Can't connect to DHCP server

[Joysenki]

Hello. I am a cs student, trying to do my homework which is: 

-Setup Windows Server 2003 on one VM and configure DHCP server

-Setup Windows XP on another VM and get an IP from that DHCP server

I have a problem with the second step

Windows Server Network Adapter is set to "Host-only"

Windows XP Network Adapter is set to ''NAT". Firewall is off

My XP VM does not connect. I wonder why

[a_p_]

Does the network adapter show up in Windows XP?
Did you already install VMware Tools in your Windows XP VM

André

[Joysenki]

Yes and Yes

[a_p_]

According to your initial post you are configuring different network settings (Host-Only, and NAT) for the two VMs.
That for sure won't work, if you expect the XP VM to get a DHCP lease from the Windows 2003 server, as they cannot see each other over the network.

André

[Joysenki]

I see. Then what do I do ? How do I configure them ? 

[RaSystemlord]

Have them both in NAT networking (or create a custom network, but that is not necessary).

If your XP cannot find the Server with a Name (for whatever reason, for instance if your computers are copies within the same VMware Host and thus DNS gets confused) you can:

- call the server by IP address (might not be enough, because the server perhaps needs to find XP, as well)

- edit the "hosts" file on both computers in order to give the right link between their names and ip-addresses. Reboot after changing this, ping would work, but other services might not before reboot

[a_p_]

The question is, what do you want to achieve?

You either need to place them into the same subnet (e.g. both in Host-Only), or configure a router with a DHCP helper.
Remember that VMware Workstation also has a DHCP server running, and you have to take care of this, so that the client receives its DHCP lease from the server.

André

[Joysenki]

Yes, I need XP VM to get a lease from my 2003 server. And to do that I need to set both to Host-only & disable Workstation DHCP server so that the client won't get a lease from there. Right ? I am new to networking and computers in general, so your help is very much appreciated, thank you

[a_p_]

Yes, that's basically it. Note that disabling VMware Workstation Player's DHCP may affect other VMs too.
If you want/need a more granular virtual network configuration, consider VMware Workstation Pro, which comes with a Virtual Network Editor that lets you configure individual settings, and also create additional virtual networks.
André