Networking - Alfa AWUS036H - BT4 and VMware 7

Hi guys,

I gotta quick question about VMware re: getting a internet connection using a long distance network on BT4 on VMware.

My Details:
My usb wifi : Alfa AWUS036H
Im using VMware workstation 7 with BT4 VM ware image.
My machine is a Dell 6100 laptop with internal Dell wireless 1370 mini pci card.

Ive read quite a few threads re: getting internet connection through VMware.
Im able to connect to internet via my local modem by selecting 'bridged connection' on the VM settings for BT4 virtual machine...

After starting (start x) I use the following commands

ifconfig eth0 up
dhclient eth0
ping www.Google etc..

My Situation is:

Im trying to connect to a WEP connection that only my 'Alfa AWUS036H' picks up, and not my internal wireless card (1370 mini pci card)..so Im assuming I have to change the bridge settings or config. file?? Any suggestions?
Thanks.

Any virtualisation software can only use USB wireless network cards as physical devices, all other types of wireless card are seen as virtual ethernet devices and can only be seen as a wireless device by the host and not by the guest operating system. So if you want to run BackTrack in VMWare or Virtualbox and have full wireless capabilities, make sure you are using a USB device.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pureh@te

Any virtualisation software can only use USB wireless network cards as physical devices, all other types of wireless card are seen as virtual ethernet devices and can only be seen as a wireless device by the host and not by the guest operating system. So if you want to run BackTrack in VMWare or Virtualbox and have full wireless capabilities, make sure you are using a USB device.

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hi,
Right, so just to clarify. Im using my USB device (Alfa AWUS036H) as host for BT4 VM virtual machine. The trouble Im having is, Im not sure if I need to change the settings or type a command for example, in order to acquire network connection with target Access point (which happens to be WEP) This network has strong signal on my USB device, when connected to Windows as host & I am able to connect to the network whilst windows host. I am trying to achieve the same thing whilst running BT4 virtual machine.
Is this possible?

I would say to plug in the USB and look for the the USB icon at the bottom of you vmware workstation, when it turns blue it will show up just run airmon-ng from a terminal. Seems to me that it's possible.

Ok, lets get the terminology straight.
1. Windows - host system
2. BT4 on vmware - guest system
What to do?
Fire up vmware and bt4. Identify your usb connected alfa in the lower right corner of the vmware window (as iceman suggested). Make sure it's connected to the guest system (disconnect from host).
Now you have a working wireless card on your vmware BT4 and should follow this thread.

In BT4 final there is a program in Internet->Wicd Network Manager
Use it to connect to WLANs.

And make sure that you have captured ur usb device to VMware.

Im using ALFA AWUS036H 1000mw USB device in BT4 and it works well, no problems yet.

Thanks for the replies. Yep terminology was bit mixed up..oops. I have no issue getting my card being recognised on vmware BT4 virtual machine. My question was about setting up da WEP. haha
I've also just installed the iso on vmware now and setup settings as NAT anyway.
I started following the purehate tutorial on networking but would rather just use :
/etc/init.d/networking start
, then Wicd Network Manager, if it works :) will have a play around. Thanks

hi guys,

I finally got an internet connection on my backtrack 4 virtual machine on vmware and have a list of wireless access points when I open wicd

did the following:

changed VMsettings --> Bridged

ifconfig eth0 up
dhclient eth0

menu--> start networking

menu --> wicd

OK. here the part where Im getting confused.
It says at bottom of wicd

Quote:

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Connected to WIRED network IP: 192.168.0.7

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How do I connect to the wireless connection? Instead or wired connection?

When I go connect to eg. NETGEAR connection' --> Advanced settings --> insert the network key--> click connect

The bottom still says

Quote:

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Connected to WIRED network IP: 192.168.0.7

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When I click on an 'Unsecured network' in my list it says

Quote:

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'This network requires encryption to be enabled'.

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I dont get the reason why its saying this.

I have now also tried:

change VM settings ---> NAT
---> Disable laptop internal wireless
VM settings---> untick auto connect usb / network card

ifconfig wlan0 up
dhclient wlan0

menu--> start networking

menu --> wicd ---> NO wireless networks detected.


EDIT: Problem solved

What did you do to solve the problem?

I don't have major complaints about VMWARE, BUT startnetworking it's a pain in the ass.

As most people stated, the "ifconfig wlan0 up" -within the networking script- or just manually, or a simple "airmon-ng" without parameters... to see the status... hangs up. You have to unplug the Alfa.

A few times I've been able to start networking properly, and then it's ok the whole session, but then, a new session... its random, sometimes it work sometimes it doesn't.

Any new discovery on this issue will be greatly appreaciated....

Thanks.