How to Integrate GNS3 with VMware Workstation

When designing a project with GNS3, you can make more detailed network topologies using virtual machines/computers.

How to Add VMware Virtual Machine on GNS3

To add virtual computers to the GNS3 simulator software, you must first install VMware on your system.

Virtual Network Editor software is also installed while the program is being installed. With this software, you can create virtual adapters and add virtual PCs to the GNS3 program using VMnets.

You can think of VMnets that you create as virtual switches. You can also call these VMnets a network card.

How to Connect GNS3 to VMware Workstation

Now follow the steps below to add two virtual machines running VMware to the network topology and connect them to the Router.

   Step 1

After running the GNS3 program, design a network like the one in the image below.

   Step 2

After creating the topology, open the Virtual Network Editor and create a new VMnet. Next, configure the IP address block of the VMnet you have created as 192.168.8.0/24.

To integrate GNS3 with VMware, you need to set VMnet as Host-Only.

   Step 3

The VMnet you create will be identified in the Network and Sharing Center of your host computer. VMware Network Adapter: You must configure the TCP/IP settings for VMnet.

Double-click on VMnet to open its settings.

   Step 4

When the Properties window opens, select TCP/IPv4 from the options here, and then click the Properties button.

   Step 5

In the TCP/IPv4 properties window, type an IP address from the IP address block that you defined for VMnet.

   Step 6

Press Alt + F4 to restart your computer for the changes to take effect, and then click OK.

   Step 7

After restarting your computer, turn on GNS3 again and rerun the computer. Then, right-click on Host1, which you added to the network topology, and click Configure.

   Step 8

In the Host1 Configuration window, select VMnet3 in the Ethernet tab, and then click OK.

   Step 9

Set Host2 as VMnet3 and then click OK.

   Step 10

After you run your virtual machines, you must configure the network adapter settings as Host-Only (VMnet).

Select VMnet3 (Host-Only) in the Custom Virtual Network option, as shown in the image below, and click OK to save the settings.

   Step 11

In the same way, the other virtual machine can be configured as VMnet3.

   Step 12

After running the Windows 8.1 machine, because you set the IP address range of VMnet3 to 192.168.8.0/24 in the Virtual Network Editor settings, change the IP address to 192.168.8.5 and save the settings.

   Step 13

Change the Windows 10 virtual machine IP address setting to 192.168.8.10.

   Step 14

Ping from Windows 8.1 machine to Windows 10 to test the network connection.

   Step 15

Likewise, test the network connection by pinging from Windows 10 to Windows 8.1.

   Step 16

Assign the 192.168.8.1 IP address to the FastEthernet0/0 interface of the Cisco Router by following the instructions below.

R1# conf t
R1(config)# interface fastethernet0/0
R1(config-if)# ip address 192.168.8.1 255.255.255.0
R1(config-if)# no shutdown
R1(config)# end
Copy

   Step 17

Virtual computers can communicate seamlessly between themselves, but if this process fails when pinging the Cisco Router from the VMs, the Switch added to GNS3 must be configured.

Open the settings by double-clicking on SW1 and changing the EtherType values ​​of Port 2 and 3, as in the image below.

   Step 18

Ping the Router from the virtual computers again and test the network connection.

   Step 19

Ping the Cisco Router from the Windows 10 virtual machine.

As you can see, both virtual machines were able to ping the Cisco Router successfully.

   Step 20

Now, let’s test the ability to connect from virtual machines by enabling Telnet on the Router.

R1# conf t
R1(config)# line vty 0 4
R1(config-line)# login local
R1(config-line)# exit
R1(config)# username cisco privilege 15 password cisco123
R1(config)# end
Copy

   Step 21

To establish a telnet connection to the Cisco Router via Windows, you must enable the Telnet Client service. After activating the Telnet client, open the command prompt, type the Telnet 192.168.8.1 command, and press Enter.

   Step 22

You can examine the successful connection of a Telnet to the Cisco Router from the Windows 8.1 VM in the following image.

   Step 23

To make a Telnet connection from the Windows 10 VM to the Router, execute the Telnet 192.168.8.1 at the command prompt.

   Step 24

As soon as you press Enter, the connection to the Router will be established. After you type the username and password that you created, you can now manage the Router from the virtual machine.

   Step 25

You can see from the following image that the Router has successfully connected to Telnet.

   Step 26

In the router console, execute the show line command and check the existing sessions.

How to Use Virtual Machines on GNS3 ⇒ Video

To use virtual machines in the simulator program, you can watch the video below and also subscribe to our YouTube channel to support us!

Conclusion

Finally, you can easily add a virtual computer you created on VirtualBox to GNS3. Thanks for following us!