Multiple networks in VMware Player

[YoannA]

Good afternoon,

First, I'm quite new in Virtualisation and not an expert in network too.

In my job, I used to work with IBM M3 servers, and most of the time they have 5 physical Ethernet ports.

Windows Server 2008 R2 runs on this server and I'm trying to run a VM (Redhat 5.6).

I don't have any problems to run the VM with VMware player, but network is a nightmare.

I'd like to configure several IP addresses (VMnet) in the VM, and each VMnet will be connected to a different physical port of the servers.

These ports are also used by Windows OS.

I've done a configuration, thanks to Vmnetcfg, but only one IP address (Vmnet0) is correctly set and can ping the external IP address on my network.

the 2 others Vmnet2 and Vmnet3 can not ping the rest of the network.

First question is: can I configure multiple Vmnet in Bridge mode with VMware Player?

If no, can VMware workstation do it? because I'm seriously thinking of buying one license if it solves my problem.

If yes, where is my mistake?

+ Vmnet2 seems correctly linked to one physical port

+ Vmnet3 too

Any idea are welcome!

Thanks,

Yoann

[WoodyZ]

First question is: can I configure multiple Vmnet in Bridge mode with VMware Player?

I haven't tested it lately however IIRC it does, however with VMware Player you have to manually add information to the Virtual Machine's .vmx file.  Did you do that?

The syntax is:

ethernetN.present = "TRUE"
ethernetN.connectionType = "custom"
ethernetN.vnet = "vmnetN"

Note: The "N" in "etherneNt" and vmnetN" are the appropriate numeric values:

Example:

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.connectionType = "custom"
ethernet0.vnet = "vmnet2"

[YoannA]

Thanks WoodyZ.

I've checked the .vmx file and then added the following lines:

ethernet1.vnet = "vmnet2"

ethernet2.vnet = "vmnet3"

I didn't add it for ethernet0.vnet as this link is already up: I can already ping on this interface.

But still the problem with the others ...

Please find below the content of the file:

.encoding = "windows-1252"
config.version = "8"
virtualHW.version = "8"
vcpu.hotadd = "TRUE"
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"
memsize = "1024"
mem.hotadd = "TRUE"
scsi0:0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0:0.fileName = "BkM100.vmdk"
ide1:0.present = "TRUE"
ide1:0.autodetect = "TRUE"
ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"
floppy0.startConnected = "FALSE"
floppy0.fileName = ""
floppy0.autodetect = "TRUE"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"
ethernet0.wakeOnPcktRcv = "FALSE"
ethernet0.addressType = "static"
usb.present = "TRUE"
ehci.present = "TRUE"
sound.present = "TRUE"
sound.fileName = "Speakers (Realtek High Definiti"
sound.autodetect = "FALSE"
serial0.present = "TRUE"
serial0.fileType = "thinprint"
pciBridge0.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge4.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge4.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge4.functions = "8"
pciBridge5.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge5.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge5.functions = "8"
pciBridge6.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge6.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge6.functions = "8"
pciBridge7.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge7.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge7.functions = "8"
vmci0.present = "TRUE"
hpet0.present = "TRUE"
usb.vbluetooth.startConnected = "TRUE"
displayName = "VM_Yo"
guestOS = "rhel5-64"
nvram = "BkM100.nvram"
virtualHW.productCompatibility = "hosted"
powerType.powerOff = "hard"
powerType.powerOn = "hard"
powerType.suspend = "hard"
powerType.reset = "hard"
extendedConfigFile = "VM_Yo.vmxf"
ide1:0.fileName = "\"
ide1:0.startConnected = "FALSE"
vmci0.id = "1011649068"
tools.syncTime = "FALSE"
uuid.location = "56 4d 10 e1 22 60 95 55-c6 96 a8 8a b6 dd a1 c7"
uuid.bios = "56 4d 10 e1 22 60 95 55-c6 96 a8 8a b6 dd a1 c7"
cleanShutdown = "FALSE"
replay.supported = "FALSE"
unity.wasCapable = "TRUE"
replay.filename = ""
scsi0:0.redo = ""
pciBridge0.pciSlotNumber = "17"
pciBridge4.pciSlotNumber = "21"
pciBridge5.pciSlotNumber = "22"
pciBridge6.pciSlotNumber = "23"
pciBridge7.pciSlotNumber = "24"
scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "16"
usb.pciSlotNumber = "32"
ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"
sound.pciSlotNumber = "34"
ehci.pciSlotNumber = "35"
vmci0.pciSlotNumber = "36"
usb:1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"
tools.remindInstall = "FALSE"
vmotion.checkpointFBSize = "33554432"
usb:1.speed = "2"
usb:1.deviceType = "hub"
usb:1.port = "1"
usb:1.parent = "-1"
ethernet0.address = "00:50:56:26:52:07"
checkpoint.vmState = ""
gui.lastPoweredViewMode = "fullscreen"
ethernet1.virtualDev = "e1000"
ethernet2.virtualDev = "e1000"
ethernet1.pciSlotNumber = "37"
ethernet2.pciSlotNumber = "38"
ethernet0.connectionType = "bridged"
ethernet1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet1.wakeOnPcktRcv = "FALSE"
ethernet1.addressType = "generated"
ethernet1.generatedAddress = "00:0C:29:DD:A1:D1"
ethernet1.generatedAddressOffset = "10"
ethernet2.present = "TRUE"
ethernet2.wakeOnPcktRcv = "FALSE"
ethernet2.addressType = "generated"
ethernet2.generatedAddress = "00:0C:29:DD:A1:DB"
ethernet2.generatedAddressOffset = "20"
gui.viewModeAtPowerOn = "fullscreen"
ethernet0.pvnID = "52 a1 45 1e 15 4e ba f4-bb a1 e4 dc 7e a8 9b bb"
ethernet1.pvnID = "52 f1 d9 37 c8 77 bb e0-f7 76 f5 df 63 fb 48 43"
ethernet1.connectionType = "bridged"
ethernet1.vnet = "vmnet2"
ethernet2.pvnID = "52 39 2c 1f 0f d0 11 07-a3 90 b4 23 f4 42 de 9f"
ethernet2.connectionType = "bridged"
ethernet2.vnet = "vmnet3"
usb:0.present = "TRUE"
usb:0.deviceType = "hid"
usb:0.port = "0"
usb:0.parent = "-1"

Do you see any config problems here?

I let the connectionType to "bridged". Shall I switch it to "custom" like in your example?

ethernet1, ethernet2, ethernet0: do they have the same name in my OS VM?

What is weird here: I can ping only IP address 192.168.1.x. It means eth1 is ok. And this is not eth0.

I'm lost... how could I know which ethernetN (in .vmx) is linked to which ethN (in Redhat)?

the link which is fine is VMnet0 in vmnetcfg.exe

Stupid question: upercase/lowercase doesn't matter when defining ethernet1.vnet = "vmnet2"?

Thanks for your help,

Yoann

[a_p_]

Please edit the .vmx file as mentioned by Woody

ethernetN.connectionType = "custom"

Only with the "connectionType" set to "custom" the "vnet" entry will be used.

André

[YoannA]

Dear André and Woody,

Sorry for my silence: was stuck on other stuff...

First thank you for your help because your proposal solved partly my problem: I'm able to ping all IP addresses!!

It means I have 3 IP network on my VM.

I've noticed now a new problem I can not solve:

some ports (22, 10 000, 20 000) seem bloqued on 2 ethernet connection, vmnet2 and vmnet3. It seems fine from VM to server, but answers never happens, whereas ping is fine.

Do you have any idea again?

Firewall is off on Windows and on Redhat too (and anyway it works for one port).

Thank you,

Yoann