Allow Host Access to external network and hostonly net

[Brad W]

I'm hoping that someone can point me in the right direction for an issue that I've had for a while and have worked around, but would really like the "right" answer.

I have a Windows 7 host with VirtualBox 4.3.20 installed (though I recall this issue from earlier versions as well). I install a number of hosts on it, of various shapes and sizes.

What I would like to do is have the Windows 7 host continue to work and access external networks (office network, internet, etc). But I also want the host to be able to access the virtuals. I would like the virtuals to be limited to just accessing themselves (and potentially the host).

I've tried to enable a host-only network adapter on the host. But as soon as that is disabled, the host loses all external connectivity. I figure there's some setting or setup that I am missing to allow this, and am hoping that someone can point me in the right direction (or just tell me that it can't be done).

My work-around is to currently just use NAT for the virtuals, but I'd rather limit their access to the outside world, only enabling it periodically, for specific reasons.

Thanks in advance.

[noteirak]

I've tried to enable a host-only network adapter on the host. But as soon as that is disabled, the host loses all external connectivity. I figure there's some setting or setup that I am missing to allow this, and am hoping that someone can point me in the right direction (or just tell me that it can't be done).

That would be the good setup, but I don't see why you would loose network connectivity. What do you mean by disabled exactly?
Also, can you show the output of the following commands while host-only is enabled and then disabled please?

Code: Select all

ipconfig /all
route print