Solved adjusting network adapter properly in vmware/virtualbox

[askic]

Hello guys,

I have relatively old windows xp machine that is failing, but I have some important software on it that communicates with other machines via local LAN network (192.168....).
In order to prevent possible problems that can failing the machine cause, I have created virtual machine from physical by using vmware standalone converter.

How I need to adjust my network adapter in VM in order that VM n new HW can communicate with other computers on LAN in the same manner as old win xp machine?

Thank you!

 

[Alejandro85]

I think that "bridged network" (as VirtualBox calls it) is what you're looking for. Basically, with this mode the guest gets visible on its own on the network as if it were a physical machine, it simply doesn't behaves in any special way respect with a normal computer.

Note that this requires a special driver installed in the host (installed by default by VirtualBox if memory serves, no idea in VMWare) to allow this mode to work.

If the host is in the same network that the previous computer (the failing one), the transition should not pose much problems, just take out the old system and replace with the VM. Other computers in the network shouldn't realize the difference.

 

[askic]

Hello Alejandro and thank you for your answer.

I think I need to explain my problem in a little bit more details. I have on old machine (win xp) that has two LAN interfaces. The computer is connected to two LAN networks. First LAN interface has IP address 10.1.1.15 and second 192.168.1.25. This machine basically acquire some data from one network, process it and then sends to the other network.

I have converted this machine to become a VM on a new host computer. New host also has two LAN interfaces (one is integrated NIC, the other is network card).

So, I need to know whether I should configure same IP addresses and subnet masks on host computer or should I do this inside virtual machine?
If I understood your answer correctly, I need to set up IP addresses on host computer and then to set up network adapters in VM in bridge mode in order everything to work properly?

 

[Alejandro85]

That changes things a bit, but not that much really.

Leave the host network configuration alone, as it was, it's not necesary to change it, and leaving it like before allows the host to continue working as before the VM ever existed.

As for the VM configuration (VirtualBox/VMWare configuration that is, not the guest), in the networking section you have to define two network adapters. This is where you put each one into "bridged mode". Note also, additionally to what I said before, you'll also need to select a real network card for each one. Put in a different one for each. Note that this configuration is what will define what NIC in the guest will use what physical NIC.

Finally, inside the guest, change the network configuration of each network card. Set the IP/submask/gateway/DNS/DHCP exactly as it was on the older, real machine you replaced. This is what makes the VM take the place of the real thing for the rest of the world. At this point, all other systems out there should view the VM like it was before.