VirtualBox guest using Bridged networking unable to obtain DHCP address

Question

I have a computer, called Loki, that works as a virtual machine host and DHCP server. The DHCP daemon is listening on port eth0. Part of /etc/dhcp.conf:

subnet 192.168.13.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
    range 192.168.13.140 192.168.13.140;
}

host Windows7VM {
    hardware ethernet 08:00:27:57:C9:69;
    fixed-address 192.168.13.150;
    option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
    option broadcast-address 192.168.13.255;
    option routers 192.168.13.1;
}

host TerminalAdam {
    hardware ethernet ...;
    fixed-address 192.168.13.151;
    option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
    option broadcast-address 192.168.13.255;
    option routers 192.168.13.1;
}

eth0 is configured like this:

ifconfig eth0 192.168.13.1 netmask 255.255.255.0

There is another computer, called TerminalAdam. The DHCP client configuration of TerminalAdam works fine. Now I need to connect Windows7 virtual machine to this network, so that both TerminalAdam and Windows7VM DHCP clients are configured by Loki's DHCP server.

In VirtualBox VM network settings I choose bridge, device eth0. When I turn on the VM, I get this in /var/log/messages.log several times:

Apr 27 14:36:41 localhost dhcpd: DHCPDISCOVER from 08:00:27:57:c9:69 via eth0
Apr 27 14:36:41 localhost dhcpd: DHCPOFFER on 192.168.13.150 to 08:00:27:57:c9:69 via eth0

But in Windows I have "connection to network is not available" in the network adapter status and I cannot connect.

Answer 1

I have observed the same on VirtualBox: Sometimes DHCP does not work at all, sometimes it takes some time until the DHCP-request "goes through". Try to emulate a different network card.