Specifications

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VMware GSX Server Virtual Machine Guide
Host-Only Networking
Host-only networking creates a network that is completely contained within the host computer.
A host-only network is set up automatically if you select Use Host-Only Networking
in the New Virtual Machine Wizard. On Linux hosts, this selection is available only if
you enabled the host-only networking option when you installed GSX Server.
Host-only networking provides a network connection between the virtual machine
and the host computer, using a virtual Ethernet adapter that is visible to the host
operating system. This approach can be useful if you need to set up an isolated virtual
network.
If you use host-only networking, your virtual machine and the host virtual adapter are
connected to a private TCP/IP network. Addresses on this network are provided by the
VMware DHCP server.
If you make some other selection in the New Virtual Machine Wizard and later decide
you want to use host-only networking, you can make that change in the virtual
machine settings editor (VM > Settings). For details, see Changing the Networking
Configuration on page 238.
Host virtual
adapter
Virtual machine
Virtual
Ethernet
adapter
Virtual Ethernet switch
(VMnet1)
DHCP server
Routing and
Connection Sharing
• If you install the proper
routing or proxy
software on your host
computer, you can
establish a connection
between the host
virtual Ethernet
adapter and a physical
network adapter on
the host computer.
This allows you, for
example, to connect
the virtual machine to
a Token Ring or other
non-Ethernet network.
• On a Windows 2000 or
Windows Server 2003
host computer, you
can use host-only
networking in
combination with the
Internet connection
sharing feature in
Windows to allow a
virtual machine to use
the host’s dial-up
networking adapter or
other connection to
the Internet. See your
Windows
documentation for
details on configuring
Internet connection
sharing.