Fix ESXi "No Network Adapters" Error

If you are setting up a home lab or a private cloud on non-enterprise bare-metal hardware, VMware ESXi is likely your hypervisor of choice. However, the installation process can quickly come to a halt with a frustrating red screen displaying the message:

"No Network Adapters Were Detected. Either no network adapters are physically connected to the system, or a suitable driver could not be located."

In this quick tutorial, we will explain exactly why this error occurs and provide a step-by-step guide to fixing it by creating a custom ESXi ISO.

Why Does This Error Occur?

VMware is designed for enterprise environments. To keep the ESXi installation file (ISO) lightweight, VMware strictly adheres to its Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) and does not include drivers for standard, consumer-grade network cards (like Realtek or older desktop-grade Intel NICs).

If your bare-metal server uses a network interface card (NIC) that isn't on the official HCL, the ESXi installer simply cannot "see" your network port.

The solution? You need to manually inject the missing driver into the ESXi installation file.

Prerequisites: What You Will Need

Before starting, ensure you have downloaded the following files:

VMware ESXi Offline Bundle (.zip): Available from the Broadcom/VMware portal.
ESXi-Customizer-PS: A free PowerShell script available on GitHub.
The .VIB driver file: The specific driver for your server's network card (e.g., Realtek).

Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace

Create a new folder on your C:\ drive to keep things organized. Let's name it C:\ESXi-Build.

Inside this folder, place the ESXi-Customizer-PS.ps1 script and your ESXi Offline Bundle .zip file. Then, create a subfolder named Drivers where you will place your downloaded .VIB file.

Step 2: Configure Windows PowerShell

To run the customizer script, you need to install VMware PowerCLI and adjust your Windows execution policies. Open Windows PowerShell as an Administrator and run:

Install-Module -Name VMware.PowerCLI -AllowClobber
Next, allow the customizer script to run by lowering the execution policy:

PowerShell

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
Step 3: Inject the Driver and Build the ISO
Now, it is time to run the script that will fuse your missing network driver with the ESXi installer. In your PowerShell window, navigate to your build folder and run the command:

PowerShell

.\ESXi-Customizer-PS.ps1 -vft -load net55-r8168 -pkgDir C:\ESXi-Build\Drivers
(Note: Replace net55-r8168 with the exact name of the VIB driver file you downloaded).

Step 4: Boot and Install
The script will take a few minutes to process. Once completed, you will find a brand-new, custom .iso file inside your C:\ESXi-Build folder!

Flash this newly created ISO to a USB flash drive using a tool like Rufus. Insert the USB into your bare-metal server and boot it up. This time, the installer will successfully detect your network adapter, and you can proceed with setting up your virtual environment.