The driver will persist automatically after VIB installation. To ensure it loads early:
ESXi 6.7 marked a turning point. VMware began moving away from the legacy VMKlinux infrastructure. While the net55-r8169 driver technically worked in early 6.7 builds, it became increasingly unstable as updates were released. Users often had to downgrade ESXi or hunt for specific patches to keep their network adapters functioning. esxi realtek driver
# Enable SSH esxcli system ssh server enable The driver will persist automatically after VIB installation
Historically, Realtek driver support has evolved through three main phases. Understanding which driver applies to your ESXi version is the first step to success. esxi realtek driver
SSH into your ESXi host: