VPN connections in VMware virtual machines

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Wed, May 28 2008 at 7:30AM PDT • Contributed by: cotcase

VMware Fusion provides two options for the network connections in a virtual machine: direct (Bridged) and by sharing the host's connection (NAT).

I have found that if you want to connect to a VPN from within a virtual machine, you must use the Bridged option. If you want the virtual machine to use the Mac's VPN connection, you must use the NAT option.

I have also found that connecting to the VPN from within a Windows Vista virtual machine on my MacBook Pro running OS X 10.5.2 is not reliable -- the connection frequently drops out. However, if I connect using the host machine (NAT), the virtual machine uses that connection perfectly, and I have had no disconnection issues.

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VPN connections in VMware virtual machines
Authored by: mike3k on Wed, May 28 2008 at 8:11AM PDT

I have a VPN connection open all day with Windows XP in both VMWare Fusion & Parallels, both using bridged mode, and I find it 100% reliable.

VPN connections in VMware virtual machines
Authored by: robdew on Wed, May 28 2008 at 8:37AM PDT

this must be something unique to VMware's NAT implementation, because people connect to VPNs from behind NAT routers all the time. Pretty much anyone on a wifi hotspot is doing this.

I see no reason why a VM wouldn't be able to use their own VPN connection using NAT.

VPN connections in VMware virtual machines
Authored by: diamondsw on Wed, May 28 2008 at 8:47AM PDT

Not a hint.

This is entirely dependent on your particular VPN software and configuration, and the situation changes from version to version (of both VPN software and VMWare).

For what it's worth, I have no problems with the AT&T Net Client VPN inside VMWare Fusion 1.1.2 when using NAT.

VPN connections in VMware virtual machines
Authored by: taxi on Wed, May 28 2008 at 4:55PM PDT

I concur. This is not a hint.

It makes perfect sense what is said.

If you wish to use the VPN set up on the host OS, then you use NAT. If you wish to use the 'net connection set up on the host, then you use NAT.

If you wish to set up a VPN on the guest OS, then you use bridging. If you wish to set you your own 'net connection on the guest, then you use bridging.

However, this is just a logical conclusion. It doesn't provide any new information.

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