Networking on Ubuntu not working -- better Linux choice?

Discussion in 'Parallels Desktop for Mac' started by tzigane, Jul 13, 2006.

  1. tzigane

    tzigane Bit poster

    Messages:
    1
    Hi folks,
    I just started with Parallels yesterday and was impressed with how quickly I was able to get VMs set up for Win XP and Ubuntu Linux on my Intel iMac.

    The only problem is that networking is not functioning with the Linux machine (running Ubuntu 6.06). I've seen a number of (mostly old) threads on this, but was unable to find a resolution. I've tried both AirPort and Ethernet networking on the iMac, and I've also tried changing the guest OS type between some of the different Linux distribution options (as suggested in other threads) to no avail. I also looked at the networking FAQ in this forum and couldn't find a solution. The Ubuntu machine just won't take an IP using DHCP. Networking works fine on WinXP.

    So two questions, really:

    * Is there a fix to this Ubuntu problem?
    * Is there a certain Linux distribution that works better with Parallels? I just need the Linux machine for occasional compiles/testing, so I'm not too picky about any particular distribution -- I just want one that will work well with Parallels.


    Thanks!

    - jon
     
  2. dkp

    dkp Forum Maven

    Messages:
    1,367
    I installed Fedore Core 5 and it worked perfectly. I hadn't installed linux but once since 1995 and I didn't read the instructions - I just dl'd the 5 iso image fragments, cat'd them into an install iso, and installed it directly from the iso. I don't really have any use for Linux but did think it was an interesting exercise.

    dp
     
  3. dotcomjunkie

    dotcomjunkie Member

    Messages:
    51
    Have you tried Ubuntu 5?

    I was also very interested in a nice Linux distribution and I tried Ubuntu 6.06, Mandriva, and Fedora. None of them worked as well as I would have liked. So I was reading another thread about Ubuntu 6 and some other people had problems on 6 that they did not have in Ubuntu 5. I downloaded version 5.10 and it worked flawlessly ! That distribution is located here:

    http://releases.ubuntu.com/breezy/

    Oh - one other thing - for whatever reason, Ubuntu would not automatically activate the ethernet connection on start-up, I had to do that manually. Is it possible that your Ubuntu 6 installation is not activating the ethernet interface?

    Good luck!
     
  4. sloosley

    sloosley Member

    Messages:
    25
    Ethernet works great in my VM running Ubuntu 6.06. My only beef is the need to Linux tools to smooth out the mouse, display resolution, etc (i.e., all of the things that tools does for XP).
     
  5. extensivegroup

    extensivegroup Member

    Messages:
    48
    Sorry to sound like a total newbie, but what is the difference between 5 and 6, beside the obvious of 6 being "one better" ?
     
  6. BrentB

    BrentB Member

    Messages:
    60
    6 is newer. It contains more recent versions of pretty much everything.

    As for networking...what model are you using? Pass-through (which I believe is the default) works fine here, where I get a DHCP address from my router. If you don't have a router with DHCP (IE: you connect directly to the cable/dsl modem), then the VM may be trying to obtain a second IP from your ISP, as pass-=through metworking makes it basically just another machine on your network. Most ISPs limit the number of IPs you can get from them to 1 unless you pay. (Hence why many of us use a router to NAT many machines behind the single ISP-assigned IP)

    Without knowing your networking situation, I can only speculate. Here's what mine looks like (and apologies for the horrble ascii art ;P ):

    'Net <--> Comcast <--> Cable modem <--> Linksys WRT54G (DHCP grabs an IP from Comcast)

    ctd. Linksys ---> G5 (DHCP from router)
    \--> Macbook (DHCP from router)
    \--> Parallels VM Ubuntu (DHCP from router)

    If you don't have a router, you may want to try out one of the FAQs that explains how to setup Host-based networking, which would have your VM using the host machine's network connection.
     

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