ESX 6.7, use other NICs to connect to VM network ? Possable, if so, how ?

[DavidinCT]

Hi,

Running the newest build of 6.7 on a HP server. My server has 6 Network ports, I use 2 of them.  I do not have a switch near the server just a 20 foot network cable that runs to a switch, with other network devices around also running 15-20 feet.

Is it possible to plug in close by network device into another network port on my server and put it in the Vm network, so it's can communicate like it was through a switch ?

I tried to take a printer and pugged it in, the VMs wont see it... and cant ping ir, I tried a regular network cable and I tried a cross over cable (just in case).  In ESX I see the link connected but, I cant find a way to move it onto the VM network / internal network.

Am I missing something, is it possible to do this ? If so, how ?

And thanks in advance, I tried googling this but, I bet my search terms were not perfect..

[dbalcaraz]

So, are you trying to connect a server to a printer or to a network without connecting to a network device?

I think that this is not the purpose neither the functionality of a server to be connected like that...

I mean, you need a switch to connect these interfaces and to be visible on a network.

So please, don't try those crazy things

[a_p_]

Is it possible to plug in close by network device into another network port on my server and put it in the Vm network, so it's can communicate like it was through a switch ?

I actually never thought about this, but it should basically be possible. However, the devices may then be only accessible from the VM's on the host itself.

What I can think of is to create a separate vSwitch to which you connect e.g. a printer. The network/subnet could be be a previously unused/private network like 192.168.x.0/24. The VM's which need access to that device will need a second virtual network adapter that's connected to a VM port group on that vSwitch with an IP address in the same range.

Sample (print server):

• create a new vSwitch "vSwitch1", and a port VM group "Printer1"
• connect the network printer to vmnic5 on "vSwitch1", printer IP address e.g. 192.168.123.10
• add another network adapter to the print server VM and connecte it to VM port group "Printer1", IP address e.g. 192.168.123.100
• create and configure a shared printer object on the print server

This above example should allow clients to use the printer, but only through the print server (not directly).

As mentioned before, I've never done this, so it may or may not work. 😉

André

[DavidinCT]

Truth be told... The server has a ilo card that I need to access for day to day checks on the server. when I need to do it, I run a 20' network cable across the room, to a switch.  I get if total failure, I would need to run that cable.  Re-running an PERM extra cable is a real PIA it's why I asked. Just quick checks on drive heath etc. If I ran a crossover cable from the ilo port to another NIC, it shows in status connected in VMware, just no way to get it on the VM network

Was just seeing if this was possible with a quick setting. It clearly looks like it's not designed to do this or can in anyway, I was looking to add a port the Vswtch, it's all.

Oh, well. Thanks for the info all...