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adding a second network adapter

  • 1.  adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 21, 2022 05:03 PM

    I have a ESXi server freshly installed with an ethernet adapter. I would like to add a second network adapter which a USB 3.0 adapter. I understand I need to install drivers for this. I am a newby to VMWARE. Can someone provide steps to add this adapter with drivers?

    Is it easier to add a PCI-E card instead. Will system detect that card automatically?

    Thank you



  • 2.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 21, 2022 08:06 PM

    For the USB driver, and the requirements, please see https://flings.vmware.com/usb-network-native-driver-for-esxi#requirements

    If you are considering to add an additional PCIe adapter, you may want to ensure that it's on the HCL.

    André



  • 3.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 21, 2022 08:33 PM

    Just wanted to add the follow the following. I am following this article

    https://www.virten.net/2020/09/tips-for-using-usb-network-adapters-with-vmware-esxi/

    I use WinSCP to transfer the drivers ran the command as shown in the article to install the drivers. No errors. Rebooted but still no link light. Does anyone have any suggestions?

    Cheers



  • 4.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 21, 2022 08:47 PM

    Thanks Andre

    I confirmed chipset is 

    ASIXAX88179

    from the list. I downloaded the drivers again and found that the zipped file was named differently from the command example. Ran the command without errors. But still no link light. Do I need more time or a reboot to complete?

    Cheers



  • 5.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 21, 2022 08:52 PM

    Yes, please see step 4 from the installation instructions.

    ~snip~
    Step 4 - Plug-in the USB NIC and reboot for the change to go into effect. ...
    ~snip~

    André



  • 6.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 22, 2022 12:28 AM

    I rebooted but no luck.

    Which instructions? I don't see a step 4.

    Thanks



  • 7.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 22, 2022 01:53 PM

    I'm referring to the instruction on the VMware Flings web site (please see my earlier post).

    André



  • 8.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 23, 2022 06:02 PM

    I have narrowed it down to this article.

    https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2015834

    Getting similar error to article above. I see several datastoreUUIDs that I have listed. Am I to select one of these for my path. Which one?

    Cheers



  • 9.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 23, 2022 06:09 PM

    Please post the full command that you are using, and the exact error message.

    André



  • 10.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 23, 2022 06:18 PM

    The command I attempted is .....

    esxcli software vib install -d /vmfs/volume/datastore1/ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-55634242-component-19849370.zip

    I get the following error

    Could not download from depot at zip:/vmfs/volume/datastore1/ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-55634242-component-19849370.zip?index.xml, skipping (('zip:vmfs/volume/datastore1/ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-55634242-component-19849370.zip?index.xml', '', "Error extracting index.xml from vmfs/volume/datastore1/ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-55634242-component-19849370.zip: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'vmfs/volume/datastore1/ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-55634242-component-19849370.zip'"))
    url = vmfs/volume/datastore1/ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-55634242-component-19849370.zip?index.xml

    Please refer to the log file for more details.



  • 11.  RE: adding a second network adapter
    Best Answer

    Posted Jul 23, 2022 06:37 PM

    Why don't you simply follow the instructions on the flings page?

    Make sure that you use the correct command for the ESXi version that you are using (see step 3), and also make sure that you specify the correct path to the .zip file, i.e. the datastore name, and folder to which you've uploaded the .zip file.

    André



  • 12.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 23, 2022 06:50 PM

    I did go through those steps....

    I used 

    esxcli software vib install -d /path/to/the offline bundle zip

    I get the same error.

    It is the path which I don't understand. I copied the the zip file to the root. 



  • 13.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 23, 2022 06:59 PM

    Did you copy the file over to the root of the "Datastore" or the root of the "ESXi Hypervisor"

    Datastore root is /vmfs/volumes/"datastore"/file.vib (esxcli software vib install -d /vmfs/volumes/"datastore"/offlinebundlefile.zip)


    ESXi Hypervisor is /file.vib (esxcli software vib install -d /offlinebundlefile.zip)

    As a_p_ stated you must install the the driver.zip that corresponds the the version of the ESXi OS you have installed on the server

     

    Also, this might seem ridiculous, but make sure your USB ports are enabled in the bios. Some servers have those turned off by default.

    NOTE: It seems to me that you might not know what a "datastore" is. That is a disk that VMs are created and run on. If you have a datastore then you probably gave the datastore a name when you created it. Use that name in place of "datastore" or "datastore1".



  • 14.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 23, 2022 07:13 PM

    Root of Hypervisor. I moved it to the tmp folder and now I get error....

    VIB VMW_bootbank_vmkusb-nic-fling_1.10-1vmw.703.8.50.55644242 requires requires vmkapi_2_9_0_0, but the requirement cannot be satisfied within the ImageProfile.

    VIB VMW_bootbank_vmkusb-nic-fling_1.10-1vmw.703.8.50.55644242 requires requires vmkapi_incompat_2_9_0_0, but the requirement cannot be satisfied within the ImageProfile.

    There was only one file to download from what I see and the commands for the instructions showed for version 6.5 so I used that.

    Yes, USB is enabled.

    Thank you



  • 15.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 23, 2022 07:20 PM

    Putting together what you posted so far, I think the command to install the driver in your case is:

    esxcli software component apply -d /tmp/ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-55634242-component-19849370.zip

    André



  • 16.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 23, 2022 07:39 PM

    When running this command I receive error

    Unknown command or namespace software component apply



  • 17.  RE: adding a second network adapter
    Best Answer

    Posted Jul 23, 2022 07:21 PM

    What version of the ESXi OS are you running? You can type "vmware -v" (without the quotes) to get version.

    The Fling web site has a down arrow that lets you select from multiple .zip versions. The error you are seeing is due to you trying to install a version that is not compliant to the version of your ESXi OS.

    grimsrue_0-1658603941421.png


    If you are going to copy the ".zip" file to /tmp then change your path when running the esxcli vib software command

    esxcli software component apply -d /tmp/offlinebundlefile.zip



  • 18.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 23, 2022 07:42 PM

    The version I have is 6.7.0 build-14320388

    Downloaded the zip file corresponding to version and ran commands again and same errors

    ran command below and get

    Unknown command or namespace software component apply

     



  • 19.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 23, 2022 08:33 PM

    My bad, I copy/pasted the wrong command in my last post.

    This is the one you run below. replace offlinebundlefile.zip with the full file name you downloaded and copied to /tmp

    esxcli software vib install -d /tmp/offlinebundlefile.zip



  • 20.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 23, 2022 09:10 PM

    No problem. Appreciate your help.

    I did run this previously and get error I previously noted.



  • 21.  RE: adding a second network adapter

    Posted Jul 23, 2022 11:44 PM

    I was able to install the drivers successfully. Definitely needed the correct drivers and sorry I missed that drop down options.

    The command that worked for me was esxcli software vib install -d /tmp/offlinebundlefile.zip. Replacing offlinebundlefile.zip with the name of the correct zipped file. 

    Created much of the issues for me by entering incorrect text.

    Link light now on my network adapter.

    Thanks for all your help.