Windows 7 - VMWare Player network adapter settings - which one?

Golden · 02-12-2012

G'day,

I've been using VMWare Player to run a Linux virtual machine (Mint 12 to be precise, but I occasionally run Ubuntu and Debian).

At the moment, I am using the BRIDGED network adapter settings as shown in the image below. I noticed that there is also a NAT and HOST-ONLY setting.

Can someone explain the difference between the 3 settings? Is there an obvious benefit to using one over another - security perhaps?

Regards,
Golden

Kari · 02-12-2012

Check this: Common Networking Configurations

kado897 · 02-12-2012

If you just need to access the internet chose NAT.

Golden · 02-14-2012

Thanks guys : both NAT and BRIDGED seem to behave the same way for me. Any idea why you would want ti use one over the other?

kado897 · 02-14-2012

Bridged allows you to network shares on the host as well as internet though I have to admit that I have only got it to work with a windows guest.

Golden · 02-14-2012

Thanks Kado. By "shares on the host" do you mean the ability access a drive and/or folder on the host (in my case the host is Windows 7)?

I seem to be able to mount any of my hosts drives, and access them from within the virtual machine, using either NAT or BRIDGED.

Regards,
Golden

kado897 · 02-14-2012

I have to say that I have never got it to share anything other the the vbox shared folders with NAT. I am talking about accessing the Windows network.

Golden · 02-14-2012

Ahh, I get you, thanks for persisting Kado. I cannot see any other PC on the Windows network, or vice versa, from within the virtual machine - so thats what the difference in bridged and NAT is, correct?

Regards,
Golden

kado897 · 02-14-2012

yes that's correct Golden

Golden · 02-14-2012

Thanks Kado - I'll stick with NAT