6.5.1

Table Of Contents
What to do next
You can now add the device to the virtual machine. See Add USB Devices from an ESXi Host to a Virtual
Machine.
Add a USB Controller to a Virtual Machine in the
VMware Host Client
USB controllers can be added to virtual machines to support USB passthrough from an ESXi host or from
a client computer to a virtual machine.
You can add one virtual xHCI controller, one virtual EHCI controller, and one virtual UHCI controller per
virtual machine. With Hardware Version 11, the supported number of root hub ports per xHCI controller is
eight (four logical USB 3.0 ports and four logical USB 2.0 ports).
The conditions for adding a controller vary, depending on the device version, the type of passthrough
(host or client computer), and the guest operating system.
Table 58. USB Controller Support
Controller type
Supported USB Device
Version
Supported for Passthrough
from ESXi Host to VM
Supported for Passthrough from
Client Computer to VM
EHCI+UHCI 2.0 and 1.1 Yes Yes
xHCI 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1 Yes (USB 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1
devices only)
Yes (Linux, Windows 8 and later, and
Windows Server 2012 and later guests)
For Mac OS X systems, the EHCI+UHCI controller is enabled by default and is required for USB mouse
and keyboard access.
For virtual machines with Linux guests, you can add one or both controllers, but 3.0 superspeed devices
are not supported for passthrough from an ESXi host to a virtual machine. You cannot add two controllers
of the same type.
For USB passthrough from an ESXi host to a virtual machine, the USB arbitrator can monitor a maximum
of 15 USB controllers. If your system includes controllers that exceed the 15 controller limit and you
connect USB devices to them, the devices are not available to the virtual machine.
Prerequisites
n
ESXi hosts must have USB controller hardware and modules that support USB 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1
devices present.
n
Client computers must have USB controller hardware and modules that support USB 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1
devices present.
n
To use the xHCI controller on a Linux guest, ensure that the Linux kernel version is 2.6.35 or later.
n
Verify that the virtual machine is powered on.
n
Required Privilege (ESXi host passthrough): Virtual Machine.Configuration.Add or Remove
Device
vSphere Virtual Machine Administration
VMware, Inc. 160