Enable USB device on VM

[user9922]

I'm running ESXi 6.0 U2 (free)

Management tool: Web client (VMware Host Client) and Workstation 12

VM: Windows 7 Pro 32x

I'm trying to add/enable USB devices connected to the host to the VM.

From the host SSH I get these results from lsusb and /etc/init.d/usbarbitrator status:

[root@localhost:~] lsusb Bus 001 Device 004: ID 045e:0752 Microsoft Corp. Wired Keyboard 400 Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0557:2008 ATEN International Co., Ltd UC-232A Serial Port [pl2303] Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0781:5567 SanDisk Corp. Cruzer Blade Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub [root@localhost:~] /etc/init.d/usbarbitrator status usbarbitrator is running

How do I add e.g. the Serial Port USB device? I've tried "Add other device" in the Web Client but there is nothing.
Am I doing it wrong or is something not working on my box?

Thanks in advance :-)

[Baoyin Qiao]

There should be an option when you click the "Add other device" to let you add the USB device like "USB device" in the pop up list.

Could you paste your screenshot of the "Add other device"?

And what physical port are you connecting your USB stick "Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0781:5567 SanDisk Corp. Cruzer Blade" to ? Is the physical port of your ESX host a 2.0 port or 3.0 port? And what's your USB stick version? is it a 2.0 or 3.0 version?  What type of Guest OS are you using?

Also, please try to add a USB 3.0 controller to your VM to try  it again.

[user9922]

It seem I found a solution, I can now add USB devices :-)
I updated the web-client to 1.9.1 (download at VMware flings)

Happy it works, but sad about the solution: First of all it's very hard to find this update.....no link or info from within the web-client itself. Secondly it's a beta version.

On the host I see this USB3 device. It seems it doesn't support Passthrough. I assume it means it will not be possible to see this from the VMs.

System:
Chipset: Intel H110 (Asus H110T)

CPU: Pentium G4500
RAM: 2x8GB

[admin]

> On the host I see this USB3 device. It seems it doesn't support Passthrough. I assume it means it will not be possible to see this from the VMs.

user9922, you appear to be confusing PCI passthrough and USB passthrough.  You are correct that passthrough of a USB 3.0 host controller as a PCI device is not supported.  This is true for any host controller or hub.  USB end devices can be passed through.  In your case all of your USB devices appear to be attached to USB 2.0 ports.  To passthrough a specific USB 3.0 device other than a hub or host controller please try the following:

1) Add a virtual USB 3.0 host controller to your VM.  This is a virtual device just like the USB 1.1 and 2.0 host controllers that you already have.

2) Ensure that the USB 3.0 device is attached to a USB 3.0 port (i.e., a blue one)

From your original lsusb output the USB drivers are reporting that all devices are on a physical USB 2.0 bus.  The "root hub" is in fact the host controller.

[root@localhost:~] lsusb

Bus 001 Device 004: ID 045e:0752 Microsoft Corp. Wired Keyboard 400                                    <<<<< Device on bus 001

Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0557:2008 ATEN International Co., Ltd UC-232A Serial Port [pl2303]   <<<<< Device on bus 001

Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0781:5567 SanDisk Corp. Cruzer Blade                                                 <<<<< Device on bus 001

Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub                                              <<<<< Bus 002 is 3.0

Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub                                              <<<<< Bus 001 is 2.0

[root@localhost:~] /etc/init.d/usbarbitrator status

usbarbitrator is running