Troubleshooting network connectivity issues for Windows virtual machines in VMware Workstation
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Troubleshooting network connectivity issues for Windows virtual machines in VMware Workstation

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Article ID: 315421

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Updated On:

Products

VMware Desktop Hypervisor

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:
  • The virtual machine does not have network connectivity.
  • You cannot connect to the Internet from the guest operating system.
  • Your virtual machine does not have an IP address.
  • Bridged, Host-only, or NAT networking fails.
  • After upgrading from a previous version of VMware Workstation, there is no Internet connection.
  • You see a red X over the network connection icon in the system tray.
  • Your Ethernet controller drivers are not installed.
  • When you open Internet Explorer, you see the message:

    Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage
     
  • When you hover your mouse over the network icon in the system tray, you see one of these messages:
    • Not connected
    • No connections are available

To troubleshooting this issue in vSphere and vCenter Server, see: Troubleshooting virtual machine network connection issues


Environment

VMware Workstation Pro 14.x (for Windows)
VMware Workstation Pro 15.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 9.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 9.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 8.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation Pro 14.x (for Linux)
VMware Workstation 11.x (for Linux)
VMware Workstation Pro 15.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 10.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 11.x (for Windows)
VMware Workstation 10.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 8.x (Windows)

Resolution

There can be a number of reasons why the networking might stop working in VMware Workstation. Validate each of these troubleshooting steps to verify if it is true for your environment. Each step provides instructions or a link to a document to eliminate possible causes and take corrective action as necessary. The steps are ordered in the most appropriate sequence to isolate the issue and identify the proper resolution. Do not skip a step.
 
After each numbered step, check whether your virtual machine has an Internet connection. There is no need to proceed with further steps once the issue is resolved.

To troubleshoot your network and Internet connection:

Warning: Turning off your firewall can leave your computer open to attack. This is a troubleshooting step only. If turning off the firewall resolves the issue, consult the operating system's documentation for instructions to configure it properly so that it does not completely block this connection.
 
For Windows XP, follow these steps:
  • Click Start > Control Panel > Networking Connection.
  • Right-click Local Area Network Connection and select Enable.
  1. Ensure that your Host machine has a working network connection.
  2. Confirm that your virtual machine's firewall is not blocking the Internet access. For information on turning off your firewall, see:
  3. Confirm that your virtual machine's anti-virus program is not blocking the Internet access. Consult the Help menu of the anti-virus program or see the manufacturer's documentation for instructions on configuring it correctly.
     
  4. Run an anti-virus scan on your virtual machine to make sure there are no viruses or other malware interfering with your Internet connection.
     
  5. Ensure that the network adapter is enabled. Follow the steps in the Microsoft article relevant to your version of Windows:​​
  6. Change your adapter from NAT to Bridged, or vice-versa. If one selection works and the other does not, then the problem is with your network and not with Workstation or your virtual machine. For more information, see Understanding networking types in hosted products (1006480) .
  7. Shut down the virtual machine, then restart your Host Machine.
     
  8. After your Host machine reboots, reopen Workstation.
     
  9. Download and reinstall VMware Workstation. This ensures that you have the most recent version, and that any missing or corrupted virtual network settings are replaced/repaired.
     
  10. Confirm that Workstation services are working properly.
     
  11. Uninstall and reinstall VMware Tools. For more information, see General VMware Tools installation instructions (1014294) .
  12. Make sure that your network adapter is connected to the virtual machine by removing and re-adding it:
    • Shut down your virtual machine.
    • In Workstation, go to VM > Settings > Network Adapter.
    • Ensure that the network adapter is connected (that is, the Connected and Connect at power on options are selected).
    • Ensure that the network adapter is configured for NAT or Bridged, and not Host Only. Make a note of your setting.
    • Click on Remove.
    • From the Settings pane, select Add > Network Adapter to re-add your network adapter.
    • Verify that your new network adapter settings match your old settings.
    • Restart your Host machine.
    • Power on your virtual machine.
       
  13. Update the Windows network adapter in Device Manager:
    • Start the virtual machine.
    • Click Start, right-click My Computer, and click Manage.
    • Select Device Manager from the left pane.
    • Click the arrow to expand the Network Adapters section.
    • Right-click your Ethernet Controller in that list (name may vary) and click Update Driver Software.
      • Select Search automatically for updated driver software. If the driver is not automatically detected:
        • Repeat the above step and select Browse my computer for driver software.
        • Select Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.
          • For Windows XP, select VMware Accelerated AMD PCNet Adapter.
          • For Windows Vista and 7, select Intel Pro/1000 MT Network Connection.
      • Click Close.
      • Restart Windows.
         
  14. Uninstall and reinstall all network adapters in the Device Manager:
    • Start the virtual machine.
    • Click Start, right-click My Computer, then click Manage.
    • Select Device Manager from the left pane.
    • Click the arrow to expand the Network Adapters section.
    • Right-click the Intel(R) PRO/1000 MT Network Connection (in Windows Vista and 7) or VMware Accelerated AMD PCNet Adapter (in Windows XP) device and select Uninstall.
    • In the menu bar, click Action > Scan for hardware changes.
    • Restart Windows.
       
  15. Reset TCP/IP and Winsock settings to default:
    • To reset TCP/IP, follow the resolution steps in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 299357.
    • To reset Winsock settings, follow the resolution steps in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article 811259.
If your problem continues to exist after performing the steps in this article, please file a support request:

Note: The links in this article were correct as of September 6, 2013. If you find a link is broken, provide feedback and a VMware employee will update the link.

Additional Information

For Translated version of this article, see:
在 VMware Workstation 中对 Windows 虚拟机的网络连接问题进行故障排除
VMware Workstation における Windows 仮想マシンに関するネットワーク接続問題のトラブルシューティング


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