VMware Player Networking Options

7/24/2019 VMware Player Networking Options

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VMware Player Networking Options

1. Quick overview

Three default network connection types usable for a virtual network adapter

exist: Bridged, NATand HostOnly.

Also by default VMware Player installs two VMware NIs!host virtual network

adapters", VMnet1and VMnet!#

They correspond to the HostOnlyand NATvirtual networks#

The Bridgednetwork uses the VMnet"switch#

!. Virtual Network #ditorVMware Player has a Virtual Network #ditorfro$ where we can $ana%e the

virtual networks and adapters#

&owever, as writin%!VMware Player '#(#), *indows version", this is not

installed by default+ we need to $anually add it#

To do that!*indows is the host -. below", open c$d, navi%ate to the folder

where you downloaded the installer and run it with the%eoption+ below it is

extracted to the e&tract'(olderwithin the directory where the installer is

located#


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/ocate the network.ca)file within the e&tract'(olderdirectory and double0click

it#

.pot the v$netc(g.e&efile and copy it to the VMware Player installation folder+

you need ad$inistrative ri%hts to do that#

Typically the installation folder is *+,Progra$ -iles,VMware,VMware Player,

for x'1 *indows -. and *+,Progra$ -iles &/0,VMware,VMware Player,for

x2) *indows -.#

After you did that double0click the v$netc(g.e&efile to open the Virtual

Network #ditor#


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3ro$ it we notice that:

0 *e can have as $any as (4 virtual adapters and (4 virtual networks#

0 VMnet4 is auto$atically brid%ed to an existin% physical adapter on our host#

0 *e can control the way VMnet4 is brid%ed to an existin% physical adapter in

case we have $ultiple physical NIs#

0 The VMware .erver5s 6&P server is enabled on the networks usin% the

&ost0-nly!VMnet(" and NAT!VMnet1" networks+ we can custo$i7e the subnets

fro$ which the IP addresses are provided for these virtual networks#

2. T3e de(ault t3ree networks

As we saw we have three default networks and switches: Bridged, NATand

HostOnly#

2.1. Bridged

The VMs confi%ured with this settin% can use IP addresses fro$ the physical

network and have access to resources found on this network#

They can obtain IP confi%uration fro$ the local physical 6&P server if one is

available#


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They can access the Internet, local servers!I3. files shares, 3TP servers",

etc#

*e can access services on these VMs fro$ the local network#

Bridgedis usable for VMs re8uirin% local and Internet network connectivity

while needin% to appear as re%ular hosts on the local physical network# These

VMs can be $e$bers of the local Active 6irectory#

2.!. NATThe VMs confi%ured with this settin% have Internet access and can access

so$e TP9IP based resources on the host syste$ !like file shares throu%h

I3."#

The real IP addresses of the VMs are hidden behind the real host5s IP address#

A VM will receive on its virtual NI an IP address which belon%s to the VMnet

virtual network# ;e$e$ber that VMnet is bound by default to the NATnetwork+

only one NATnetwork can exist#


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The VMs will not be accessible fro$ any hosts located on the real local network

except fro$ the host if the VMnet adapter is enabled#

VMware Player has an option to $ake so$e services runnin% on these VM!like

web servers" available to the physical /AN and possibly to the Internet+

basically we can do port forwardin%#


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3ro$ the above screen we can see the steps needed to use the NAT port

forwardin% feature of VMware Player#

The external hosts will access the service usin% the host5s real physical IP

address, VMware Player will intercept their re8uests and will forward the$ to

the appropriate VM#

The NAToption is usable when we don5t want or can5t provision a VM with a

real IP address fro$ the physical network#

2.2. HostOnly

The VMs usin% this option will be invisible to the devices located on our

psychical network#

They will not have Internet connectivity#

If the VMnet1adapter is enabled on the host, the VMs will be able to access

services on the local host and vice0versa!like I3. shares"+ re$e$ber that by

default the VMnet1adapter is associated with the HostOnlynetwork#

Also all VMs usin% this settin% can see each other#


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HostOnlyis usable when we want to create isolated networks#

2.4. T3e *usto$ option

Apart fro$ the three default network, we can have so$e *usto$networks#

3or exa$ple I5ve enabled the VMnet!network and set it to HostOnly#


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As a result a new virtual network adapter was added on the host, VMnet!#

.o basically now we have two HostOnlynetworks#

To use this new network, say I create a VM+ by default its network connection$i%ht be set to NAT#


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lose VMware Player and navi%ate to the folder holdin% the VM5s confi%uration

files and open its .v$&file#

Note the ethernet4 adapter is of type NAT#

han%e the et3ernet".connectionType settin% to custo$and add the

et3ernet".vnetsettin% set to v$net!:

-pen VMware Player and take a look at the VM5s settin%+ now the VM5s network

connection is set to *usto$and uses VMnet!:


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Another use of the *usto$network will be to brid%e another existin% physical

NI in order to be able to access fro$ VMs $ultiple local networks to which the

host is connected#


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4. *onclusion

VMware Player5s networkin% options provide enou%h flexibility to create

co$plex network topolo%ies#

VMware Player Networking Options

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