Isolated network

Hello,
I am wondering if anyone out there has any experience with running a type 2 hypervisor for a programming computer that is isolated from the host OS?

I was hoping to find a way to be able to program PLC's and HMI's on a isolated network but also be able to do things like view manuals online. I first attempted to use VMware Workstation Pro 15 to build two VM's. One internet facing and one that would only be for programming. But when the internet VM is connected to a cellular network the host is also connected and when the programming VM is connected to a PLC the host appears to also be. So, it seems that I am not accomplishing the goal of having the PLC's and programing software completely isolated from the internet or any internet connected computer.

Does anybody have any experience with how to accomplish this? I am open to any VM softwares, I was just hoping to not have to carry around a programming computer and a internet computer everywhere I go.

Thanks for your help.

-Matt

Not quite sure I understand what you're asking, but if you have your PLC VM bridged to your physical NIC, and on the host OS you only ever use WiFi (for example company wireless, or hotspot from your phone) then you will be able to access the internet on your host, but your PLC VM will be isolated from the internet because it is only ever bridged to your physical NIC which I'm assuming would be a hard-wired isolated PLC network.

brendan.buchan that was what I thought too, but when the ethernet port was bridged to the controls VM I could still ping PLC's and other hardware from the host.

I think I have found a solution for that problem though, a co-worker suggested I disable IPv4 and IPv6 for the ethernet NIC on the host. He explained that although the host cannot use this because of it being disabled the VM would still have access to the NIC and as long as the VM had IPv4 and IPv6 enabled that it could use the ethernet NIC.

This worked for the Wi-Fi also, disable the Wi-Fi IPv4 & 6 on the host and enable it on a internet facing VM that has the Wi-Fi NIC bridged to it. This essentially makes the host not able to connect to anything and the VM's only able to connect with the NIC they are bridged to.

The only problem I have now is how to assign two NIC's to one VM. I would like my Verizon and Wi-Fi to bridge to the internet facing VM but when building a bridged VMNet I can only select one NIC. If anybody has any suggestions on how to accomplish the two NIC to one VM problem I appreciate ideas.

MattVohs said:

The only problem I have now is how to assign two NIC's to one VM. I would like my Verizon and Wi-Fi to bridge to the internet facing VM but when building a bridged VMNet I can only select one NIC. If anybody has any suggestions on how to accomplish the two NIC to one VM problem I appreciate ideas.

Click to expand...

Glad you found a solution.

When you select the VM you can go to VM > Settings and then click Add to add another Network Adapter, you can then choose to bridge this to a different NIC on the host.

Awesome, I will do that. Thank you very much for your help!