Using VBoxManage to configure network adapters

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currishhuntsman
Posts: 2
Joined: 16. Nov 2022, 22:40

Using VBoxManage to configure network adapters

Post by currishhuntsman »

I'm creating a script that can automatically create VMs with lots of customizable options. The problem I am running into is that each host machine running this script will have different bridged adapters. When creating network adapters in the GUI it automatically configures the adapter to a default name. So I was thinking there should be a way to automatically select a default name using VBoxManage like this:

VBoxManage.exe modifyvm test --bridgeadapter2 'default'

I've looked through the manual already and couldn't find any mention of this. So I'm wondering if this even exists at all in VBoxManage because it would make my life a lot easier :D

Thank you in advance and I will provide any additional information if needed.
scottgus1
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Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Using VBoxManage to configure network adapters

Post by scottgus1 »

There's no 'default' for the host adapter Bridged connects to. Some hosts have more than one network adapter. Typical for some laptops is wired Ethernet and Wi-Fi. Other hosts can have two or more wired Ethernet adapters. Which is the default? The main Virtualbox window may have a "first in the list" setup in the code. But command line doesn't that I've ever seen.

You can use the command:

vboxmanage list bridgedifs

to find out what, if any, adapters Bridged can attach to, feed the list to your script, then pick according to your algorithm which adapter to use. Note that Bridged does not always work with Wi-Fi.
currishhuntsman
Posts: 2
Joined: 16. Nov 2022, 22:40

Re: Using VBoxManage to configure network adapters

Post by currishhuntsman »

That definitely works! The way I was trying to do it was by using ipconfig/ifconfig to filter out the name of the NIC that is used in VirtualBox. Thanks again.
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