How to Configure NAT Network in VMware Workstation

In this article, we will take a virtual machine running on VM Workstation/Player to the Internet via NAT configuration.

How to Configure NAT on VM Workstation 15/14/12

First of all, let’s talk briefly about what is Nat. NAT converts the IP addresses on the LAN to a single global IP address to connect the PCs on the network to the Internet. After you install VM Workstation virtualization program on Windows 10 or Linux, the network settings of the new virtual machine that you created are configured as NAT networking.

The NAT setting is the first configuration that is automatically configured after the virtual machine setup. In short, when you install a new virtual machine in VMware, the NAT setting for the new virtual machine is automatically set by the Virtual Network Editor.

How to Use a NAT Network on Virtual Machine

By default, the NAT settings on the Network Editor program are as follows. You can check that the VMnet8 is configured as NAT network from the following image.

After you create VMnet8 using the Virtual Network Editor on the virtualization software, follow the steps below to configure the NAT settings on the virtual machine.

   Step 1

After you have installed VMware Workstation, you will see VMnets in the network connections window of your computer as shown in the following image.

You can examine the virtual network adapter defined for VMnet8, which is configured by default on the Virtual Network Editor, from the following display.

   Step 2

You must also enable VMnet / NAT on the virtual machine that you configured in VMware’s Virtual Network Editor. Now, open the VMware program and click on Network Adapter to configure the network connection of a virtual machine.

   Step 3

After the Virtual Machine Setting window is opened, select the NAT: Used to share the host’s IP address option for the network connection of the Win 10 virtual machine as follows.

   Step 4

Once you have selected the NAT option, close the window by clicking on the OK button.

   Step 5

Now, run the virtual pc by clicking on the Power on this virtual machine button.

   Step 6

After running the Windows 10 virtual machine, press Windows Key + R to run the CMD command prompt to check the IP address that the virtual machine received.

After you open the CMD, you can check the IP address of the virtual machine after you apply the ipconfig command. The IP address block of the virtual machine is 192.168.223.0/24. You can change the IP address block from the Virtual Network Editor.

   Step 7: How to Check the Internet Connection

After you configure the network settings of the virtual machine as NAT, you can use an Internet browser to check the Internet connection, or you can test the connection by pinging a website from the CMD prompt.

For more information about Network Address Translation in VMware, visit https://www.vmware.com/support/ws3/doc/ws32_network21.html.

   Final Word

In this article, we have reviewed step by step how to configure a NAT network connection using the Virtual Network Editor program on VM Workstation. Remember that you need to create VMnet Bridged for the VMnet NAT you created on the Virtual Network Editor. Thanks for following us!