Difference between NAT vs Bridged vs Host-only for my Network Adapter setting?

[rcook349]

When using VMWare Fusion, what is the difference between NAT vs Bridged vs Host-only for my Network Adapter setting?

Also (sort of related), if I use a VPN client on my guest Windows OS (as opposed to one from my host Mac OS), will that somehow lessen/limit the "hooks" my company has into my Host OS? If so, I'm guessing that it then also limits/prevents me being able to interact with my corporate environment from my host OS?

Thanks much.

[FranckRookie]

Hi Rcook349,

You can have a look at the following kb for information about networking types in VMware Fusion.

Your two machines will be completely separated (except if you use Shared Folders). So if your guest is connected to your company's network, your host won't be accessible from there.

Hope it helps.

Regards

Franck

[Mikero · Accepted solution]

The KB link doesn't seem to be working right now, so here's a basic answer:

NAT - Windows gets an IP address from one of the Fusion background services

Bridged - Windows gets an IP from the same place your Mac does

Host Only - Makes the VM isolated from the world except the Mac. (useful in development and testing setups)

NAT - Puts Windows on a different subnet than the Mac, so the VM can't talk to the same things on the Mac's network that the Mac can talk with. It sort of puts a router between the Mac and the VM

Bridged - basically on the same 'layer' as the Mac, so you can access network shares, etc. Good for corporate environments where the VM needs to talk to a shared network resource (AD, SMB shares, printers, etc)

Host Only - again, isolates the VM from everything but the Mac, so no Internet, no Intranet, but it can talk to the Mac itself.

Hope that explains things 😃