Make USB permanently available for guest

[Ragnar666]

Hi,

finally I found a solution which makes a USB device permanently available to the guest.

Before I always had to replug the device physically when the guest was running to use it. This was annoying.

I've discovered a tool called "USB Network Gate". It lists all my USB devices attached to the Mac. After choosing the device I want to use with the guest and select "share" its status changes from "Available" to "Held". (terminal: VBoxManage list usbhosts")

Host USB Devices:

Code: Select all

UUID:               fe7d6a39-c296-4eff-8315-217893ae01b4
VendorId:           0x0d46 (0D46)
ProductId:          0x3003 (3003)
Revision:           1.25 (0125)
Port:               1
USB version/speed:  0/Full
Manufacturer:       KOBIL
Product:            KAAN SIM III
SerialNumber:       E_115402119
Address:            p=0x3003;v=0x0d46;s=0x000001e1ab065cad;l=0x14100000
Current State:      Held

Now I can start start my Guest VM and the USB device works without replugging. It's magic. Note: I don't need extra software on the guest machine.

[socratis]

Besides the Eltima software that you mentioned (and just for completion), there is also the VirtualHere software, the hardware Silex DS-600 USB 3.0 Device Server, and I'm pretty sure I didn't include every solution out there, just because it was a 1' search...

[Ragnar666]

Yes, these are all USB-sharing solutions, which use a client/server concept.

But I don't use any client software to access the shared USB device via network.

Simple starting the server software makes the USB device direct available in a Virtual Box VM. There's no more message "failed to attach the USB devices".


The device is now "ejectable" and can be capture on the fly - instead of being "un-ejectable" which requires unplugging.

That's amazing. I think you should add this to "USB basics and troubleshooting" guide.

[Martin]

See also Chapter 9.34. Accessing USB devices exposed over the network with USB/IP in the VirtualBox Manual - Advanced Topics.