How to Change iLO IP, Subnet, Gateway, and Reset Administrator Password on an ESXi Host

If you manage HPE ProLiant servers, there will come a time when you need to update the iLO IP, subnet, or gateway remotely—or even reset the forgotten iLO Administrator password. In this guide, I will show you how to perform these tasks on an ESXi host using iLOrest, without requiring physical access to the data center.

Step 1: Check Current iLO Network Configuration

Run the following command to display the iLO details:

[root@localhost:~] esxcli hardware ipmi bmc get
   BMCFirmware Version: 2.30
   Hostname Reported: ProLiant DL360 Gen10
   IPMIVersion: 2.0
   IPv4Address: 10.40.95.2
   IPv4Gateway: 10.40.90.1
   IPv4Subnet: 255.255.255.224
   IPv6Addresses: fe80::9640:c9ff:fe2a:eeaa
   LANif Admin Status: true
   MACAddress: 94:40:c9:2a:ee:aa
   Manufacturer: Hewlett Packard Enterprise
   OSName Reported: VMware ESXi    8.0.3 24280767 U3 P35 24280767
[root@localhost:~]

At this stage, we confirm that the gateway is incorrect.

Step 2: Access iLOrest on ESXi

Start iLOrest directly from the ESXi host:

[root@localhost:~] /opt/ilorest/bin/ilorest_esxcli
<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<output xmlns="http://www.vmware.com/Products/ESX/5.0/esxcli/">
<list type = "string">
<string><![CDATA[
iLORest : RESTful Interface Tool version 5.2.0.0
Copyright (c) 2014-2024 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
-------------------------------------------------------------------
iLORest >

Step 3: Change iLO IP, Subnet, and Gateway

Run the following command:

iLORest > ethernet --network_ipv4 10.50.90.30,10.50.90.1,255.255.255.224
Discovering data...Done
ERROR: 'Gateway'
iLOrest return code: 255
iLORest > exit

If you see an error (ERROR: 'Gateway'), don’t worry—the changes are usually still applied. Verify them with:

[root@localhost:~] esxcli hardware ipmi bmc get
   BMCFirmware Version: 2.30
   Hostname Reported: ProLiant DL360 Gen10
   IPMIVersion: 2.0
   IPv4Address: 10.50.90.30
   IPv4Gateway: 10.50.90.1
   IPv4Subnet: 255.255.255.224
   IPv6Addresses: fe80::9640:c9ff:fe2a:eeaa
   LANif Admin Status: true
   MACAddress: 94:40:c9:2a:ee:aa
   Manufacturer: Hewlett Packard Enterprise
   OSName Reported: VMware ESXi    8.0.3 24280767 U3 P35 24280767
[root@localhost:~]

Now the iLO is showing the correct IP, subnet, and gateway.

Step 4: Restart iLO

Reset iLO to activate the new settings:

[root@localhost:~] /opt/ilorest/bin/ilorest_esxcli iloreset
<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<output xmlns="http://www.vmware.com/Products/ESX/5.0/esxcli/">
<list type = "string">
<string><![CDATA[
iLORest : RESTful Interface Tool version 5.2.0.0
Copyright (c) 2014-2024 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
------------------------------------------------------------------
Discovering data...Done
A management processor reset is in progress.
iLORest return code: 0
]]></string>
</list>
</output>
[root@localhost:~]

You’ll see a confirmation message that the reset is in progress.

Step 5: Reset Forgotten iLO Administrator Password

If you’ve lost or forgotten the iLO Administrator password, you can reset it from the ESXi host—but only if the server was installed with the HPE Custom ESXi image (which includes the required iLOrest extensions).

Use this command:

/opt/ilorest/bin/ilorest_esxcli iloaccounts changepass Administrator NEWPASSWORD

This updates the password for the Administrator account.

Conclusion

With iLOrest, you can remotely:

• Change the iLO IP, subnet, and gateway
• Restart iLO to apply settings.
• Reset the forgotten Administrator password (with HPE Custom ESXi image).

This is a powerful way to manage HPE ProLiant servers when physical access is not an option.

Wishing you a successful day!

Best regards,
Hasan