lol I know what you mean.  My current "mobile lab" isn't beefy enough to run many VM's.  I really do need another machine, too.

But now you're going beyond the scope of what a "virtual machine" is/does.  It's called a "virtual machine," not a "virtual network."  That's not to say though that you can't create a "virtual network" on a single machine though.  I ran across a blog post not too long ago where a guy used pfSense as a router between two separate virtual networks, all hosted on a single laptop.  While it's not Cisco IOS firmware, etc in your virtual network, you do have the ability to mess with firewall rules, routes, etc all on a single machine using a virtual network.

As for wireless, I haven't tried to mess with that using only one machine.  I personally use a laptop hosting a BackTrack VM with an Alfa wireless card connected as my attack machine, a WRT54GL for my WAP, and my phone or iPod as the client (which probably isn't more than what any other infosec pro/hobbyist/enthusiast already has).  I do wonder though if I might be able to use the built-in wireless card/host OS as the client...then it'd all be contained on one laptop, aside from the WAP.  Gonna have to try that soon.

True, but was regarding a home lab for Hacking Dojo and/or the PWB course.  I know VM's work fine for Hacking Dojo and from what I've heard, you aren't hacking switches/routers in PWB, just other virtual machines (hosted by Offensive Security).

Just making sure we're all on the same page

1 - VMs allow direct access to USB attached devices, including USB wireless adapters. I can hack wireless all day from within a VM.

2 - take a look at GNS3, my virtual lab includes routers running Cisco IOS, switch modules on those routers and also the generic switches that come with GNS3. I have also recently connected my virtual environment to some real world physical switches and it works flawlessly.

3 - Why is it fake? What determines real or not? I'm still sending and receiving packets. It really depends on how you configure your environment. I can include physical devices if I wish to, or keep it isolated or anything in between. It's the flexibility with the click of a button that is so powerful. The main downside is that the VM environment is not natively identical to your real world environment, but if it gets you 95% of the way (or closer) there for 5% of the cost then that's a no-brainer to me. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

That being said, there ARE instances where running in a VM can cause problems, like for VM aware malware that changes characteristics based on whether it's running in a VM or not. This is usually to counter RE tactics. Snapshots are godly! 

El33tsamurai

That is why you should do OSCP! Because you don't know any of that!

It's not easy, but you can set up wireless to the VM. It's how you pass the device to it. With the Alfa cards, you can pass it as a usb device.

Anyway... The VMs have the following options. Host only (you have to be on the VM Server), natted, bridged. Most of mine are bridged.

The point of a VM lab over a hardware lab is that you can rebuild faster, and not be limited by 1 box to 1 system.

Example my full lab:
WRT54GL
2 Alfa wireless cards (USB)
3 Pentium 3 desktop. Each one running a different version of linux
1 Laptop running 5 Virtual guests in bridged mode (base is debian, vms are: Backtrack, Fedora, 2 WinXP, Ubuntu)
1 triple boot netbook (win7, ubuntu, backtrack)
3 cisco routers
3 cisco swtiches

I use the laptop and netbook as day to day boxes, and want a new desktop to run the VMs on, as well as add to being a day to day box at home.

Good call I am putting money together to get working on this.

I have added and will use it thanks alot.