No Ethernet Connection VMware Fusion 12 macOS Big Sur Beta 6

[Geoffrey84]

With the newly released version of VMware Fusion 12.0 I'm having the same problem I did with the Technical Preview in macOS Big Sur Beta 6.

When starting a Windows 10 x64 virtual machine, I receive the following error message:

Could not connect 'Ethernet0' to virtual network '/dev/vmnet8'. 

More information can be found in the vmware.log file.

Virtual device 'Ethernet0' will start disconnected.

Has anyone found a solution to restoring internet availability in the guest virtual machine?

Cheers

[hollistonma]

Same issues and same attempts at a solution.  The only thing that worked for me was to use "Shared with Mac".  See the saga here:  https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMware-Fusion-Discussions/macOS-Big-Sur-Fusion-12-NAT-no-internet-...

[haggan]

@hollistonma

Interesting that you got NAT working.  I set network settings to  bridged now, I can access my server now, but most websites can not be visited, just times out.

Another thing i noticed is that VMware tools can not be installed via menu, i have to manually install by mounting the image. VMware tools installs, but with some errors, and it seem like shared folders AND drag n drop via Host/VM does not work.

I can't belive this is happening. Why is this product even being sold when it clearly has multiple severe issues.....

[hollistonma]

@hagganhave you tried the "Shared with My Mac" option?  I had the same issue as you did with the bridged options.

As for VMware Tools, they were working for me.  Because I thought a new install might fix the internet issues, I uninstalled them in Windows using Windows Settings.  I then reinstalled them using the Install VMware Tools option.  (That didn't address the internet issues by the way.)

I agree that this is crazy.  Fortunately for me I'm running the unpaid version of Fusion 12 because I use it for my personal computer.  Until I tried the "Shared with my Mac" option and it worked I was ready to pay for Parallels.

Do you know any downside to using the "Shared with My Mac" approach?

[haggan]

@hollistonma 

When you using Share with my mac you are basically sitting behind an extra router/firewall right. This is the default option and preferred since it does work for most functions. Bridged mode make you appear as it's own device on the network with an appropriate IP address rather than masked.

When i do "Shared with my Mac" not much is working at all to be honest.

To add to the confusion - I now went back to my original VMware image with Win 7 that we use, it's an old image, approx 200GB that has been with us for a long long time and survived many versions of the actual VMware application - went back to it, changed the settings from "Shared.." to Bridged, waited at least one minute for network interface to re-appear and BOOM, it just works....

This being said, this is pure luck and I'm not presenting a solution here.

I will continue with upgrading machine number 2, and see if that also work. I'm desperately looking for a temporary solution until VMware fixed this flawed software.

[hd2659]

Hello

With the release of MacOS 11.3 interfaces now appear in MacOS / Settings / Network and virtualise that configured interfaces never turn green , It's still faulty and VMware need to step in here.

I'm using a fresh install of VMware Fusion Pro 12.1.1 and defined 2 custom networks vmnet2 and vmnet3 in Fusion / Preferences / Network - these are now shown in "MacOS / Settings / Network" as seen here

So I created a new CentOS client using only vmnet2

Booting client shows that it try use the standard VM network interface and not VM network interface 2 as configured

Adding another network to the Client vmnet3, brings back the never ending story about "Could not connect 'Ethernet?" to virtual...."

I'm back to use the 2 physical interfaces I use as workaround (Ethernet and Apple USB interface)

[haggan]

I'm lucky in the sense that all my upgrades are working, but only working if using Bridged network and in combination with my old vm-images. Not if I create a new image.

Since we have now purchased latest version, I will go ahead and create a support ticket. It seem that we will not get any reply from VMware in this forum....

[Ccalifan]

Fusion 12.1.2 released:

https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Fusion/12.1.2/rn/VMware-Fusion-1212-Release-Notes.html

[spankym]

I am finding this issue with MacOs 11.4 and VMWare Fusion 12.1.2. The only workaround I have found is to reboot Mac, run sudo rm /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/NetworkInterfaces.plist && sudo killall -9 configd and then launch VMWare.  If I close Vmware Fusion I need to fully reboot again to get the network interface back.

[hd2659]

That didn’t work for me, also it’s un-acceptable as a work a round. Adding the apple USB adapter with a loopback plug, works fine for me as a network without routing. 

[atlauren]

+1 on this ongoing issue with bridged* networking.

Bridging over Thunderbolt** worked fine for a week, then died.  It seems to work OK with a USB-C/Ethernet adapter.

Big Sur 11.4
Fusion 12.1.2
MacBook Pro 16" (2019)
Windows 10

* NAT sharing from the Mac's connection(s) seems to work.
** Thunderbolt 3-to-2 adapter, OWC Thunderbolt 2 dock.

[realbg]

I think I found the issue after about 8 months of tinkering. I had ethernet enabled in System Preferences >> Sharing >> Internet Sharing. When messing around with that setting again, I can recreate the issue. Ensure that the feature is turned off completely or ethernet is not active. 

Hope this helps you as it did me in version 12 player for MaOS

[hd2659]

It's not that - Internet sharing is off on my Mac, also I'm using VMware Fusion Pro

[Blenheimpalace]

This solution worked like a champ. First time, no less!

[hd2659]

There are Many solutions in this thread, some for player, some on pro - but only with one interface in guest. Please clarify ?

[dynamoX]

help  ！ VMware  tech  staff 

[dynamoX]

now there is no way to fix it

[doanhtien]

I tried to run the command "

sudo rm /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/NetworkInterfaces.plist && sudo killall -9 configd"

But still the same. 

[hd2659]

Hi doanhtien

removing NetworkInterfaces.plist did work nor for me either, this instruction came from a parallels forum. it's a bid unclear for whom it worked and wether they used pro or player. Most success is connection to a bridged networking interface like Ethernet, I needed 2 interfaces per VM, so I added a Apple USB Ethernet Adapter there also is bridged

[rscoville]

THANK YOU!

[sjinsjca]

Turning off Internet Sharing worked for me too!!

This was a long, long day of trying to figure out how I'd borked my VMs, or Fusion itself, or macOS.  I reinstalled macOS, uninstalled/reinstalled Fusion multiple times, deleted all my networking and recreated it, and of course tried the magic command that helped so many earlier posters.  Nothing worked.

Then I saw this post... instant cure!  Thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks!