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CHAPTER 11 Networking Virtual Machines
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Common Networking Configurations
The following sections illustrate the networking configurations that are set up for you
automatically when you choose the standard networking options in the New Virtual
Machine Wizard or virtual machine settings editor.
Only one virtual machine is shown in each example, but multiple virtual machines can
be connected to the same virtual Ethernet switch.
Bridged Networking
Bridged networking connects a virtual machine to a network using the host computer’s Ethernet adapter.
Bridged networking is set up automatically if you select Use bridged networking in
the New Virtual Machine Wizard or if you select the Typical setup path.
If your host computer is on an Ethernet network, this is often the easiest way to give
your virtual machine access to that network. On a Windows host, you can use bridged
networking to connect to either a wired or a wireless network. Bridged networking is
often the best choice for virtual machines that will connect to an organization’s
internal network.
If you use bridged networking, your virtual machine needs to have its own identity on
the network. For example, on a TCP/IP network, the virtual machine needs its own IP
address. Your network administrator can tell you whether IP addresses are available for
your virtual machine and what networking settings you should use in the guest
operating system. Generally, your guest operating system may acquire an IP address
and other network details automatically from a DHCP server, or you may need to set
the IP address and other details manually in the guest operating system. NAT is often
the best choice for virtual machines that will be deployed to remote locations.
Host
Ethernet
adapter
Virtual machine
Virtual
Ethernet
adapter
Virtual Ethernet switch
(VMnet0)
Virtual bridge
Packet filter