Nested ESXi Hosts - DHCP Address not getting one - 169.254.XX

[iliketurtles]

I am trying to set up a Nested ESXi Host environment in my home lab to learn and practice Vmware concepts. I installed ESXi 5.5 on my Physical Box and then want to created the Nested ESXi VMs. The problem I am having is I am getting a 169.254.XX IP address on the physical ESXi Host so don't know how I can connect to it using the Vsphere client to created the ESXi VMs.

Using this link as a reference. VMware Front Experience: How to provision nested ESXi hosts on free ESXi

I am new to Vmware so I assume I am missing something obvious, the problem I believe lie's in the fact I am not getting a DHCP IP Address for some reason. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

[Kedar_D]

Hi,

If you do not have a DHCP server in your lab then you are will get an APIPA address, that you mentioned.

You can simply use DCUI to change the IP address of your host from network settings. Else if you are not familiar with DCUI, you can assign temporary IP address which is next one to your host range. For example 169.254.1.5 then use 169.254.1.6 (this is just an example you will have to use same subnet mask as your host) with this you can connect to your ESXi server and change the IP range that you need.

[iliketurtles]

Apologies for the delay in getting back.

I don't know if I am missing something obvious but I assume I will create the two ESXi VMs from my laptop using the vSphere Client. I installed the vSphere Client but as of now how no idea how I can connect to the physical ESXi Host. My laptop has a Default GW: 192.168.1.1 Subnet: 255.255.255.0 and IP Address: 192.168.1.109 so I manually set the Physical ESXi Host as Default GW: 192.168.1.1 Subnet: 255.255.255.0 and IP Address 192.168.1.110 but can't ping from from my laptop and obviously have no idea how I can configure anything. Any thoughts of what I am missing? Is there a firewall on the ESXi Host which is causing the problem? Also don't understand why the ESXi Host is not getting an IP Address via DHCP from my D-link Router.

[Kedar_D]

How many NICs do you have on the physical host?

If you have multiple NICs then make sure vswitch0 is using correct physical NIC that has uplink from router.

From your laptop, can you try connecting ethernet cable to physical host instead of router? Are you getting dhcp ip address on your laptop?

Can you login to DCUI and check if you can ping to default gateway or laptop ip?

[iliketurtles]

I get a DHCP address for my laptop and any device BUT my physical ESXi Host.

As a test I connected my cable modem directly to ESXi Host but still unable to get a DHCP address and trying to set a static ip provided no help as well.

I have one NIC and vmnic0 is showing as connected.  I am really frustrated as to why I can't get a simple thing as a IP Address on this ESXi host.

Testing Management Network to default gateway 192.168.1.1 failed.

[iliketurtles]

I am reviewing the logs I forget the exactly one it was Option #1.

I see an error "setting default gateway failed: Unable to set VMkernel gateway address to 192.168.1.1 as there are no VMkernel interfaces on the same network with that IP address" I assume this is my issue but don't know how to resolve.