USB - to USB 'virtual cable' ?

Discussion in 'Linux Virtual Machine' started by Parallels User, Nov 12, 2017.

  1. For a number of reasons (security, privacy, speed) I would like to connect two linux (or macOS) VMs together using a USB cable (similar to http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/249678-32-file-transfer ).
    I can do the driver software but I need Parallels to allow me to link two virtual USB ports together --- hopefully on the same machine. Possible?
    If not I guess I need to try VirtualBox as the USB support there seems open to examination.
     
  2. Hemnath@Parallels

    Hemnath@Parallels Parallels Support

    Messages:
    1,127
    Hi SterlingG. The functionality you're referring to can't be possible - a VM, by design, only picks up a physical USB storage connected to the Mac. A limitation of virtualization.
     
  3. How about a real USB cable - plugged in to both USB ports (I use a MacBook Pro)? If that is not possible I guess I will use a 'host only' network adapter. Is there any traffic that bleeds out of a host only connection? What about DNS lookups?
     
  4. Elric

    Elric Parallels Team

    Messages:
    1,718
    No traffic goes outside of Host Only connection (except that it is visible on vnic1 host interface). By default DNS is enabled even for Host-Only. It is possible to disable it in configuration (I assume that you are familiar with for example vim editor): Quit the Parallels Desktop. Run in terminal
    "sudo vim /Library/Preferences/Parallels/network.desktop.xml"; Go to the section <NetworkID>Host-Only</NetworkID>;
    Change EnableDns to be zero: <EnableDNS>0</EnableDNS>

    If you want you can also disable the vnic1: Change Enable in <ParallelsAdapter dyn_lists=""> to be zero: <Enabled>0</Enabled> - this will make VMs in HostOnly networking see each other and don't see the Mac host
     
  5. Thank you - I will do that.
     

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