When using "bridging" network type, possible to have network active even if bridge physical port unplugged?

[Amm0]

Using VMWare Workstation Pro 15.5 on Windows 10 (with all updates for both)

I have VM guest machine that is a IP router with DHCP Server on of the virtual interface (VNet12, set to Bridging to a specific physical NIC). Works fine if I have something plugged into the physical NIC. But the problem comes in if there isn't something connected to the physical NIC...in Windows, the physical NIC is show as "not connected" and doesn't get an IP address from the DHCP server within a guest machine. I'd like the host Windows machine to get an IP address on the host, even if nothing is plugged in. If something get's plugged in, the Windows interface become active so the DHCP stuff works in that case. My use case is the host machine would like to access the guest using IP address assigned by the guest machine to the host, and if there is switch to extend the network, then machines other than the host can use the network.

Basically I want to use bridging and have it always enabled on the host, even when something is not plugged in to the physical NIC. Maybe can't be done in Windows and/or VMWare...

If that's not possible, I've thought I could use VMWare's private networks (and enabled on host), then use Windows "Bridge Connection" in Control Panel to connect the VMWare private network with the physical ethernet I'd like "bridge" to (if something is there to bridge to ).

Or maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see any VLAN support in Workstation, which might also solve my issue.

[RDPetruska]

You can either use a physical loopback connector, or use the Microsoft Loopback Adapter, and point your virtual network to bridge to that adapter.

[mkubecek]

Found this in one of my older *.vmx files:

  ethernet0.linkStatePropagation.enable = "FALSE"

but I'm not sure if it still works with current versions (and on Windows hosts).

[Amm0]

ethernet0.linkStatePropagation.enable = "FALSE"

Good idea...but didn't work in Workstation 15.5, with the guest being "Shared" (running Workstation Server) and plain guest in the Workstation Pro GUI. I guess my problem is there is no vSwitch concept that I can find...

The basic problem is I'm trying to mimic an classic ESXi setup with a few VM that need to work together but **IF** a external ethernet is plugged, that should be bridged. I can setup a "Custom" network in the Workstation Pro Network Configuration and wire it up to say VMNet5 and bridge it to a hardware ethernet...BUT if there is no jack, the network isn't active so the guests then can't talk.

Seem like there must be some solution to this...right now we're having to manual switch from "Host only" if the ethernet jack isn't plugged in, and then switch to "Bridged" when it gets plugged in - was trying basically have a vSwitch in between but the Windows Workstation Pro VMNet interface don't seem to act like a vSwitch.

Any ideas welcomed.