Install RealTek based gigabit NIC driver on ESXi 6.7 / 6.5 / 5.5 (TP-Link TG-3468)

Overview:
VMware ESXi does not have Realtek drivers included in their ISO image so you will have to manually install a “community based” driver to enable your Realtek based network cards (such as the TP-Link TG3468) to become usable. To do this perform the following on the ESXi host PowerCLI command line.

Driver: (VIB file) by Dmitry Nechaev
https://vibsdepot.v-front.de/wiki/index.php/Net55-r8168
Latest as of 2018-04-16 is version 8.045a: net55-r8168-8.045a-napi.x86_64.vib

Procedure:

1. Ensure SSH is enabled on the ESXI host
   • Login to your ESXi Host
   • Browse to: Host > Manage > [Services] > TSM SSH (Start this service)
     
     
2. Upload the VIB file into a data store (use a local data store for simplicity)
   • For example:
     Datastore name: MyHost-LocalData
     Subfolder: VIB-Drivers
     
     
3. SSH into your ESXi host & set the acceptance level to “Community Supported”
   • [root@localhost:~] esxcli software acceptance set –level=CommunitySupported
     Host acceptance level changed to ‘CommunitySupported’
     
     
4. Get the full path to the VIB file by browsing to the location on the datastore using the cd “change directory” command. Datastores are within the /vmfs/volumes/ folder
   
   [root@localhost:~] cd /vmfs/volumes/MyHostLocalData/VIB-Drivers/
   You will notice on the command prompt, the path to “MyHostLocalData” will change to the actual ID of the datastore
   [root@localhost:/vmfs/volumes/5efaf50f-0e515286-7383-3417ebc3d579/VIB-Drivers]
   This is the “full path” that you should use in the install command
   
   
5. Install the VIB Driver
   [root@localhost:~] esxcli software vib install -v /vmfs/volumes/5efaf50f-0e515286-7383-3417ebc3d579/VIB-Drivers/net55-r8168-8.045a-napi.x86_64.vib
   After hitting Enter : Wait about 1-2 minutes – There is no visible progress
   Installation Result
   Message: The update completed successfully, but the system needs to be rebooted for the changes to be effective.
   Reboot Required: true
   VIBs Installed: Realtek_bootbank_net55-r8168_8.045a-napi
   VIBs Removed:
   VIBs Skipped:
   
   To update/upgrade the driver with a new VIB file in the future use the update keyword instead of install.
   
   
6. Reboot the ESXi host to allow the driver to come into effect
   You should now be able to see in Networking > Physical NICs a vmnic with driver “r8168”

References:

1. Install TP-LINK drivers on ESXI 6.5 : https://blog.stackattack.net/2017/02/04/tp-link-tg-3468-and-vmware-esxi-6-5/
2. How to Install or Upgrade esxi Driver: https://dailysysadmin.com/KB/Article/3626/install-vib-files-or-update-drivers-in-vmware-esxi-using-the-command-line/
3. Driver Source (from Creator): RealTek based NIC driver https://vibsdepot.v-front.de/wiki/index.php/Net55-r8168