Access Web Server on VM while not connected to network

[bceverly]

Hi,

I frequently need to do standalone (i.e. not connected to any network, just me, my laptop, and a projector) demos of our web-based product to people. Ideally, I'd love to leave the Thinkpad I use behind and do this from within a virtual environment on a MacBook Pro.

Is there a way I can hit the web server in Windows Server 2003 from within a VM from Safari running on the host OS when I'm not connected to any network?

Thanks,
Bryan

[brettw]

Bryan, if it doesn't work when not connected (and I think it would not) ... here's a kludge but better than hauling around a Thinkpad ....

What I've done in the past with Powerbook and VirtualPC (similar problem) was to take an AIrport Express with me configured as a base station. Though your network really doesn't go anywhere the MacBook should connect as a client and the VM should be able to bind as it would with a true 802.11g connection. Airport Express is quite small and light compared to the ThinkPad esp. if you fly anywhere.

Express also makes a handy way to extend the hotel cable dsl to the bed without having a bunch of wires so you can iSight back to your wife -;)