You can create many virtual networks on the server running Hyper-V to provide a variety of communications channels. For example, you can create networks to provide the following:

  • Communications between virtual machines only. This type of virtual network is called a private network.

  • Communications between the virtualization server and virtual machines. This type of virtual network is called an internal network.

  • Communications between a virtual machine and a physical network by creating an association to a physical network adapter on the virtualization server. This type of virtual network is called an external network. As a best practice, we recommend that you provide the physical computer with more than one physical network adapter. Use one physical network adapter to provide virtual machines with an external virtual network, including remote access to the virtual machines. Use the other network adapter for all network communications with the management operating system, including remote access to the Hyper-V role. The management operating system runs the Hyper-V role.

Important

Some configuration changes overwrite static settings. For example, if you connect a virtual network to a physical network adapter that uses static settings, such as a static IP address, the new connection will overwrite all IPv6 static settings. If you create an external network without sharing that network connection with the management operating system, and then reconfigure the external network to allow the management operating system to use the connection, that change will overwrite all static settings on the physical network adapter. Network connectivity may be lost until you reapply the static settings to the physical network adapter.

You can use Virtual Network Manager to add, remove, and modify the virtual networks. Virtual Network Manager is available from Hyper-V Manager.

To add a virtual network

  1. Open Hyper-V Manager.

  2. From the Actions menu, click Virtual Network Manager.

  3. Under Create virtual network, select the type of network you want to create.

  4. Click Add. The New Virtual Network page appears.

  5. Type a name for the new network. Review the other properties and modify them if necessary.

    Note

    You can use virtual LAN identification as a way to isolate network traffic. However, this type of configuration must be supported by the physical network adapter. For information about configuring virtual LAN identification, see Configuring Virtual Networks (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=131362).

  6. Click OK to save the virtual network and close Virtual Network Manager, or click Apply to save the virtual network and continue using Virtual Network Manager.
To modify a virtual network

  1. Open Hyper-V Manager.

  2. From the Actions menu, click Virtual Network Manager.

  3. Under Virtual Networks, click the name of the network you want to modify.

  4. Under Virtual Network Properties, edit the appropriate properties to modify the virtual network.

  5. Click OK to save the changes and close Virtual Network Manager, or click Apply to save the changes and continue using Virtual Network Manager.
To remove a virtual network

  1. Open Hyper-V Manager.

  2. From the Actions menu, click Virtual Network Manager.

  3. Under Virtual Networks, click the name of the network you want to remove.

  4. Under Virtual Network Properties, click Remove.

  5. Click OK to save the changes and close Virtual Network Manager, or click Apply to save the changes and continue using Virtual Network Manager.

Additional considerations

  • By default, membership in the local Administrators group, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete this procedure. However, an administrator can use Authorization Manager to modify the authorization policy so that a user or group of users can complete this procedure. For more information, see Using Authorization Manager for Hyper-V Security (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=142886).

  • You cannot connect a virtual network to a wireless network adapter. As a result, you cannot provide wireless networking capabilities to virtual machines.

  • Only one virtual network can be attached to a specific physical network adapter at a time; you cannot attach multiple virtual networks to the same physical network adapter.

Additional references

Table Of Contents