Parallels Support

I use Parallels to run Windows XP inside my Mac OS X operating system. I do IBM/Lotus Notes development which involves both Notes client development and Web application development. So, having both operating systems up at the same time is critical for my development tasks.

For the past 4 to 6 weeks I have been a little crippled in my use of Parallels as the shared networking feature in it ceased to work. I had to switch to bridged networking mode which made it a little more cumbersome to deal with VPN at my company headquarters. Oh yeah, I work remotely, so I am on VPN all day.

I contacted Parallels Support via email as per procedure on their web site. After many weeks went by filled with attempts - usually once a week at most - by their support team to figure out the problem, and after multiple uninstalls and reinstalls, I eventually gave up and just consigned myself to having to run two VPN sessions and load them in a particular order. Additionally, this did not work consistently. Sometimes the Mac's ability to browse the Internet would just stop while the Parallels session would continue to work. It was mind boggling. 

Well, the other day I got an email from Parallels support again asking me to try something else.  I was not all that quick or anxious to try it - I didn't even read past the subject line. But, alas, this email finally had the solution to my shared networking issue. It stated:

Please, go to Parallels Desktop --> Preferences --> Network and make sure that DHCP scope is enabled for all of the types of networking;
Also go to System Preferences --> Network (on the Mac OS side) and make sure both Parallels Guest and Parallels NAT adapters are configured as "Using DHCP".

And yes folks, that was the solution. In essence, "turn it on." In the Parallels Desktop preferences the DHCP settings were unchecked. Don't know how they got that way, but my question to any tech support personnel is, "Why don't you check the obvious first?"

BTW, if you are wondering why I didn't just go out and buy VMWare Fusion it's for two reasons: 1) It's $80 and I already bought Parallels; 2) VMWare Fusion slows my entire Mac down and Parallels does not.

Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac is an awesome product when you gotta run Windows for business (not for games). But their support is seriously lacking.