How to enable SSH on VMware ESXi Server

wrote by Rafael Marangoni, from BR Link team.

By default, the ssh login is disabled on VMware ESXi, in opposite way what it happens on VMware ESX Server.

But, there’s a way to enable SSH Login.

After the system is installed, go to the console screen and type:

ALT + F1

After that, a Black screen will appear (be calm, that is normal), then type:

unsupported

Next, the Server will prompt for root password. Then you type the root password.

Afterwards, you’ll have shell access. We need to edit the following file:

vi /etc/inetd.conf

Uncomment the line that starts with “SSH”. Save the file (it’s a normal vi, ZZ will do that for you).

Now reboot the server:

reboot

After it reboots, you should login with SSH on port TCP/22, and user root.