Disabling the VMware DHCP Service on the Host Computer

Products

• VMware
• VMware Desktop Hypervisor

Issue/Introduction

I want to disable the VMware DHCP service on my host computer. What steps do I need to take?

Environment

VMware Server 2.0.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 3.x (Linux)
VMware GSX Server 3.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation Pro 12.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 4.x (Linux)
VMware GSX Server 2.x (Linux)
VMware Server 2.0.x (Windows)
VMware GSX Server 3.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 10.x (Windows)
VMware Server 1.0.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 9.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 10.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 5.x (Linux)
VMware Server 1.0.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 5.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 8.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation Pro 12.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 3.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 6.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 4.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 6.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 7.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 9.x (Windows)
VMware GSX Server 2.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 7.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 8.x (Linux)

Resolution

Follow the steps shown below for your host operating system. On a Windows host, you can choose to disable the service completely or to set it to start only when you start it manually.

For information on modifying Fusion's DHCP service, see Modifying the DHCP settings of vmnet1 and vmnet8 in Fusion (1026510).

Workstation 6.x and later

See the Workstation help:

• Workstation 11:
• Change DHCP Settings for a Host-Only or NAT Network on a Windows Host
• Change the Subnet IP Address for a Host-Only or NAT Network on a Linux Host
• Workstation 10:
  • Change DHCP Settings for a Host-Only or NAT Network on a Windows Host
  • Change the Subnet IP Address for a Host-Only or NAT Network on a Linux Host
• Workstation 9:
  • Change DHCP Settings for a Host-Only or NAT Network on a Windows Host
  • Change the Subnet IP Address for a Host-Only or NAT Network on a Linux Host
• Workstation 8:
  • Change DHCP Settings for a Host-Only or NAT Network on a Windows Host
  • Change the Subnet IP Address for a Host-Only or NAT Network on a Linux Host
    
• Workstation 7:
  • Configure the DHCP Server on a Windows Host
  • Configure the DHCP Server on a Linux Host
    
• Workstation 6:
  • Selecting IP Addresses on a Host-Only Network or NAT Configuration

Server 2.x

See Chapter 11, Configuring a Virtual Network, of the VMware Server User's Guide.

Workstation 5.x and previous for Windows

Windows 2000

1. Click Start, then choose Settings>Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Services.
2. Scroll down and select VMware DHCP Service.
3. Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties.
4. Click the Stop button.
5. In the Startup type list, select Disable or Manual.
6. Click OK.

Windows XP Home

1. Click Start, then choose Settings>Control Panel.
2. Click Performance and Maintenance.
3. Click Administrative Tools.
4. Double-click Services.
5. Scroll down and select VMware DHCP Service.
6. Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties.
7. Click the Stop button.
8. In the Startup type list, select Disable or Manual.
9. Click OK.

Windows XP Professional or Windows Server 2003

1. Click Start, then choose Settings>Control Panel.
2. Click Administrative Tools.
3. Double-click Services.
4. Scroll down and select VMware DHCP Service.
5. Right-click the highlighted line and choose Properties.
6. Click the Stop button.
7. In the Startup type list, select Disable or Manual.
8. Click OK.

Workstation 5.x and previous for Linux, Server 1.x, GSX Server 3.x

Linux for Workstation 5.x and VMware Server 1.x

1. Open the file /usr/lib/vmware/net-services.sh in a text editor.
2. Locate the following section (lines 697-699, as seen in Workstation 5.5.1, build 19175):
   vmware_bg_exec 'Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet'"$vHubNr" \
   vmware_start_hostonly "$vHubNr" 'vmnet'"$vHubNr" \
   "$hostaddr" "$netmask" 'yes'
   
3. Change yes to no. The resulting section should look like this:
   vmware_bg_exec 'Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet'"$vHubNr" \
   vmware_start_hostonly "$vHubNr" 'vmnet'"$vHubNr" \
   "$hostaddr" "$netmask" 'no'
   
4. Save the file.
5. As root, run /usr/lib/vmware/net-services.sh restart to restart the service.

Linux for Workstation 4.x and GSX Server 3.x

1. Power off any open virtual machines (and close any associated remote consoles).
2. Open the file /etc/init.d/vmware in a text editor.
3. Locate the following section:
   # Start a DHCP server on a private IP network
   vmware_start_dhcpd() {
   local vHostIf="$1" # IN
   
   # The daemon already logs its output in the system log, so we can safely
   # trash it
   cd "$vmdb_answer_BINDIR" && "$vmdb_answer_BINDIR"/"$dhcpd" \
   -cf "$vmware_etc_dir"/"$vHostIf"/dhcpd/dhcpd.conf \
   -lf "$vmware_etc_dir"/"$vHostIf"/dhcpd/dhcpd.leases \
   -pf /var/run/"$dhcpd"-"$vHostIf".pid "$vHostIf" >/dev/null 2>&1
   }
4. Add the line exit 1 in the position shown below.
   # Start a DHCP server on a private IP network
   vmware_start_dhcpd() {
   local vHostIf="$1" # IN
   exit 1
   
   # The daemon already logs its output in the system log, so we can safely
   # trash it
   cd "$vmdb_answer_BINDIR" && "$vmdb_answer_BINDIR"/"$dhcpd" \
   -cf "$vmware_etc_dir"/"$vHostIf"/dhcpd/dhcpd.conf \
   -lf "$vmware_etc_dir"/"$vHostIf"/dhcpd/dhcpd.leases \
   -pf /var/run/"$dhcpd"-"$vHostIf".pid "$vHostIf" >/dev/null 2>&1
   }
   
5. Save /etc/init.d/vmware.
6. Restart your host operating system.