Wireless networking in a VM

[AndyB]

Am running kali in a VM on a windows 7 host. Have encountered a little problem in both VMWare Player and VirtualBox in that when I try connect my laptops Contrino Wireless N 2230 to the VM, it connects as a eth interface not a wlan. I've tried to connect with the wireless bridged and NAT but it just connects as eth

Google has not been my friend so far. Is it possible to get an onboard wireless to connect to a VM as a wireless device or am I going to have to install kali to dual boot?

Thanks

[rnk]

or am I going to have to install kali to dual boot?


yes.. or buy an external wireless usb device.

[DrDinosaur]

Yes, or buy something like an Alfa. You can't use your onboard wireless chip as a wireless interface in a virtual machine.

[Superjail]

You can't use your onboard wireless chip as a wireless interface in a virtual machine.

Why is this?

[root-boy]

I always recommand reading docs (http://docs.kali.org/troubleshooting/troubleshooting-wireless-driver-issues) first, you will get a lot of answers.

[Superjail]

The docs just say the same thing, it cant work, but nothing really says why. I'm surprised there is no work-around for this.

[sickn3ss]

The docs just say the same thing, it cant work, but nothing really says why. I'm surprised there is no work-around for this.

This is not a Kali issue, this is a virtualization software drawback.

[neep]

It might help to think of the virtualisation software creating a virtual switch, with one port being connected to the physical network device - be it wired or wireless - and another port connected to the virtual network interface that is being presented to your VM. Logically, there is a virtual device (the virtual switch) sitting between your VM and the physical device, so the physical device will not be under the direct control of your VM.

What would be required is for the wireless device to be passed through to the control of the VM, rather than the host OS. USB devices can be passed through fairly reliably these days, which is why a USB wireless device (such as an Alfa which has already been suggested) is the standard solution to this problem.

Hope that helps.

[firewire]

VM dosn't support vm machines, you should buy a wireless usb device or install kali on your real machine,in other words you can install kali to dual boot!

[AndyB]

Thanks for all the replies guys, been away with work and internet access limited :(
My Alfa wireless is tied up elsewhere so I've gone for dual boot for now. Will probably be purchasing a 2nd Alfa device shortly and a nice new high gain directional antenna to go with it so will re-visit the VM when i've got my new toys.

[lawrencethepentester]

you should buy alpha card ..caz VM deals with Virtual just