Creating Host-Only Network

Parallels Workstation provides virtual network accessible only to primary operating system and virtual machines running on it. Primary operating system is attached to this network through Parallels Host-Guest Virtual NIC adapter installed along with Parallels Workstation. For a virtual machine to join such host-only network, guest system network adapter should be set to host-only networking. IP addresses for the primary operating system and virtual machines may be:

• dynamic (assigned by Parallels DHCP server running on host-only network);
• static (assigned manually).

Configuring Network with Dynamic IPs

IP addresses for machines in host-only network are provided by Parallels DHCP server that is started automatically whenever you launch the Parallels Workstation. DHCP server is installed along with the Parallels Workstation.

Configure network with dynamic IPs in the following way:

1. Open the Configuration Editor for the Virtual Machine and on the Network Adapter Options tab select the Host-only networking parameter.
2. Select Edit/Preferences in the Parallels Workstation menu. Specify a range of IP addresses to be assigned to Virtual Machines on the Network tab.

Configuring Network with Static IPs

To configure host-only network with static IP addresses you have to manually assign them to the primary operating system and to each Virtual Machine which you want to include into the network.

The Virtual Machine should be configured as follows:

1. Open Configuration Editor for the Virtual Machine and on the Network Adapter Options tab select the Host-only networking parameter.
2. Launch the Virtual Machine and specify the IP address by standard way for the guest operating system installed on it.

Configuring static IP address for primary operating system:

In Windows primary OS:

1. Open Windows Control Panel, select Network Connections.
2. In the Network Connections window right click on the Parallels Workstation network adapter, Parallels Host-Guest Virtual NIC, to display its context menu and select Properties in it.
3. The Parallels Host-Guest Virtual NIC Properties windows is displayed, in This connection uses the following item list select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click Properties button.
4. In the Internet Protocol TCP/IP Properties window select Use the following IP address option, after that other options in this group become accessible. Specify IP address and Subnet mask for the primary system.

In Linux primary OS:

1. Open /usr/lib/Parallels/.dhcpd_configuration file.
2. Settings under "[vnic0]" determine Parallels network adapter parameters. Find the string "DHCP=1". This setting means that address for the primary operating system is assigned automatically. To allow static IP change DHCP setting to 0 instead of 1. Set "DHCP=0" and save the file.
3. Launch the Terminal program and run two following commands:

   /etc/init.d/parallels stop

   and after this

   /etc/init.d/parallels start

4. Specify an IP address for the primary system by means of the Linux version installed on your computer.