| Comparison of the network types | ||||||
| Type | Bridged | NAT (Network Address Translation) | Host-only | |||
| Description | The VM appears as if it was a physical host on the network. | The VMware hides behind the IP address of the VMware host. Other VMs in the same NAT network can access it directly. | The VM can only access the VMware host and other VMs in the same host-only network | |||
| IP address | The VM requires it’s own IP address from the network it is supposed to belong to. | The VM can have any private IP configured on the VMware host. | ||||
| Accessibility from network | Same as a physical host | Hides behind NAT, so port forwarding on the VMware host required if external access required | Not accessible from external network unless routed via another VM with access to both external network and the same host-only network | |||
| Use cases | An always-on server hosted on VMware, or a virtual router or firewall | VMs intended for testing, or cases when the amount of IP addresses in the external network is limited. | VMs intended for testing with no need to access the network, or VMs which will be protected by a firewall in another VM. | |||
| Other | Known to have problems with some wireless chipsets especially with Linux, also with Windows Vista. | NAT is really a host-only network with a default gateway (on the VMware host) that routes and NATs. | ||||
