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Setting Static MAC Addresses

Here's my version of how-to set static MAC addresses in VI3 VMs.

1. Select a static MAC. NOTE: Static MAC addresses must be in the range of 00:50:56:00:00:00-00:50:56:3F:FF:FF to work with this procedure.
2. Remember to record the Static MAC addresses registered for future reference.
3. Unregister vm:
4. Note the datastore, vm inventory folder, and name for the vm in the summary tab
5. Power down the virtual machine
6. Right click the vm and select remove from inventory
7. Edit vmx:
8. Ssh to the esx host system (use putty)
9. cd /vmfs/volumes/
10. cd to the system’s folder
11. cp .vmx to .vmx.bak
12. vi .vmx
13. find the ethernet0 section
14. make the following changes:
15. change ethernet0.addressType = "vpx" to ethernet0.addressType = "static"
16. ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:50:56:01.01.00" to ethernet0.address = "00:50:56:01.01.00"
17. rearrange so the following items are in this order and grouped together: ethernet0.address, ethernet0.addresstype, uuid.location, uuid.bios
18. Write the changes to the disk and exit
19. Reregister the vm:
20. In virtual center, browse to the host datastore (configuration, storage, double click on the vm’s datastore)
21. Browse to the edited .vmx file
22. Right click the .vmx file and select Add to Inventory
23. Enter the system name
24. Select the host
25. Select the resource pool
26. Click Finish
27. Power on the vm and verify the mac address
28. Windows: ipconfig /all find “Physical Address”
29. Linux: ifconfig /a grep Hwaddr

EXAMPLE

ethernet0.address = "00:50:56:88:6f:98"
ethernet0.addressType = "static"
uuid.location = "56 4d 6b b4 70 cc 85 24-59 1b 2d 24 0a 2b d7 7a"
uuid.bios = "50 08 5b 0d e1 f7 fb 8b-ba 39 74 1b 30 fc 0c 40"

Posted by Jae Ellers at Monday, January 28, 2008.