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I am using an Ubuntu 20.04 VM in a Windows 10 machine using two network adapters, NAT and Bridged. However, in the "Network Connections" of the Windows 10 machine, I see "Ethernet4" which is a "VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet" adapter. I can also ping this address.

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But why is this adapter available even though I have no adapter of the VM set to Host-only? Maybe it is present all the time, but there is no "machine" behind this IP address?

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    The address assigned on a network adapter on the VM host "represents" the VM host itself, which means if you have a VM (guest) with one of its adapter set to Host-Only, you can access the VM host from it by using that IP as destination, given that the firewall of the VM host allows the corresponding traffics. (And yes, IIRC, it's always there once VirtualBox is installed.)
    – Tom Yan
    Feb 1 at 7:04
  • So this adapter has been created by install time of the VirtualBox?
    – Alex
    Feb 1 at 7:10

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But why is this adapter available although I have no adapter of the VM set to Host-only? Maybe it is present all the time,

They're created statically through VirtualBox settings, not dynamically. One such interface is automatically created at VirtualBox install time (as well as during upgrades) if the "Host-only" feature is selected.

but there is no "machine" behind this IP address?

The IP address assigned to this adapter belongs to the host, not to any VM.

It's exactly like how the IP address assigned to your Wi-Fi interface belongs to your own PC and not to any other LAN host.

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  • But if I configure the VM and remove the "Host-only" feature this adapter will be still there?
    – Alex
    Feb 1 at 7:15
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    Yes, because it does not depend on VM configuration. Like I said, they're created statically through VirtualBox settings, and one is created at install time – before you even had any VMs.
    – user1686
    Feb 1 at 8:07
  • Thanks, now things are more clear for me. Answer accepted.
    – Alex
    Feb 1 at 8:09

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