Hi, i have Parallels 12, and run windows 7 on it for some data logging software for my job. I use Windows minimally, and only use it to run these pieces of software and my only need to ethernet cables is to allow these pieces of software to connect to the data loggers I pull data from. Software packages are LifeData, Motec i2 (pro and standard) and a few others. I have found that I have to constantly restart the VM to get the ethernet to work and allow coms with the data loggers. Sometimes I can unselect and reselect the adaptor (either thunderbolt to ethernet or USB 3.0 to ether net adaptors). I would like it to be more reliable. Some points/relevant info: a: I can connect to multiple data loggers within a relatively short window. However if I leave my computer for a little while, and/or connect it back to the charger whether it works again without a reboot is somewhere between random and 'every time'. The longer I leave it, the less likely it will work next time I try and use it, but not always. The Mac never goes to sleep in this time, but may go to screensaver. b: The adaptor (the firewire one is most reliable) doesn't come out of the Mac, remains nominally connected (ie ticks are in the same places) but sometimes needs to be un- and re-selected to work. If not - reboot. c: I have been into the device manager and tried to disable everything that would make that adaptor/ethernet connection be put to sleep. d: I don't ever use it for internet, just sporadic connections to external, powered, data loggers. e: I want the Mac side to work fine on the wi-fi for internet and I don't really need to share files/internet access etc across to the VM. The files stay installed and viewed solely within the Windows side. f: This can be better or worse seemingly at random. I stopped using the USB 3.0 (J5 create) ethernet adaptor because while it seemed less likely to drop out, when it did it was very confusing and unrepeatable how to reconnect it (like it sometimes wouldn't show at all in the possible connections dialogue. So my questions are this: 1: Assume I have the thunderbolt adaptor again - how should I set up my VM so that I can have the greatest chance of 100% reliability of the ethernet attached to the VM? 2: Is this a known issue (The drop out of ethernet adaptors) - I did look but nothing current seemed to show 3: Is there some way to establish if this is a Mac thing (sending the ethernet adaptor to sleep?) or a windows thing (also sending it to sleep other than the stuff I have found already) or a Parallels thing (somehow not keeping the ethernet traffic assigned to the VM alone. Anything else I haven't thought about? Any suggestions?
I've been having the same problem for two years now. I use Parallels 11 and frequently have the Ethernet (Thunderbolt 2) connection drop out when the virtual machine or host sleeps. The only way to get it back sometimes is to unplug the adapter, then disconnect and reconnect the Network adapter in Parallels.
