How to Create an External Virtual Switch in Hyper-V
Hyper-V is a powerful tool for virtualization in Windows operating systems. One of the key features of Hyper-V is the ability to create virtual switches, which allow virtual machines to communicate with each other and with the outside world. In this article, we will walk you through the steps to create an external virtual switch in Hyper-V.
Step 1: Open Hyper-V Manager
The first step is to open Hyper-V Manager. You can do this by searching for “Hyper-V Manager” in the Start menu or by navigating to Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Hyper-V Manager.
Step 2: Create a New Virtual Switch
Once you have opened Hyper-V Manager, navigate to the right-hand side of the window and click on “Virtual Switch Manager.”
In the Virtual Switch Manager window, click on “External” and then click on “Create Virtual Switch.”
Next, you will need to enter a name for your virtual switch. You can also choose a network adapter from the dropdown menu.
Make sure the checkbox for “Allow management operating system to share this network adapter” is unchecked, as this will prevent the host system from using the virtual switch.
Click “OK” to create the virtual switch.
Step 3: Connect Virtual Machines to the External Virtual Switch
Now that you have created the external virtual switch, you can connect your virtual machines to it.
Open the settings for the virtual machine you want to connect to the external virtual switch.
In the settings window, click on “Add Hardware” and then select “Network Adapter.”
In the Network Adapter settings, select the name of the external virtual switch you created in Step 2.
Click “OK” to save the settings.
Step 4: Test the External Virtual Switch
Once you have connected your virtual machines to the external virtual switch, you can test the connection by pinging other devices on your network or accessing the internet from the virtual machines.
If everything is set up correctly, your virtual machines should be able to communicate with each other and with the outside world through the external virtual switch.
Conclusion
Creating an external virtual switch in Hyper-V is a straightforward process that allows you to connect your virtual machines to external networks. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily create and configure an external virtual switch in Hyper-V.