13.0.0 High CPU vmnet-natd

[Rafferty]

I had this same problem in every version of 12.x and it's still an issue even after upgrading to Ventura 13.1 and Fusion 13.0.0.

After some indeterminate amount of time the vmnet-natd process consumes 99% of cpu and all my VMs are disconnected from their networks; they can't communicate w/ each other and they can't communicate w/ the outside world. It isn't host sleep-related because it will happen when I'm in the middle of using one of the VMs.

The only fix seems to be shutting down and/or pausing all VMs, closing Fusion completely, waiting until the vmnet-natd process disappears from activity monitor, then restarting Fusion and any/all VMs.

This is EXTREMELY frustrating as I run multiple VMs daily and restarting everything kills productivity. How is this STILL an issue YEARS later? Fusion has almost become useless considering all the issues with networking.

[Technogeezer]

I feel the same pain. I have a support ticket open on it. For the last month the update has been "we're awaiting an update from Engineering". Unacceptable.

Admittedly, though this issue frequently seen, it does not appear to be easily reproducible. I hope that's why I've not heard back on any movement in my case. Lately though I'm beginning to think that it's being ignored.

I've seen it once since upgrade to Fusion 13 on both Apple Silicon and Intel. I don't think it's gone by any stretch of the imagination - I'm just waiting for it to happen again.

[ColoradoMarmot]

We've managed to narrow down a different longstanding issue to being likely caused by people running cccleaner type of apps, so wondering if we might be able to do it here by finding common threads.

- wired or wireless?  if you have both, do you disconnect or turn off the other one (so only one operating)?

- Do you run network 'locations'?

- have you run any optimization software that changes network stack parameters?

- ever done anything with the network stack from terminal?

- overridden the default network settings on the host (and have you tried doing a full network prefs reset?)

- Done any custom configuration in the VM settings?

- use any corporate security software (zscalar, crowdstrike) that has network monitoring features?

- install or use a VPN?

- use consumer antivirus or firewall software?

- if you create a different user account and run vm's from there, does it persist?

- do you use IPv6, have it enabled, and if so, how (link-local, etc)?

[Rafferty]

- wired or wireless?  both, always

- Do you run network 'locations'? No

- have you run any optimization software that changes network stack parameters? No

- ever done anything with the network stack from terminal? No

- overridden the default network settings on the host (and have you tried doing a full network prefs reset?) Neither

- Done any custom configuration in the VM settings? I assign all my VMs static IPs but that's the extent of any custom settings

- use any corporate security software (zscalar, crowdstrike) that has network monitoring features? No

- install or use a VPN? Yep, I have a consumer one: Express and Cisco AnyConnect for corp. clients

- use consumer antivirus or firewall software? Norton, req. by my employer

- if you create a different user account and run vm's from there, does it persist? Haven't done this

- do you use IPv6, have it enabled, and if so, how (link-local, etc)? Wireless, yes it's set to auto. Wired, no.

[Rafferty]

Somebody in the 12.2.0 High CPU vmnet-natd thread suggesting opening a support ticket in the 30-complimentary support window, so I've done that since I recently upgraded to 13. I suggest anyone who finds this thread soon after an upgrade does the same.

[ColoradoMarmot]

Ok, so there's two things in there that might be related.  Anyconnect has had issues in the past with it's interactions with Fusion, and having two different VPN's hooking the network stack may also interact in strange ways (even when not active).  I'd try removing one (or both) and see if that helps.

FWIW, IMHO norton on mac is just bad.  Like really bad.  Like scrub the machine to bare metal when I uninstalled it bad.   There are better more mac-friendly solutions out there, so hopefully your company will look at them.   But for this particular problem, if it's just AV, then it's probably not the cause here, but if it's the full suite with the firewall, that could also be an issue.

[Rafferty]

Unfortunately, this is a corporate machine; I don't get to choose the VPN software or antivirus they insist I use. Yea, Norton is trash--I'm being forced to use it so I am well aware! ‌😆‌

However, I am dubious about blaming other software. The issues were happening before either Norton or Anyconnect were installed, as I mentioned I had the same issue in 12.x and only starting using Norton and Anyconnect within the past 6 months to a year.

Clearly it is "other software" that all these people: https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMware-Fusion-Discussions/12-2-0-High-CPU-vmnet-natd/td-p/2872461

AND all of these people: https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMware-Fusion-Discussions/vmnet-natd-uses-100-of-one-CPU-core/td-p...

are using....

Or system restore
Or packet sniffing apps
Or my router's NAT daemon
Or my DNS service
Or the host goes to sleep
Or because the guest(s) use shared folders
Or display drivers
Or RealTeak RTL8153 ethernet boards
Or because Mercury is in retrograde ..... lol

I can't help but be cheeky at this point about pointing the finger at anything and everything else except Fusion--couldn't possibly be Fusion... no, no, no.

Funny enough I received an email this AM regarding my ticket:
"I did my research and I also confirmed with the internal team as well that we are working on the fix and It is supposed to be fixed in up coming version 13.0.1."

Ah yes, the old "it's fixed in the next version". Love this one--I've even worked in proprietary software long enough to have used it myself a couple of times!

[ColoradoMarmot]

Oh agree that it's a fusion bug.  Just trying to figure out if it's internal (e.g. some particular configuration of fusion parameters) or external conflict that's triggering it.

And yeah, it's been there for years.  Be interesting to see if they finally nailed it down. 

[needtothinkofan]

It's making Fusion unusable for me now week - have this problem multiple times per day (from once over few days)

Win 10 on Fusion  Version 13.5.0 (22583790) on macOS 13.6.3 (22G436)