Host only/Internal network?

[salan]

Can some one in VERY simple terms say the dif please?
I am used to host only but for what ever reason having trouble getting my head around internal and what the dif is (old age kicking in! lol)
Alan

[BillG]

An internal virtual network is available to any virtual machine running on that host. It emulates the case of a group of physical machines connected to the same switch.

The host only network is purely between the host and the guest. A guest can connect to an emulated NIC on the host called the host only adapter.

[mpack]

Basically, the host is a participant in a host-only network, but not in an internal network. So the latter provides greater security for the host, while allowing VMs to communicate with each other. Also, in both cases there is no connection to a physical network, so if you wanted the include the host but didn't want to risk exposure to the Internet (which is a risk if you chose "Bridged"), then you would use Host-Only.

There is a table in section 6.2 of the user manual which summarises the capabilities of the various networking options.

[salan]

Thank you for the replies. What confused me is this:

Internal networking. This can be used to create a different kind of software-based network which is visible to selected virtual machines, but not to applications running on the host or to the outside world.

Host-only networking. This can be used to create a network containing the host and a set of virtual machines, without the need for the host's physical network interface. Instead, a virtual network interface, similar to a loopback interface, is created on the host, providing connectivity among virtual machines and the host.
So if I understand it correctly the dif is weather the host can been seen or not? Is that correct?
Alan

[mpack]

That was already confirmed.

Basically, the host is a participant in a host-only network, but not in an internal network.

Obviously, when discussing networks, there is no difference between "seen" and "participant". It would be hard to be seen without being a participant, or vice versa.

[salan]

Ok thanks.
for some reason I just couldn't get my head around it. I will put it down to a 'senior moment' lol.