diff --git a/harvester_e2e_tests/fixtures/api_client.py b/harvester_e2e_tests/fixtures/api_client.py
index 9f9d55327..a4c05eba9 100644
--- a/harvester_e2e_tests/fixtures/api_client.py
+++ b/harvester_e2e_tests/fixtures/api_client.py
@@ -214,12 +214,21 @@ def reconnect(self, ipaddr, port=22, **kwargs):
                 kws.update(kwargs)
                 cli.connect(ipaddr, port, **kws)
 
-        def login(self, ipaddr, port=22, jumphost=False, **kwargs):
+        def login(self, ipaddr, port=22, jumphost=False, allow_agent=False,
+                  look_for_keys=False, **kwargs):
             if not self.client:
                 cli = SSHClient()
                 cli.set_missing_host_key_policy(MissingHostKeyPolicy())
                 kws = dict(username=self.username, password=self.password, pkey=self.pkey)
                 kws.update(kwargs)
+
+                # in case we're using a password to log into the host, this
+                # prevents paramiko from getting confused by ssh keys in the ssh
+                # agent:
+                if self.password and not self.pkey:
+                    kws.update(dict(allow_agent=allow_agent,
+                                    look_for_keys=look_for_keys))
+
                 cli.connect(ipaddr, port, **kws)
                 self._client = cli
 
diff --git a/harvester_e2e_tests/fixtures/networks.py b/harvester_e2e_tests/fixtures/networks.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5d25b4eb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/harvester_e2e_tests/fixtures/networks.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def vlan_id(request):
+    vlan_id = request.config.getoption('--vlan-id')
+    assert 0 < vlan_id < 4095, f"VLAN ID should be in range 1-4094, not {vlan_id}"
+    return vlan_id
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
+def vlan_nic(request):
+    vlan_nic = request.config.getoption('--vlan-nic')
+    assert vlan_nic, f"VLAN NIC {vlan_nic} not configured correctly."
+    return vlan_nic
diff --git a/harvester_e2e_tests/integration/test_0_storage_network.py b/harvester_e2e_tests/integration/test_0_storage_network.py
index c72cea1c7..498221030 100644
--- a/harvester_e2e_tests/integration/test_0_storage_network.py
+++ b/harvester_e2e_tests/integration/test_0_storage_network.py
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
 import pytest
 
 pytest_plugins = [
-    "harvester_e2e_tests.fixtures.api_client"
+    "harvester_e2e_tests.fixtures.api_client",
+    "harvester_e2e_tests.fixtures.networks"
 ]
 
 
@@ -73,14 +74,6 @@ def cluster_network(request, api_client, unique_name):
     assert 200 == code, (code, data)
 
 
-@pytest.fixture(scope='module')
-def vlan_id(request):
-    vlan_id = request.config.getoption('--vlan-id')
-    assert 4095 > vlan_id > 0, (f"VLAN ID should in range 1-4094, not {vlan_id}")
-
-    return vlan_id
-
-
 @pytest.mark.p0
 @pytest.mark.settings
 @pytest.mark.networks
diff --git a/harvester_e2e_tests/integration/test_networks.py b/harvester_e2e_tests/integration/test_networks.py
index 756fcd602..07ae1f0d5 100644
--- a/harvester_e2e_tests/integration/test_networks.py
+++ b/harvester_e2e_tests/integration/test_networks.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 pytest_plugins = [
     "harvester_e2e_tests.fixtures.api_client",
+    "harvester_e2e_tests.fixtures.networks",
     "harvester_e2e_tests.fixtures.virtualmachines"
 ]
 
@@ -51,22 +52,6 @@ def client():
     client.close()
 
 
-@pytest.fixture(scope='session')
-def vlan_id(request):
-    vlan_id = request.config.getoption('--vlan-id')
-    assert 4095 > vlan_id > 0, f"VLAN ID should in range 1-4094, not {vlan_id}"
-
-    return vlan_id
-
-
-@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
-def vlan_nic(request):
-    vlan_nic = request.config.getoption('--vlan-nic')
-    assert vlan_nic, f"VLAN NIC {vlan_nic} not configured correctly."
-
-    return vlan_nic
-
-
 @pytest.fixture(scope='module')
 def cluster_network(vlan_nic, api_client, unique_name):
     code, data = api_client.clusternetworks.get_config()
diff --git a/harvester_e2e_tests/integration/test_vm_networks.py b/harvester_e2e_tests/integration/test_vm_networks.py
index 51144ba0e..44e7da793 100644
--- a/harvester_e2e_tests/integration/test_vm_networks.py
+++ b/harvester_e2e_tests/integration/test_vm_networks.py
@@ -12,26 +12,11 @@
 pytest_plugins = [
     "harvester_e2e_tests.fixtures.api_client",
     "harvester_e2e_tests.fixtures.images",
+    "harvester_e2e_tests.fixtures.networks",
     "harvester_e2e_tests.fixtures.virtualmachines"
 ]
 
 
-@pytest.fixture(scope='session')
-def vlan_id(request):
-    vlan_id = request.config.getoption('--vlan-id')
-    assert 4095 > vlan_id > 0, (f"VLAN ID should in range 1-4094, not {vlan_id}")
-
-    return vlan_id
-
-
-@pytest.fixture(scope="session")
-def vlan_nic(request):
-    vlan_nic = request.config.getoption('--vlan-nic')
-    assert vlan_nic, f"VLAN NIC {vlan_nic} not configured correctly."
-
-    return vlan_nic
-
-
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
 def gen_ifconfig():
     # eth/eno/ens(idx) | enp(idx)s[0-9]