Hosting multiple web servers on virtualbox

[Mahmoud Selman]

Is there a way to host multiple web servers running apache2 on Virtualbox guests on port 80?

Let's say I want to install apache2 on Server1 guest with Ubuntu OS and on Server2 guest with CentOs and access the websites running on the guests on port 80 from outside.

Now using bridge network setup won't work since I will be able to open port 80 only on one of the ips/guests and not both at same time from the router.

I tried with NAT port forwarding but that also won't work either since Virtualbox don't allow to open ports less than 1024.

Is there a way to make it work as VRDP way. To be able to open port 80 on the host and from there it redirect the visitors to the guest that are running that website.
Not proxy.

[BillG]

Exactly what makes this a VirtualBox question? How is it any different from running a physical Ubuntu server with Apache on a network?

How would it be done on a physical machine?

[Mahmoud Selman]

Exactly what makes this a VirtualBox question? How is it any different from running a physical Ubuntu server with Apache on a network?

How would it be done on a physical machine?

Please don't post if you don't know the answer. I don't want them to work as a network. I want each VM to be individual by using virtualbox network options if possible.

[BillG]

And I am telling you that it has nothing to do with VirtualBox networking.

[scottgus1]

VRDP is the Virtualbox remote desktop server. It would allow you to see the guest screen, not interface with a website being served by the guest.

I would use Bridged for this setup, and have fixed IP addresses in each guest, if not the host as well for remote-administrative purposes. That way both the host and the guests all appear to the router and the outside world to be three separate computers on your internal network. Should be a lot less complicated to set up this way.

You can open ports in your network router to send services to each guest based on the guest's IP address. You will need to do research elsewhere as to how to get two different websites on two different IP addresses to be accessible behind one router, both using port 80. If you can't there may be a way to set up web addresses that include a different port number, so you can ask for mywebserver.com, which comes in on your internet IP address port 80, and myotherwebserver.com which comes in on your internet IP address port (some other number) Link (some other number) port to your other guest's port 80 in the router's port forwarding rules.

[BillG]

Which is exactly how you would implement it on a physical network with physical machines. It does not use any special features of VirtualBox networking.

[vbox_web_servers]

@Mahmoud Did you find a solution to your problem? I will be setting up the same configuration soon and would like to know if you achieved success without integrating a secondary router. I understand the problem because most routers, home and work, usually allow for a single IP to be routed to port 80. Once that port's activated, it can't be used for a second IP address.

Did you add a router to your setup, or maybe an L3 switch?