How to Connect Virtual PCs Using a Microsoft Virtual PC

Microsoft Virtual PC has been reinvented for Windows 7 (now Windows Virtual PC 7) as a necessity. Due to compatibility issues between Windows 7 and Windows XP, Microsoft needed to find a creative solution to these problems. The solution is Virtual PC for Windows 7. To test the networking capability of two different computers with Windows 7, two virtual computers can actually be connected with Virtual PC through an internal, external or virtual network.

Things You'll Need

• Windows Virtual PC
• 2 virtual PCs

Instructions

Connect Your Virtual PCs

1. Open Virtual PC through your "Programs" menu or through a desktop shortcut.

2. Click on the icon labeled "Create Virtual Machine wizard."

3. If you wish to connect two virtual PCs on an external network together, select "Shared Networking" (also known as Network Address Translation or NAT) as your network connection on both the client’s computer and the server computer.

4. If you wish to connect over a VPN (Virtual Private Network), use the "Host Adapter" or "Bridge Mode" selection as your connection. This requires the use of the Virtual PC Network Filter driver, which can be found on the "Change Adapter" settings within the "Network and Sharing Center."

5. If you wish to connect two virtual PCs on an internal and isolated network, select the Internal Network setting. This keeps the two virtual PCs from interacting with any other computers besides each other.

References

• Technet: Networking in Windows Virtual PC
• Virtual Wi-Fi Technology
• "Windows 7 For Dummies"; Andy Rathbone; 2009