What to put in VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) 6.5.0d Default Gateway, Primary DNS Server, Alternate DNS Server ?

[JethroV]

Hi,

I am new to server setups and I recently purchased VMWare vSphere Essentials Kit 6.5D and Windows Server 2016.  I plan to install VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) 6.5.0d on bare-metal  and create a virtual machine and install Windows Server 2016.

I have successfully installed VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) 6.5.0d on a desktop machine  by following several tutorials on the web but when I reached the part Configure Management Network > IPv4 Configuration, Set static IPv4 address and network configuration, I do not know how to identify my Default Gateway, Primary DNS Server, and Alternate DNS Server.  I searched online but I could not find an explanation on how they came up with the Gateway and DNS Servers,

I hope somebody could help me.

Thank you,

IJV

[wila · Accepted solution]

Hi,

The answer is it depends. If you are installing ESXi in your local network, then it will be different as when installing in a datacenter.

When installing at a datacenter, the values to use are normally provided by the datacenter.

The gateway is the device in your network that gives you access to other networks.

Usually it is the IP address of the router/modem of your internet provider.

The DNS address to use is normally also the router/modem, but if you have a microsoft server already running then it might be the IP address of that server.

Alternatively you can use your internet provider of Google's DNS IP adresses, but in that case your server will not know about the DNS names of machines within your network.

If your local network is in the range of 192.168.0.x then usually the router IP address is 192.168.0.1

Hope this helps,

--

Wil

[JethroV]

Thank you wila​

I am installing ESXi in my local network.

If my router's IP Address is 192.168.1.1, my static IPv4 Configuration would be

IP Address: 192.168.1.2

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

After setting up EXSi, I will create a virtual machine and install Windows Server 2016 with IP Address 192.168.1.3.  Can I use 192.168.1.3 as my Primary DNS even if I haven't installed

Windows Server?

What do you mean by if I use Google's DNS IP Address, I wouldn't now about the DNS names of machines within my network? I thought that after setting up my Windows Server, my workstations will connect directly to the Windows Server and not with EXSi.

Can I use this settings for my Primary and Alternative DNS Servers

Primary DNS Server: 192.168.1.3

Alternative DNS Server: 8.8.8.8

Hostname: vmware-exsi

Thank you,

IJV

[KlBst]

I am installing ESXi in my local network.

If my router's IP Address is 192.168.1.1, my static IPv4 Configuration would be

IP Address: 192.168.1.2

Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

After setting up EXSi, I will create a virtual machine and install Windows Server 2016 with IP Address 192.168.1.3.  Can I use 192.168.1.3 as my Primary DNS even if I haven't installed

Windows Server?

Your primary DNS still will be your router! Only after your WInServer is set up AND has a full functional DNS-Server you can use this address for your clients. Just setup your virtual Clients (including WinServer) as if ESXi isn't there. The address 192.168.1.2 is just used to Control and contact your ESXi.

What do you mean by if I use Google's DNS IP Address

Just forget it

[wila]

IJV,

When your Windows server isn't running then DNS queries will be slow for the ESXi host as it will first wait until the primary DNS server times out and then go ask via the DNS server configured for the secondary DNS.

So while it will work, it is probably best to set your router as primary DNS.

This is assuming that your router is providing DNS services to your network, which is usually the case.

From windows you can test via the command line:

For example, to ask from google DNS what the IP address is for google.com

nslookup www.google.com 8.8.8.8

Then to ask from your router what the IP address is for google.com

nslookup www.google.com 192.168.1.1

If the second example works then I would set that as your primary DNS server.

Using Google DNS as secondary DNS server was only suggested for fall back.

--

Wil

[JethroV]

Thank you KlBst​

Now I get it.  The Default Gateway that I will put in EXSi is just temporary and will be replaced after I complete my Windows Server setup.

[KlBst]

please let your default gateway @ your Router! otherwise your would have to activate forwarding in WinServer.

It would be easier for your to use The DHCP of your Router.

[KlBst]

Hi JethroV

to make it even more clear:

1. I assume that you've got a standard home router for your internet connection @ 192.178.1.1 which also has a DNS server for handling name resolution  and a DHCP server for handling address distribution.
2. And this router is your internet connection, that means every traffic which goes outside of your 192.178.1.x address range is handled by this router. I.e. This is your DEFAULT GATEWAY!
3. in this case it would be best for your WinServer and all other clients you want to install on your ESXi host to use the DHCP server on your router to handle address distribution.  I.e. Only the ESXi has a fixed Address (you could even here use a DHCP setup an tell the router to always use the same address)
4. With this setup the router automatically 'knows' the client names an can handle them.
5. If later on you install a DNS and a DHCP server on your WinServer you should at the same time deactivate the at least the DHCP on the router.

Summary for the installation of the WinServer: Use DHCP! This will give you everything

• IPV4 and IPV6 addresses including Netmask
• default gateway (192.168.1.1)
• DNS server (192.168.1.1)

By the way: what will be your final configuration? One ESXi server with WinServer2016 and how many additional virtual machines and how many physical machines?

Klaus