Share Windows XP Guest Internet Connection with OS X Host HOWTO

[WoodyZ]

Sometime Users may find themselves in a position that they need to share the Windows XP Guest Virtual Machine’s Internet Connection with the Mac OS X Host and this document will show one of the ways it can be accomplished.

Requirements

OS X 10.4.9 or Higher

VMware Fusion 1.0 or Higher

Microsoft Windows XP SP2 VMware Fusion Virtual Machine

Internet Connectivity from within the XP Guest Virtual Machine.

Active* Network Connection in OS X Host.

While the information presented in this document was written on Mac OS X Tiger and VMware Fusion Windows XP Pro Virtual Machine using a Belkin 54g WiFi USB Network Adapter to provide the Guest's Internet Connectivity the foundation and general directions presented should work on any Device that Internet Connection Sharing can be enabled on. It should also work with Mac OS X Leopard and or Microsoft Windows Vista as well although the graphics and explisit directions would vary.

"*" See comments in document for asterisk reference.

File Attached: Share_Windows_XP_Guest_Internet_Connection_with_OS_X_Host_HOWTO.pdf

[gilroykilroy]

I took what you said as "I used the Belkin adapter software to bridge through from Windows to the Mac", not as "you need some actual hardware to bridge from Windows to the Mac."

So, is there a software ONLY solution (no cables, no adapters, etc.) to this? Perhaps in VMWare 3.0?

Thanks.

[WoodyZ]

Please don't take the the wrong way but you obvious just aren't getting it! The whole point of the document I wrote was to provide a software based solution using the hardware that was already present on the Mac and gain Internet Connectivity on the Host via the Internet Conductivity on the Guest and that has to be provided with the addition of some external hardware source and while I did use a physical Belkin 54g WiFi USB Network Adapter to provide the Guest's Internet Connectivity to create the document and provide proof of concept however I also have just tested it using a Mobil Broadband USB Modem as stated in my latest reply and it too worked and while I'm at it I'll also state that it works with a third device I've used and that's my Cell Phone used as a USB Modem connected to the Virtual Machine.

So I'm not sure why you're not getting the picture correctly but one can gain Internet Connectivity on the Host via the Guest's Internet Connectivity if one follows the general steps while substituting explicit/specific steps for the device you're using and that device need to be ICS capable. This has worked for me in OS X Tiger, Leopard and now Snow Leopard as well as VMware Fusion 1.x, 2.x and 3.0 and in Windows XP and Windows Vista using either a Belkin 54g WiFi USB Network Adapter, Mobil Broadband USB Modem or my Cell Phone used as a USB Modem each of which while connected to the Virtual Machine. I haven't tried it with Windows 7 yet but I see no obvious reason why it would not work with it as well.

[gilroykilroy]

1) VMWare is set to bridged.

2) My cell phone does create a LAN connection (I am able to connect to the internet from within Windows XP)

3) The LAN connections is set as shared.

4) There is NO VMware Accelerated AMD PCNet Adapter in the Network Connection control panel.

5) I did create a Computer-to-Computer Airport connect.

6) This connection never gets a valid IP address, always self assigned no matter how long I wait and/or try to renew the DHCP lease.

I don't know what else to say or do. Sorry. All the latest VMWare Tools are installed in my guest so I don't know where you got this "VMware Accelerated AMD PCNet Adapter". I tried re-installing the tools and when I select "Modify" there is no mention of this driver either.

There is an "AMD PCNET Family PCI Ethernet" LAN connection. It keeps saying "cable unplugged" when I try to enable that connection.

[lunariver]

I got 1 problem and 1 question when I'm trying this solution on my mbp: snow leopard + vmware fusion 2.0.5 + windows xp sp1

Problem: After I disable/enable the NIC, the IP address is not like the pic in your document, my submask is always 255.255.0.0, not your 255.255.255.0, I'm not sure if this is important, however, I tried to ping xp from mac, it's ok, does this mean the network between mac&xp is ok? however, when I try to ping a internet website or open safari, it just showed no internet connection. Of course, I selet the ICS already. It seems the ICS doesn't set anything on the VMware accelerated AMD PCNet Adapter right, is there any manual method to assure this work?

Question: It is the mac that first to setup the wifi network, why it is said in your document that the xp is the DHCP server, not mac?

[fireguyed]

I, too am having problems with getting my Mac to connect through the Fusion/WinXP set-up

I am using Mac OS 10.6.2, XP Pro SP2 and the new Comcast 3G/4G modem.

I have the WiMax modem network connection set for sharing, Fusion set for Bridged and Airport for computer to computer.

The Local connection must be set for "disabled", Windows will not allow me to have more than one network connection at a time. If I try to enable the LAN, it kicks off the WiMax, and it will not connect the WiMax if the LAN is enabled....

The Fusion settings show a green dot for the bridged connection, but the Mac will not pull an IP address.

From going over the directions posted above several times, it seems as if the problem is that I cannot get the LAN to go active while using the WiMax connection......

Any help would be great!

[accuram]

Hello. I have just read WoodyZ's instruction and successfully shared windows 7 guest VPN connection with OSX Host.

Well, there were some modification.

Actually I had hard time to understand the virtual or logical connection is possible between MBP AirPort C2C network and Win7 AirPort Bridge.

My first impression was C2C connection between USB Wifi controlled by guest win7 and AirPort of MBP, but it is not true.

Anyway, a routing path is as below.

<connection flow>

Internet Cable(!) -> MBP Ethernet Port -> Guest windows 7 Ethernet Bridge -> VPN -> (Win7 ICS) -> Guest windows 7 AirPort Bridge -> MBP AirPort computer to computer network -> MBP applications

Tricky part is to set MBP network priority as 1) AirPort and 2) Ethernet to access VPN.

Also, you may speed up of setting IP adreess of MBP AirPort by doing DHCP Renew at MBP network advanced setting menu.

This connection mechanism also works with iPhone USB tethering as WoodyZ said in 2004 Jan, 2008. Wow!

(I got confusion between posted since and the post date. , thanks WoodyZ)

<connection flow>

USB iPhone Tethering to Guest Win7 -> VPN -> (Win7 ICS) -> Guest windows 7 AirPort Bridge -> MBP AirPort computer to computer network -> MBP applications

This flow was just the same as WoodyZ's description.

When I connect USB WiFi adapter, later, I will be able to connect a company WiFi AP, whose authentication need windows domain join.

Thanks WoodyZ!

[WoodyZ]

This connection mechanism also works with iPhone USB tethering as WoodyZ said in 2004. Wow!

It was Jan 8, 2008 when I posted this not 2004   and yes the basic directions should still work today, although one just has to make adjustments base on what one is using.

[pier25]

I know this is an old thread... but how would that work in Linux? How do you enable the ICS?

[Gallena]

This does not work for me. The network corresponding to the ad-hoc network on my Mac shows up as "Unidentified network" in Windows 7. It works fine (nothing shows up in the Network and sharing center) when my Mac is connected normally to my router through Wi-Fi, so I know that the problem has to do with using an ad-hoc network. If anyone knows a solution to this and could post it soon, it would be greatly appreciated.

I'm using Lion.

[WoodyZ]

Gallena wrote: This does not work for me. The network corresponding to the ad-hoc network on my Mac shows up as "Unidentified network" in Windows 7. It works fine (nothing shows up in the Network and sharing center) when my Mac is connected normally to my router through Wi-Fi, so I know that the problem has to do with using an ad-hoc network. If anyone knows a solution to this and could post it soon, it would be greatly appreciated.

I'm using Lion.

Do you realize I wrote this nearly five and a half yeas ago and it was really geared towards Mac OS X Tiger and Windows XP!?

What explicitly and specifically are you trying to do?

[cpat6d]

How do I stop getting these emails?

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[Gallena]

Yes I do realize that, but that's about the only thing I could find about how to do exactly what's described in your original post. The difference is that I'm using a different USB adapter and different OS versions, but I'm trying to achieve the same thing.

[Gallena]

Menu on the right of the page, click "Stop tracking".

[WoodyZ]

Gallena wrote: Yes I do realize that, but that's about the only thing I could find about how to do exactly what's described in your original post.

I'll ask again, one last time! "What explicitly and specifically are you trying to do?"

[Gallena]

I need to share the Windows 7 Guest Virtual Machine’s Internet Connection with an OS X Lion Host. The internet connection is from a USB Wifi adapter that doesn't have any driver for OS X Lion. The adapter works fine and I can access the Internet from the guest. I want to share that connection with the host. The adapter is an Alfa AWUS036H.

[looter]

Why am I getting tons of emails for from VMWare forums all of the sudden?

VMware Communities<http://communities.vmware.com/index.jspa>

Share Windows XP Guest Internet Connection with OS X Host HOWTO

created by cpat6d<http://communities.vmware.com/people/cpat6d> in VMware Fusion® (for Mac) - View the full discussion<http://communities.vmware.com/message/2244366#2244366>

[Gallena]

Check the "Action" menu on the right of the page and click "Stop tracking".

[WoodyZ]

Gallena wrote: I need to share the Windows 7 Guest Virtual Machine’s Internet Connection with an OS X Lion Host. The internet connection is from a USB Wifi adapter that doesn't have any driver for OS X Lion. The adapter works fine and I can access the Internet from the guest. I want to share that connection with the host. The adapter is an Alfa AWUS036H.

Okay,  I'll have to dig out my USB WiFi Network Adapter, not sure where it is at the moment, and do some testing on a Windows 7 VM and what I'm running... OS X Mountain Lion.  Will post back a bit later.

BTW What versions of Windows 7 and VMware Fusion are you running?

[Gallena]

VMWare is 5.0.3
Windows 7 is the 32 bits Ultimate edition

Thank you very much for your help. It is greatly appreciated.

[WoodyZ]

Well it took a while to get a USB WiFi Network Adapter to test with as I couldn't find the one I used when I wrote this paper.

Bottom line is, it worked as advertised while using OS X 10.8.3 Host, VMware Fusion 5.0.3 and a Windows 7 32-bit Virtual Machine.

The Windows Virtual Machine has 1 Network Adapter in it's Settings and that is set to Bridged.  Windows 7 Virtual Machine has a Belkin N150 Wi-Fi USB Adapter, which connects to one of the Routers on my LAN, and the adapter has ICS enabled on it.  This set the IP Address of the Intel PRO/1000 MT Virtual Ethernet Adapter to 192.168.137.1 although on your system is may be different and that's okay as long as it's not a 169.254.0.0/16 IP Address.  Also it does not assign a Gateway IP Address and that's okay as it does not need one in this case.  On the Host I created a Computer-to-Computer Network and the Host's Wi-Fi Network Adapter picked up a 192.168.137.74 IP address via ICS on the Windows 7 Virtual Machine.  So now the Host is connect to the Internet via the Host's Wi-Fi Network Adapter connected to the Guest's Wired Ethernet Adapter via ICS running on the Guest's Wi-Fi USB Adapter.  The Host itself has no other active connections other then the Computer-to-Computer Network.

Again, bottom line it this still works as advertised!