DHCP doesn't work for FreeBSD guests

[techie]

Guest FreeBSD on Win2000 host can't get any DHCPOFFER from VirtualBox when Network configured in "Host Interface" mode. Static address works ok to communicate with host machine.

[webograph]

i can confirm that for windows nt 4 guest in linux host, with host side network card bridged via tun/tap into the rest of the network and nt4's auto-detected "AMD PCNET PCI Ethernet-Adapter" (german) in the guest.

(on the same vm, dhcp works for booting from lan; nt4 with statically configure ip works as well)

[markrian]

I've encountered this with a Windows 2000 guest OS, Debian etch host OS. I have gotten DHCP working a couple of times pretty randomly - I have no idea how :(

[Frank Mehnert]

For having DHCP work with a host interface you have to make sure that there is a DHCP server is running and that there are free leases available. DHCP will not work out-of-the-box, you have to install a DHCP server yourself. A network traffic dump with wireshark for the host interface would be helpful. webograph, especially from you, the whole dump of the host interface could help to isolate the problem.

[Jim Powers]

I am having a similar problem, host Gentoo Linux:

$ uname -a Linux phoenix 2.6.23-gentoo-r3 #4 SMP Tue Jan 22 15:49:08 EST 2008 i686 Genuine Intel(R) CPU 1400 @ 1.83GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

VirtualBox 1.5.4_OSE

Guest Windows 2003 Server

The guest used to be able to use a host bridge network up until I installed .NET 2.0 Service Pack 1 then after rebooting I can only NAT.

I followed these directions for setting up the bridge:

​http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO:_VirtualBox

Like I said, bridged network DID work, then suddenly stopped. I have a capture via WireShark that I will attach to this bug report.

[Jim Powers]

WireShark trace of Failed DHCP attempt

[Frank Mehnert]

There is a known problem with FreeBSD when accessing the network card VirtualBox is emulating. The current workaround is to use the other PCNet network type -- select PCNet PCI II (Am79C970A) as type for the network card.

[Karthik]

Can anyone please update the FAQ to include "DHCP doesn't work for FreeBSD guests" Many thanks

[Frank Mehnert]

Done.

[Technologov]

Is this still relevant ?

( I doubt it because both NAT and Host networking changed so very much )

Besides, there is no more Win2000 host. Dropped in v1.6

-Technologov