Virtual IP setup Problem

[Madhur]

I am trying to run multiple network nodes (A, B, C, D and E). Each
node requires unique IP address to be assigned. Due to crunch of linux
machines at home, I planned to use Virtual IP, running A, B, C and D
on Machine 1 and E on Machine 2. An IP packet is expected to travel
from D to C, C to B and B to outside network. On the other way around
from the outside network -> B, B->C and C->D. Lets I ping a machine
in the outside network. I can see the packet traversing D->C, C->B B-
>outside network and on the way around outside network ->B, B->C, C-
>D, but the ping response is not shown at command prompt. This means
the packet is getting dropped at the IP stack of Machine 2.
When I had close look at the packets, I could observe that packets
which are coming out from C->D were with Ethernet MAC address being
all zeroes. This might be the cause of IP packets getting dropped. Is
there a solution I can avoid so that packets are not dropped. When I
start doing pinging C from D, ping packets from the outside network
gets displayed. For time being temporary solution, I start redundant
ping which keeps pinging C from D.
This problem is almost killing my multiple node issue. I kindly
request for help.

[Wanna-Be Sys Admin]

Madhur wrote:

That was a little difficult for me to read, having just woken up, so
maybe I'll try again later. In the meantime, can you show some real
examples, show the output of route, iptables (if you use it), ifconfig,
as well as the eth0, 1 or 2 nic interface, and the network file to
start, so we can see the actual IPs, broadcast, netmask, etc. in the
config's, as well as the output of route, ifconfig, etc.?
--
Not really a wanna-be, but I don't know everything.