Networking

Every machine is on one shared network that SwiftVM manages. Guests reach the internet through your Mac, and your Mac and the guests reach each other directly.

flowchart LR
    subgraph MAC["Your Mac"]
        HOST["macOS<br/>192.168.230.1"]
        A["web-server<br/>192.168.230.10"]
        B["build-mac<br/>192.168.230.11"]
        HOST <--> A
        HOST <--> B
    end
    HOST -->|"NAT"| INTERNET["Internet"]

Addresses#

• Each machine has its own address, which stays the same every time it starts.
• SwiftVM picks an address range that doesn't collide with the networks your Mac is on. Settings → Network shows it.
• A machine created while others are running gets a temporary address. It takes its own once every machine has been stopped and one is started again.

Find a machine's address in the panel, with Copy IP Address in its menu, or with swiftvm ip <machine>.

The cable#

Pull a machine's network cable with the Network switch in its toolbar, Connected in its settings, or from the command line:

swiftvm unplug web-server
swiftvm plug web-server

Port forwarding#

A forwarded port makes a service in the guest reachable as localhost on your Mac, for example localhost:8080 for a web server on the guest's port 80. You can always reach the guest at its own address without forwarding.

Add one under Network in the machine's toolbar, in its settings, or with:

swiftvm forward web-server 8080:80     # localhost:8080 is the guest's port 80
swiftvm forward web-server 5353 --udp  # the same port on both sides, UDP
swiftvm unforward web-server 8080

• Forwards can be added and removed while the machine runs.
• Only your Mac can connect, unless you turn on Let other devices on the network connect (--allow-others).
• If the port is in use on your Mac, SwiftVM keeps trying until it is free. swiftvm info <machine> shows each forward's status.

Not yet#

Bridged, host-only, and isolated networks, and more than one network card per machine.