VMware ESXi and vSphere Cluster Management

Configure Bridged Networking in VMware Workstation Player

Learn how to configure bridged networking in VMware Workstation Player so a virtual machine joins the physical LAN with its own IP and MAC address.

What bridged networking does

Bridged networking connects a guest operating system directly to the physical network through the host system's Ethernet or Wi-Fi adapter. The host system is the physical computer running VMware Workstation Player; the guest operating system runs inside the virtual machine.

During VMware Player installation, VMware commonly creates VMnet0, the default virtual network used for bridged connections. VMnet0 provides the logical bridge between the virtual machine's network adapter and a physical adapter on the host.

In bridged mode, the guest behaves much like an additional physical computer plugged into the same LAN. This is useful when the VM must receive an address from the local router, communicate directly with other LAN devices, or provide a service that other devices can reach using the guest's own IP address.

Characteristic	Behavior in Bridged Mode
Network path	The guest reaches the LAN through the host's active physical Ethernet or Wi-Fi adapter.
Guest identity	The guest has its own virtual network adapter and MAC address.
IP address source	The guest can obtain an address from the LAN's DHCP service or use a manually configured static address.
Visibility to LAN devices	Other devices can recognize and communicate with the guest as a separate network client, subject to firewall and network policies.
Supported host adapter types	Ethernet and Wi-Fi can provide the physical network path.
Default VMware bridge network	VMnet0 is commonly the default bridged virtual network.

The guest's network identity

A bridged guest does not normally share the host's network identity. It has a separate MAC address, which identifies its network adapter at the local network level, and a separate IP address, which identifies it for IP communication.

The host, guest, router, and other LAN devices can therefore communicate as separate endpoints. The router may record a DHCP lease for the host and another lease for the guest. Other computers on the LAN can connect to a service running in the guest by using the guest's address, provided that guest and network firewalls permit the traffic.

Host connectivity: Ethernet and Wi-Fi

Bridged networking can use an active Ethernet adapter or Wi-Fi adapter on the host. The selected physical adapter supplies the guest's path to the network; it does not create an independent physical cable or radio connection for the VM.

When a laptop moves between wired and wireless networks, the available LAN, DHCP scope, gateway, and access restrictions may change. A configuration that worked on one network may not work on another. Select the appropriate bridged adapter when necessary and allow the guest to renew its network configuration after the host connects to the new network.

IP addressing in bridged mode

DHCP configuration

DHCP is a service that automatically assigns network settings to clients. In a bridged arrangement, the physical router or another DHCP server on the LAN can assign the guest its own lease. The lease normally supplies an IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server addresses.

The default gateway is usually the LAN router's address. It allows the guest to reach destinations outside its local subnet. DNS server settings allow the guest to translate names into IP addresses.

Device	Role	Example IP Address	Default Gateway	How It Appears on the Network
Router	LAN router, DHCP server, and gateway	192.168.5.1	Not applicable as a client	Provides addressing and routes traffic beyond the subnet.
Host computer	Physical computer running VMware Player	192.168.5.10	192.168.5.1	One DHCP client with its own network adapter identity.
Bridged virtual machine	Guest operating system inside the VM	192.168.5.20	192.168.5.1	A separate DHCP client with its own virtual MAC address.

Static guest addressing

A static IP address is configured manually inside the guest. Use it when the guest must have a predictable address, such as when testing a LAN service. The configuration must include an unused IP address, the correct subnet mask, the LAN router as the default gateway when appropriate, and valid DNS servers.

Do not choose an address already assigned to another device or inside a DHCP pool unless the network administrator has arranged a reservation or otherwise coordinated the assignment. A DHCP reservation is often preferable when a predictable address is needed while the router should remain responsible for managing the address.

Configuration Method	When to Use It	Benefits	Risks or Requirements
DHCP	Home networks, classrooms, labs, and changing networks.	Automatically supplies the address, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS settings.	The address can change, and the LAN must allow the guest to obtain a lease.
Static addressing	Services or tests that require a predictable guest address.	Provides a stable address selected by the administrator.	Requires correct settings and careful avoidance of DHCP and device conflicts.

Configure bridged mode for an existing VM

Open VMware Workstation Player and select the existing virtual machine in the library.
Open the virtual machine's settings from the Player management menu.
Open the Hardware tab.
Select the virtual machine's Network Adapter.
Choose Bridged as the network connection type. This normally uses VMnet0.
If the VM will run on a mobile computer that changes between wired and wireless connections, enable the option to replicate the host's physical network connection state.
Apply or save the virtual hardware configuration.
Start the guest, or restart or reconnect its virtual network adapter as needed, so the guest can obtain or renew its network settings.

The exact physical adapter used for bridging may depend on the host's current connection and VMware's bridge configuration. If both Ethernet and Wi-Fi are available, confirm that the bridged connection follows the adapter that actually has LAN access.

Replicate the physical connection state

The physical connection state replication setting is particularly useful on laptops. It helps the guest notice changes in the host's connection state, such as disconnecting an Ethernet cable or switching from Ethernet to Wi-Fi.

After the host joins the new network, the guest may need to reconnect its virtual adapter or renew its DHCP lease. Renewal matters because the new network may use a different subnet, router address, DHCP scope, or DNS configuration. Replication improves detection of the change, but it does not guarantee that a static guest configuration will be valid on every network.

Bridged networking topology

The logical arrangement is:

Other LAN devices ──┐
                    ├── Router / DHCP server ── Physical LAN
Host computer ──────┘
      └── Ethernet or Wi-Fi adapter
              └── VMnet0 bridge ── Guest virtual network adapter

The host and guest use the same physical network path, but they remain separate IP clients. The router can provide configuration to both, and its DHCP client list can show separate entries for the host and guest. Other LAN devices can communicate with the guest directly using its own address when network policy and firewalls allow it.

Verify bridged connectivity

Inspect the guest's network settings and record its assigned IP address.
Check that the guest's subnet mask matches the physical LAN and that its default gateway corresponds to the LAN router.
Compare the guest's address with the host's address. They should be distinct addresses appropriate for the same LAN.
Open the router or DHCP server's client or lease list and look for a separate entry for the guest. The entry may be identified by a guest name, MAC address, or another client identity field.
Test communication from the guest to the host, the router, and another LAN device.
Test access to an external network resource. If name-based access fails but direct IP access works, inspect DNS settings.
From another LAN device, test whether the guest can be reached as an independent client. A service running in the guest should be addressed using the guest's IP address, not the host's address.

Example DHCP-based home or lab network

Suppose a router uses 192.168.5.1 as its LAN address and default gateway on the 192.168.5.0/24 network. The host may receive 192.168.5.10, while the bridged guest receives 192.168.5.20. Both addresses are separate DHCP leases, and the guest should appear independently in the router's client list.

Example: testing a LAN service

A guest can run a server or test service and listen on its own LAN address. Other devices on the physical LAN connect to that address directly. This does not depend on host-only addressing or NAT port forwarding, although guest, host, router, and destination firewalls can still block the connection.

Troubleshooting bridged networking

The guest has no network connectivity

Confirm that the host has an active Ethernet or Wi-Fi connection.
Confirm that the VM's network adapter is enabled and connected.
Verify that Bridged is selected for the intended virtual adapter.
Reconnect or restart the guest adapter so it can request a DHCP lease.

The guest does not receive a DHCP address

Inspect the router or DHCP server's client list for a new guest lease.
Check whether the physical network restricts unknown devices or MAC addresses.
Ensure that bridging uses the physical adapter currently connected to the intended network.
Check whether the DHCP address pool has reached capacity.

The guest keeps settings from the previous network

Enable replication of the host's physical connection state.
Renew the guest's DHCP lease or reconnect its virtual adapter.
Wait until the host is fully connected to the new network before testing the guest.

The guest has an address but cannot reach other subnets

Verify that the default gateway is the LAN router address.
Check the subnet mask.
Confirm DNS settings if only name-based access fails.
Review firewall policies on the guest, host, router, and destination device.

A static address conflicts with another device

Choose an unused address.
Coordinate manually assigned addresses with the DHCP range and network administrator.
Use a DHCP reservation when a predictable address is required and the router supports it.

Summary

To connect a VMware Workstation Player VM directly to the host's LAN, select the VM, open its hardware settings, select its network adapter, and choose Bridged. The guest then operates as an independent endpoint with its own virtual MAC address and usually its own DHCP-provided IP address. Verify the gateway, DHCP lease, distinct host and guest addresses, and two-way LAN reachability. On mobile computers, replicate the host's physical connection state and renew the guest's settings when moving between networks.

For this configuration, see Setting Up Bridged Networking.