The vmxnet driver is not supported on kernels 3.3 and later

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

You cannot use the vmxnet driver when it is configured with VMXNET2 or Flexible adapters on kernels 3.3 and later. The vmxnet driver is not supported on versions of the kernel later than 3.3.

Resolution

Note: Before going through the steps below, ensure you have a functional backup of your VM and do the following in a maintenance window. 

To resolve this issue, use a newer virtual adapter (for example, vmxnet3 or e1000).

To do so: remove the virtual network adapter, then add a new virtual network adapter and select a newer compatible adapter type, see VMware Compatibiliy Guide  and Add a Network Adapter to a Virtual Machine in the VMware Host Client

Note: When you will remove the virtual network adapter, you will lose your network configuration, it's highly recommanded to back up your network configuration before removing the virtual network adapter.

For more information, see:

• Choosing a network adapter for your virtual machine (1001805).
• Upgrading a virtual machine to the latest hardware version (multiple versions) (1010675).