Hey there.
I have been struggling with this problem with hundreds of hours already, searching the web to no avail.
I am running VMWare 8.0.1
Host is Windows 7 Pro 64bit.
Guest is Windows 7 Pro 32 bit
I need the guest to access the internet using a USB WIFI (dongle) wireless.
I have super bizzare unexplained inconsistent problems with my USB WIFI under the guest OS.
It so difficult to explain I don't even know where to begin.
- Sometimes my USB WIFI would say no wireless hotposts found. While there a dozen in close proximity, it wouldn't say any error or anything. Driver would also show just fine in device manager. If I restart the Win 7 VM it would suddenly see all the hostspots and would allow me to connect.
- Sometimes after half an hour or so, it would suddenly disconnect from the hotspot and would keep saying it cannot connect to the hotspot. If I try 20 times or so, it may on the 20th try or so may suddenly be able to connect.
- Many times it would see about 3 wireless hotspots instead of seeing 20 which are in close proxiity. If I go to the VM->Removable Devices and then remove the USB WIFI and then re-enable it, it may suddenly see all of them again.
1. Before you go on saying the obious stuff like : "I should try other USB WIFI devices or try other hotspots". Let me say this:
I have tried 4 different USB WIFI dongle from different manucatures like Linksys, TP-Link, D-Link and Edimax. All of them were acting incosistently within the VM.
2. I have tried many different locations trying different hotposts, some open, some password protected, all of which I know that work fine. My USB all act pretty much the same with inconsistency doesn't matter to what hotspot I am trying to connect. On occation it may connect successfuly on the first try, but then after a few minutes disconnect and start acting weird.
3. I have tried this on 2 different laptops from different manufacturers. So it's probably not a specific computer related issue either.
This has caused me great grief, since there were several occasons where I had to work from my VM using a USB WIFI and sometimes it took 1 hour to connect to some WIFI, by contigounsly plugging out and in the USB, restarting the VM, trying to connect etc..
I am a very technical person and have never came across such bizzare totally inconsistent hard to define issues with the USB WIFI.
I do NOT want to connect through the host computer wireless connection. I must connect using the USB connected as a removable device to the guest.
I really appreciate any help on this matter