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Jetson Nano USB Networking Debug Guide (VMware)

This guide explains how to fix Jetson Nano USB networking when following jetson burn instructions.

🧯 Quick Reference: What Command to Run When

Situation Command
USB not showing up in VM Connect via VM > Removable Devices
Interface is down sudo ip link set ensXXX up
No IP assigned sudo dhclient ensXXX
DHCP fails sudo ip addr add 192.168.55.100/24 dev ensXXX
SSH doesn't respond sudo systemctl start ssh
Connection randomly breaks sudo dhclient -v

🟡 SCENARIO: Your VM doesn’t get an IP address or can’t ping 192.168.55.1

You’re in this situation if: - ip a inside the VM shows ens35u1 or ens35u1i5, but no IPv4 address - You run ping 192.168.55.1 and it fails - SDK Manager can’t detect the Jetson even though it’s booted

🔧 Step-by-step fix:

  1. Make sure VMware has the USB device connected to the VM:

In VMware: - Go to VM > Removable Devices - Find the NVIDIA USB Gadget or Linux File-Stor Gadget - Click Connect (Disconnect from Host)

  1. Bring the interfaces up in the VM:
sudo ip link set ens35u1 up
sudo ip link set ens35u1i5 up
  1. Try getting an IP via DHCP:
sudo dhclient ens35u1

or

sudo dhclient ens35u1i5
  • ✅ If ping 192.168.55.1 works after this — you're done.

  • ❌ If dhclient just hangs or fails, continue below.

  • Manually assign an IP address:

sudo ip addr add 192.168.55.100/24 dev ens35u1i5
  1. Now test it:
ping 192.168.55.1
ssh hiwonder@192.168.55.1

🔵 SCENARIO: SDK Manager still doesn't connect, even after ping works

If ping 192.168.55.1 works, but SDK Manager can’t connect:

  • Make sure SSH is running on the Jetson:
sudo systemctl start ssh
  • Then, in SDK Manager:
  • Set Connection to: Manual
  • IP: 192.168.55.1
  • Username: hiwonder
  • Password: your Jetson Nano password
  • Click Refresh

🔁 SCENARIO: Internet broke

You were able to ping or connect before, but now it stopped.

🧼 Simple fix:

sudo dhclient -v

This renews the DHCP lease and resets the network.

If it doesn’t work: - Replug the Jetson’s USB cable - Reconnect the USB gadget in VMware - Repeat steps from the “no IP” scenario above