Hyper-V can I use wifi for a bridged device for HOST-GUEST communication

Hi folks

Currently I'm using an ethernet port as a bridged connector (br0) which works properly. But I can't get wifi to work as a bridged connector - at least on a Linux Host -- I'm struggling also on HYPER-V

Can it be done or am I missing something. I don't want NAT as this hoses up Guest / host communication

currently I have this on the host -- the enp0s... lan port is bridged to br0 with an ip address (local) of 192.168.1.122



ping to the guest -- successful



The Guest (Windows 11 machine) confirms the correct IP address and can ping the host



so full two way communication between Guest and HOST is correct.

I'd like to get the same thing also with HYPER-V and if poss just use IPV6 but that's a later thing -- I'm happy to get one thing working properly first. Windows HOST is W11 Pro (standard - not insider) while the guest is Windows 11 Enterprise insider edition DEV branch.

To me any sort of Windows networking just seems like "Black magic". With Linux it just works straight OOTB although the current kernels still aren't quite ready for wifi devices to act as bridging devices.

(I can get round the problem in Windows by disabling the virtual network adapter(s) and using a physical usb wifi or usb wifi->LAN connection in the VM but that seems bonkers when there's a nice fast modern wifi card inside the laptop I want to use).

Cheers
jimbo

Not clear what you are trying to do.

Hyper-V shares the Host wifi NIC but looks like an ethernet connection inside the VM. You cannot connect to wifi in VM afaik


If you use an external network switch, the Hyper-V guest is on same subnet as the Host, so no NAT issues.

If you use the default network switch, the VM is behind a Nat Firewall on different subnets VM user can ping Host but Host cannot ping VM.

cereberus said:

Not clear what you are trying to do.

Hyper-V shares the Host wifi NIC but looks like an ethernet connection inside the VM. You cannot connect to wifi in VM afaik


If you use an external network switch, the Hyper-V guest is on same subnet as the Host, so no NAT issues.

If you use the default network switch, the VM is behind a Nat Firewall on different subnets VM user can ping Host but Host cannot ping VM.

Click to expand...

Thanks

That clears it up.

BTW using a separate wifi device INSIDE the VM works but you need to install the usb wifi adapter driver inside the guest then it acts just as a totally separate machine and ping to host and from host is fine -- but it's pointless using an extra device when not necessary.

The external switch works properly for Windows Guests -- now will try for a Linux guest -- no issues with windows - but I will see whether Linux picks up the NIC virtual driver properly.

the Host is bog standard W11 Pro (non insider edition). I want to try Win11 insider Canary or Dev edition and 2 small Linux distros as Guests.

Cheers
jimbo

jimbo45 said:

Thanks

That clears it up.

BTW using a separate wifi device INSIDE the VM works but you need to install the usb wifi adapter driver inside the guest then it acts just as a totally separate machine and ping to host and from host is fine -- but it's pointless using an extra device when not necessary.

The external switch works properly for Windows Guests -- now will try for a Linux guest -- no issues with windows - but I will see whether Linux picks up the NIC virtual driver properly.

the Host is bog standard W11 Pro (non insider edition). I want to try Win11 insider Canary or Dev edition and 2 small Linux distros as Guests.

Cheers
jimbo

Click to expand...

Linux guests pick up host NIC in same way.

Main issue with Linux guests is they can only run in basic mode unless they can act as an rdp server. You cannot get sound in basic mode.

Ubunto can but it is a PITA getting sound. Kali Linux is by far the easiest implementation. Search for some of my posts for Kali. However, getting sound and video to sync is a challenge using live streaming which I never solved. It is easier playing mp4s as you can compensate with movie app (vlc can I think).

Canary and Dev work fine but you should use Pro versions so you can use enhanced mode to get sound.