How to Install Microsoft Loopback Adapter in Windows 7?

When you have no network connection available on your computer and still you want your physical machine to communicate with virtual machine you need to install Microsoft Loopback Adapter on the physical machine and map the LAN card on virtual machine (virtual LAN card) with it. After you have mapped Virtual LAN Card with Microsoft Loopback Adapter of physical machine you need to provide static IP addresses of common range on both the cards to enable communication between them. Below are the instructions using which you can install Microsoft Loopback Adapter on a Windows 7 computer.

1. Click on Start button.
2. From the start menu right click on Computer and select Manage.
3. On Computer Management snap-in in the left pane select Device Manager.
4. On the right pane from the device list right-click on the name of the computer and select Add legacy hardware.
5. On Welcome to the Add Hardware Wizard page click on Next button.
6. On the next page select Install the hardware that I manually select from list (Advanced) radio button and click on Next button.
7. On the next page select Network adapters from the Common hardware types list and click on Next button.
8. On Select Network Adapter page under Manufacturer section select Microsoft.
9. Under Network Adapter section select Microsoft Loopback Adapter and click on Next button.
10. 
11. On the Hardware to Install page click on Next button to start the installation process.
12. On Completing the Add Hardware Wizard page click on Finish button and finally close Computer Management snap-in.

After successful completion of installation of Microsoft Loopback Adapter you can map it with the virtual LAN card of the virtual machine. Once done you can go to Network Connections page on the physical machine and provide a static IP address to the newly installed Microsoft Loopback Adapter and an IP address of the same range on virtual LAN card to enable communication between Virtual and Physical Machine.