VMware Esx 3.5 Server & Windows 2003 Server

I configured a VMware ESX 3.5 server [runs stripped down red hat linux], say IP Address:
199.95.230.70
255.255.255.0
DNS: 199.95.230.66 [which is a Windows 2003 DC]

I also have a Windows 2003 Domain Controller Server, 199.95.230.66, 255.255.255.0, DNS: 199.95.230.66.

This is all internal, and there is no router/gateway, just a few machines hooked up to a linksys 5 port switch.

I also have a XP pro box, and the server 2003 and Xp can ping each other,
but the Vmware cannot ping any of the windows boxes, and the windows boxes cannot ping the vmware server.

All machines have been configured in the hosts files of each box.

Can anyone tell me why I cannot ping the VMware esx 3.5 server. I cannot even ping the servers from the ESX server.
From the windows machines i can ping other windows boxes, but not the VMware box.

I'd like to ssh into the vmware box from a windows box but if I cannot ping it I won't be able to SSH.

Any ideas why?

Thanks

I had same issue , but it had more to do with Domain names , for example
my window boxs were workgroup ,and the Red hat was domain and I had
to set the Redhat to lookup network setting ( forgot the setting its been a few years)It in Network settings , I could see all boxs and print sharing.