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Table Of Contents
VMware, Inc. 233
Chapter 11 Configuring a Virtual Network
SelectStart>Programs>AdministrativeTools>RoutingandRemoteAccess.Anicon
ontheleftislabeledwiththehostname.Ifagreendotappearsovertheicon,IP
forwardingisturnedon.Toturnitoff,rightclicktheiconanddisableRoutingand
RemoteAccess.
Areddotappears,indicatingthatIPforwardingisdisabled.
Linux Hosts
IfyoufindpacketsleakingoutofahostonlynetworkonaLinuxhostcomputer,check
toseewhetherforwardinghasmistakenlybeenenabledonthehostmachine.Ifitis
enabled,disableit.
FormanyLinuxsystems,disableforwardingbywritinga0(zero)tothespecialfile
/proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward
.Asroot,enterthiscommand:
echo 0>/proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward
OtherLinuxsystemshaveasystemconfigurationoptionthatyoucanset.Themethod
dependsonyourLinuxdistribution.Youcanuseacontrolpanel,specifyasettingatthe
timeyoucompileyourkernel,orpossiblyenteraspecificationwhenyoubootyour
system.Consultyouroperatingsystemdocumentationfor
detailsonthemethodtouse
withyourparticulardistribution.
Using Filtering
Ifthehostcomputerhasmultiplenetworkadapters,itmightbeintentionally
configuredtodoIPforwarding.Inthiscase,youdonotwanttodisableforwarding.To
avoidpacketleakage,youmustenableapacketfilteringfacilityandspecifythat
packetsfromthehostonlynetworkshouldnotbesent
outsidethehostcomputer.
Consultyouroperatingsystemdocumentationfordetailsonhowtoconfigurepacket
filtering.
Leaks from a Virtual Machine
Virtualmachinesmightleakpackets,aswell.Forexample,ifyouusedialup
networkingsupportinavirtualmachineandpacketforwardingisenabled,hostonly
networktrafficmightleakoutthroughthedialupconnection.
Topreventtheleakage,makesurepacketforwardingisdisabledinyourguest
operating
system.