VMware on laptop 1

[tg2003]

Hello all,

I have a WIN XP laptop which holds 2 VMs (one is Solaris and the second is Suse Linux).

When my laptop is connected to internet, everything works fine: my VMs are bridges, and can talk with each other and with my laptop.

But when my laptop is disconnected from internet, there is no connection between my laptop and my VMs, and between the VMs. Well it may caused since the ethernet is bridged, so I set it to "NAT". When I set the ethernet to "NAT", the VMs can talk with each other VM, but they cannot talk with my laptop.

How can I set it so the laptop can talk with the VMs when it is disconnected from internet?

I tried also to add NIC aliases to my Solaris VM (by "ifconfig IPADRESS plumb"), but it still has no connection.

Thanks in advance!

 

[tg2003]

please see technical details here:

http://music.220mb.com/upload/vm.JPG

 

[Roadki11]

I am wondering if what you mean by "connected to the internet" is your ethernet link is active. Shouldnt matter if you are connected to the internet or a LAN, just that the ethernet connection has a link. I think this is the solution to your problem. You could setup a virtual network but the real easy way to solve this is to make an ethernet loopback connection. See the following link for how to do it. Its simple and thats what i did for places that i couldnt connect my laptop to a network.

http://www.juniper.net/techpubs/software/nog/nog-interfaces/html/fe-ge-loopback25.html

RoadKi11

"This apparent fear reaction is typical, rather than try to solve technical problems technically, policy solutions are often chosen." - Fred Cohen

 

[tg2003]

Thank you very much!
I must say that I'm a software man, not hardware, but I tried it: I took an old RJ-45 cable - and it's working!!

Thank you!

 

[Roadki11]

You are welcome.



RoadKi11

"This apparent fear reaction is typical, rather than try to solve technical problems technically, policy solutions are often chosen." - Fred Cohen

 

[tg2003]

Well, after a few days I can say that this hardware solution sometimes does work, and sometimes doesn't. It's randomally. I've made two such cables, and I don't know the reason. I can't rely on it for important presentation.

Is there any software solution? As you said, the point is that I need "active ethernet link" so then it works fine.

 

[Roadki11]

Interesting. The only reason i can think of that it wouldnt be working is if your network adapter is set to DHCP on the laptop or on the VM's, but if that was the case it would never have worked at all. If your laptop or any of the VM's are DHCP give them a static IP. In the TCPIP properties of the laptops ethernet settings you should see an alternate config tab, you can set a static address there that it will use when you have the loopback cable plugged in and it cant find a DHCP server. If your laptop and VM's already have static addresses this probably isnt the issue.



RoadKi11

"This apparent fear reaction is typical, rather than try to solve technical problems technically, policy solutions are often chosen." - Fred Cohen

 

[tg2003]

Thank for your feedback.
My laptop has a static IP. It's probably not the issue. I'm looking now for a software solution.

Thanks!

 

[Roadki11]

Give this a try:

http://www.petri.co.il/virtual_create_network_testlab_vmware.htm

RoadKi11

"This apparent fear reaction is typical, rather than try to solve technical problems technically, policy solutions are often chosen." - Fred Cohen