Connect VirtualBox host to Cisco router under GNS3 VirtualBox edition
GNS3 has release a new edition which is called “GNS3 VirtualBox Edition“. Needless to say, it supports VirtualBox (Duh!). I needed to install a VirtualBox host with Windows 2003 for testing out IPSEC with CA. Problem was understanding the new “Generic Driver” and how it works.
Software prerequisite :
GNS3 0.8.1 VirtualBox Edition [LINK]
Oracle VM VirtualBox Version 4.1.6 [LINK]
I was using the older version of GNS3 and VirtualBox when I was testing this. Few problem that had me running around in circles.
1. Make sure after your installation of GNS3 VirtualBox Edition, the routers are working fine.
2. GNS3 VirtualBox Edition requires VirtualBox Version 4.1 and above
3. After upgrading your VirtualBox , make sure they are able to properly.
As after my upgrade, the VirtualBox was requesting to install the “VirtualBox Extension Pack“. When I added the VirtualHost guest on GNS and started it up, it pop up an error message “Error: 209-unable to start instance“.
Finally, the most cryptic part. Understanding how the new “Generic Driver” works on GNS3 VirtualBox edition. The driver uses UDP port to communicate with the routers in GNS3 much like the VPC.
VirtualBox network settings
Under VirtualBox network settings :
-Select the “Generic Driver”
-Click on “Advance”
-under “General Properties” you will see some parameters like
dest=127.0.0.1
dport=15000
sport=20900
During the adding of VirtualBox Host to GNS3 and startup a additional network card is added with the “Generic Driver”. Because this situation, when the VirtualBox host loaded, it would have 2 network card attached. The router interface is sending packets via UDP port to the new “Generic Driver” network card #2 UDP ports. When you ping from the VirtualBox host to the router it will not work as the IP address you set previously on the host is on the 1st network card.
VirtualBox network card with IP address
VirtualBox network card without IP address
1. Open the network settings for network card #2 and copy the parameters from “General Properties” to the network card #1
or
2. Configure the IP address on the network card #2
This are my findings as I am still figuring out 
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About
I'm Loy and welcome to my blog. I'm an IT engineer which spend a lot time tinkering with technology, while away from work I enjoy capturing the moments and enjoying God's greatest gift - Appetite. Hope you find the information here useful or entertaining. Feel free to feedback about my blogs or give a shoutout. -
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