Virtual machines and STP

aluigi · **Posted:** 20 Jun 2008 17:05

Who uses a virtual machine like Virtualbox has certainly noticed tons of STP packets generated by the virtual and real interfaces when "bridged" together (so guest and host can communicate and forward packets).

For disabling these boring STP packets on the Windows host it's enough to use the attached registry file:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\BridgeMP]
"DisableSTA"=dword:00000001

Hope it helps since it was helpful to me

Sethioz · **Posted:** 21 Jun 2008 15:59

you mean specifically virtualbox ?
think i may need to install some virtual machine again..then ill make sure ill check this out.
ive used VMware and some microsoft virtual stuff..both make too many files in pc (into docs and settings, program files, start menu, window...etc) so i dont really like those. need better one and take way too much resources and sometimes mess up network too.

aluigi · **Posted:** 21 Jun 2008 17:39

I refer specifically to the "bridge" method for merging two or more interfaces (the stp packets in fact are generated by the bridge) so this is valid for any virtual machine and anything else which requires a bridge

Sethioz · **Posted:** 22 Jun 2008 13:42

if i remember right, then VMWare and microsoft virtual pc never made bridge connections. i think they installed some driver and used same connection (so i need something else tht makes bridge to see it). my digibox uses bridge, but thts made inside router.
but again i maybe wrong, never payed any attention on how virtual machine connects.

aluigi · **Posted:** 22 Jun 2008 14:20

uhmm I think depends how you setted the configuration of the VM.
In Virtual box for example you need to bridge the interfaces only if you want to make communicating the host with the guest like 2 different computers in a LAN (and naturally this is the most interesting usage of the VM ih ih ih)

Sethioz · **Posted:** 22 Jun 2008 16:24

naah enought from me lol. i will install and do some research on how it connects and about configs. right now i dont know much about it .. so i better not confuse ppl :)

lil bit offtopic. wht is best virtual machine to use anyways ? didnt really like vmware and this microsoft shit.

aluigi · **Posted:** 22 Jun 2008 19:31

the best?
I have tried only virtual box and installed vmplayer (vmware) but without using it.
The installation of vmplayer was more chaotic and modified more system settings so I didn't like that.

Sethioz · **Posted:** 23 Jun 2008 01:32

yes i agree. i did use vmplayer once, but i dont see much difference betwen it and vmware (virtual pc). its basically same. you can only run live cds as normal programs, but installing is really .. as you said .. chaotic lol.

Luigi Auriemma

Virtual machines and STP