VMware Cloud Community
XamiX
Contributor
Contributor

Some newbie questions about networking in ESXi

Hello,

I have some newbie questions about networking in ESXi

I have installed ESXi 5.5 on one server and I have these IP allocation :

192.168.1.16 /28

Subnet mask : 255.255.255.240

Gateway : 192.168.1.17

ESXi IP : 192.168.1.18

I decide to running 3 VMs on this server and each VM gives these IPs:

VM 1 : 192.168.1.19 , 192.168.1.20

VM 2 :192.168.1.21-29

VM 3 : 192.168.1.30

1.How can I disable change IP (Prevent IP Stealing) in VMs via ESXi?

For example VM 3 can’t use 192.168.1.25

Is there any way for assigning IPs to VMs without adding them into guest NIC?

2.Gateway IP in guest OS should be ESXi IP address or main gateway IP address?

3.Subnet mask for guest OS should be 255.255.255.240 or I have to calculate new subnet?

4.How can I prevent changing mac address in the guest OS via ESXi?

Thanks for your helps Smiley Happy

Reply
0 Kudos
2 Replies
weinstein5
Immortal
Immortal

Welcome to the Communtiy -

1) ESXi will not be able to do this - It works like the physical world you can hard code the IP address to the virtual NIC in the VM or configure your DHCP server to assign the IP address based on the VMs MAC address -

2) You will use your networks gateway addree 192.168.1.17 - the ESXi address is only used to manage the ESXi host

3) Since you are using the IP addresses in you subnet the subnet mask will have to be the same

4) You can hardcode the mac address of the virtual NIC -

If you find this or any other answer useful please consider awarding points by marking the answer correct or helpful
abhilashhb
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hi XamiX


1.How can I disable change IP (Prevent IP Stealing) in VMs via ESXi?

For example VM 3 can’t use 192.168.1.25

Is there any way for assigning IPs to VMs without adding them into guest NIC?

As far as you are providing the IP's statically you will not have to worry. If its a DHCP the you will have to make reservations. I think in your case there is no reservation. And NO, there is no other way to provide an IP. you will have to assign it to the guest NIC.

2.Gateway IP in guest OS should be ESXi IP address or main gateway IP address?

The gateway can be the same gateway that you have used for the ESXI. As far as all the machines can take to each other and ESXi you can use the same subnet.

Better thing to do is to open up the whole subnet, 192.168.1.0/24 if possible and you have no specific reason for subnetting. That way you can keep gateway as 192.168.1.1.

3.Subnet mask for guest OS should be 255.255.255.240 or I have to calculate new subnet?

Again the subnet mask would be the same as ESXi subnet. If you are creating a new one, make sure that subnet can talk to the ESXi subnet.

4.How can I prevent changing mac address in the guest OS via ESXi?

This will help you with that VMware KB:    Changing the MAC address of a hosted virtual machine

If you found my answer useful, consider awarding points by choosing correct/helpful answers Smiley Happy

Abhilash B
LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhilashhb/