Access Local Device from Within Remotely/VRDP Displayed VirtualBox Guest

VirtualBox is a powerful virtualization software that allows you to run multiple operating systems on a single computer. One of its great features is the ability to access local devices from within a virtual machine. This means you can use your computer's webcam, microphone, or USB devices directly from your virtual machine. In this article, we will discuss how to access local devices from within a VirtualBox guest using VRDP (VirtualBox Remote Desktop Protocol) display.

What is VRDP?

VRDP is a built-in feature of VirtualBox that allows you to access the graphical desktop of a virtual machine remotely. It enables you to interact with the virtual machine as if you were sitting in front of it, even if you are physically located on a different computer. VRDP uses the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to provide this functionality.

Enabling VRDP in VirtualBox

Before you can access local devices from within a VirtualBox guest, you need to enable VRDP in VirtualBox. Here's how:

1. Open VirtualBox and select the virtual machine you want to configure.
2. Click on the "Settings" button.
3. In the left sidebar, select the "Display" category.
4. Under the "Remote Display" section, check the "Enable VRDP Server" option.
5. Click on the "OK" button to save the settings.

Now that VRDP is enabled, you can connect to the virtual machine remotely and access local devices.

Connecting to the Virtual Machine

To connect to the virtual machine using VRDP, you need an RDP client. There are several RDP clients available, such as Microsoft Remote Desktop, Remmina, or RealVNC. Here's how to connect using Microsoft Remote Desktop:

1. Open Microsoft Remote Desktop.
2. Click on the "New" button to create a new connection.
3. Enter the IP address or hostname of the computer running VirtualBox in the "PC name" field.
4. Leave the "User account" field blank if you want to use the same user account as the one you are currently logged in with.
5. Click on the "Connect" button to establish the connection.

Once connected, you should see the graphical desktop of the virtual machine in a separate window.

Accessing Local Devices

Now that you are connected to the virtual machine using VRDP, you can access local devices from within the guest operating system. Here's how:

Webcam

To access your computer's webcam from within the virtual machine:

1. Open the virtual machine's desktop.
2. Click on the "Devices" menu in the virtual machine window.
3. Navigate to "Webcam" and select your webcam from the list.
4. The webcam should now be accessible from within the virtual machine.

Microphone

To access your computer's microphone from within the virtual machine:

1. Open the virtual machine's desktop.
2. Click on the "Devices" menu in the virtual machine window.
3. Navigate to "Audio" and select your microphone from the list.
4. The microphone should now be accessible from within the virtual machine.

USB Devices

To access USB devices from within the virtual machine:

1. Open the virtual machine's desktop.
2. Click on the "Devices" menu in the virtual machine window.
3. Navigate to "USB" and select the USB device you want to connect.
4. The USB device should now be accessible from within the virtual machine.

Note that some USB devices may require additional drivers or software to work properly within the virtual machine.

Conclusion

VirtualBox's VRDP feature allows you to access local devices from within a virtual machine, providing a seamless experience between your physical computer and the virtual environment. By enabling VRDP and connecting to the virtual machine using an RDP client, you can easily use your computer's webcam, microphone, or USB devices within the guest operating system. This feature is especially useful for testing software, running legacy applications, or creating isolated environments for development purposes.

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