Installing and configuring the Loopback adapter in a Windows virtual machine

Products

• VMware
• VMware Desktop Hypervisor
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

This article provides the steps to install and configure the Loopback adapter in a Windows virtual machine.

Symptoms:

• The Loopback adapter is missing.
• The Loopback adapter is not functioning properly.
• No Loopback adapter.

Environment

Any Windows Virtual Machine

Resolution

To install the Loopback adapter in Windows XP:

1. Click Start > Control Panel > Add Hardware.
2. Click Next on the introduction dialog box.
3. Select Yes, I have already connected the hardware and click Next.
4. Select Add a new hardware device, and click Next.
5. Select Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced), and click Next.
6. Select Network adapters, and click Next.
7. Select Microsoft as the manufacturer, select Microsoft Loopback Adapter as the adapter, and click Next.
8. Click Next to confirm the installation.
9. Click Finish to complete the installation.

To install the Loopback adapter in Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10, Server 2008 or Server 2012:

1. Click Start, then type cmd in the search box.
2. When cmd.exe appears, right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
3. In the command prompt, type hdwwiz.exe and press Enter.
4. Click Next.
5. Select Install the hardware that I manually select from a list (Advanced), then click Next.
6. Select Network adapters, then click Next.
7. Select Microsoft as the manufacturer, select Microsoft KM-TEST Loopback Adapter as the adapter for Windows 10, then click Next.
8. Select Next to confirm the installation.
9. Select Finish to complete the installation.

To configure the newly created adapter:

1. Click Start > Control Panel > Network Connections.
2. Select the newly created connection (named Local Area Connection #, where # is its order number).
3. Right-click on the selected connection and choose Properties from the menu.
4. Confirm that Microsoft Loopback Adapter or Microsoft Loopback Adapter # is displayed in the Connect Using: field.
   
   If it is not, return to step 2 and retry properties for another adapter.
   
   
5. Deselect everything except Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
6. Select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and click Properties to open Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties.
7. Select Use the following IP address. Fill in the IP address and Subnet mask fields.
   
   Example: 10.10.10.10, 255.255.255.0
   
   
8. Click Advanced to open Advanced TCP/IP Settings.
9. Switch to WINS and select Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP.
10. Click OK to close Advanced TCP/IP Settings.
11. Click OK to close the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties.
12. (Windows XP only) Deselect Notify me when this connection has limited or no connectivity to remove the connection warning icon from the system notification area.
13. Click OK to close the connection properties.

Additional Information