CentOS 6.5 Server Running Windows in VirtualBox

As the title suggests, I am running CentOS 6.5 on a remote server, so I only use SSH.

Since I run a gaming community that enjoys a wide variety of games, not all of them are supported by Linux, or WINE just doesn't work too well... This has led me towards running Windows in a VirtualBox install. The Windows VM can connect to the internet and everything just fine (in fact I've been running Cookie Clicker on it), however it can't seem to bind to ports, which I assume is due to the fact that it doesn't have a dedicated IP assigned to it within the VM config.

Would anyone be able to shed light on this subject? There are quite a few things I'd like to host with this VM but can't until this is resolved.

It sounds like you are running your virtual network in a NAT configuration - and you should use a bridged configuration.

There are three ways to make networking in a VM.

Nat'ed, Bridged, and local vm.

While NAT is good for most things, there may be some issues. I'd assume you can usually create a situation where this would work but as noted netnix99, a bridged may work too.

The nat in a vm works because the vm has a virtual router. In your home or office you would have a real soho or better router that may have ways to configure ports and protocol via some web based or text setup. The vm isn't that advanced.


There are plenty of web pages devoted to configuring this but they tend to be windows hosts. It almost all cases a vm client is a real computer for networking thinking. The rules of TCP/IP don't change. How the host and your local lan work may affect this since NAT addresses tend to be outside your local lan subnet.