Virtualbox Bridging

The installation of VBox, creation of the guest and installation of Debian Etch was done in the normal fashion. Once that was completed I followed the following steps to setup networking.

I. Create Network Connection in VBox
1. Open VBox¬¬ Settings Network;
2. Click on “Attached to” and then select “Host Interfaces”;
3. In Host Interfaces click Add;
4. Type "VirtualBox Host Interface #" without the quotation marks where the # represents a number for the interface, usually 1 (on one computer the name of the virtual box host interface appeared automatically, on the other computer I had to type the information);
5. Click OK, and
6. Close VBox

II. Create a Network Bridge
1. Open Control PanelNetwork Connections;
2. While holding down Ctrl select the Local Area connection and click on the VirtualBox Host Interface;
3. Right click on one of the selected connections; and
4. From the drop-down menu select Create Network Bridge

Since I am using static IP’s on my network set up I had to configure the TCP/IP properties for the Network Bridge.

5. Right click on the Network Bridge that was just created;
6. Select TCP/IP;
7. Click on Properties;
8. Set the Static Connection Values; and
9. Close Network Connection.

III. Set Network Adapters to promiscuous mode

When VBox and the guest VM load Windows XP should put the network adapters into promiscuous mode, but sometimes this does not happen. Therefore, I think it is best to force the adapters into promiscuous mode. It is only necessary to do this once.

1. Open a Windows command prompt (StartRun and type "CMD" without the quotes and press ENTER;
2. Type "netsh bridge show adapter";
3. There will be a line of information displayed for each network adapter in the Bridge. Look for any adapter that is listed as disabled, note the number of the adapter and go to step four.
4. Type "netsh bridge set adapter # forcecompatmode=enable" for each adapter that was listed as disabled, inserting the number of the adapter for the #;
5. Type "netsh bridge show adapter" once again to check to see if your adapters have been enabled;
6. Exit the command prompt; and
7. Reboot the computer.

III. Configure the TCP/IP Properties for the Debian guest

Again, this is necessary because I am using static IP's in my LAN.

1. Open VBox;
2. Start Debian;
3. Since I have installed GNOME desktop I will open Networking by clicking DesktopAdministrationNetworking;
4. Select Ethernet Connection eth0;
5. Click on Properties;
6. Set the static configuration for the Debian VM;
7. Close Networking; and
8. Reboot Debian.

After Debian has rebooted LAN connections with the host and any other computers on the network should have been established.

That is it. It worked for me. Please let me know if you have any questions concerning this set up. I have typed these instructions from notes I made while I was setting up my computers. There may be a better way or a faster way to set this all up, but I could not find it. This is what works for me.