DHCP not working on host system after installing VMWare Workstation

[brendank]

Hi there,

I have just installed VMWare Workstation 6.5.1-build 126130 on a Windows Vista machine with SP1. As soon as I installed VMWare, all connections (both wireless and wired) stopped being able to DHCP addresses from their networks.

I have stopped teh DHCP service that VMWare creates to serve the guest systems in case that was causing the problem but it made no difference.

I saw that others seem to have run into similar issues (such as http://communities.vmware.com/thread/162022) but nobody seems to have provided an answer.

Does anybody know how I can get DHCP working on the host again as Ill definitely have to stop using VMWare if this is not resolved.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Scissor]

What model NIC do you have installed on your Host? What driver version do you have installed?

[Scissor]

What AntiVirus do you have installed on your Host? Do you have any 3rd party firewall or "security" software installed?

[brendank]

Hi there, thanks for the very quick reply.

My laptop has two network adapters. It has one Intel Wireless WiFi 4965AGN and one Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Controller. Both are affected by the problem.

As of now I have no tird party firewall or Virus checking software. I do have Windows Firewall turned on but I have tried with this turned off and it made no difference.

All network settings on the host machine are the same as before installing VMWare - at least as far as I can see. I haven't changed any and I can't see any changes that the install might have done.

Thanks again,

Brendan

[Scissor]

My laptop has two network adapters. It has one Intel Wireless WiFi 4965AGN and one Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Controller. Both are affected by the problem.

Can you provide the installed driver versions for each network card? You can get that information from Device Manager.

Interesting that your laptop has a fairly old Wired NIC and a fairly new WiFi NIC. Is it a brand name laptop? What make/model is it?

[brendank]

Hi again,

The laptop is a Dell Vostro 1500 (being re-installed after a hard disk problem).

The network adaptor drivers are:

Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Controller

File: C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\bcm4sbxp.sys

Provider: Broadcom Corporation

File Version: 4.49.0.0 built by: WinDDK

Intel(R) Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN

Driver Provider: Intel

Driver Date: 26/09/2007

Driver Version: 11.5.0.32

Brendan

[Scissor]

Those drivers are a bit old. Try updating to newer NIC drivers:

Broadcom 4401 Driver 4.60 (02/02/07) :

http://www.broadcom.com/support/ethernet_nic/4401.php

Intel 4965AGN Driver 12.2.0.0 (1/5/2009):

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/filter_results.aspx?strTypes=all&ProductID=2753&OSFullName=WindowsVista32-bit+version&lang=eng&strOSs=156&submit=Go%21

There are known issues with the older 11.5 Intel WiFi Driver - See http://blogs.technet.com/markrussinovich/archive/2008/12/30/3174871.aspx

[brendank]

I now have 12.2.0.11 for the Intel 4965AGN and 4.60.0.0 for the Broadcom 4401. I have re-booted after installing the new drivers. The problem is the same. Neither connection successfully obtains a DHCP address.

Brendan

[Scissor]

Can you attach a screenshot of the properties of your Wired adapter connection? I want to verify that the VMware Bridge protocol is installed and checked...

[Scissor]

Do you have any VPN clients installed?

[wraithlord5150]

I have exactly the same issue with my Dell Inspiron 9400. I have seen this before and the problem disapeared, but since a rebuild the problem has returned. I have installed the latest NIC drivers available from the Dell Support site.

The VMWare Bridge protocol is installed and checked. I have tried disabling and re-enabling each of the adapters with no success. No VPN clients and no AV. The Windows Firewall is running, but disabling does not make any difference.