A host-only network is set up automatically if you select Use Host-Only Networking in the New Virtual Machine Wizard. On Linux hosts, this selection is available only if you enabled the host-only networking option when you installed GSX Server.

Host-only networking provides a network connection between the virtual machine and the host computer, using a virtual Ethernet adapter that is visible to the host operating system. This approach can be useful if you need to set up an isolated virtual network.

If you use host-only networking, your virtual machine and the host virtual adapter are connected to a private TCP/IP network. Addresses on this network are provided by the VMware DHCP server.

If you make some other selection in the New Virtual Machine Wizard and later decide you want to use host-only networking, you can make that change in the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings). For details, see Changing the Networking Configuration.

If you install the proper routing or proxy software on your host computer, you can establish a connection between the host virtual Ethernet adapter and a physical network adapter on the host computer. This allows you, for example, to connect the virtual machine to a Token Ring or other non-Ethernet network.

On a Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 host computer, you can use host-only networking in combination with the Internet connection sharing feature in Windows to allow a virtual machine to use the host's dial-up networking adapter or other connection to the Internet. See your Windows documentation for details on configuring Internet connection sharing.