Can't get Virtual machine to recognize AIRPORT 802.11 adapter for Windows app on Mac Book Air

[SteveDSM]

I am new to VMWare and Macs but justt bought a Mac Book Air, but have installed Fusion and XP and now am trying to install some company-provided firewall comm app for a wireless VPN connection. However, the app doesn't recognize any wireless adapter. The Mac is recognizing my home-based wireless router via Airport but not on the virtual machine. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance------Steve

[ssahadev2]

Steve,

VM cannot directly connect to Airport as the virtual machine hardware does not have wireless adapter.

All you could do is set the VM to bridged mode and install the VPN client. Mac OS will use wireless adapter for communication

[WoodyZ]

Have a look at: http://communities.vmware.com/message/848778

[SteveDSM]

Thanks for your help. I did a hard wire connect to my work lan and was able

to change the "network adapter" configuration to "Bridged" option and check

the CONNECT box. However, the continuing problem is that this piece of

software for connection is still looking for a wireless adapter and the

VMware PCNet adapter shown does not accept as a wireless adapter. That is

the work-around that i need.

Steve

[WoodyZ]

If you have some software package in Windows that requires there to be a WiFi Network Adapter present then you can certainly install a User Supplied USB WiFi Adapter in Windows and utilize it that way.

[SteveDSM]

WoodyZ

Thanks. The glitch with the network adapter to the switched position was

rectified. What I am dealing with is company-supplied software that "*is an

enterprise-class 802.1X access client software with full support for the

advanced WLAN security protocols that you require for wireless access to

your LAN." So it is specifically looking for that 802.11 compliant

adapter. *

I think you answerd my question succinctly that it just don't exist in this

VM Fusion world. Why not, i don't know. But that is just another usb item

to hang on a ush hub as the AIR has but one usb drive. Oh well.

Steve

[WoodyZ]

I think you answerd my question succinctly that it just don't exist in this

VM Fusion world. Why not, i don't know.

Without getting into any technical details and speaking in general a Virtual Machine is comprised of virtual hardware and Fusion's Hardware Set just does not include a WiFi Network Adapter just like it does not show for the Graphics Adapter the one that is Physically Present on the computer nor can it directly access Firewire. So why not... lets just say by design and leave it at that.

However as I stated earlier if you have a software package that requires a WiFi Adapter be present in the Guest OS then the only solution I know of is to install one and it can be done as I have done so in the past.