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Brainbugg
Contributor
Contributor

How to add an extra network card to ESX Server 3

Hi There

I would like to get an existing VMware ESX 3 srever to recognise a new network card that I've recently added.

I initially installed an ESX server with 2 network cards but I've recently added a 3rd but I can't seem to see the new card in Virtual Center.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Regards

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

What kind of network card is it?

Is it on the IO compatibility guide?

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi3_io_guide.pdf

If it's on the list, the VMkernel will automatically load the driver...and you should see it in Virtual Center.

Chris

Texiwill
Leadership
Leadership

Hello,

Another thing to realize is that if you moved around cards to add in the new one, the ESX server may have a different opinion about what is where than you do.

While it should fix this up itself, you may have to do so.... Did you move around PCI cards to add the new one?

If you login to the SC and run 'lspci' do you see the device? If you report that output we perhaps can assist.

Also, run 'esxcfg-nics -l'. Do you see your NIC card there?

Best regards,

Edward

--
Edward L. Haletky
vExpert XIV: 2009-2023,
VMTN Community Moderator
vSphere Upgrade Saga: https://www.astroarch.com/blogs
GitHub Repo: https://github.com/Texiwill
Brainbugg
Contributor
Contributor

Hi There

I used the command to check the network cards installed on the ESx servers and I can only see the orginal 2 network cards in the configuration.

Should the ESX server automatically pick up the new card which I installed?

Thanks

Regards

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Texiwill
Leadership
Leadership

Hello,

Yes, the new card should be seen if it is a supported card. Did you reboot the server or try to use plug-n-play? Can you dump to the forum the output of lspci? Can you boot your ESX server in Troubleshooting mode and also post its output for lspci?

This will aid us in debugging the problem.

What is the type of NIC you added to your system? Make and model?

Best regards,

Edward

--
Edward L. Haletky
vExpert XIV: 2009-2023,
VMTN Community Moderator
vSphere Upgrade Saga: https://www.astroarch.com/blogs
GitHub Repo: https://github.com/Texiwill
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Monoman
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Is your card supported on the HCL? There is at least one ESX patch that may help your issue.

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kaychan
Contributor
Contributor

I heard that you have to run kudzu to cinfigure the hardware at Linux level (OS). kudzu will use the /etc/sysconfig/hwconf file.

After you run kudzu, reboot your ESX server.

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Texiwill
Leadership
Leadership

Hello,

Unfortunately kudzu runs AFTER the vmkernel loads and the new NIC has to appear inside the vmkernel in order for kudzu to see it. Things that work normally inside Linux are not quite the same on ESX as the SC is in reality a virtual machine and only sees what the vmkernel lets it see. However, lspci still shows all the hardware. That is the important command to run before tackling the problem. And yes Kudzu will see a device if lspci also sees the device, however a reboot is not needed.

When a NIC does not appear, generally it is just not on the HCL and there is no driver for it. Or the hardware ID is an issue as mentioned previously.

Best regards,

Edward

Message was edited by:

Texiwill

--
Edward L. Haletky
vExpert XIV: 2009-2023,
VMTN Community Moderator
vSphere Upgrade Saga: https://www.astroarch.com/blogs
GitHub Repo: https://github.com/Texiwill
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experments
Contributor
Contributor

Hello,

I have just add two Intel gigabit Ethernet cards but it is not showing them in "esxcfg-nics -l".

here is the dump of "lspci"

# lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Unknown device 2e20 (rev 03)

00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Unknown device 2e21 (rev 03)

00:19.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82567LF-2 Gigabit Network Connection

00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation Unknown device 3a37

00:1a.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation Unknown device 3a38

00:1a.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation Unknown device 3a39

00:1a.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation Unknown device 3a3c

00:1b.0 Class 0403: Intel Corporation Unknown device 3a3e

00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation Unknown device 3a34

00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation Unknown device 3a35

00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation Unknown device 3a36

00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation Unknown device 3a3a

00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801BA/CA/DB/EB PCI Bridge (rev 90)

00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Unknown device 3a16

00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation ICH10 4 port SATA IDE Controller

00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation Unknown device 3a30

00:1f.5 IDE interface: Intel Corporation ICH10 2 port SATA IDE Controller

01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 06e4 (rev a1)

02:00.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Lucent Microelectronics FW323 (rev 70)

02:02.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82541PI Gigabit Ethernet Controller

02:03.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82541PI Gigabit Ethernet Controller

And here is the dump of "esxcfg-nics -l"

# esxcfg-nics -l

Name PCI Driver Link Speed Duplex MAC Address MTU Description

vmnic0 00:19.00 e1000e Up 100Mbps Full 00:1c:c0:f2:68:9a 1500 Intel Corporation 82567LF-2 Gigabit Network Connection

help me to find the Intel nics.

Thankx.

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krowczynski
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Yes this should be automatically!

Power off ESX host, put in the new Card, power On ESX host and you should have new vmnics visible in your vcenter GUI!

MCP, VCP3 , VCP4
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JaySMX
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Like the others have asked, what is the make/model of the NIC?

-Justin
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omadrigal
Contributor
Contributor

I had this issue using an HP ProLiant BL680c G5 blade when add a mezzanine card NC373m Dual Port Multifunction 1Gb NIC.

After I have run kudzu and esx reboot then the issue was fixed.

Best regards,

Oscar Madrigal

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jgonzo
Contributor
Contributor

I was able to get 3 NICs on my machine 2 of which are the intel pro's and one onboard realtek, however I was having some Hardware failure restarts. It was working for a while then just started restarting. I noticed when the ESXi drivers were loading that it again failed while loading E1000 driver (Intel Pro 1000 G/T). The hardware ID's are identical except for the IRQ's. Am i missing something? I know the realtek works, have tested extensively before adding the two Intel's

Any Suggestions?

Thanks,
Joey

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