How to network two XP's running off the same mac?

[digimg02]

I have two virtual XP machines running on my 10.5.6 MacPro. This is because we have an Atiz book scanner, one XP will run the master software and the second XP will run the slave software. Basically one XP for the left camera, and one XP for the right camera.

However, this requires the two machines have static IP's and connected by a crossover cable. How would I go about replicating that situation in VMware fusion?

[WoodyZ]

First the cross-over cable is a most certainly a requirement when dealing with two physical PC's that need to be connected via Ethernet that were not connected to a Network via a Switch or Hub or Router, however my question would be is that an absolute requirement? In other words if two computes on a Network had access to each other and the IP Address were on the same Subnet and each knew the others IP Address regardless of whether it was a Static or DHCP IP Address would it still work?

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As long as I can ping one machine from another with the static IP it should work. It has to be static so you don't have to reenter the IP everytime you launch the software. If you want to take a look here's the documentation. It looks really simple, just assign each computer an IP on a LAN so they can find each other, then test it with a ping. I just have no idea how to do it with VMware

Oh, and the mac is 10.5.5 not x.x.6

[admin · Accepted solution]

You do it the same way in Fusion as you would with physical computers. As long as the virtual machines are set up to use the same type of networking (bridged/NAT/host-only), they should be on the same subnet and be able to ping each other. Give them static IP addresses in the right range (check the DHCP address they get, this will vary per Fusion installation).

[digimg02]

Thanks! I got them talking even without a static IP.