Networking problems in VMWare with wireless bridge

Question

Barebone data:

• virtualization: VMWare Workstation 6.5 (latest)
• Host: Windows Server 2008 x64
• Guest: Windows Server 2008 x86
• Host network adapter: Ethernet (see comment)
• Host network adapter: Wireless (see comment)
• Guest ethernet network adapter 1: Bridged VMNet (automatic)
• Guest ethernet network adapter 2: Host only VMNet

comment: my host has LAN and Wifi but only one at the same time. I'm either wired or wireless. Never both. So bridged connection on VM goes either via wire or air.

Problem
When I'm wirelessly connected on the host and I access internet within VM my connection just gets stalled (not dropped). It doesn't experience any timeout whatsoever, it just stops downloading/communicating. For instance: I start downloading a file with a browser (IE/FF/CR doesn't matter) and I have to pause/restart download when speed drops to 0. I could wait indefinitely but connection won't pick-up automatically.

What did I miss in my network configuration?

Update 1

I've tested this in various combinations. This works fine when host is connected via Ethernet. But when host is connected via Wifi, the connection on the guest works as previously described. It connects fine. It gets a valid IP from DHCP... Everything is cool as long as you don't start doing some intensive network traffic (ie. download a 2MB file) In this case it starts downloading and stops after a while. Speed just drops to 0B/s... Sometimes it picks up back, sometimes it doesn't. Connection still stays and works. I can ping around with no problem.

Solution

Your wireless card is probably interfering with the application software.

1. Disable the Wired NIC and does it happen.?
2. Replace the wireless card.

These steps must be completed before any more investigations can be carried out so as not to waste time.

Comments

[MDMarra]

Is VMWare tools installed?

[Robert Koritnik]

yes VMWare Tools are installed.

[Robert Koritnik]

--1. It's set to bridged, and not Custom VMNet bridge (usually VMNet0) --2. I use the "Host-only" NIC2 only for RDP so it works faster (communicates inside my computer and not over to the router) --Q: Is it possible to set priority for internet connection? Maybe it's trying to auto switch internet NIC, because NIC2 is faster than NIC1 (I guess)?

[William Hilsum]

why -1? Did you even try what I said? You should not loose anything as you are taking a snapshot. This is nothing to do with routing because it is faster but actual network routing / ip issues.

[Robert Koritnik]

@Wil: I didn't downwote your answer. :) I was just trying to make bullet points visible with these -- signs. Sorry about that. I don't think snapshot is needed, since I'm not changing anything within VM. all these things are VM settings not software on them.

[Robert Koritnik]

Uhm why? I have a dev machine in VM. It needs to be updated just as well as any other machine. I need to install certain software/libs/tools on it as well. Why downloading elsewhere and copying it there... The major drawback is with SVN clients hanging indefinitely when this happens.

[Robert Koritnik]

I don't like server product because it installs all kind of "crap" on machine. I don't want web console and apache web server etc. And more importantly: I need USB support in my VMs.

[Robert Koritnik]

can you elaborate on "route" a bit more? What do you mean by this and how to diagnose it? And which logs are you taking about?

[William Hilsum]

Oh sorry! Just a bit over sensitive, I helped someone before and they down voted me despite my answer being correct, just thought they couldn't handle the truth... Anyway, the snapshot isn't for the files but the settings. It will allow you to delete one of the nics and test my theory about routing then if it doesn't work, restore and you get all the settings back to before I helped!

[user1364702]

If you open a cmd prompt and type "route print" it tells you where your packets are being sent and on what interface. Logs are the Windows system and application logs to see if something is spitting an error there about the interface or anything to do with networking.

[Robert Koritnik]

Tested. No change. Check my "Update 1" in the question.

[Robert Koritnik]

I know what logs are, but which ones would have to show any strange network activity? "route print" shows no strange data...

[user1364702]

the system or application logs could show things like interface problems, DHCP errors, name conflicts, etc. and when the network is stalled route should show you the gateway(s) being used.

[songei2f]

If it is bridged, the IP address should be different on the host OS network interface and the guest. That is by design, no? Basically, you tell VMWare to pretend two different interfaces physically exist (well, not exactly, but you get the idea), and traffic is forwarded to the guest virtualized network interface.