EP5: Basic Networking in VMware Workstation

In this episode, you’ll learn how to set up basic networking in VMware Workstation, and how to configure IP addresses in RHEL or Rocky Linux 9 using the command line — exactly like you’ll do in the RHCSA exam.

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🧩 How Networking Works in VMware Workstation

VMware creates virtual network adapters to connect your VM to the real world.

Most common options:

✅ Recommendation: Use Bridged Adapter so your VM behaves like a real server on your network.

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🛠️ Step 1: Set VM to Bridged Mode in VMware Workstation

1. Shut down your VM

2. Right-click → Settings

3. Go to Network Adapter

4. Select Bridged: Connected directly to the physical network

5. (Optional) Check: Replicate physical network connection state

6. Click OK, then Power ON the VM

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🖥️ Step 2: Check Network Inside Linux (RHEL / Rocky 9)

nmcli stands for:

Network Manager Command Line Interface

1. Check Interface Status

Copynmcli device status

Look for interfaces like ens33, enp0s3, or eth0

2. Show IP Address

Copyip a

✅ If DHCP is working, your VM should get an IP like 192.168.1.X or similar from your router.

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⚙️ Step 3: Enable Interface (if no IP)

Copynmcli connection show
nmcli connection up ens33

Replace ens33 with your actual interface name

If still not working:

Copysystemctl restart NetworkManager

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🔧 Step 4: Set Static IP Address (RHCSA Requirement)

In the RHCSA exam, you must know how to set a static IP using CLI.

Example (using nmcli):

Copynmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.addresses 192.168.1.100/24
nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.gateway 192.168.1.1
nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.dns 8.8.8.8
nmcli con mod ens33 ipv4.method manual
nmcli con up ens33

🔍 Replace ens33 with your actual interface name.

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🔍 Step 5: Test & Verify Network

Copyip a
ping -c 3 google.com

✅ If you can ping, your networking is working.

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🧠 Common Networking CLI Commands

🎁 Bonus: Basic Static Routing in Linux

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🧠 Why Add a Static Route?

Sometimes, your VM/server needs to reach a different subnet (e.g., 10.10.10.0/24), and the default gateway (example: R1) doesn’t know where that is.

A static route tells your Linux system:

“To reach this network, send traffic through this gateway.”

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🔧 1. Add Static Route – Non-Persistent (Temporary)

This method adds the route immediately, but it will be lost after reboot.

🔹 Command:

Copyip route add 10.10.10.0/24 via 192.168.19.1 dev ens34

🔹 Check the route:

Copyip route show

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🔐 2. Make Static Route Persistent (Survives Reboot)

For RHCSA and real servers, persistent routing is preferred.

There are two ways depending on RHEL/Rocky version:

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✅ Option A: Use nmcli (recommended for RHCSA)

Copynmcli connection modify ens33 +ipv4.routes "10.10.10.0/24 192.168.19.1"
nmcli connection up ens33

The + appends the route (so you don’t overwrite existing config)

🔍 Then check:

Copynmcli connection show ens33 | grep ipv4.routes

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✅ Option B: Edit config file (alternative method)

For interface ens33, edit this file:

Copysudo nano /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/route-ens33

Add this line:

Copy10.10.10.0/24 via 192.168.19.1 dev ens33

Save and exit.

Then:

Copysudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

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🛠️ Troubleshooting Commands