Parallels Desktop Networking FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide

Trouble Accessing OSX Apache Virtual Domains

I'm having the same problem as suzerain and lehmkuhl. I use OSX to develop and test several webites locally. I've setup NetInfo Manager so that my test domain names point to my local machine under OSX. This way, for example, www.testdomain1.local, www.testdomain2.local, and www.testdomain3.local all point to 127.0.0.1.

Apache is setup to handle these 127.0.0.1virutal hosts by name and read from the correct folder. If I open Safari and enter www.testdomain1.local, I'll see one of my local test web sites, and if I enter www.testdomain2.local I'll se another local test web site.

I want to be able to launch Windows 2000 or XP under Parallels Desktop, launch Internet Explorer, type www.testdomain1.local, or www.testdomain2.local, and see the correct local test web site (served by OSX Apache).

Does someone know how to do this?

I agree with suzerain: many times I'm offline and don't have an IP address, or the IP address of the host OS will vary depending on the network I'm connected to. I tried switching to Host-Only networking, but it didn't work either (no connection to OSX or the Internet). Any help is appreciated.

 

diegor,

Your problem has been discussed here: http://forum.parallels.com/thread158.html

Netinfo names work the same way /etc/hosts do -- these names are only visible inside OSX. More, 127.0.0.1 is a loopback address, XP will connect to itself using this address. You absolutely have to use OSX IP adderss from XP. Which OSX address is accessible to XP depends on which networking option you use. The simplest way is to use Host-Only w/ Internet Sharing. You can then put appropriate names into c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts on XP.

 

Fixed Networking Problem

Like many people here, I had the frustration of not being able to get online with Parallels using WinXP (Home) with the shipping version after having been able to do so in Beta versions. After following the instructions in the FAQ and determing that everything was set up correctly, I finally tried using the Connection Control Panel in Windows, which showed that everything was fine. As a last resort, I took their advice and clicked the Repair button which renewed everything and voila, my network connection is now working. I'm using an Intel iMac connected through Airport, using the Bridge Ethernet/Airport/Wireless Adapter Network Adapter in Parallels. Again, like many of you I hadn't had to do any configuring before, but this seems to have solved the problem.

HTH,

steve

 

network madness - Where did I go wrong?

okay- here we go
...
MacBook Pro 17"
2GB RAM

Parallels 1.0 - build 1848

trying to get Host-Only Shared Connection working -
All is well using Bridged mode -

I had to get "Special dispensation" from the Network Admins for my current working port for this to work - CISCO Port security would otherwise shut down the port.

So - I know that networking "works"

as soon as I switch to Host-Only - Port sharing on or off - I get a 169.xxx.xxx.xxx self assigned number in the various VMs

I should be getting a 10.37.x.x number and I do if I don't have port sharing on - if i do - I have to either kill -HUP prl_dhcp to "kickit" or reboot to get the parallels dhcp server to restart and start serving again.

I have tried uninstalling parallels and beginning again... <sigh>

at this time I am wondering:

a) is port security biting me again because the en2 interface is 00:01:23:45:67:89 and there may be another copy running around on the network?

b) I am overworked/underpaid and not getting the NAT concept on this software package.

c) space aliens have kidnapped my brain and left me to figure this out.



again - trying to do HOST-Only NAT w/ sharing enabled and getting nowhere.

Thought?

Rich Leonard
Cal Poly Pomona
909-869-4501

 

More Info - the Saga Continues

The above was a work - where I was trying to do all of this via fixed wire - aka en0 as my "link"

at home - where my connection is wireless - NAT is working correctly. No reboot from being at work to home - just closed the lid - brought the box home - opened the lid - switch internet sharing back - Which again makes me think that perhaps CISCO Port security may have something to do with this - <sigh>

 

Hi mleonard,

at work I had to face the same problem with a little addition: port security doesn't allow to MAC addresses from one cable so I was forced to use NAT.
Our computer authentication is a 802.1X based PEAP. Do you have something like this? Because in my case, this authentication is what kills natd on my mac.
I have post this to apple, and some considered this as a OS bug.
The only I could do is to use Boot Camp...

 

802.1x workaround

I've had luck with the following commands as a simple workaround:

sudo /usr/sbin/sysctl -w net.inet.ip.forwarding=1
sudo /usr/sbin/natd -interface en1 -dynamic
sudo ipfw add divert natd all from any to any via en1

Or, if you prefer a fancy shmancy shell script, try this: http://www.aloof.org/mynat.txt

 

If you are using Host only with Internet sharing, make sure your router is NOT assigning addresses in the 192.168.2.xx range. Mine was and I had no luck getting external access to work. As soon as I reconfigured my router to use 192.168.5.xx external access worked fine. The 10.xx.xx.xx addresses appear to only be used for the DHCP server's address. They don't get assigned to the VM requestor.

 

NT Small Business Server

I have been having trouble using PDM at a client's office that is running Windows Small Business (NT) Server. Because PDM has a built in DHCP server, and the WSB Server DHCP server shuts down if in finds another DHCP server on the network, I not only can't use PDM but I am also creating problems for the rest of the PC's on the network.

Anyone have any ideas for a workaround?

 

internet access problem with static ip

At home, where I have a static ip in to a wireless setup, I was able to get my IMAC and xp both having internet access when I put the DNS #'s that my system required.

On moving to my office which is in an executive suite I was assigned a static ip. I have wired ethernet at this point. I have access thru osx, but now no access on xp. I am using bridged ethernet, I have tried having xp network connection use automatic dhcp and dns and I've tried putting in the address that shows up in osx network preferences under the parallels adapter. Neither works.

I'm thinking that if i set up a wireless router like I have at home, may be a solution?

Any help?

 

Internet access with treo 700p

Is it possible to have internet access if connected with the treo 700P when using the phone as modem connection?

 

Just a thought but if you are using fixed IP I would think you needed two IP address's, one for OSX and one for XP, at least if you are using bridged networking this owuld be true.

In a DHCP environment you get two address's each issued by the DHCP server.

Robin

 

Any router between your office ethernet connection and your Mac, whether wired or wireless will solve the addressing problem, and will work as long as your office system allows you to use a NAT router. It's pretty cheap to try. The other possibility is host only networking and Internet sharing in OSX. This should work everywhere.

 

Host-only w/ shared

Is a problem - doesn't work with Airport. As soon as I set it, the provider (t-mobile) kicked me off. As soon as I disabled it, I could get back on.

The OS gives me a warning that the provider might drop it if it senses a shared connection (or if it's reported, dutifully by the OS.) This must be the case with t-Mobile.

Seems like an internal NAT implementation would be a better solution - it wouldn't be apparent outside the machine.

rickb

 

Problem with bridging and DHCP

VM got dropped a lot while trying to install Cygwin. Had to baby-sit it to restart loads. Finally tried a fixed IP address and all worked well.

From what I read here, apparently under Parallels the VM occasionally steals the host's IP address? That can't be good. Especially if it results in the leased IP changing rapidly.

rickb

 

Just FYI, this has not solved my problem. I have narrowed it down for sure to something going on with the 802.11x-protected Cisco wireless network at my office. At home, on my WEP-protected wireless network, I am able to use both host-only-with-IS and bridged mode. At work, I am able to use bridged mode with a wired Ethernet connection, but not over the wireless network.

This has been a problem since RC2 -- RC1 was able to connect over this network. It is still a problem with the latest beta (1862).

Fortunately I've been able to limit my use of Windows to when I'm at my desk or near a wired connection, but this is still an annoyance. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

I am running the latest beta (build 1862) and can't get my networking connection to work. After reading multiple posts it seems that the current best option may be to move to Host-only networking as the emulation option. However, the config editor won't let me do this.

Without a network ...I'm sunk

 

Internet Sharing isn't always possible

There are definately network environments that are hostile to Internet Sharing. I use one at work and have tried to get a Parallels WinXP installation working via host-only w/ Internet Sharing. Without any success, I eliminated Parallels and XP from the equation and tried simply sharing to another Mac which also failed.

With my home network, though, I *have* sucessfully gotten a Parallels WinXP installation working via host-only w/ Internet Sharing, though that wasn't entirely as straight-forward as the instructions and other post would have you believe. For me, there where several insights necessary:

1) The mac must be networked to the the Parallels network via the "Ethernet Adaptor (en2)". While obvious now in retrospect, this is not mentioned at all in Parallels instructions for seting up host-only w/ Internet Sharing. Perhaps depending on the order of installations and creations of network locations, this may happen by default, but that was not the case for me.

2) After setting this up correctly, the connection still didn't work. Even the repair network connection button in XP didn't help. What finially did the trick was to disable the special Parallels XP network driver in the Parallels Tool Center. After this, it started to work, and it could be re-enabled. This must have kicked XP into re-initializing some persistent settings that had been established when using Parallels bridged ethernet networking.

 

no network after reinstall parallels

long story short.

I have a backup virtual os installation/configuration from recent parallels. now when I reinstalled parallels I opened my backup virtual OS. everything is working beside networking.

I'm currently using bridge-networking to en0.

here some information:

macbook ip: 192.168.2.4
gateway ip: 192.168.2.1
parallels virtual OS ip: 192.168.2.5
parallels virtual OS: debian

I wanted to use bridged to en0 becoz that's all I got and everyone can use it. I think parallels have a bug which is we can not move *.pvs file to other folder and open a backup virtual os on a new folder. the network will not working.

NOTE: no problem at all on WINDOWS

please help.

thank you.

 

Lost in space

Hi Serv.

I'm one of the two people on this thread - http://forums.parallels.com/thread3830.html -
appealin for help because we're hopelessly lost in trying to get our respective VMs to connect to the internet.

Can you please help?

It'd be so good if someone at Parallels would write an idiots' guide to connecting VMs via Airport to a network router and on to the net. I have searched this forum and many other sources for days now and i've tried so many things but I' m still in Square 1 which is unconnected from my VM...

Cheers