Is VMWare Fusion networking flakey?

[TonMachielsen]

Hi all!

Setup:

VMWare Fusion latest version.

Sierra with latest updates (currently 10.12.5) on Macbook Pro Early 2015.

MacBook is running DHCP server (dnsmasq) and NTP server.

Thunderbolt adapter hooked up to a PoE switch.

Several devices powered by PoE on the same switch.

One Windows 7 VM with NIC set to Bridged on the Thunderbolt Ethernet adapter.

Issue:

I recently moved from Parallels to Fusion and i noticed that many times my Windows VM cannot access the devices connected to the switch. I never noticed this when using Parallels. Normally, after a few retries, i do get the connection, but i use this Windows VM for demoing to customers and having to retry multiple times (applications time-out, error messages on the screen, etc) doesn't look that good to a customer.

I haven't begun to troubleshoot, but is this a common issue? Do other also have this issue or is it something with my setup? Again, using Parallels i never had (or noticed) the networking issue.

Thanks,

Ton.

[wila]

Hi,

No not a common issue at all.

You mention you're running DHCP (DNSMasq) and NTP, if I understand you correctly then that is at macOS directly?

Can you share a vmware.log file of the windows 7 guest?

--

Wil

[TonMachielsen]

Yes, dnsmasq is installed on the Mac using HomeBrew and NTP is MacOS native.

vmware.logs available here: Dropbox - Archive.zip

[wila]

Hello,

A tip, next time please use the attach button (right bottom corner of your edit window) instead of uploading to a 3rd party such as dropbox.

You probably just didn't see the link as it is quite easy to overlook. There's just a better chance somebody will look at your logs, everybody helping out here is a volunteer and by using the default options you just have more people looking at it.

As a volunteer in helping out I tend to skip downloads that are not uploaded here. FWIW, you can remove your logs at a later date if you wish.

Anyways I looked at your logs and noticed that the "replicate network link state" is enabled and the log in your download does show a few changes in link state, for example:

2017-05-25T17:07:06.309+01:00| vmx| I125: VNET: MACVNetLinkStateEventHandler: event, up:1, adapter:14
2017-05-25T17:07:06.309+01:00| vmx| I125: VNET: MACVNetLinkStateEventHandler: 'ethernet0' state from 4 to 6.
2017-05-25T17:07:06.402+01:00| vmx| I125: VNET: MACVNetLinkStateTimerHandler: 'ethernet0' state from 6 to 1.
2017-05-25T17:07:11.789+01:00| vmx| I125: VNET: MACVNetLinkStateTimerHandler: 'ethernet0' state from 1 to 5.

There's a few more similar events in that same log.

This could indeed cause the issues you are having.

You can disable that feature, but will have to edit the .vmx file of the virtual machine by hand.

With the VM shut down (not suspended) and with VMware Fusion not running, please edit the file /Users/tmachielsen/Virtual Machines.localized/Windows 7.vmwarevm/Windows 7.vmx  with a plain text editor such as nano or vi and look for the following line

ethernet0.linkStatePropagation.enable = "TRUE"

and change the "TRUE" into a "FALSE".

Then start Fusion again and your VM and -hopefully- the issue is resolved.

Hope this helps,

--

Wil