EAP packets to MAC addresses of VMware VMs are also reacted to by the

[Lemin Yamal Y Que Fue]

A Windows 11 host 24H2 with active 802.1x on the LAN, installed VMWare Workstation and VMs that use the host LAN adapter in bridge mode responds to EAP packets from the switch that are sent to the MAC address of the VM. Why? As a result, the host itself falls out of the VLAN assigned to it after booting and EAP Success, because responding to the wrong EAPs for the host from the switch also restarts authentication. Does anyone have any idea why the host responds to EAP packets that are not for their MAC address?

Any assistance would be appreciated.

[Enes Simnica]

hello @Lemin Yamal Y Que Fue Let me try and answer ur question in the most shortest way possible!!!!!! 

VMware bridging + Windows 802.1X = the host sees the VM’s EAPOL packets and mistakenly responds to them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and the most common way to fix this issue :

1. Disable 802.1X on the VMware bridge adapter, or
2. Use NAT mode instead of bridged, or
3. Configure the switch port for multi-auth or MDA so host + VMs can authenticate separately.....

hope it helps, and let me know if u need more help...

-Enes