GNS3 Initial Configuration with VMWare Workstation Player 12: Local GNS3 VM Setup Guide

Hi,
I'm trying to set up my work environment for testing and learning. I have VMWare Workstation Player 12 and GNS3 installed. Virtual machines work without a problem. However, I can't handle the GNS3 configuration. This is the first time I've come into contact with this program. I tried to search a little on the Internet but unfortunately it did not help much.

The situation is such that when you turn on GNS3, the Setup Wizard starts. According to the advice, at the top I choose Local GNS3 VM. In the next step, where VirtualBox and VMWare are to be chosen, I choose the latter and then the message pops up:



Once I figured out more or less what was going on, I downloaded the GNS3 VM, installed it and the problem persisted. Additionally here:



I see only one of the virtual machines that I have configured in VMWare. Why is there only one? How should you approach the topic at all?

I will be very grateful for any help.

and you have the image that is mentioned in the second image or GNS3 VM?

Yes. And 3 others ...

did you import this ova into VMWare? why do you want to run them all at once?
in the second picture you selected a picture, you allocated processors and RAM, what happened next?

Yes. I imported. Maybe I'll write what I want to achieve.

I would like to virtualize an environment in which I will have a cisco router or firewall + two computers: one server and host, or several hosts. I understood it so that in VMware I create myself a host machine and a server, I install systems and in GNS3 an all-in-one network connection.

As for your question - I did nothing more because I tried to get the opportunity to choose other virtual machines. - edit: I have already checked: after clicking next it starts the Win 2012 virtual machine. No sense ...
So GNS3 VW I have installed, and I can only see one Win Win 2012

According to me, you are doing something that GNS3 is not suitable for.
GNS3 is a network simulation program. It is distributed as a stand-alone program for installation on your operating system. But you can also get it already installed on your preferred operating system as so-called applaiance. And what you download is just the last one. After importing this ova, you get a machine with GNS3 installed and you are only creating your network topology in it.

It looks like you are choosing the wrong virtual machine as the GNS3 server.
Download vm-k here: https://github.com/GNS3/gns3-gui/releases

Unpack, add to vmware or Virtualbox (according to the type downloaded). And then exactly this machine you choose in the Setup Wizard as on the screen.

Epic wrote:

It looks like you are choosing the wrong virtual machine as the GNS3 server.
Download vm-k here: https://github.com/GNS3/gns3-gui/releases

Unpack, add to vmware or Virtualbox (according to the type downloaded). And then exactly this machine you choose in the Setup Wizard as on the screen.

It's just that I see only one virtual machine, although I have several of them.

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As for the answer above colleague - I can tell you why I need it at all
I would like to simulate the network. Something like in Packet Tracer, but on working systems put on a virtual machine. I understood it in this way that in VMWara I create machines, configure them and in GNS3 I can connect them into one network, adding routers, firewall etc. I understood that this is what GNS3 is for. I'm wrong? If not, what steps do you need to take to achieve this effect?

Thanks for the help.

You're wrong.
GNS3 is rather an IP network simulator. According to me, it does not work so that you can see various virtual machines about what I wrote earlier. If you want interaction between virtual machines, start two / three / ten virtual machines, but they will rather be in one network. As for me, you won't be able to connect them through routers simulated in GNS3

I do not know. I have never used it, but I mean something like in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsRQJz0eTP in exactly from 8:11

I watched. Man learns his whole life.
For me it looks as if someone had GNS3 installed on their computer and created a network, and then started two virtual machines and connected them to this GNS3. Note that at the beginning there are no icons indicating the launch of wmvare or virtualbox.
It seems to me that if you want to capture this ova image you would have to have created additional virtual machines in it. Maybe even test it myself but only on the weekend.

Yes, GNS3 is used to simulate network operation.
No, @pawstrze he is not wrong.
In GNS, you can easily connect virtual machines using any topology including routers, switches, or firewalls. As long as they are supported by this program.

Which is often confusing, you can combine VMs in two ways, either by importing them into GNS3 or by running them independently and in GNS connecting through virtual interfaces.

pawstrze wrote:

It's just that I see only one virtual machine, although I have several of them.

Which machine exactly do you download and how do you start it. It's best to show on the screenshots.

A distinction should be made between the virtual machine used as the GNS3 server and the other machines you want to combine in the project.

That's a little summary because I think I came to what was the problem.

I set up a thread on the official GNS help forum: https://gns3.com/qa/i-can-t-find-vmware-virtual-mach
Combining a bit in the subject, I came to the fact that one of these machines I installed, skipping the choice of space for the machine files. As you can see there, a colleague suggested that it matters when using VMWare - in a word, the problem was the machine application and not the GNS3 itself. I tried with VirtuaBox and it is immediately ok. After choosing the local server in the wizard started at the beginning you can see all machines from VB.

As for this difference, whether with this OVA image or not, it seems to me that the 'local server' option is quite appropriate for my applications. Then I will be able to connect VB machines with routers etc. At least, that's how I see it.

Thanks again for your help!

Funny, that soon there will be a book just for this topic. It will be useful for a bachelor's degree And jbc I will also ask here