Win7 thinks there's no Internet connection

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
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Tom3.14159
Posts: 6
Joined: 9. May 2018, 16:38

Win7 thinks there's no Internet connection

Post by Tom3.14159 »

I have the same problem as this long-forgotten post: forums dot virtualbox dot org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=28004

This setup is on a laptop that connects to both a docking station (wired) and WiFi. I only need simple NAT networking - the VM needs to connect to the Internet and the LAN, both when wired and wireless.

I'm using VBox 5.2.10 on a Linux host with a Win7 guest. The VM has a single NAT network using the PRO/1000 Desktop adapter. The network icon in the Win7 tray has the yellow exclamation mark, and the status says "no Internet access" but the Internet access works fine.

My problem is that MS Office 2016 (Office365) uses the status from the network icon to determine if there is network connectivity. That yellow icon stops Outlook and Excel from seeing files and folders on the network. That yellow icon stops Outlook from being able to see the autodiscover server.

Does VBox have a networking option that bypasses the vast ignorance of Microsoft?

Please help.
Last edited by mpack on 13. May 2018, 10:04, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Add link to referenced topic.
socratis
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Posts: 27330
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Re: Win7 thinks there's no Internet connection

Post by socratis »

Here's the output of the command "ipconfig /all" when run inside the guest, from a VM of mine that has no problems like you're reporting. Post the output of the same command from your VM, so we can compare apples to apples:

Code: Select all

C:\Windows\system32>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : VB-Win7
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : SGK

Ethernet adapter HostOnly:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : SGK
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/1000 MT Desktop Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 08-00-27-43-B3-0B
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::ad62:f6ac:df7b:8cd1%13(Preferred)
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.2.15(Preferred)
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Πέμπτη, 10 Μαΐου 2018 1:00:57 μμ
   Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Παρασκευή, 11 Μαΐου 2018 1:00:57 μμ
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.2.2
   DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.2.2
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 403177511
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-18-22-DD-EA-08-00-27-2D-69-9D
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.1
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
PS. Ignore the dates/times, it's all Greek to you... ;)
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
Tom3.14159
Posts: 6
Joined: 9. May 2018, 16:38

Re: Win7 thinks there's no Internet connection

Post by Tom3.14159 »

I see a few differences in mine: no DNS suffix, my DNS server points to my Linux host, and I have a disconnected TAP device (probably for the VPN that I use to connect to my employer's network.)

Code: Select all

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : WIN010933L
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/1000 MT Desktop Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 08-00-27-6D-B0-F0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::f81e:72a4:bceb:a14d%10(Preferred)
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.2.15(Preferred)
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, May 11, 2018 9:40:05 AM
   Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, May 13, 2018 7:21:42 PM
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.2.2
   DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.2.2
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 235405351
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-22-61-CD-68-08-00-27-6D-B0-F0
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.2.3
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{5CDCC926-46E9-41D5-B6EE-88CB5BE47984}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
The above is while connected to my home network.

I can browse to new web pages in the VM just fine, but the yellow icon won't go away, and Office programs say there's no Internet connection.

As a test, I changed the DNS server in the VM to use Google ( 8.8.8.8 ), and I get the same results - Office programs still say there is no Internet connection.

Here is the ipconfig output while using 8.8.8.8 as my DNS server:

Code: Select all

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : WIN010933L
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/1000 MT Desktop Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 08-00-27-6D-B0-F0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::f81e:72a4:bceb:a14d%10(Preferred)
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.2.15(Preferred)
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Friday, May 11, 2018 9:40:06 AM
   Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, May 13, 2018 7:50:48 PM
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.2.2
   DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.2.2
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 235405351
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-22-61-CD-68-08-00-27-6D-B0-F0
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 8.8.8.8
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{5CDCC926-46E9-41D5-B6EE-88CB5BE47984}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: Win7 thinks there's no Internet connection

Post by socratis »

I don't think it's your DNS, I think it's Windows that's playing tricks on you. Search for the solution from a Windows point of view, not a VirtualBox point of view.

Try the following "commands" from a Command Prompt on your guest. I've included a sample output, with only the parameters that you should be focusing on:
> ipconfig /all
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 08-00-27-DD-0C-60
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.2.15(Preferred)
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.2.2
   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.1

> ping <DefaultGateway>             <-- tests your connectivity
> ping <DNSserver>                  <-- tests your connectivity
> ping 1.1.1.1                      <-- tests outgoing connectivity
> ping download.virtualbox.org      <-- tests name resolution
Report any misconfiguration, or any errors from the "ping" commands. If you can ping your "DefaultGateway", if you can ping your "DNSserver", if you can ping "1.1.1.1", if you can ping "download.virtualbox.org", VirtualBox is working as it should. You should look elsewhere for your networking connectivity issues.

Just because an OS/program that runs in the context of VirtualBox has a problem, it doesn't make it a VirtualBox problem necessarily. You're having an issue that has most probably nothing to do with VirtualBox, so my suggestion would be to treat it as such, as a native problem with the OS or the application of the guest.

PS. Moving to "Windows Guests" from "Linux Hosts". Your problem is with your guest, not with your host.
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
phdsurvival
Posts: 18
Joined: 13. May 2018, 23:01

Re: Win7 thinks there's no Internet connection

Post by phdsurvival »

I have to warn you all about DNS. It's not as simple as it sounds. At least in my case. One year ago I used android usb or wifi tethering for my laptop internet. Everything was normal, i just connect and it works. Before that i spent 10 years searching google for "how to get free internet" or "how to get internet without paying"...and only found real solution/hack few months ago. Actually first i found one possibility how we can have free internet and then combined that work, which is "dns" with other search words. And found at least 3 solutions, there are apps like vpnoverdns and your-freedom. Your-freedom is the best and fastest, because it gives free internet at the same speed as your normal internet would be, in my case where i use 3g connection, it's 250 kB/s. Vpnoverdns give speed 1 kB/s. What i found is the way to not lose any credits is to use your mms apn instead of internet apn. Because in internet apn you would lose credits over dns, as it still counts as data, and only way to get it free is to use it when you have no credits. Before I discovered any of that apps i discovered that when i use mms apn and do tethering, my laptop is able to access dns, for example using cmd command like "ping -a google.com" and it would show ip of google...

Back to topic...
However one year later, probably because my isp changed something, there's no longer dns access using mms apn, and no dns access on internet apn if you have no credits. In case of mms apn, there is never dns access no longer. So I discovered that if you go to your specific adapter in network connections and ipv4 settings and set dns to the one that is displayed in android secret menu (your default ones for that isp or apn) it works. There is dns access. So first check do you have dns access. Does "ping -a google.com" work in cmd? But only my default dns addresses work in my settings, for example if i enter google dns it doesn't work. Always make sure you have dns access, because internet can't work if there's no dns. You can also use dnsdataview by nirsoft.

And i am not talking about real ping (where you get response time in ms, because it doesn't work if you use proxy), but about dns resolving, meaning ip to hostname or domain name. My ping never replies, because it only works for direct connections, but i am using proxy connection, actually vpn proxy, very uncommon one.
Last edited by phdsurvival on 15. May 2018, 16:43, edited 2 times in total.
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: Win7 thinks there's no Internet connection

Post by socratis »

@phdsurvival
The commands that I gave and the output that I'm expecting to see, they have their special meaning. I tried to explain it in my post...

We're talking standard setup, not anything weird/fancy/exotic. So, let's stick to that...
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
phdsurvival
Posts: 18
Joined: 13. May 2018, 23:01

Re: Win7 thinks there's no Internet connection

Post by phdsurvival »

I think it's all about not having working dns. LOL, virtualbox is itself odd enough (far away from standard) because it already works with virtual networks. And if we have some vpn or proxy on host device, that is another complication. Proxy can interfere with ping and dns... My ping for example shows response from localhost...we know it's nothing real.
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: Win7 thinks there's no Internet connection

Post by socratis »

phdsurvival wrote:I think it's all about not having working dns.
And that's exactly why I asked for these two commands:
socratis wrote:
> ping <DNSserver>                  <-- tests your connectivity
> ping download.virtualbox.org      <-- tests name resolution
I would let the OP come back with the answers before jumping into conclusions...
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
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