This document describes how to use the vnetlib CLI command on platforms where it is available. Currently supported platforms and CLI executable names:
- Windows: vnetlib.exe
- macOS: vmnet-cfgcli
- Linux: N/A
The networking file is considered by the vnetlib to be a "database" which
should be viewed as the source of truth for the state of the VMware networking
service.
The CLI executable does not follow the standard convention on exit codes for commands. In general the meaning of command exit codes are:
0- Command failed1- Command succeeded
For some commands the exit code will always be 1 regardless if the
command failed (these are generally related to commands where failure
is inconsequential). Commands with this behavior will be noted where
found.
Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\vnetlib.exe
NOTE: Unlike the behavior seen on macOS, no output is provided on
Windows. For some commands the exit code will be relevant (with 1
indicating success as noted above) and for other commands the exit
code will always be 0 regardless of success or error.
When calling vnetlib on Windows the command must follow this structure:
> vnetlib.exe -- COMMAND
It is important to remember the -- otherwise the command will always
fail.
Add a new adapter. Name should be in the format of vmnetNUM
> vnetlib.exe -- add adapter NAME
Disable an existing adapter. Name should be in the format of vmnetNUM
> vnetlib.exe -- disable adapter NAME
Enable an existing adapter. Name should be in the format of vmnetNUM
> vnetlib.exe -- enable adapter NAME
Update the configuration of an existing adapter. Name should be in
the format of vmnetNUM
> vnetlib.exe -- update adapter NAME
Set the address of the network for an adapter. The name format
should be in the format of vmnetNUM. The address format should
be an IPv4 address, for example 192.168.5.0
> vnetlib.exe -- set vnet NAME addr ADDRESS
Set the subnet mask of the network for an adapter. The name format
should be in the format of vmnetNUM. The mask format should be
IPv4, for example 255.255.255.0
> vnetlib.exe -- set vnet NAME mask MASK
Add NAT service on the provided device. NAT should generally only be
enabled on a single device, and should be vmnet8. The name format
should be in the format of vmnetNUM
> vnetlib.exe -- add nat NAME
Remove NAT service on the provided device. The name format should
be in the format of vmnetNUM
> vnetlib.exe -- remove nat NAME
Update the NAT configuration file based on contents of the networking
file/registry. This is useful when port forwards have been added or
removed. The NAT service needs to be halted before update. The name
format should be in the format of vmnetNUM
> vnetlib.exe -- update nat NAME
Add DHCP service on the provided device. The name format should be
in the format of vmnetNUM
> vnetlib.exe -- add dhcp NAME
Remove DHCP service on the provided device. The name format should
be in the format of vmnetNUM
> vnetlib.exe -- remove dhcp NAME
Update the DHCP configuration for the DHCP service on the provided
device. The DHCP service must be stopped before updating the configuration.
The name format should be in the format of vmnetNUM
> vnetlib.exe -- update dhcp NAME
This creates a MAC to IP mapping to reserve an address in the DHCP
server for a guest. This command does not affect the running DHCP
server process if it is currently running. After adding a mapping
the service must be halted and the DHCP configuration must be updated.
The format of the name should be in the format of vmnetNUM. The
address should be an IPv4 address.
NOTE: This command always returns an exit code 0
> vnetlib.exe -- set dhcp NAME addipmac ADDRESS MAC
Path: /Applications/VMWare Fusion/Contents/Library/vmnet-cfgcli
Set the log level. This does not seem to persist. Receives an integer,
with larger value enabling more verbose output. Seems to be >= 40
will enable debug output.
$ vmnet-cfgcli setloglevel 50
Returns the currently set log level.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getloglevel
Set the default log level. Setting this will persist the log level.
Value >= 40 will enable debug output.
$ vmnet-cfgcli setdefaultloglevel 50
Returns the currently set default log level.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getdefaultloglevel
Start a specific vmware networking service. Valid types:
- dhcp
- nat
$ vmnet-cfgcli servicestart vmnet8 nat
Stop a specific vmware networking service. Valid types:
- dhcp
- nat
$ vmnet-cfgcli servicestop vmnet8 nat
- dhcp
- nat
Check status of a specific vmware networking service.
$ vmnet-cfgcli servicestatus vmnet8 nat
Returns list of configured features and runtime features for a given devices.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getvmnetfeatures vmnet8
Returns list of the adapters currently enabled on the host.
$ vmnet-cfgcli gethostadapterlist
Returns host adapter bridged to the given virtual adapter.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getbridge vmnet8
Unknown
$ vmnet-cfgcli movebridge ?
Returns if DHCP is configured to be used on the given device.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getdhcpsuage vmnet8
Enable/disable DHCP on a given device
$ vmnet-cfgcli setdhcpusage vmnet8 yes # enable
$ vmnet-cfgcli setdhcpusage vmnet8 no # disable
Updates dhcpd.conf file for the given device based on settings in the networking file. The DHCP service must be stopped for the update to be applied, otherwise it will fail.
$ vmnet-cfgcli updatedhcpfromconfig vmnet8
Unknown. Cannot determine correct param names.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getdhcpparam vmnet8 PARAM
Unknown. Cannot determine correct param names.
$ vmnet-cfgcli sethdcpparam vmnet8 PARAM VALUE
Reserve an IP for a specific MAC on given device.
$ vmnet-cfgcli setdhcpmac2ip vmnet8 00:50:56:2B:1C:A3 172.16.30.129
Returns IP address reserved for specific MAC on given device. It is important to note this is not used for discovery of active IP address lease for a MAC.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getdhcpmac2ip vmnet8 00:50:56:2B:1C:A3
Returns all reserved MAC/IP mappings on given device.
$ vmnet-cfgcli enumdhcpmac2ip vmnet8
Returns if NAT is enabled on given device.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getnatusage vmnet8
Enable/disable NAT on given device
$ vmnet-cfgcli setnatusage vmnet8 yes # enable
$ vmnet-cfgcli setnatusage vmnet8 no # disable
Update NAT configuration for given device using configuration defined within the networking file.
$ vmnet-cfgcli updatenatfromconfig vmnet8
Unknown. Cannot determine correct parameter names.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getnatparam vmnet8 PARAM
Unknown. Cannot determine correct parameter names.
$ vmnet-cfgcli setnatparam vmnet8 PARAM VALUE
Get the Guest IP and port for a current port forward using the provided device, protocol, and host port.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getnatportfwd vmnet8 tcp 8080
Add a new port forward on the given device. Parameter structure:
DEVICE PROTOCOL HOST_PORT GUEST_IP GUEST_PORT
NOTE: Description cannot be set with the CLI command
$ vmnet-cfgcli setnatportfwd vmnet8 tcp 8080 172.16.30.129 80
This can also be used to remove a port forward by only specifying the
DEVICE PROTCOL HOST_PORT
$ vmnet-cfgcli setnatportfwd vmnet8 tcp 8080
Return list of port forwards for given device.
$ vmnet-cfgcli enumportfwd vmnet8
Deletes device configuration from networking file
$ vmnet-cfgcli deletevnet vmnet8
Disable a host only adapter. This will disable the given adapter but does not remove it.
NOTE: Exit code is always 1
$ vmnet-cfgcli disablehostonlyadap vmnet8
Enable a currently disabled host only adapter.
$ vmnet-cfgcli enablehostonlyadap vmnet8
Updates the given adapter from the networking configuration file.
NOTE: Exit code is always 1
$ vmnet-cfgcli updateadapterfromconfig vmnet8
Returns the subnet currently assigned to the given device.
$ vmnet-cfgcli assignsubnet vmnet8
Create a new virtual device. Automatically assigns a new subnet.
NOTE: Even devices get 172.16.x.x addresses, odd get 192.168.x.x
$ vmnet-cfgcli addadapter vmnet4
Remove a virtual device.
$ vmnet-cfgcli removeadapter vmnet4
Provides number of configured vmnets.
NOTE: This currently just returns count of 256 and reports an error.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getvmnetcount
Unknown. This looks to be a tool to query existing adapters that match a specific query. Unknown what query structure looks like.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getvnetwithfeatures QUERY
Set the subnet address on a device. Can be used when adding a new interface to adjust assigned address prior to creating the actual device.
$ vmnet-cfgcli setsubnetaddr vmnet8 192.168.33.1
Set the subnet mask on the device. Can be used when adding a new interface to adjust the assigned subnet mask prior to creating the actual device.
$ vmnet-cfgcli setsubnetmask vment8 255.255.255.0
Get a configuration value that was set on an adapter. These are freeform configuration values, not values that are used internally(?).
$ vmnet-cfgcli vnetcfgget vmnet8 mykey
Add a new configuration value to an adapter. These are freeform configuration values, not values that are used internally(?).
$ vmnet-cfgcli vnetcfgadd vmnet8 mykey:myvalue
Remove a configuration key from an adapter.
$ vmnet-cfgcli vnetcfgremove vmnet8 mykey
Returns the default interface used for bridging. The value returned
is the vmnet number, which can be tracked to a physical device
name using the gethostadapterlist command.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getdefaultbridge
Set the default interface used for bridging to the given value. Value
should be the vmnet number of the interface, which can be found
using the gethostadapterlist command.
$ vmnet-cfgcli setdefaultbridge 0
Export the current networking configuration to the given path.
$ vmnet-cfgcli exportconfig /path/to/networking.config
Import networking configuration from the given path.
$ vmnet-cfgcli importconfig /path/to/networking.config
Creates and initializes the networking configuration database (the networking file).
NOTE: This will remove an existing networking file and all of it's contents.
$ vmnet-cfgcli createdb
Returns a valid subnet and mask that is currently unused.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getunusedsubnet
Returns a valid unused vmnet name (like vmnet4).
NOTE: This uses getvnetwithfeatures library internally and is likely useful
in figuring out query syntax at some point.
$ vmnet-cfgcli getunusedvnet