CentOS - Mar 2007 - How to properly bridge the network to CentOS under Parallels on a Macbook Pro?

Hi all,

I have recently acquired a Macbook Pro (sweet machine!) from my  
employer, and one of the tasks the machine has to do is to run a  
distributed software development platform (called Splice) under Linux.

For this task, I have chosen the trusty CentOS 4.4, and I have it set  
up in Parallels. So far, so good. Now then, the network does work  
within CentOS, but I want to assign it a fixed IP address, such that  
the DDS layer of the distributed platform can transparently  
communicate to (and from) the virtual machine.

More specifically, the entire network, in which the Splice DDS runs,  
is a 192.168.1.x local network. There are already two 'real' (i.e.  
not virtual) machines, with IPs 192.168.1.4 and 192.168.1.42, which  
both work swell with one another.
Now, the Macbook itself has the IP address 192.168.1.121, but the  
bridged network connection is a DHCP range, running from 10.211.55.1  
- 10.211.55.254, and I want to be able to 'see' the VM from anywhere  
within the 192.168.1.x network.

Presently, from the VM I can already see the machines in the  
192.168.1.x network, but the other way round not. When the VM is e.g.  
assigned the address 10.211.55.4, I cannot ping that address from the  
other machines in the 192.168.1.x network. Note, from that network I  
can ping correctly to 192.168.1.121.

The main question then becomes: how can I 'see' the VM from the  
192.168.1.x network?

I *think* I have to change something in the parallels network or  
parallels NAT configuation, but I am not certain what it should be  
set to, and I do not want to risk messing up all sorts of settings.  
Also, in CentOS I do know how to set a fixed IP address, but I am not  
certain if perhaps I have to add a 'direct route' or so. Does anyone  
know if this is (also) necessary?

Thanks in advance for any and all answers, and cheers,
Olafo

Olaf Greve wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I have recently acquired a Macbook Pro (sweet machine!) from my 
> employer, and one of the tasks the machine has to do is to run a 
> distributed software development platform (called Splice) under Linux.
> 
> For this task, I have chosen the trusty CentOS 4.4, and I have it set up 
> in Parallels. So far, so good. Now then, the network does work within 
> CentOS, but I want to assign it a fixed IP address, such that the DDS 
> layer of the distributed platform can transparently communicate to (and 
> from) the virtual machine.
> 
> More specifically, the entire network, in which the Splice DDS runs, is 
> a 192.168.1.x local network. There are already two 'real' (i.e. not
> virtual) machines, with IPs 192.168.1.4 and 192.168.1.42, which both 
> work swell with one another.
> Now, the Macbook itself has the IP address 192.168.1.121, but the 
> bridged network connection is a DHCP range, running from 10.211.55.1 - 
> 10.211.55.254, and I want to be able to 'see' the VM from anywhere 
> within the 192.168.1.x network.
That doesn't sound right.  A bridged network should take an address on 
the same subnet as its host.  Are you sure the VM isn't set to nat 
instead of bridged?
> I *think* I have to change something in the parallels network or 
> parallels NAT configuation, but I am not certain what it should be set 
> to, and I do not want to risk messing up all sorts of settings.
NAT and bridged are 2 different settings.  Shut down the VM, change the 
setting for the interface and restart.
> Also, in 
> CentOS I do know how to set a fixed IP address, but I am not certain if 
> perhaps I have to add a 'direct route' or so. Does anyone know if
this
> is (also) necessary?
In a bridged configuration the guest settings should look very much like 
the host's - just with a different IP address as though it were a 
different NIC on the same subnet.


-- 
   Les Mikesell
    lesmikesell at gmail.com