Comment thread started by Daniel Casota on USB Network Native Driver for ESXi

Has someone a recipe to run the fling on ESXi7.0U3 with a delock usb-c-to-ethernet-adapter with the AX88179 chip ?

The vendor delock isn't mentioned in requirements.

Export-esximageprofile on ESXi-7.0U3g-20328353-standard ended with the following issue.

Export-EsxImageProfile : Error retrieving file for VIB 'VMW_bootbank_vmkusb-nic-fling_1.10-1vmw.703.0.50.55634242': ("<zipfile.ZipExtFile name='vib20/vmkusb-nic-fling/VMW_bootbank_vmkusb-nic-fling_1.10-1vmw.703.0.50.55634242.vib' mode='r'
compress_type=deflate>", "Error opening file object for VIB 'VMW_bootbank_vmkusb-nic-fling_1.10-1vmw.703.0.50.55634242': Expected value '[]' for attribute 'swplatforms', but found value '[<vmware.esximage.Vib.SoftwarePlatform object at
0x00000194BF8C1288>]'.").

Afaik there are different type of issues.

- Export-EsxImageProfile -ExportToIso fails for different reasons (vmkcapi version, expected attribute swplatforms value)
- fling version 47140841 on ESXi : 'failed to check acceptance levels' issue

Didn't find yet any combination for an ExportToIso'ified fling version.

ESXi version Fling version Additional driver injection Successful ExportToISO Successful run Delock AX88179
ESXi-7.0U3g-20328353-standard.zip ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-55634242-component-19849370.zip Net-Community-Driver_1.2.7.0-1vmw.700.1.0.15843807_19480755.zip no -
ESXi-7.0U3g-20328353-standard.zip ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-51233328-component-18902399.zip Net-Community-Driver_1.2.7.0-1vmw.700.1.0.15843807_19480755.zip no -
ESXi-7.0U3g-20328353-standard.zip ESXi702-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-47140841-component-18150468.zip Net-Community-Driver_1.2.7.0-1vmw.700.1.0.15843807_19480755.zip -
ESXi-7.0U3e-19898904-standard.zip ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-55634242-component-19849370.zip Net-Community-Driver_1.2.7.0-1vmw.700.1.0.15843807_19480755.zip
ESXi-7.0U3e-19898904-standard.zip ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-51233328-component-18902399.zip Net-Community-Driver_1.2.7.0-1vmw.700.1.0.15843807_19480755.zip
ESXi-7.0U3e-19898904-standard.zip ESXi702-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-47140841-component-18150468.zip Net-Community-Driver_1.2.7.0-1vmw.700.1.0.15843807_19480755.zip
ESXi-7.0U3c-19193900-standard.zip ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-55634242-component-19849370.zip Net-Community-Driver_1.2.7.0-1vmw.700.1.0.15843807_19480755.zip no
ESXi-7.0U3c-19193900-standard.zip ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-51233328-component-18902399.zip Net-Community-Driver_1.2.7.0-1vmw.700.1.0.15843807_19480755.zip no
ESXi-7.0U3c-19193900-standard.zip ESXi702-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-47140841-component-18150468.zip Net-Community-Driver_1.2.7.0-1vmw.700.1.0.15843807_19480755.zip
ESXi-7.0U2e-19290878-standard.zip ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-55634242-component-19849370.zip Net-Community-Driver_1.2.7.0-1vmw.700.1.0.15843807_19480755.zip no
ESXi-7.0U2e-19290878-standard.zip ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-51233328-component-18902399.zip Net-Community-Driver_1.2.7.0-1vmw.700.1.0.15843807_19480755.zip no
ESXi-7.0U2e-19290878-standard.zip ESXi702-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-47140841-component-18150468.zip Net-Community-Driver_1.2.7.0-1vmw.700.1.0.15843807_19480755.zip yes no (failed to validate acceptance levels)
ESXi-7.0U2e-19290878-standard.zip ESXi702-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-47140841-component-18150468.zip yes no (failed to validate acceptance levels)

Not one combination of fling release + ESXi release 6.7U3, 7.0GA - 7.0U3g ran successfully on a lowcost hpe 250 g8 laptop. As said, it is a lowcost laptop, but useful for testing purposes.

6.7U3 without the fling but onboard Realtek usb/ethernet/lan controller (usb device 0bda:b00e) produces a purple screen of death.

The only 'buildable iso + starting' combination in 7.0,7.0U1, 7.0U2 with a fling release was the 47140841 release with 7.0U2e, but on ESXi start it produces a 'validate acceptance level' issue.

The 7.0U3a/b releases were withdrawn, so no test as suggested to use the matching fling releases.

Correlating fling + 7.0U3c/d were not buildable as iso. Tried different PowerCLI releases as well.

Latest fling +7.0U3e/f/g weren't buildable as iso.

7.03g without fling starts but doesn't detect the onboard Realtek chips.
An injection tecnique as soon as 'No Network Adapters' appears with ALT-F1, login, usbarbitrator stop, mcopy and 'localcli software vib install' ends with that the fling cannot be live installed which makes sense and is mentioned in the docs.

The uefi+secureboot_on setting on the laptop - I didn't change it. Hope this resume helps for debugging purposes.

Finally, I've found method to create an iso for the latest vmkusb-nic-fling on ESXi7.0U3g without vCenter.

Simply adding a previously created customized exporttobundle zipfile as depot and creating the iso didn't work. Hence, hopefully in the future there are more combinations of fling+esxi releases which work successfully with "new-esximageprofile -cloneprofile" + 'esxport-esximageprofile -exporttoiso'.

The method proposed uses the "new-esximageprofile -newprofile" cmdlet which means that every package has to be added manually. Here's the recipe.

#
# requirements/tested on:
# - Windows 10 with PowerCLI 12.7, Powershell desktop edition (core not supported)
# - copy the ESXi Offline Bundle VMware-ESXi-7.0U3g-20328353-depot.zip to c:\temp
# - copy the ESXi Driver VMKUSB Offline Bundle ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-55634242-component-19849370.zip to c:\temp
#

# Cleanup first. Don't mess up with previous depots
Write-Host -Foreground white "First, cleanup any previous loaded depots ..."
get-esxsoftwaredepot | foreach-object { remove-esxsoftwaredepot -SoftwareDepot $_.DepotUrl }

# ESXi Offline Bundle
Write-Host -Foreground white "Adding original ESXi Offline Bundle ..."
$esxiOfflineBundle = "c:\temp\VMware-ESXi-7.0U3g-20328353-depot.zip"
$esxiDepotBaseImages = get-depotbaseimages -Depot $esxiOfflineBundle
$esxiDepot = Add-EsxSoftwareDepot -DepotUrl $esxiOfflineBundle
$ESXIBaseImagePath = $esxiOfflineBundle
$ESXIBaseImageVersion = ($esxiDepotBaseImages).Version

# ESXi Driver VMKUSB Offline Bundle
Write-Host -Foreground white "Adding original ESXi Driver VMKUSB Offline Bundle ..."
$UsbFlingOfflineBundle = "c:\temp\ESXi703-VMKUSB-NIC-FLING-55634242-component-19849370.zip"
$UsbFlingDepotBaseImages = get-depotbaseimages -Depot $UsbFlingOfflineBundle
$UsbFlingDepot = Add-EsxSoftwareDepot -DepotUrl $UsbFlingOfflineBundle

# New ESXi Image Profile
Write-Host -Foreground white "Adding new ESXi image profile ..."
$vendor = "UnsupportedVendorBuild"
$newImageProfileName = (get-esximageprofile | where {($_.name -ilike '*-standard*') -and ($_.Vendor -ilike 'VMw*')}).Name + "-"+$vendor
# 'New-EsxImageProfile -Cloneprofile' with 'Export-EsxImageProfile -ExportToISO' actually does not work (tested with PowerCLI up to 12.7 and ESXi7.0U3g). Hence the packages are assembled manually.
$objEsxiImageProfile = New-EsxImageProfile -NewProfile -name $newImageProfileName -Vendor $vendor -SoftwarePackage "VMware_bootbank_esx-base_7.0.3-0.55.20328353","VMware_bootbank_esx-update_7.0.3-0.55.20328353"
# add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_esx-base_7.0.3-0.55.20328353
# add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_esx-update_7.0.3-0.55.20328353

# keep the package sequence
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_vsanhealth_7.0.3-0.55.20328353
#
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_smartpqi_70.4149.0.5000-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_vsan_7.0.3-0.55.20328353
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_nvmerdma_1.0.3.5-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_qfle3f_1.0.51.0-22vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_lsuv2-oem-lenovo-plugin_1.0.0-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_nhpsa_70.0051.0.100-4vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_lsi-msgpt2_20.00.06.00-4vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_nmlx5-rdma_4.19.16.11-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_esxio-combiner_7.0.3-0.55.20328353
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_qlnativefc_4.1.14.0-26vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_nmlx4-core_3.19.16.8-2vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_qfle3i_1.0.15.0-15vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_native-misc-drivers_7.0.3-0.55.20328353
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_ionic-en_16.0.0-16vmw.703.0.20.19193900

# Here is the added ESXi Driver VMKUSB Fling package
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_vmkusb_0.1-7vmw.703.0.50.20036589

add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_elxnet_12.0.1250.0-5vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_ixgben_1.7.1.35-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_iser_1.1.0.1-1vmw.703.0.50.20036589
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_igbn_1.4.11.2-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_lsuv2-oem-hp-plugin_1.0.0-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_sfvmk_2.4.0.2010-6vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_ntg3_4.1.7.0-0vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_lsi-msgpt35_19.00.02.00-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_trx_7.0.3-0.55.20328353
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_vdfs_7.0.3-0.55.20328353
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_gc_7.0.3-0.55.20328353
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_esx-dvfilter-generic-fastpath_7.0.3-0.55.20328353
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_nmlx4-rdma_3.19.16.8-2vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_esx-ui_1.43.8-19798623
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_bmcal_7.0.3-0.55.20328353
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_ne1000_0.9.0-1vmw.703.0.50.20036589
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_irdman_1.3.1.22-1vmw.703.0.50.20036589
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_nvmxnet3_2.0.0.30-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_loadesx_7.0.3-0.55.20328353
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_lsi-mr3_7.718.02.00-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_lpnic_11.4.62.0-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_lpfc_14.0.169.26-5vmw.703.0.50.20036589
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_rste_2.0.2.0088-7vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_elxiscsi_12.0.1200.0-9vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_lsuv2-hpv2-hpsa-plugin_1.0.0-3vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_vmkusb-nic-fling_1.10-1vmw.703.0.50.55634242
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_crx_7.0.3-0.55.20328353
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_atlantic_1.0.3.0-8vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_lsuv2-intelv2-nvme-vmd-plugin_2.7.2173-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_elx-esx-libelxima.so_12.0.1200.0-4vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_mtip32xx-native_3.9.8-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_icen_1.4.1.20-1vmw.703.0.50.20036589
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_nfnic_4.0.0.70-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_brcmfcoe_12.0.1500.2-3vmw.703.0.20.19193900
# keep the package sequence
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_qedentv_3.40.5.53-22vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_qedrntv_3.40.5.53-18vmw.703.0.20.19193900
#
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_vmw-ahci_2.0.11-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_lsi-msgpt3_17.00.12.00-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_lsuv2-oem-dell-plugin_1.0.0-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_vmkfcoe_1.0.0.2-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_esx-xserver_7.0.3-0.55.20328353
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_lsuv2-nvme-pcie-plugin_1.0.0-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_locker_tools-light_12.0.0.19345655-20036586
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_cpu-microcode_7.0.3-0.55.20328353
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_nmlx5-core_4.19.16.11-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_vmkata_0.1-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_qfle3_1.0.67.0-22vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_qcnic_1.0.15.0-14vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_i40en_1.11.1.31-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_lsuv2-lsiv2-drivers-plugin_1.0.0-12vmw.703.0.50.20036589
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_pvscsi_0.1-4vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_iavmd_2.7.0.1157-2vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_nvmetcp_1.0.0.1-1vmw.703.0.35.19482537
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_nenic_1.0.33.0-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_nvme-pcie_1.2.3.16-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_lsuv2-smartpqiv2-plugin_1.0.0-8vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMware_bootbank_vmware-esx-esxcli-nvme-plugin_1.2.0.44-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900
add-esxsoftwarepackage -imageprofile $newImageProfileName -SoftwarePackage VMW_bootbank_qflge_1.1.0.11-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900

# Generate customized bundle
Write-Host -Foreground white "Generating customized bundle file ..."
$ESXiCustomBundle = "C:\temp\"+$newImageProfileName+".zip"
Export-EsxImageProfile -ImageProfile $newImageProfileName -ExportToBundle -FilePath $ESXiCustomBundle -force

# Cleanup
Write-Host -Foreground white "Before adding the customized bundle as esxi software depot, cleanup the esxi depot ..."
get-esxsoftwaredepot | foreach-object { remove-esxsoftwaredepot -SoftwareDepot $_.DepotUrl }

# Add customized bundle as depot and create the iso
Write-Host -Foreground white "Adding the customized bundle and creating the iso ..."
Add-EsxSoftwareDepot -DepotUrl $ESXiCustomBundle
$esxiImageVendorProfileName = (get-esximageprofile | where {($_.name -ilike '*-standard*') -and ($_.Vendor -ilike $vendor)}).Name
$ESXiCustomIsoPath = "C:\temp\"+$esxiImageVendorProfileName+".iso"
Export-EsxImageProfile -ImageProfile $newImageProfileName -ExportToISO -FilePath $ESXiCustomIsoPath -force

# Cleanup
Write-Host -Foreground white "Cleanup ..."
get-esxsoftwaredepot | foreach-object { remove-esxsoftwaredepot -SoftwareDepot $_.DepotUrl }

Here's the 2nd (final) part of the recipe.

Proceed with the following steps as soon as the "Welcome to the VMware ESXi 7.0.3 Installation" window appears.

## Press ALT-F1 and login (root / no password )

# esxcfg-nics -l should display a vusb0 adapter. Write down the mac address value. Here a scripted solution. Change here if you need another nic adapters' mac address.
MACADDRESS=`esxcfg-nics -l ¦ awk ´{ if (NR==2) print $7 }´`

# display information about vmkusb_nic_fling
localcli system module get -m vmkusb_nic_fling
localcli system module parameters list -m vmkusb_nic_fling

# set mac address value
localcli system module parameters set -p "vusb_mac=$MACADDRESS" -m vmkusb_nic_fling

# set usbBusFullScanOnBootEnabled=1
localcli system module parameters set -p "usbBusFullScanOnBootEnabled=1" -m vmkusb_nic_fling

# add vSwitch0
localcli network vswitch standard add --vswitch-name="vSwitch0"

# add vusb0 to vSwitch0
localcli network vswitch standard uplink add -u vusb0 -v "vSwitch0"

# add the Management Network portgroup
localcli network vswitch standard portgroup add --portgroup-name="Management Network" --vswitch-name="vSwitch0"

# list the vSwitch0 configuration
esxcfg-vswitch -l

# configure vmkernel network interface
esxcfg-vmknic --add --ip DHCP --portgroup="Management Network"

# A message appears "GetManagementInterface: No interface was tagged for mgmt, selecting new one VmkNic: ProcessTagChanges: Refreshing DCUI after adding management vmknic"

# Some useful nic commands
# localcli network nic list
# localcli network nic down -n vusb0
# localcli network nic up -n vusb0

# Configure passthrough storage
# localcli hardware usb passthrough device list # Check your usb datastore
# localcli hardware usb passthrough device disable -d 1:4:781:55ab # e.g. an usb media SanDisk Corp.

# Leave the console
exit
# Press ALT-F2

# Keep in mind that the setup is not supported. Don't blame the developers. Press Enter to proceed.
# An in-place setup on the same usb media may not work. Use another media.

The 2nd recipe part has a typo - it's vusb0_mac.

# set mac address value
localcli system module parameters set -p "vusb0_mac=$MACADDRESS" -m vmkusb_nic_fling

A Satechi type-c 2-in-1 usb hub with ethernet (ST-TC2N1USB31AS, recognized as Realtek USB 101001000 LAN) attached as one only adapter on the laptop works with the vmkusb_nic_fling as well.
Attached sandisk (ultra dual drive luxe usb-c/usb3.1) sticks are recognized, and can be configured as passthrough devices. The sandisk sticks immediately get pretty hot right away. It is the same finding as on the esxionarm edition. To be kept in mind "vSphere 8.0 will no longer support SD-Card/USB only configuration, please refer to release notes."