[Qemu-devel] Re: [PATCH] Add pcap-based host network bridge

[Sebastian Herbszt]

Jan Kiszka wrote:
> Sebastian Herbszt wrote:
> > Anthony Liguori wrote:
> > > Jan Kiszka wrote:
> > > > Well, in case we do not find a workaround for host<->guest
> > > > communication, would the patch remain unacceptable even with proper,
> > > > prominent documentation of this shortcoming?
> > > >   
> > >
> > > What's the use-case you're trying to address?  Who do you expect to
> > > use this functionality?
> > >
> > > Setting up bridging isn't really that bad on Linux.  Is this primarily
> > > targeted at Windows?  libpcap requires a kernel driver on Windows so I
> > > don't know that I believe it's a great general solution for Windows
> > > either.
> >
> > I would really like to see pcap support in mainline (even as a windows only
> > feature). Qemu networking with pcap is trivial on windows. No need to
> > configure tap bridges, but just specify "ifname" and there you go.
>
> We basically dropped the idea as it turned out that - at least under
> Linux - there is no host<->guest link realizable with reasonable effort.

That's really too bad. pcap-based networking works flawless on windows.
Guest <-> host and guest <-> world communication works just fine.
According to the previous threads about pcap-based networking it also
should work fine on FreeBSD.

- Sebastian