Virtualbox

Purpose:
In this page we will download and install Oracle virtualbox on our Windows laptop or PC and make initial configuration of the network range that will be used in future when we will install the other virtual machines (guests).

Glosaary:
VB = Virtual Box. This will be installed as interface on our PC or Laptop with Windows.
VM = Virtual Machine. This is the guest operating system (Linux, Windows etc) that will be installed into the Virtual Box. These gusts can interact with each other and the host Windows when the IPs are configufred correctly, That is why it is important to configure the VB network correctly at the first place.

Get Host (Windows) IP Address:
Host Server: Windows 11
C:\Users\saiba>ipconfig | find "IPv4"
  IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.56.1 (Ethernet adapter Ethernet 5) (Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0; Default Gateway: NULL)
  IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.4.23 (Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi) (Subnet Mask: 255.255.252.0;  Default Gateway: 192.168.4.1)

We will use 192.168.56.1 as our host IP.

Download Oracle Virtualbox:
https://www.oracle.com/virtualization/technologies/vm/downloads/virtualbox-downloads.html
File: VirtualBox-7.2.4-170995-Win.exe

Install VB and configure hostside network.

Note: If required in future, you can reinstall VB multiple times even when the guests are created. It will fix any issue you face with the virtualbox initially installed.

Configure Virtualbox Network:
VB > File > Tools > Network
Create:  Virtualbox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter
Make the below entries:
Adapter Tab:
    IPv4 Address: 192.168.56.1 < Same as host ip address
    IPv4 Network Mask: 255.255.255.0
DHCP Server Tab:
    Check "Enable Server"
    Server Address: 192.168.56.100
    Server Mask: 255.255.255.0
    Lower Address Bound: 192.168.56.101
    Upper Address Bound: 192.168.56.200

To understand IP and masking check here and here.

Once the above configuration is complete we are ready to install virtual machines.