virtualbox.org

Newbie here. And a newbie to virtual machines.

This is my VirtualBox setup:

VirtualBox VM 4.3.20 r96997 win.amd64 (Nov 24 2014 11:05:59) release log
Host OS: Windows Vista Business Edition 64BITS
Release: 6.0.6002
Service Pack: 2
Host RAM: 6134MB total
Host RAM allocated to Guest: 1024 MB
Installed Extension Packs: Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack (Version: 4.3.20 r96996; VRDE Module: VBoxVRDP)
Guest OS: WinXp Home 32 BITS
Guest Additions installed in Guest: Yes

Note: Network mapping in Vista has been enabled, and the "Virtual Box Host-Only adapter maps correctly; i.e., it is not identified in Vista as an unidentified network which Vista would then treat as a public network.

Networking for the Guest is by the "VirtualBox Host-Only Adapter" with an IP adress of 192.168.56.101 on the guest and 192.168.56.1 on the Host.

Overview: I want to run WinXp as a Guest with no internet access for security reasons. I have setup my VirtualBox using the "Host-Only Adapter". It works fine. I have old applications that won't run on my 64 Bit Vista, the Host, but run fine on my 32 Bit WinXp. I would like to print output from these applications from WinXP, the Guest.

My printer has built-in wireless networking (802.11b/g/n), is on home home "wired" network, and is connected to the host via the router that supports my home network. IP Addresses for the home network are 192.168.2.1xx. Will a wireless USB Adapter installed on the Host be recognized by the Guest and thus enable a connection by the Guest to the wireless printer. I can't find anything definitive about wireless USB adapters and printing.

Could use a little help or a point to a reference that will help me. Thanks.

I have heard that one can attach a USB wi-fi adapter to a guest. I've never tried it as I don't own one.

One can, though, used Bridged on the guest, allowing access to the house network and the printer, and if a fixed IP address is set in the guest's virtual network card, the network router can block internet access by IP address using the routers Access Restrictions (or some other such name), so the guest doesn't see the internet.

@Scottgus1: Thanks. I did run my WinXP Guest connection using bridged mode to download the windows updates during the WinXP install. It worked fine and the WinXP Guest was able to print using the wired network printer. To prevent WinXP access to the internet, or WAN side access, in the bridged mode, my router calls this "Filter IP Address Range". I like your hardware suggestion approach to denying access. The router's DHCP server is currently setting IP addresses. I think one way to set this up is by restricting the range of DHCP server assigned IP Addresses to IP Addresses, that doesn't include my assigned IP Address of the WinXP Guest, provided my assigned IP address of the WinXp Guest is in 192.168.2.1xx. This or some variation of this is what I could end up with as the final solution.

Before I do that, however, I still would like to know if a wireless USB adapter installed on the host will permit wireless printing by the guest. This would also enable me to do all my printing wirelessly and move that printer to a more convenient location.

Thanks again. I don't go inside the router that often. I never would have thought of that by myself.

I do the "Filter IP Address Range"/"Access Restrictions" thing at work and at home on various guests & hosts (Yes it can let the guest through to the web & block the host). Restricting DHCP to a certain range and putting the fixed-IP-address devices outside that range is a good idea, too.

You ought to be able to attach a USB wi-fi to your guest, it sounds, based on reading the forum, like it's been done. And you would supposedly be able to print wirelessly then.

But is your router a wireless access point too? You should then be able to put your wireless printer on the router's network wirelessly, then use the Bridged/IP-address-filtered guest to print through the wireless access point in the router to the printer.

My router is a wired router. I have a wireless/wireless access point router wired downstream from my wired router to makes the home network separate and apart from my networked PC's on the wired network. This works really well and helps in troubleshooting problems by isolating them to one network or another. I probably should upgrade my wired router to the wireless technology and use the bridged IP address for the Guests access to the wireless printer as well letting me cut the wired connection from my wired network PC's. Refurbished wireless/wireless access point router vs wireless usb adapter? Router scheme seems the better one.

Step one is to get the bridged mode working that denies internet access to the Guest as well as permitting the Guest to print on the wired network.

Thanks for your help. I appreciate it.