Unable to connect from remote N/W

[NPN-ARSC]

Greetings All:

I recently installed the VMWare ESX 3.0.1 on the IBM server machine. The problem I am facing is that I can only connect to the server through Virtual Infrastructure Client from the same network! If I change my network (I have configured my laptop as a client), I am unable to access the server. I checked port number 22 in the firewall settings of the server and confirm that it is open for 2-way communication. Port number 80 and 443 are also public here! Could anyone think of any other possible point that may be causing this issue!

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Manish.

http://knowmylifebetter.blogspot.com/

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Hi Manish, for the VI client you'll need to open port 902 (and 903 if you plan to use the remote console). Other ports involved with ESX and VC are listed in this thread - http://communities.vmware.com/thread/90174.

[wila]

In addition to what Dave says, if you are using a NAT firewall, check out this KB article:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=749640

[NPN-ARSC]

Greetings Dave & Wila:

Thank you for your quick responses. I have made the necessary change in /etc/vmware/config file. However, as far as opening of port 902 is concerned, I wanted to know where should that be opened? My ESX server has this port open! Do I also need to open this port for particular IPs in the gateway?

Kindly help

Sincere regards,

Manish.

[Dave_Mishchenko]

The port will be open already on the ESX host and you would need to open it on the gateway for your ESX server and each subsequent ESX host that you may deploy. Are you using NAT between the 2 networks?

[NPN-ARSC]

I am sorry for this dumb question, but how do I get from the system whether I am using NAT or not?

[Dave_Mishchenko · Accepted solution]

If you've been told to access the host at a different IP than the host actually has, then NAT is in use.

Your PC ..................................... LAN ..................Firewall ..................REMOTE LAN ............... ESX

192.168.1.2 ..........................................192.168.1.1 | 172.16.1.1 ............................................ 172.168.1.2

If you are told to access the ESX host at 192.168.1.1 (or something other IP in the 192.168.1.0 subnet) then NAT is in use. Otherwise, if you just access it at 172.168.1.2 from your PC, then you just need to make sure that the firewall is not blocking port 902 to the ESX server.

[Chamon]

This may sound silly but are your two networks routed together? Can you access anything on the second network from the first and back again?

[NPN-ARSC]

hmmm...Then I am not using the NAT...

Thank you for this informative reply Dave....I will focus on ports 902 and SSH which both apparently seem to be blocked for remote machines.

Regards,

Manish

[gkern]

I have a similar problem:

My HOST is an ESX 3.0.1 machine, and I normally use the VI Client to connect and do my normal routines...

But I recently downloaded a Trial version of Virtual Center 1.4.1 ( couldn't find a Trial of 2.x), and tho it loads just fine,

when I try to use the "Add Host" wizard, I get an error saying something like, "connection failed... Server Agent not responding"...

And I cannot TELNET to the Host on port 902...

I tried fiddling with the settings on the Host's Firewall page, but "Options" is grey'd out and I cannot add port 902...

The VC machine is one of the VMs on the Host, so there isn't any firewall between them... It MUST be some setting

on the Host itself, then, that is blocking VC...

Any ideas? Thanks.