How can I communicate from windows host to linux guest?

Horontu · Post by **Horontu** » 3. Nov 2008, 17:40

I'm a newbie of VirtualBox. I have a question about the communication between the host and the guest system.My host system is windows XP, and my guest system is ubuntu linux. after the guest system installed in VirtualBox, I can't communicate to windows host. Generally, the IP configuration is needed when I install the ubuntu, but I have not seen that this time.

Someone tell me use the netbridge in windows, I do that. but after I created a netbridge in windows xp, I lost my net connection. I'm in a LAN,which is setting up with DHCP.

How can I solve these problems? anybody help me?thanks a lot!

chrisvw · Post by **chrisvw** » 3. Nov 2008, 17:53

Try this tutorial: How to network Bridge on Windows

And another one (with screenshots and diagrams):
http://opensourceexperiments.wordpress. ... ista-host/

My advice: don't try this with VirtualBox 2.0.4

Post by **TerryE** » 3. Nov 2008, 21:04

Also have a look at this: HOWTO: Use Guest Properties. I use this trick to do fully automated guest system builds.

Horontu · Post by **Horontu** » 4. Nov 2008, 06:37

Thanks for all of above!

I will see the article above and learn about that.

Another question for #2, "My advice: don't try this with VirtualBox 2.0.4," what is mean? could you tell some detail about that?

Thanks again!

Post by **TerryE** » 4. Nov 2008, 13:49

Horontu wrote: "My advice: don't try this with VirtualBox 2.0.4," what is mean? could you tell some detail about that?

Version 2 introduced some major architectural enhancements (such as 64bit support and improved Mac OS and openSolaris support) and with any new enhancements come bugs. With 2.0.2 and 2.0.4 the current version has become more stable and the net numbers of problems reduced. However if you don't need any of the extra V2 functionality, then version 1.6.6 is still more stable.

chrisvw · Post by **chrisvw** » 4. Nov 2008, 15:39

Horontu wrote: Another question for #2, "My advice: don't try this with VirtualBox 2.0.4," what is mean? could you tell some detail about that?

Guess I should have explained more.

I found that in VBox 2.0.4 one cannot pick the virtual NICs one create. Because it is showing the network name field instead of the network adapter field.

VBox 1.6.6 works fine. At least ... the correct fields are shown, and one can pick the virtual NIC from the dropdown list.

[Update!] I just learned that one CAN pick the virtual NIC in host interface mode! The method of picking it has changed since VBox 1. Now one simply select it in the list of NICs halfway down the screen, instead of picking it from a dropdown list. Please ignore my stupid advice a few posts back!

wabe · Post by **wabe** » 4. Nov 2008, 16:13

Host networking works perfectly in Vbox 2.02 between at least a Win XP host and Linux guest. Just install the virtual network interface in host, bridge them and then connect in the Vbox GUI.

I have serious issues with Vbox 2.04 on an x64 Windows host however.

Horontu · Post by **Horontu** » 21. Nov 2008, 16:08

Thanks everyone!!

However, I failed to do it. When I bridged my physical card and the VBox card, the net connection was cut right now, and the physical card can't get an IP address, it's unplugged status. In fact, the line was plugged. The guest system had got an IP address which is like 169.254.73.249.
I reinstall my physical card, reinstall the guest system, rebuild the bridge and so on. I did everything that I can. however, I'm not success.

help me please!!

thanks a lot!!

by the way, my edition of VBox is 2.0.4

Post by **TerryE** » 21. Nov 2008, 18:47

Most probably what has happened is that your udev enumeration has failed because your eth0 MAC address has changed. sudo edit /etc/udev/70-persistent-net.rules and delete lines from 5 on. udev will then pick up the correct MAC address as eth0.

Post by **Sasquatch** » 22. Nov 2008, 02:43

First solve your Host network issues. The Guest can't obtain an IP from the network, if the Host does not have proper connectivity with it (like a cable plugged in).

Post by **TerryE** » 22. Nov 2008, 03:23

Thanks Sasquatch. I misread the last post and thought it was guest probs.

Horontu · Post by **Horontu** » 23. Nov 2008, 18:55

Thank TerryE and Sasquatch!

To Sasquatch:

I don't think it is the problem of host network. because of the problem comes true only when I bridged the host card and vbox card.

primitively, I used this computer in the LAN which binding IP and MAC, and had no this problem. but now, I'm in the LAN which is using DHCP, the problem comes true.

my host network is nice when I didn't bridge. I thought the reason was the changed setting, so I reinstalled the host card. It was not for something wrong.

Now, I set the static IP address for the vbox card and set another static IP address which is in the same subnet with the vbox card, and I can communicate each other, and the host system works well in network. however, the virtual system still can't link to the Internet.

Post by **Sasquatch** » 24. Nov 2008, 00:45

primitively, I used this computer in the LAN which binding IP and MAC, and had no this problem. but now, I'm in the LAN which is using DHCP, the problem comes true.

When you create a bridge on a Windows Host, the MAC address changes. Your physical adapter will not be 'used' for the DHCP request, but the bridge is instead. The bridge uses the slave NICs for it's connectivity, so it uses the physical NIC to go on your network, but issues a DHCP with it's own MAC address.

For the Guest, the same as above is valid. It will use it's own MAC address (not one of the Hosts, but the one you set in the VM settings). Some DHCP servers cannot handle this, as it appears that some OSes still send the Host MAC address when the Guest is sending a DHCP request.
For the internet connection, do you use MAC filtering on the router? Did you set the gateway and DNS server?