How to configure putty with Virtual box Linux OS?

1. Start the Linux OS in VirtualBox.
2. In VirtualBox, go to the "Settings" for the Linux OS and navigate to the "Network" tab.

3. Change the "Attached to" option to "Bridged Adapter".

4. Start PuTTY on your host machine.
5. In PuTTY, enter the IP address of the Linux OS in the "Host Name (or IP address)" field. The IP address can be found by running the command "ifconfig" in the Linux terminal.

6. Select "SSH" for the connection type.
7. Click "Open" to connect to the Linux OS.
8. A terminal window will open and prompt you for a username and password.

Once you are connected to your virtual linux machine via putty you can use it as a remote machine.

That’s it.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I need a Bridged Adapter?

With a bridged adapter, the VM gets its own IP address on the same network as your computer, so PuTTY can connect to it directly. With the default NAT adapter, the VM's address is not reachable from the host without port forwarding.

How do I find the VM's IP address?

Log in to the Linux VM and run ifconfig or ip addr. Use the address of the bridged network interface in PuTTY's Host Name field.

Can I keep NAT instead of Bridged?

Yes. Add a port-forwarding rule in the VM's network settings, for example host port 2222 to guest port 22, then connect PuTTY to 127.0.0.1 on port 2222.

PuTTY says "Connection refused". What should I check?

Make sure the SSH service is running in the VM with systemctl status sshd, and that the VM firewall allows port 22.