I don't have internet on the virtual machine, what can I do?

¿I don't have internet on the virtual machine.Don't worry, this is a more common problem than you might think, and with a thorough review, it's usually solvable. Throughout this guide, you'll find everything from basic network settings to advanced checks specific to VMware, VirtualBox, KVM/virt-manager, Parallels, and cloud environments like Azure. The goal is for you to identify the root cause and apply the appropriate correction in just a few steps..

Before we dive into the configuration, it's important to understand something: a VM functions as an independent computer within your machine. Therefore, If the host system, hypervisor, or VM network is misconfigured, connectivity may drop.Switch policies, firewall/DHCP rules, subnet conflicts, network drivers, or even stopped hypervisor services can also play a role.

How virtual machines work and why they impact the network

A VM runs thanks to a hypervisor that It distributes the host's physical resources (CPU, RAM, disk, NIC) to the guest system.This isolation is invaluable for development and testing, as it allows you to experiment without compromising the main system. In enterprises, it's used to consolidate servers onto less hardware. save costs and quickly move workloads between hosts. Additionally, the ability to clone, take snapshots, and restore the state of a VM It facilitates backup and recovery in the event of failuresFurthermore, there are Reliable websites for downloading free virtual machines.

The virtual network is another layer that the hypervisor simulates: The VM's virtual adapter "plugs" into NAT, bridged, internal, or host-only networks depending on your configuration.Choosing the wrong mode, or encountering security policies on the physical network, can leave the VM without internet access even if the host browses without problems.

Advantages and drawbacks of virtual environments

Beyond connectivity, VMs offer clear benefits: compatibility between systems (Windows, Linux, macOS, BSD), configuration independence, and very fast backups/transfers via cloning. If one VM fails, the others continue running unaffected.

Not everything is perfect: You are limited by the host hardwareNetwork latency is usually somewhat higher than in the main OS, and at a professional level there may be costs for hypervisor or guest system licenses.

Typical network modes and how they influence internet access

Depending on the hypervisor, you'll see different names, but the ideas are the same. Choosing the correct mode is key to giving the VM internet access.:

• NAT: The VM accesses the internet "through" the host. This usually works by default and is the default option in VMware/VirtualBox. It allows the VM to access the physical network and the internet, but the physical servers do not directly "see" the VM.
• Bridged adapter: the VM connects as just another device on the physical network, with its own IPIdeal for other devices to communicate with it, but may conflict with switch or router policies.
• Host-only: private network between host and VM. There is no Internet.
• Internal network: isolates VMs from each other in a closed network. There's no internet either..
• NAT Network (VirtualBox): combines NAT with segmentation, It allows internet and communication between VMs on that NAT network.

In VMware you can adjust everything in "Virtual Network Editor": Select the physical NIC for the bridge, change the NAT subnet, enable DHCP, and open ports.You can also limit bandwidth and change the MAC address in "Advanced". In VirtualBox, you manage NAT networks with their subnet, DHCP, IPv6, and port rules from "File > Preferences", and in each VM you choose NAT, Bridge, Internal, Host-only, or Network NAT.

Optimization: memory, size, bandwidth, and acceleration

If the VM is running low on resources, you will notice network bottlenecks. Allocate sufficient RAM To ensure the guest can handle requests without being overwhelmed, adjust the VM size as needed, and if there are multiple VMs, limits bandwidth via VM to avoid saturation. Some platforms offer network acceleration which reduces latency and improves transfers.

If you use NAT and don't have internet access

With NAT, if the host has internet access, the VM usually does too. The typical problem is that the virtual NAT subnet coincides with the physical network.The guest doesn't know how to exit. Change the NAT subnet in the network editor (VMware: VMnet8; VirtualBox: create/choose a NAT network with a different subnet) to avoid conflicts with your main LAN.

If you are using a bridge and you don't have internet access

In bridged mode, the VM depends on the physical network, so Your infrastructure's policies and services come into play.:

• In VMware, set the physical NIC to VMnet0 instead of "Automatic". Choosing the specific interface avoids problems when switching networks.
• Switch: If there is Port Security with a MAC limit per port, the second MAC address (the one belonging to the VM) may be blockedAlso check IP-MAC-Port binding.
• Router: confirm that DHCP is active (or configure a static IP address on the VM), Check the firewall and check that there are no rules preventing new teams.

If it still fails, check on the host that its NIC is active and up to date, and on the guest that The IP address and DNS are obtained automatically.In many cases, temporarily changing the VM to bridged (if it was in NAT) or to NAT (if it was in bridged) helps you isolate the source.

VMware: Quick Checks and Fixes

VMware offers several levers that are worth checking when the VM is not browsing. Starting with the simple things saves time:

• Restart the VM. Yes, it works better than you might think.
• Temporarily disable the host's antivirus/firewall or adjust its mode to allow traffic to/from VMs.
• Enable and/or restart the following services: "VMware NAT Service" and "VMware DHCP Service" from services.msc.
• Update or reinstall the network adapter in the guest's Device Manager. If it doesn't appear, use "Scan for hardware changes".
• Uncheck and recheck "Connected" and "Connect on power-up" on the VM's network adapter to force reconnection.
• In Virtual Network Editor, click "Restore defaults" to rebuild VMnet1/VMnet8 if they are corrupted.
• Some users resolve this by setting the ADSL router's IP address as the NAT DNS in VMnet8 > NAT Settings > DNS.
• After suspending/resumeing the host, Turn the VM off and on again (better than resuming its state) to re-initialize the virtual network.

If the problem is intermittent in NAT, sometimes the NAT service freezes up: Restarting the "VMware NAT Service" on the host usually restores connectivity..

VirtualBox: Essential Steps

In VirtualBox, NAT almost always works without any adjustments, but if not, These adjustments usually fix it.:

• Install the "Guest Additions" to ensure drivers and better guest integration.
• Power off the VM, go to Network, and confirm that "Enable network adapter" is checked. Try switching between NAT, Bridged Adapter, and Network NAT as needed.
• Remember: "Internal Network" and "Host-Only" do not provide Internet by design.
• From "File > Preferences > Network", create or adjust a NAT network with its own subnet, DHCP and, if applicable, port rules.

Inside the guest, Leave IP and DNS on automaticIf nothing changes, check the chosen virtual NIC (e.g., Intel PRO/1000 vs Paravirtualized) and try changing it.

KVM/virt-manager and VirtualBox on Linux (typical case: Windows 11 guest)

If you use Linux as the host (for example, a Fedora-based distro) and Windows 11 as the guest, it's common to have the virtio adapter installed and still... running out of internet in both virt-manager and VirtualBoxVerify that you are using an outbound mode (NAT or bridged) and that the host has internet access. If the problem only occurs in bridged mode, consider the following: physical network policies, DHCP and firewallIf it also appears in NAT on both hypervisors, check the network drivers, automatic IP/DNS acquisition on the guest server, and perform a TCP/IP stack reset (see the Windows section). Enabling promiscuous mode, MAC address changes, and forced transmissions on the virtual switch may be necessary if software is monitoring/filtering traffic.

Parallels Desktop on Mac: Symptoms and Solution

There are situations where Windows won't navigate within Parallels, even though the Mac can. Symptoms include: Without internet on Windows, slowness or instability, apps that fail despite having a network, or inability to see other computers on the networkThis is usually due to incorrect Windows settings, third-party antivirus software, VM settings, or a corrupted Windows environment.

• Verify that the Mac has internet access and create a snapshot before touching anything.
• Reinstall Parallels Tools and perform a clean boot in Windows by disabling third-party services (keep Parallels services active).
• In Hardware > Network, toggle between "Shared Network (Recommended)" and "Bridged Network: Default Adapter" to see which one works best.
• Open CMD and try pinging parallels.com. If it doesn't respond, run:

  netsh winsock reset
  netsh int ip reset reset.log

  and restart. If the problem persists, try:

  ipconfig /release
  ipconfig /renew

• In Device Manager, if you see a "Parallels Ethernet Adapter #…", update the driver automatically.
• With Pro/Business editions, you can go to Preferences > Network and restore the default values.

Once connectivity is restored, deletes the snapshot to avoid accumulating unnecessary states.

Windows Guest: Useful Network Commands

When the problem is with the Windows network stack, these classics usually save the day. Run Command Prompt as administrator:

• Reset TCP/IP stack and Winsock:

  netsh winsock reset
  netsh int ip reset reset.log

• Renew your IP address after restarting if you still don't have internet access:

  ipconfig /release
  ipconfig /renew

• Update or reinstall the network adapter from Device Manager.
• If there is third-party antivirus software, temporarily disable it or configure a VM-compatible mode.

On Ubuntu and derivatives, some users report that install/update apt-get or network-related dependencies and certificates "unblock" the browser when DNS or TLS resolution fails.

Azure: Diagnosing connectivity between VMs and internet access

In Azure, the approach changes because you have diagnostic tools. If one VM cannot reach another in the same VNet, or cannot access the Internet, it follows an ordered sequence.:

Connecting VMs in the same VNet

On the source VM, use a utility like tcping to test ports (e.g., RDP 3389):

tcping64.exe -t <IP de la VM destino> 3389

If it doesn't respond, check the NSG rules: they must allow "Allow VNet Inbound" and "Allow Load Balancer Inbound" and not have denials above with lower priority.

Verify that you can log in via RDP/SSH from the portal; if that works, run "Connectivity Check" using Network Watcher (PowerShell/CLI). The result lists "Jumps" and "Incidents"; correct according to what it indicates and try again.

Second network adapter in the same VNet

Secondary NICs in Windows do not have a default gateway. If you want them to communicate outside their subnet, Add a default route in the guest (run CMD as administrator):

route add 0.0.0.0 mask 0.0.0.0 -p <IP de la puerta de enlace>

Check NSG on both NICs and validate with Network Watcher.

Internet access in Azure

If a VM does not connect to the Internet, first rule out that the NIC is in an error state. From Azure Resource Explorer lets you force a "PUT" from the NIC resource To synchronize status and reload the portal. Then, return to the "Connectivity Check" and address any issues found.

Multiple IPs on the same Windows NIC

In Windows, The lowest numerically IP address can remain as the primary address. Even if you select a different IP address in the Azure Portal, only the primary IP address in Azure has internet/service access. Adjust "SkipAsSource" via PowerShell to ensure the correct IP address is the primary one.

$primaryIP = '<IP primaria que definiste en Azure>'
$netInterface = '<Nombre del NIC>'
$IPs = Get-NetIPAddress -InterfaceAlias $netInterface | Where-Object {$_.AddressFamily -eq 'IPv4' -and $_.IPAddress -ne $primaryIP}
Set-NetIPAddress -IPAddress $primaryIP -InterfaceAlias $netInterface -SkipAsSource $false
Set-NetIPAddress -IPAddress $IPs.IPAddress -InterfaceAlias $netInterface -SkipAsSource $true

On Linux, follow the Azure guide to add multiple IPs to the OS.

Rapid tests to narrow down the failure

A couple of checks will give you a quick guide. Use them as a thermometer:

• If there is no internet access in NAT, but the host has internet access, suspect a subnet conflict or a problem with the hypervisor's NAT/DHCP services.
• If it fails in bridge mode but works in NAT mode, This points to DHCP, firewall, or switch/router security..
• Ping the address by IP (e.g., 8.8.8.8) and by name (e.g., public domain). If it works by IP but not by name, the problem is with DNS.

Networking and performance best practices

For a seamless experience: Always choose the specific physical interface for the bridge.Avoid "Automatic"; separate virtual subnets from the physical LAN; document NSG/ACL rules and reserve DHCP if you need static IPs for bridged VMs. On hosts with multiple VMs, limits bandwidth per VM and monitors queues if the network becomes saturated.

Backups: just in case something goes wrong

Losing data due to a network outage or configuration error is painful, very painful. Backup solutions for virtualization They allow agentless backups, instant restores in seconds, and cross-platform recovery. (VMware, Hyper-V, Proxmox, oVirt, etc.). If you manage VMs in production, consider a platform that offers a web console, immediate recovery, and comprehensive free trials to validate your strategy.

FAQ: Quick Questions

Some typical questions when the VM is not browsing have concise answers. Here are the most useful ones:

• Why does NAT drop intermittently? Restarting the hypervisor's NAT service on the host usually restores the connection.
• Does the adapter appear as disconnected? Check "Connected" and "Connect on power-on" in the VM settings.
• If there is no network connection after suspending/resumeing the host, shut down and restart the VM to reinitialize the virtual network adapter.
• Can a VM be used without the Internet? Yes: Host-only or Internal Network create isolated networks with no external access.
• Can a VM connect to a VPN? In NAT, it inherits the VPN from the host; in bridged mode, it installs a VPN client on the VM.

Understanding how network modes (NAT, bridged, internal, host-only) relate to each other, reviewing subnet conflicts, hypervisor services (NAT/DHCP), security rules, and the guest network stack It solves most "I don't have internet on the VM" problems.When the environment is cloud-based, rely on diagnostic tools and settings such as default routing on secondary NICs or primary IP management in Windows. And, as a rule, maintain snapshots and backups to revert to the previous state if a change breaks connectivity.