Network connection issues between the host and its Virtual machine in bridged mode

[iptgco]

Hello,

I know some problem on a laptop running Vmware workstations 12 pro since I reinstalled it from Windows 8 to Windows 10:

I cannot  have a network connection between the host and the VM, but another laptop on the same network can contact the host and the VM without problem.

- Host: Windows 10 up-to-date, with VMWARE Workstation pro 12.1.0 build 327244

- The Vmachine is a Ubuntu server

The VM has 2 Network Adapters:

1. Custom VMnet 0 = Bridged to the local adaptor : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controler
2. Custom VMnet 2= Bridged to the local adaptor : Qualcomm Atheros … Wireless adapter.

Host IP: 10.X.X.2 /24

VM IP: 10.X.X.1 /24

Other laptop connected on the same  network: 10.X.X.3/24

1. 10.X.X.3 can ping 10.X.X.1 and 10.X.X.2
2. 10.X.X.2 cannot ping 10.X.X.1
3. 10.X.X.1 cannot ping 10.X.X.2

Tcmdump on Vmachine/eth0 doesn’t see traffic from 10.X.X.2

Wireshark on host /NIC realtek doesn’t see traffic from 10.X.X.1

I have found similar issues :  https://kb.vmware.com/kb/1025978, https://communities.vmware.com/thread/321665?start=0&tstart=0 , https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=10159...

So I tried:

- Firewall check: Disabled on host (Windows) and OK on VM.

- update the drivers of the realtek Nic from 9.1.402.2015 (default) to 10.7.107.2016

- disable ARP offload, IPV4 Checksum Offload, Large send Offload, NS offload, TCP & UDP Checksum Offload (IPV4) in advanced drivers details of Relatek Nic

- Restore Default in Virtual Network Editor, remove the network adapters on the VM and recreate the config

- Uninstall Vmware workstation and reinstall it.

- Install open-vm-tools

The host was in Windows 8 before, with a Vmachine and a config very similar, and there was no connection issues between the host and the VM.
The same config (Vm network settings + similar VM) runs on other laptops on windows 7 (and different NICs) without problem.

Thanks for your help.

[continuum]

The vmnetbridge-service may not run, or it is misconfigured in registry or there may be a permissions issue.
As admin check if the service is running with the cmd command:
net start vmnetbridge

Check if the registry gives your account write access to the associated registry key.
Also look for agressive antivirus or firewalls that may not allow your account to use the service.

[yanw]

Hi, iptgco:

  If the Vmachine works with NAT mode, is that fine for the communication between host and Vmachine? Can you check your win10 host by "ipconfig" to see if

there is vmnet1 and vmnet8 adapter appears on your host?

[iptgco · Accepted solution]

Hello guys,

I finally found what was wrong.

It was  not the Bridge service, which is not present in my VMWARE wks 12, even after reinstall.

It's was the "deterministic network enhancer" (DNE update)  from Citrix.

I had to install it to make my Cisco VPN client works on windows 10, and it perturbs the bridging system of VM WKS.

If you are in this case, you just have to disable “DNE Lightweight Filter" in the properties of the host's interface.

[balmy_kale]

I think that making *any* kind of change on a network adapter and applying it causes the issue to be resolved, so it's not necessarily anything to do with "DNE".

In my case, I simply went into Device Manager (windows 11 here) and enabled Jumbo packets on the VMWare network adapter and once the change was applied, issue was resolved.