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RitaL
@comcast.net

RitaL

Anon

[Connection Sharing] Access Private Network in VMWare with Exter

Hi All,

I am new to VMware so I have been experimenting with different features to familiarize myself with the software. I currently have a Windows Server 2012 testing environment set up in VMware Workstation 9 as a NAT'ed private network with an IP in the 192.168.100.0 range. The server currently serves as a DC, DHCP server, and DNS server. I can spin up client VMs and reach the server without issues -- DHCP and DNS works as expected. However, I was wondering if it is possible to have an external laptop somehow access this environment. The ultimate goal is to have this external client access the resources on this server VM instance.

Thanks for any guidance!

billaustin
they call me Mr. Bill
MVM
join:2001-10-13
North Las Vegas, NV

billaustin

MVM

Re: [Connection Sharing] Access Private Network in VMWare with E

You should be able to configure the Server 2012 VM so that it connects directly to your network instead of being in a private IP range. That would make it accessible to the whole network just like a separate server running on it's own box.

eibgrad
join:2010-03-15
united state

eibgrad to RitaL

Member

to RitaL
As billaustin says, you can do it, but instead of your current NAT'd virtual network adapter, you need a bridged virtual network adapter.

RitaL
@comcast.net

RitaL

Anon

Thanks for the responses. The host machine is part of a larger school network, so what are the possible ramifications if I change the adapter to bridged? Ideally, I would like to make this a "self contained" test environment that doesn't touch the school's network.

I do have dual NICs on the host machine, is there anyway possible for me to achieve what was stated in the OP utilizing a secondary NIC?

Thanks again for your expertise in this area!

eibgrad
join:2010-03-15
united state

eibgrad to RitaL

Member

to RitaL
I should mention, I use VirtualBox, not VMware, so the specific name of the available adapters and configuration options may vary between the two systems, but the basic concepts should still apply.

Seems to me you're already in trouble. Because if it's a NAT'd adapter, it should already have access to the school's network. That’s why it can still access the internet or other devices on the school's network even though it's safely behind its own network and firewall. IOW, using NAT doesn't protect the school as much as it protects the VM from the school, at least at the IP level. Once bridged, now the VM is at risk as well, at both the IP and ethernet levels (as well as the school network), and thus you face all the same issues of introducing any new machine on the network (pluses include network discovery, file/printer sharing over SMB, etc., minuses include additional network traffic, ARP poisoning, etc.).

NOTE: During testing, you should probably be using a host-only or internal adapter, thereby limiting access to either only the host or other VMs on that host. Because using NAT has already exposed your school’s network to some risk, again, at the IP level.