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It is possible to dedicate one network adapter to one VM so that even the host operating system doesn’t see it, but you still have to create a generic Hyper-V virtual adapter on the VM. You then connect that adapter to a Hyper-V virtual switch that has no other VMs and is not shared with the host operating system, but which is connected to the one physical network adapter. This adapter only communicates to that one VM, but the VM doesn’t see the read hardware type of the adapter, and any hardware configuration of adapter options needs to be done using the Device Manager of the host Windows 11 operating system instead of the VM system.
“Default” - Virtual Network without Configuration
When Hyper-V is installed, it creates a virtual switch called “Default”. It needs no configuration and you cannot change it.
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Defines a set of virtual network adapters on VMs that are connected to each other and can exchange data.
Optionally creates a simulated network adapter on the host Windows 11 system that can communicate to this specific set of VM virtual adapters.
Optionally attaches one real physical network adapter on the host computer that has been assigned to Hyper-V control and is not directly available for use by host applications.
Originally someone decided to create network types named External, Internal, and Private. This was a really bad decision because it confuses the real choices and screws up the configuration process. I have specifically chosen not to introduce these terms previously because they more confusing than helpful. However, now that we are discussing configuration, they will appear in the utilities and have to be at least mentioned.
Hyper-V does not provide any DNS or network address assignment service to the virtual network you create when you define your own named Switch. If you need DNS or DHCP, then you have to create a VM to provide it. Normally you will provide a static configuration on each VM and then you don’t need an automatic service.
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You cannot change the Default switch. It is what it is, and you leave it alone.
A virtual network adapter on a VM is either unconnected or is connected to one Hyper-V virtual switch. At any time, you can use the Hyper-V Manager or PowerShell to disconnect the virtual adapter from one virtual switch and reconnect it to another named virtual switch. The VM sees the same behavior as a real computer would see if a real adapter was unplugged from one network, then plugged into another network.
A Hyper-V virtual switch can be associated with at most one real physical network adapter on the host computer. At any time, you can use Hyper-V manager or PowerShell to change the physical network adapter connected to the switch to a new or different physical network adapter. In the Hyper-V Virtual Switch Manager configuration panel, a switch associated with a physical adapter is of type External and then the adapter is chosen by a pulldown box that lists all the adapters on the host system:
Choose carefully. Ideally choose an adapter that is not currently connected to a network and is not already associated with a different Hyper-V switch. After the switch is defined, connect the adapter to a network cable.
The host operating system can have at most one simulated network adapter connected to a Hyper-V virtual switch. At any time, you can create or delete this simulated network adapter in the Hyper-V Virtual Switch Manager but here is where the External. Internal, and Private type is all messed up. When there is no physical network adapter connected to the switch, then it is a Radio button choice between a network type of Internal (with the host connection) and Private (no host connection). When there is an associated physical network adapter (an External network type) it is the check box labelled “allow management operating system to share this network adapter”. It would be better if they just got rid of External, Internal, Private and just had the pulldown box and the checkbox on every switch.
A physical network adapter associated with a Hyper-V virtual switch cannot be used directly by applications on the host operating system. It can be administered, and you can make hardware configuraton changes, but if an application needs to use the device then you must create a simulated host network adapter connected to that switch, and then the host applications can share the physical adapter with VMs also connected to the same switch.
If a physical network adapter is connected to a Hyper-V switch, it is at that time removed from host networking. You get a warning message that host networking may be disturbed during the transition. If that adapter is the only want for host applications to get to a particular service, then existing application sessions may be disconnected. If there is an alternate route, the connections should be automatically switched over. If a physical adapter is disconnected from a Hyper-V switch, then it will return to the host networking device pool.
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