VirtualCenter/vCenter only displays the IP address of the last virtual NIC in a multi-NIC virtual machine

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

When creating a virtual machine with multiple virtual network adapters, VirtualCenter only displays the IP address of the last network adapter in the Summary tab.

 

For example, in a virtual machine with two virtual NICs, VirtualCenter displays the IP address of the second NIC.

 

If an administrator disconnects the second NIC in the settings of the virtual machine, VirtualCenter shows 0.0.0.0 as the IP address of the virtual machine.

Environment

VMware ESXi 4.0.x Installable
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 5.1.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.0.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.0
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Embedded
VMware vCenter Server 5.1.x
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Installable
VMware ESX Server 3.0.x
VMware ESXi 3.5.x Embedded
VMware vCenter Server 4.0.x
VMware VirtualCenter 2.0.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.1
VMware vSphere ESXi 6.0
VMware ESX 4.0.x
VMware ESX 4.1.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 5.5
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Installable
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 5.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 5.5.x
VMware vCenter Server 4.1.x
VMware ESXi 4.1.x Embedded
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.0.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 5.5.x
VMware ESX Server 3.5.x

Resolution

VMware is aware of this issue.

 

To work around this issue, change the Network connection order in Windows Virtual Machines.

 

To change the order of network adapters in Windows 2000/Windows 2003/Windows XP:

1. Click Start > Control panel > Network Connections.
2. Click the Advanced Tab.
3. Click Advanced Settings.
4. Click Adapters and Bindings.
5. Change the order of network cards and bring the production network at the top using Up and Down buttons.

To changing the order of network adapters in Windows 2008/Windows 7:

 

1. Click Start > Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings.
2. Press and release the Alt key.
3. Click Advanced > Advanced Settings....
4. Change the order of network cards and bring the production network at the top using Up and Down buttons.
   
   These steps work for some newer OS types as well.

Note: You may need to restart vmware tools for settings to take effect immediately.