just launching vbox 1.62 causes host's wireless network to disconnect (USB nic conflict)

[jinchoung]

host: win xp sp3 using a belkin usb2 wifi dongle.

as soon as i launch vbox 1.62, the wireless disconnects and i am unable to restore connection until i close out of vbox.

after i close out of vbox, i am able to "repair" the connection (just resetting basically). but while vbox is running (without a single guest vm running), no internet.

[Frank Mehnert]

To be entirely sure (sorry for asking again): You just start the GUI and don't start any VM, right?

[jinchoung]

hi frank,

yup. no vms are started. not a single menu item touched. the first time i downloaded and installed, the "please register" popup came up and i filled it out and hit send and even at that point, it could not actually send the registration because the mere launching of vbox killed the connection.

and again, after i close vbox and "repair" the connection, all is well again.

[jinchoung]

actually, this guy's problem may be different because he can repair his connection with vbox still running but it may be related:

​http://virtual-box.org/ticket/845

[jinchoung]

AHA! but i tried what he said (guy in above link)... well attempted to... i couldn't get the commandline stuff to work but it seems to be the same thing as RT-CLICK enabling and disabling a device in DEVICE MANAGER.

something new happened! when i disabled my belkin usb device, also immediately after i did so, a pop up appeared telling me a new device was found and if i wanted to install a driver.

i said yes and the device driver that was installed was:

VirtualBoxUSB!

for some reason, this driver is somehow getting associated with my wifi usb dongle!

is that something? this is the first time VirtualBoxUSB has had a chance to actually manifest itself but is it trying to install into the "space" reserved for my usb wifi? interfering somehow?

hopefully this is getting closer....

jin

[Sander van Leeuwen]

Have either of you ever tried to capture that network USB device with VBox in the past? (i.e. use it inside the guest)

[Sander van Leeuwen]

And of course you must make sure the network USB device isn't inside the active USB filters for VBox. Although that's only activated when you actually start a VM.

[jinchoung]

no, i never tried using the usb device inside the guest because the host connection disconnected before i could even start (or make a new!) a virtual device. as i said, it kills the connevtion just by launching the vb app. thanks.

[tAz]

I have - through sheer mucking about trying to make it work - come across a work around to prevent this problem :) I am more concerned with having a working inet in my guests that access to other usb devices. I have not tested this workaround any further than patting myself on the back for getting my guest net connection up :)

My wireless hardware is the same Realtek 8187b "USB" card as mentioned elsewhere in an ADVENT 5302 laptop, running vista home prem.

I have literally just worked this out and have not considered the consequences for other (usb) devices. Immediately this fix does not seem to resolve local network connectivity (between host<->guest) issues but as said does prevent the meer startup of vbox from killing host net connection.

HOW TO PREVENT VBOX FROM KILLING NET CONNECTION ON PROG STARTUP =============================================================== shutdown any guests and close vbox app

open vista device manager enable "show hidden devices" scroll down to "non-plug and play devices" select virtualbox usb monitor double/right click properties select "driver" tab stop the service change "startup" to "disabled"

fire up vbox and marvel at the delights of it not killing your net connection :)

Hey I am not a software dev type guy but from the above does it not seem that vbox is globbing onto the usb bus either before it should OR sneaking around the current filter/driver that allow/deny access... just my 2p...

Brilliant product though guys :)

Hope this helps a few bods get more out of this great app!

cheers, tAz

... and now to SP3 my XP guest...

[tAz]

Sorry - just upgraded v162 to v164 (to see if it had already been fixed) but this issue is still at large in v164 without the above "tweak"

cheers, tAz

[tecbos]

Replying to jinchoung:

host: win xp sp3 using a belkin usb2 wifi dongle.

as soon as i launch vbox 1.62, the wireless disconnects and i am unable to restore connection until i close out of vbox.

after i close out of vbox, i am able to "repair" the connection (just resetting basically). but while vbox is running (without a single guest vm running), no internet.

The same problem still exists in vbox 2.02 and it seems to be related to usb adapters based on Realtek RTL8187B chipset. Work around proposed by emptyhead disables usb in the guest completely and is a partial solution. Another work around is to kill VBoxSVC.exe after starting the guest and then restarting the usb adapter. The guest won't be affected and will have usb available. The only downside I've found so far is you can't save the guest state after this.

[Frank Mehnert]

tecbos, could you attach a VBox.log file of a VM session when this happens for you? I would like to have a look at your configuration.

[tecbos]

Starting guest OS breaks internet connection

[Bart Thompson]

I just started using VB and have to say GOOD WORK!. But, this bug still exists even with the latest version of VirtualBox 3.10. If I can help testing please let me know. BTW, I am a developer.

[aeichner]

Please reopen if still relevant with a recent version of VirtualBox.