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Running VB 3.0.2 on Windows XP, with Windows XP guest, I am unable to get my guest connected (using NAT) to the hosts' wifi connection. Shouldn't this work?

On another (Solaris) host (w/ WinXP guest), this works fine.

Since you're using Windows as Host, check the VirtualBox FAQ for a list of known firewall applications that have issues with VB and NAT. By default, that is without a firewall or only the Windows firewall, you should have internet when the Guest uses NAT (and gets an IP through DHCP) and the Host has internet. Also check the primary DNS of the Host, if that doesn't work and you have a secondary DNS that does, VB won't be able to get on the internet while the Host can (due to fallback DNS).

No firewalls involved, so that can't be the problem.

Also, the host has only a single DNS server configured.

Any other ideas or tips for troubleshooting?

thanks,
-tom

Did you try the few in the VirtualBox FAQ yet?

This is only by experience not really the definitive answer, I haven't had a good result using NAT nor Bridge directly to a WIFI adapter. It sometimes work but a little flaky.

Anyway, here is how I am currently configuring my system.
a) Create _two_ MS Loopback adapters.
b) Bridge the two adapters.
c) Share your WIFI to the bridge via Windows Sharing (ICS).
d) Create/modify your guest setting to point to one of the loopback adapters in bridged mode. This should help you stabilize your configuration.

Why are you installing two loopback interfaces and bridge them, when one is enough? You can even use ICS on the Host-Only adapter, as long as you don't enable the VB DHCP server.