New linux convert first post
 

Mabuhay! I just bought a new desktop PC and installed VMware workstation so I can run ubuntu feisty on it.(Planning to be a linux convert slowly). I had it running, but there's a problem with the network connection between the native OS win xp and ubuntu. There is no mshome icon on windows network in the buntu. There is prompt however every time I run vmware, something like "cannot connect to hosts" forgot the exact message.
What do I need to connect the guess ubuntu and native windows xp, Root-bridge, NAT ??? I not really a techie guy, Or do I have to configure in my device manager or network connection in my pc. By the way I only have one PC and can only surf the net via my nokia phone. wait for your reply soon.

Welcome to Linux! You seem to have jumped in at the deep end of the pool. I have done what you are asking the other way round, running Win inside Ubuntu, with a VMWare-like tool called VirtualBox, which is much superior. I suggest you download this- it's free, and has excellent online help. Then you need to using bridging and tunneling setups for your network ( NAT allows the virtual machine to network to outside world, not the real machine). Have a look at my blog, for the journey I went through to do this on Linux host, XP guest.

Vmware
 

I also run this the other way round with vmserver dunning on Debian to occasionally use Windows. Here is a explaination I found which may help you:

Bridged = your guest looks like just another PC on your network - visible to other machines.

NAT = your guest is hidden from other PCs on your network, but can get out to the network (and others can reach specific services on your guest via port mapping). This is just like a NAT router - whether hardware or software.

Host-Only = a private network between your host and guest. Your guest has no connection to the rest of the network, and no other PCs can reach your guest.

(explaination Courtesy of RDPetruska on vmware)

Check out the workstation manual for Vmware and support on there site for help on setting this up.

and welcome to Linux