ESXi Network Setup Steps

I'm familiar with using ESXi in the corporate environment, but I'm setting up a home lab to learn. I have 6.7 (free version), which is installed and my datastores configured. The Dell tower has a built-in NIC that is detected, and I've added a two port gigabit Intel card, which is detected as well. I have the built in NIC configured for management with a static IP. Is there a set up steps to follow or a guide on configuring the two additional ports for VM usage? I don't need to worry about vLANs for anything complicated. But, I'm not sure if I need a vSwitch configured, etc.

Any suggestions? My goal is to have them both get IPs from my router, or be able to use static IPs for the VMs on my one, single, home network.

You will need to add two additional "Virtual Switch". For each "Virtual Switch", assign an "Uplink" to it. Each uplink is pointed to a GB ethernet port.

After you created the "Virtual Switch" then you will need to add port group to your virtual switch.

Good luck

Or you can do one vSwitch that spans all active ports then assign your port groups to that vSwitch... there are MANY different build types you can do. For your environment I would stick with one vSwitch per port then you can have some fun with Port groups and completetely virtual VM networks... good times good times.

I used to think the tentacle porn addicts were the weird ones, now I know it's the networking guys.