??? Setting Up Bridged Networking in VirtualBox: My Experience ??

Recently, I faced a networking challenge while setting up a Bridged Adapter connection for my Virtual Machines (VMs) in VirtualBox. Initially, my VM was not getting an IP address, and communication between my host and guest machines was failing. Here’s how I solved it!

?? The Problem

By default, VirtualBox often assigns NAT (Network Address Translation) mode, which isolates the VM from the local network. However, I needed my VM to act as a standalone machine on my network with its own IP address.

?? The Solution

1?? Switched to Bridged Adapter Mode

• In VirtualBox, I changed the network adapter settings to Bridged Adapter (instead of NAT).
• This allows the VM to get an IP address from my router, just like a physical machine.

2?? Checked Network Configuration

• Ran ip a to verify my network interface (enp0s3).
• Initially, no IP was assigned!

3?? Manually Requested an IP Address

• Used sudo dhclient enp0s3 to get an IP from the DHCP server.

4?? Verified Connectivity

• Ran ping -c 4 8.8.8.8 ? (Success! Internet working)
• Ran ping -c 4 google.com ? (DNS resolution working)
• Tested communication between VMs using ping 192.168.1.xxx ? (Success!)

?? Understanding VirtualBox Network Modes

VirtualBox offers multiple networking options depending on the use case:

?? NAT (Network Address Translation) – Default mode; VMs can access the internet, but cannot be accessed from the host or other devices.

?? NAT Network – Similar to NAT but allows communication between VMs on the same virtual network.

?? Bridged Adapter – The VM acts like a physical machine on the network with its own IP address, making it accessible from other devices.

?? Host-Only Adapter – Allows VMs to communicate only with the host and other VMs, but not the internet.

?? Internal Network – VMs can communicate with each other but not with the host or external network.

?? Generic Driver – Advanced mode for specific network setups.

?? Key Takeaways

? Bridged Adapter mode makes VMs act as independent machines on the network.

? Running sudo dhclient <interface> can manually request an IP.

? Always verify connectivity using ping and ip a.

? Choosing the right network mode depends on whether you need internet access, VM-to-VM communication, or isolation.

This experience reinforced my understanding of networking, VirtualBox, and troubleshooting techniques. If you're working with virtual machines and need network access, Bridged Adapter mode might be the solution!

#Networking #Virtualization #VirtualBox #Linux #BridgedAdapter #TechTips ??