Hi,
I am trying to install ESXi 5.1 on my home server, with mobo ASUS P8Z68-V Pro and CPU Intel i5-3550.
The onboard NIC on that mobo (Intel® 82579) appears to be unsupported, so I am looking into buying a cheap PCIe NIC that is supported.
My most available option is TP-Link TG-3468 10/100/1000 PCIe adapter, but I could not find it in the VMware I/O Compatibility Guide (vi_io_guide.pdf).
I have a feeling that I'm not reading that guide correctly, as I can't seem to find in there ANY adapter by TP-Link, which seems odd to me,
in addition to finding a post online (http://v-era.org/2012/06/26/how-to-build-an-affordable-yet-powerful-esxi-server/) by someone who managed to install ESXi 5.0 with the TP-Link NIC.
So, to sum up, is any of the following NICs compatible with VMware ESXi 5.1?
* TP-Link TG-3468
* TP-Link TG-3269
* Edimax EN-9235TX-32
* Tenda TEL9901G
(these are the models that are most available for purchase in my area)
Thanks,
- Itamar.