxi grey and yellow host interface ) , but on the vSphere gui I see them both in here: https://i.imgur.com/Sbgthv0.png and only the realtek nic here https://i.imgur.com/AMa5MHW.png , which is confusing to me, how was I able to see the dlink one in one place and not the other?

And putting that aside, I can't figure out a way to install the unsupported Dlink driver on the esxi host? I found this blog containing the driver but I don't have the same gui so idk what to do. I tried adding the vib file to the datastore then doing Install Update from Packages but I get an error https://i.imgur.com/52o0emZ.png

>What I'm asking for is a valid D-link 528T driver and a way to install it into my host so I can use it.

keep in mind I'm a total noob to this stuff it took me 2 days to do what I did so far.

Any thought/tip/question is much appreciated, thanks in advance 😃

EDIT: Also out of this subject, where can I get a license for the esxi?

[dalleuh]

I managed to do the installation of the driver via ssh and with lspci | grep net the dlink card now shows up: https://i.imgur.com/3Huy9uG.png also here https://i.imgur.com/pg58ea0.png

but still like before, it doesnt show up from the host interface(grey and yellow) and doesnt from networking>physical nics https://i.imgur.com/AMa5MHW.png 

but it does from host>manage>hardware, https://i.imgur.com/Sbgthv0.png 

it's like nothing happened despite the successful installation.

Help please!

[a_p_]

It looks like the driver that you installed doesn't claim the network adapter, i.e. its vendor id, device id, etc. isn't recognized/supported by the driver.

To find out the network adapter's details, run esxcli hardware pci list | more

André

PS: Please consider pasting your screenshots directly into your posts.

[dalleuh]

Hi thanks for the reply, this is what I got about this NIC 

What should I do now?

Also if you don't mind explaining to me why am I able to see it some places and not see it in other places? it's either detected or not, no?

EDIT: I found this link https://tsd.dlink.com.tw/ddwn which has drivers for this card DGE 528T, but idk which one to get?

[dalleuh]

UP! 

If there is no solution to this problem at least I need an explanation to why this card is detected and undetected at the same time? this is driving me crazy 

[a_p_]

>>> Also if you don't mind explaining to me why am I able to see it some places and not see it in other places?
The Hardware view will show you the installed hardware component, regardless of whether a required software driver has been installed. The network adapter however will only work with an installed driver. That's actually the same for all operating systems.

Which driver did you install so far? Is it the one that I mentioned in your other thread? According to the specs, this driver should also support your D-Link adapter. If not, it may help to check the ESXi host's log files (e.g. the vmkernel.log) to see whether it contains useful hints.

André

[dalleuh]

I installed net55-r8168 and net51-r8169 and net-r8101 , some google search results mentioned these drivers with the 528t

The vmkernel.log contains 10000 lines it exceeds pastebin's limit and I cant attach txt files here

Also I'm trying to install esxi 6 maybe I get more luck with it, but so far 2 iso don't even get past the installation part! (first one they keyboard stops working and the second my hdd isn't compatible apparently...)

[a_p_]

The first driver that you mentioned should actually support the network adapter, but there may be an issue with the hardware revision etc.

~snip~
Supported Devices / PCI IDs

10ec:8168, 1186:4300

(Realtek RTL8111B / RTL8168B / RTL8111/RTL8168 / RTL8111C / RTL8111CP / RTL8111D(L) / RTL8168C / RTL8111DP / RTL8111E / RTL8168E / RTL8111F / RTL8411 / RTL8111G / RTL8111GUS / RTL8411B(N) / RTL8118AS / D-Link DGE-528T)
~snip~

What you may do is to compress/zip the log file, and attach the .zip archive to a reply

André

[dalleuh]

yes that's what I thought too, more confusion! 

here is the log file attached

[a_p_]

I'm not sure whether the log entry about the device being disabled is only meant for network boot, or in general, so please check your system's BIOS for the network adapter's configuration

0:00:00:04.483 cpu0:2097152)PCI: 2163: 0000:04:00.0: Device is disabled by the BIOS, Command register 0x100
0:00:00:04.483 cpu0:2097152)PCI: 1097: 0000:04:00.0: probing 1186:4300 1186:4300

André

[dalleuh]

thank you for the continuous feedback, I see some setting in the bios that is related to the NIC but I do not understand, maybe that has to do with something?

[a_p_]

The page is about the "Integrated NIC", so it's likely not related to the D-Link NIC.
Did you go through the other settings (e.g. Miscellaneous, or Advanced) to see whether there are entries for the D_Link NIC?

André

[dalleuh]

Nothing else that I can find related to NICs. I'm starting to lose hope for v6.7 !

Also I tried to install different custom variations of esxi 6 but they cant get past the installation phase (either keyboard stops working or hdd not detected or ofc the network adapters issue) the best option that got me the furthest is from this blog: https://rodrigolira.eti.br/isos-esxi-customizadas/ but this is the one with the hdd not being detected to install the esxi on it (I only see the usb drive which I booted from) my hdd device id:  st1000dm010-2EP102 

I'm more confused because I'm already running a v6.7 on that drive, but a v6 can't detect it? 

[wila]

Hi,

moderator note:

I pulled your replies out of the spam queue.
Please do not put in a dropbox link to your own copy of a esxi iso download. That's illegal redistribution of VMware's software via their own forum.

--
Wil

[dalleuh]

Yes sorry I didn't know about that!

Update here, after carefully re-reading this https://vibsdepot.v-front.de/wiki/index.php/Net55-r8168 , it says in the Supported Devices / PCI IDs that the D-Link DGE-528T is supported , but this driver is already installed and working fine because of my other  Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller card is being used . So I had this dumb thought, could the installed driver work with only one card (the realtek) and not both cards at the same time?

[vdureaux]

Solution!

http://w20.ir/index.php/2017/11/01/how-to-install-dlink-528t-and-atheros-ar8168-ethernet-nic-or-any-...

best regards,

[ladnjay]

this does not work