Minisforum MS-A2 HOW TO: Install the NEW Realtek driver on ESXi 9.0

In this video, I walk you step-by-step through installing the new Realtek network driver on VMware ESXi 9.0 for the Minisforum MS-A2. If you’ve found that only a limited number of network interfaces are detected out of the box, this guide shows how to install the Broadcom-compiled Realtek driver (Fling) and unlock support for additional Realtek NICs — including 1GbE, 2.5GbE, 5GbE, and 10GbE. We’ll cover everything from downloading the driver, copying it to the ESXi datastore, installing it via SSH, rebooting safely, and finally confirming the new network interfaces are available and working. Big thanks to Henrychan1973 🙌 📌 Chapters 00:00 - Start 00:03 - Welcome to Hancock's VMware Half Hour 00:37 - Todays video - HOW TO Install Realtek driver on ESXi 9.0 00:55 - Broadcom Released the Realtek Driver fling in November 2025 01:55 - Minisforum MS-A2 - VCF 9.0 Homelab of the Year 2025 ! 02:26 - Available as a Broadcom Fling - Tech Preview - not for production 02:55 - I'm not a fan of Realtek let it be known! 03:11 - Go to Broadcom Fling Portal site to download - https://support.broadcom.com/group/ec... 03:22 - Download the driver don't forget to Accept the Agreement! 03:51 - Enable SSH on Host, and use WinSCP to copy to local datastore 04:31 - Whoops Zoom is broke again! 05:07 - Connect to host using SSH 05:22 - Use lspci to show PCI devices in the host 06:05 - Use grep - lspci | grep Realtek 07:01 - Install the driver using esxcli software component apply -d /VMware-Re-Driver_1.101.00-5vmw.800.1.0.20613240.zip 07:59 - A reboot is required, reboot the server 08:36 - Reboot server 09:20 - The reason for the 10th Outake ! 10:01 - Login to ESXi 9.0 using HTML Client 10:51 - Realtek driver is installed and network interfaces are available for use 11:07 - HenryChan1973 this video is for you! 12:23 - Thanks for Watching 🛠 Command used in this video esxcli software component apply -d path VMware-Re-Driver_1.101.00-5vmw.800.1.0.20613240.zip 🔔 Like, Subscribe & Support If this video helped you: 👍 Like the video 🔔 Subscribe for more VMware, ESXi, and homelab content 💬 Drop a comment if you’re running ESXi on Minisforum or other mini PCs Welcome to Hancock’s VMware Half Hour — practical VMware, no fluff. Gear Used: 5G PCIe Network Adapter, RTL8126 5G/2.5G/1G/100Mbps Binardat Ethernet Card RJ45 LAN Controller with Low Profile, Support PXE for Windows 11/10, Linux https://amzn.to/454exlH MINISFORUM AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX Barebone with MS-A2 Mini PC (16C/32T, up to 5.4GHz), PCIe×16, HDMI/2x USB-C (8K@60Hz), 2x SFP+ 10G, 2x 2.5G LAN, 3x SSD M.2 (2280/22110/U.2),NO RAM/SSD/OS https://amzn.to/4jBO05k TP-Link UB4A Nano USB Bluetooth Adapter for PC, USB Bluetooth Dongle for PC, Broader Coverage, Supports Windows, Plug&Play, Nano-Sized, Compact&Portable, BLE, Controller, Headset, Mouse, Keyboard https://amzn.to/4bcPCQX Crucial DDR5 RAM 128GB Kit (2x64GB) 5600MHz SODIMM, Laptop Computer Memory, Mini PC (or 5200MHz, 4800MHz) CL46 - CT2K64G56C46S5 https://amzn.to/4qTfiXj Kingston Fury 64GB DDR4 RAM - https://amzn.to/4i7RhZs 512GB XPG GAMMIX NVMe SSDs - https://amzn.to/4o3eLAf Intel NUC 11 Extreme (Beast Canyon) - https://amzn.to/4p8aNHh WERPOWER M.2 to U.2 (SFF-8639) PCIe NVMe SSD Cable- PCIe NVMe U.2 (SFF-8639) - https://amzn.to/4pbou8m Samsung 990 EVO Plus, 4TB, PCIe 4.0 x4 / 5.0 x2, NVMe2.0 (up to 7250 MB/s), NVMe M.2 (2280), Internal Solid State Drive (SSD), MZ-V9S4T0BW - https://amzn.to/4o269Ka Samsung 990 PRO NVMe M.2 SSD, 4 TB, PCIe 4.0 - https://amzn.to/4hZx2Ng 👉 If you’re into homelabs, Nutanix, VMware, or virtualization in general, this is a must-watch. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and comment to support future videos. ☕ Enjoying the content? Support me with an espresso coffee! 👉 Buy Me an Espresso Coffee! - https://buymeacoffee.com/einsteinagogo Donate - https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/Andre... 🐝 Want to support British beekeeping? Get RAW PURE honey here! 👉https://meltonbyhoney.com/ Sorry UK only, unless demand increases to international destinations!    • Minisforum MS-A2 Series      • Newest Videos | Hancock's VMware Half Hour      • HOW TO: Series - VMware VCF 9.0      • HOW TO: Install ESXi ARM on a Raspberry Pi      • HOW TO: Veeam Backup & Replication for VMw...      • HOW TO: Nakivo Backup and Replication for ...   💡 Follow Hancock’s VMware Half Hour for more: YouTube -    / @einsteinagogo   Twitter -   / einsteinagogo   LinkedIn-   / andrewhancock