No Host-only options in Preferences

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Mac OS X hosts.
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htor
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Joined: 11. Nov 2017, 19:50

No Host-only options in Preferences

Post by htor »

I'm trying to set up a host-only network for two guest OSes, but when I go to Virtualbox > Preferences > Network I only see the "NAT Networks" tab but no "Host-only Networks" tab (screenshot #1). There should be an option for that, but it's not there. I can't create an host-only therefore select anything in the drop-down list for host-only adapter on the respective guest OSes (screenshot #2).

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014)
macos version: 10.11.6
virtualbox version: 5.2.0 r118431 (Qt5.6.3)

#1
Image

#2
Image
mpack
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Re: No Host-only options in Preferences

Post by mpack »

Asked and answered several times. Please look/search before posting.

This tool is moved in 5.2.0. Look on the main UI toolbar, specifically the "Global Tools" split button on the right.
htor
Posts: 2
Joined: 11. Nov 2017, 19:50

Re: No Host-only options in Preferences

Post by htor »

Thanks for clearing that up. I actually searched / looked but didn't find it! The decision to move that setting out of the 'Network' settings was a wicked UI-decision.
mpack
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Re: No Host-only options in Preferences

Post by mpack »

htor wrote:The decision to move that setting out of the 'Network' settings was a wicked UI-decision.
Hmm. I think a good time to comment on that would have been during the long beta test period of 5.2.0.
hopeseekr
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Joined: 12. Mar 2018, 17:26

Re: No Host-only options in Preferences

Post by hopeseekr »

I am having this same problem. I came in from Google. Telling others to "search the Forum" is *so* not helpful.

----

For those who come after me: In a huge, currently undocumented, UI shakeup, in 2018 you have to go File -> Host Network Manager. There you will find the option to add a Host-Only network (the default).
socratis
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Re: No Host-only options in Preferences

Post by socratis »

hopeseekr wrote:Telling others to "search the Forum" is *so* not helpful.
1) That was not the only thing the OP was told.
2) It obviously is helpful because you found it by searching. :shock:
3) Registering just to say that a previous comment was not helpful? I wonder how many are going to register based on your comment alone...
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Dodge62
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Re: No Host-only options in Preferences

Post by Dodge62 »

socratis wrote:3) Registering just to say that a previous comment was not helpful? I wonder how many are going to register based on your comment alone...
Well ... felt I had to really.

Many thanks to hopeseeker. The original comment "Look on the main UI toolbar, specifically the "Global Tools" split button on the right." meant nothing to me (and still doesn't), but "File -> Host Network Manager" was nice and clear.
mpack
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Re: No Host-only options in Preferences

Post by mpack »

Dodge62 wrote:The original comment "Look on the main UI toolbar, specifically the "Global Tools" split button on the right." meant nothing to me (and still doesn't)
Right... so in the end you joined up to complain about your own reading comprehension? That's obviously way better.

If you think you can do a better job helping people around here, then I'd be absolutely thrilled to see you do it. Or was complaining about others efforts the full extent of your ambition?
Tobit
Posts: 2
Joined: 22. Jan 2016, 22:49

Re: No Host-only options in Preferences

Post by Tobit »

Thanks to everyone who provided guidance on this. This page is the first google hit for the search "virtualbox host-only ethernet adapter dropdown empty". It's unfortunate that it's filled with such caustic sarcasm.
ChipMcK
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Re: No Host-only options in Preferences

Post by ChipMcK »

most of the caustic sarcasm is your doing
Tobit
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Re: No Host-only options in Preferences

Post by Tobit »

Haha, ok.
tetryss
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Joined: 25. Jan 2019, 16:36

Re: No Host-only options in Preferences

Post by tetryss »

For anyone who seeks an up-to-date answer:

1. From the main menu, select File > Host Network Manager (Ctrl+W)
2. You should see an empty white box with "Host-only Networks". Click the create button (Ctrl +A). A new Host-only network will be created and added to the list.

After that you should be able to select a name for your host-only networks in the VMs network configuration.
mpack
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Re: No Host-only options in Preferences

Post by mpack »

This topic is already covering three radically different user interfaces, so time for it to close.
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