How to connect to Windows guest (NAT mode) using Remote Desktop through Mac firewall?

[phlytraps]

I have a Windows XP virtual machine running, with networking set to NAT mode, on a Mac Pro running OS X 10.5.3. I'd like to be able to connect to the virtual machine from outside using, for example, Windows Remote Desktop. How can I get this to work?

Complications:

1) I want to run in NAT mode, not Bridged, as I only have one static IP address on the network here, which is allocated to the Mac. I want to be able to connect to that address from outside, then have incoming requests for (say) Windows Remote Desktop (port 3389) forwarded from the Mac to the virtual machine. Is there some way to get VMWare Fusion to do the forwarding?

2) Even if VMWare Fusion can do the forwarding, How do I tell the Mac Firewall to allow data for incoming port 3389 to be allowed through?

Thanks for any suggestions.

[WoodyZ · Accepted solution]

Did you search the Forum for an answer? port forwarding using nat

Message was edited by: WoodyZ

Also have a look at: Configuring IPFW firewalls on OS X

Needless to say it would be much easier if you had another IP Address to assign the Virtual Machine using Bridged Networking.

[phlytraps]

Thanks for the pointer, which made things almost trivial, and the Os X firewall didn't screw things up at all. I edited nat.conf, added a line to forward port 3389 to the guest local IP address, then followed the instructions in another post to restart the VMWare NAT:

sudo /Library/Application Support/VMWare Fusion/boot.sh --restart

When I did this, a window popped up asking if I wanted to allow connections to vmnet-natd. I said yes, restarted Windows, and now I can connect very happily using Windows Remote Desktop from a remote machine.

[WoodyZ]

I edited nat.conf, added a line to forward port 3389 to the guest local IP address

Something to keep in mind that when using the VMware NAT Network in the Virtual Machine by default the IP Address the Virtual Machine is assigned is not a Static Address and as such is subject to change so the information you added to vmnet8's nat.conf file may have to be edited again and again, etc...

I would hard code the Guest OS Network Adapter using an IP Address outside the Scope of the NAT's DHCP Server IP Address Pool. Available Static IP Addresses are typically where the last octet will be between 3 and 127 however check the vmnet8's dhcpd.conf file to be sure.

[phlytraps]

Thanks again. I did think about this, and checked what happened when I rebooted my Mac a couple of times. The guest Windows machine seemed to get allocated the same IP address each time, so I left it as dynamic. I suppose this is more likely to be a problem if I'm trying to run multiple virtual machines.

[WoodyZ]

I suppose this is more likely to be a problem if I'm trying to run multiple virtual machines.

While true, nonetheless I've seen a single Virtual Machine acquire a different IP Address under many different conditions however the main reason I brought this up is it is a point for failure and as such be aware of it and what options are available.

When configuring a system, physical or virtual, for remote access especially across WAN's I would minimize all break points within my control and using DHCP on a system that is to be remotely accessed is as such a break point and is of poor network design and implementation if it can easily be eliminated by configuring it with a Static IP Address. Anyway if you run into an issue you know how to resolve it.

[Rogue1000]

I'm VERY non-tech and am trying to make it possible for a Windows User, using Remote Desktop, to be able to look into my Windows setup. I've tried setting the machine to both Bridged, then to NAT (neither of which I understand). I noted that port 3389 was mentioned. Where in my MacBook Pro do I enable that port? Thanks for any help!

[WoodyZ]

I'm VERY non-tech and am trying to make it possible for a Windows User, using Remote Desktop, to be able to look into my Windows setup. I've tried setting the machine to both Bridged, then to NAT (neither of which I understand). I noted that port 3389 was mentioned. Where in my MacBook Pro do I enable that port? Thanks for any help!

Since you're not tech savvy then the easiest and safest thing you can do is just use TeamViever. You download and run the customer module and the other person uses the full version. (You both can use the full version although for you it's easier to run the customer module without even having to install it.)

[WoodyZ]

You posted a reply with no content so I guess you didn't have anything to say.

[Rogue1000]

How very odd. I did post, yet it's not here. In any case, I thanked you for the tip on TeamView. It was exactly what was needed. Really a great tool. So thanks again, Woody.

[jjmurillofuente]

I was new in the mac world, so I was/am windows dependent... I needed to acces my mac at my work form home. The VNC were quite bad solutions compared to the RDP (windows remote desktop). So I decided to try on vmware the acces to windows. Since I just have one public IP address I use the nat mode. So I had to use fowarding to access the windows XP.

I followed the next steps:

1) Go to the nat.conf file at

/Library/Application Support/VMware Fusion/vmnet8

notice that if you navigate through the command line you may need to write "\ " instead " " in the file names:

/Library/Application\ Support/VMware\ Fusion/vmnet8

2) There you open the file and at the end of the part for incomingtcp you add the following line:

3389 = 192.168.20.128:3389

Here you have an example:

_____________________________________________

1. Use these with care - anyone can enter into your VM through these...

1. FTP (both active and passive FTP is always enabled)

2. ftp localhost 8887

#8887 = 172.16.226.128:21

1. WEB (make sure that if you are using named webhosting, names point to

2. your host, not to guest... And if you are forwarding port other

3. than 80 make sure that your server copes with mismatched port

4. number in Host: header)

5. lynx

#8888 = 172.16.226.128:80

3389 = 192.168.20.128:3389

_____________________________________________

Remark 1: the ip 192.168.20.128 is the one the nat gave to my windows. I just opened the network configuration in XP and check for the IP address the VMware gave to windows. It usually gives the same IP. If it changes we need to change the nat.conf.

Remark 2: altough my account is administrator type, I need to enter as root to change this file. You must first open the "utilidad de directorios" that in english must be folder utility or similar, and then in the menus configure the root account. Exit your acount, enter as root, change the nat.conf file and then return to your account.

3) You must execute the following line with the vmware shitched off:

sudo /Library/Application Support/VMWare Fusion/boot.sh --restart

Use a terminal windows in Applications/utilities. Also check for the spaces in the folder names. Usually you must excute the following instead:

sudo /Library/Application\ Support/VMWare\ Fusion/boot.sh --restart

That's all folcks.

One more thing. I guess that when you update the version of vmware these modifications on the nat.conf are deleted...