Need help with my IP address

[natas_heresy]

hi since i only have 1 physical computer at my place, and i want to practice servers, and all networking, i set up VMWARE . virtual machines which has Windows server 2008 and some windows xp virtual machines. i noticed just now that the reason i cant ping anything locally is because it says "media disconnected"

i have wireless broadband set up with a usb cable for my internet connection, and i set up dial up connection wizard.. but the actual "local area connection" icon shows as "network cable unplugged" which is normal since i dont have an Ethernet cable attached, BUT when i go into CMD and use IPCONFIG it shows the local area connection as "media disconnected" . so my problem is i cant even have a local IP address that i can ping from a virtual machine or anything, even if i setup to automatically obtain IP address, it doesnt give me an APIPA, it still just says "media disconnected" i know this is strange because even if no network cables attached, i still shud be able to make a local IP address shouldn't i? cause how else would someone be able to set up virtual machines and communicate with them from the physical machine?

i can ping 127.0.0.1 btw so i dont see why i cant make a local IP address

I would really appreciate some help, because if i cant resolve an issue with my IP address how can i even begin networking.

 

[GhislainG]

Did you assign a static IP address to your Ethernet controller? If you don't have a switch, why don't you use an Ethernet loopback cable? http://www.nutt.net/2004/11/20/diy-ethernet-loopback-cable/ http://www.juniper.net/techpubs/en_US/junos10.0/information-products/topic-collections/nog-interfaces/fe-ge-loopback-creating.html

 

[natas_heresy]

Did you assign a static IP address to your Ethernet controller? If you don't have a switch, why don't you use an Ethernet loopback cable? http://www.nutt.net/2004/11/20/diy-ethernet-loopback-cable/ http://www.juniper.net/techpubs/en_US/junos10.0/information-products/topic-collections/nog-interfaces/fe-ge-loopback-creating.html

yea i did assign a static ip (192.168.2.10) but it stilll shows as media disconnected. so u need a cable to be able to have a LAN IP?

 

[GhislainG]

If there's no media connected, then what do you expect that it will show? Just take an old Ethernet cable and make a loopback cable or buy one. That will resolve your issue.

Edit: You already have a static LAN IP, but the controller needs to be connected.

 

[natas_heresy]

If there's no media connected, then what do you expect that it will show? Just take an old Ethernet cable and make a loopback cable or buy one. That will resolve your issue.

Edit: You already have a static LAN IP, but the controller needs to be connected.

but i would have thought that you could still do something to ping or connect with a virtual machine that THE SAME computer is running, i mean the NIC is still working etc, its able to ping 127.0.0.1. but are you saying the only way to communicate with VIRTUAL MACHINES ON MY COMPUTER is to creat a local loop cable? will it trick the computer into thinkin that its connected to another pc or something>?

 

[GhislainG]

will it trick the computer into thinkin that its connected to another pc or something>?

That's correct. 127.0.0.1 is the internal loopback and it always works because the hosts file contains "127.0.0.1 localhost". When you ping 127.0.0.1, you are not necessarily pinging the NIC.

 

[mitchflossin]

will it trick the computer into thinkin that its connected to another pc or something>?

That's correct. 127.0.0.1 is the internal loopback and it always works because the hosts file contains "127.0.0.1 localhost". When you ping 127.0.0.1, you are not necessarily pinging the NIC.

By pinging the loopback address, you're testing to see if the TCP/IP stack is working properly.

 

[natas_heresy]

so lets conclude my question.
so can you not have a static IP address when there is no cable connected to the NIC? willl it just show as media disconnected? do i need to connect it to an insignificant other network device in order to have an IP that i want to use for VIrtual machines?

 

[GhislainG]

You can have a static IP address. As I've mentioned before, all you need is a loopback cable which can be bought or you can make it yourself and that will take care of the cable disconnected issue.