VMware network connectivity bridging, NAT, host-only mode

If you want to use VMware to install virtual machines, or to create a virtual system that is isolated from other machines in the network, perform special debugging tasks. In this case, the choice of the virtual system network connection mode is very important. If you choose to work in an incorrect mode, you won't be able to achieve this, and you won't be able to take full advantage of VMware's role in network management and maintenance. Now let's get closer to VMware's three modes of operation. Understand three modes of operation.

VMware offers three modes of operation, which are bridged (bridging mode), NAT (network address translation mode), and host-only (host mode). To properly apply them in network management and maintenance, you should first look at these three modes of work.

1.bridged (Bridging mode)

In this mode, VMware virtual operating system is like a local area network and host the same as a separate host, it can access any machine in the network. In bridging mode, you need to manually configure the virtual system with an IP address, subnet mask, and a host machine in the same network segment so that the virtual system can communicate with the host machine. At the same time, because this virtual system is a separate host system in the LAN, it is possible to manually configure its TCP/IP configuration information to enable access to the Internet through a LAN gateway or router.

The relationship between a virtual system using bridging mode and a host machine is like two computers connected to the same hub. To make them communicate with each other, you need to configure the IP address and subnet mask for the virtual system, or you will not be able to communicate.

If you want to use VMware to create a new virtual server within the LAN, to provide network services for LAN users, you should choose bridging mode.

2.host-only (host mode)

In some special network debugging environments, it is required to isolate the real environment from the virtual environment, then you can use the host-only mode. In host-only mode, all virtual systems can communicate with each other, but virtual systems and real networks are isolated.

Note: In host-only mode, the virtual system and the host machine system can communicate with each other, which is equivalent to the two machines connected by twisted pair wires.

In host-only mode, the TCP/IP configuration information (such as IP address, gateway address, DNS server, etc.) of the virtual system is dynamically allocated by the DHCP server of the VMNET1 (host-only) virtual network.

If you want to use VMware to create a virtual system that is isolated from other machines in the network, you can choose Host-only mode for some special network debugging work.

3.NAT (network address translation mode)

Using NAT mode, the virtual system uses the NAT (network address translation) function to access the public network through the network where the host machine resides. In other words, the use of NAT mode enables access to the Internet in virtual systems. The TCP/IP configuration information for a virtual system in NAT mode is provided by the DHCP server of the VMNET8 (NAT) virtual network and cannot be modified manually, so the virtual system cannot communicate with other real hosts on the local area network. The biggest advantage of using NAT mode is that virtual system access to the Internet is very simple, you do not need to do any other configuration, only the host machine can access the Internet.

If you want to use VMware to install a new virtual system, you can directly access the Internet without any manual configuration in the virtual system, it is recommended that you use NAT mode.

Hint: The above mentioned NAT mode VMnet8 virtual network, VMNET1 virtual network in host-only mode, and VMnet0 virtual network in bridged mode are all generated by the automatic configuration of VMware virtual machine and do not need to be set by the user. VMnet8 and VMNET1 provide DHCP services, and VMNET0 virtual networks are not available.

Configure virtual system operating mode

In the actual work, due to the different needs of users, debugging environment requirements, different users need to choose different working modes, perhaps the bridged mode, may be NAT mode or Host-only mode. Regardless of which mode of operation you choose to use, it is very simple to configure the virtual system to the appropriate working mode, which you can do in the New Virtual Machine Wizard dialog box.

In the New Virtual Machine Wizard dialog box, click the Next button and go to the Network Type dialog box to select the mode of work you are using. In the Network Type dialog box, there are four single options, namely bridged mode, Nat mode, host-only mode, no network connection, select the working mode you need to use, then click "Next" button to complete the configuration of virtual system working mode.

VMware network connectivity bridging, NAT, host-only mode