Here is how I set up a dummy (virtual) network interface on my linux (Mint/Ubuntu) host computer to create a local network that guest VMs in both VMWare and VirtualBox could access. This network allows resources sharing among multiple guest VMs, no matter which platform they are running under, and the host computer.
$ sudo modprobe dummy
$ sudo ip link set name eth99 dev dummy0
$ sudo ip link set eth99 up
$ sudo ip link set eth99 arp on
$ sudo ip addr add 192.168.5.1/24 dev eth99
Now I have a new network interface that is up all the time, regardless if I have working wifi or a cable plugged in to my host computer.
Setting up the VirtualBox guest was easy:
– select ‘bridged’ and choose the name of the adapter (eth99)
VMWare Workstation required a couple of steps:
1) Open up the virtual network editor, add a new network (vmnet9), choose bridged, then select the adapter (eth99)
2) in the guest settings, choose custom, then choose the network you created in the step above.
