Why does the MS loopback adapter not allow you to use 127.0.0.1 ? Also, why wouldn't MS Install that adapter by default?

The address 127.0.0.1 is called the loopback address. You cannot assign this address to an interface. This IP is already in use by the TCP/IP stack. There is no reason to install the adapter as it already exists in the stack. If you need to create a new adapter, you can, and you can assign it another private IP address. This adapter can then be used by the system for testing, or for use in a VM host/guest configuraiton. Installing a Host Loopback Adapter http://itgeared.com/how-to-install-microsoft-loopback Guides and tutorials, visit ITGeared.com.

Why does the MS loopback adapter not allow you to use 127.0.0.1 ? Also, why wouldn't MS Install that adapter by default? First of all, it sounds like you are confusing the "loopback address" (or better said - subnet since it's the whole 127/8 subnet) with the "loopback adapter" The first one is an address (range), that is 127.0.0.0 to 127.255.255.255 (although commonly people refers to 127.0.0.1) which is built straigh INTO the network stack; such an address isn't bound to any real network adapter but just belongs to the "local machine" itself and can be used for local testing and similar purposes; on the other hand, the "loopback adapter" is a device driver which can be installed as any other NIC driver, such a driver emulates a NIC (network card) but in reality it doesn't interface with any real card; such an adapter may be useful too in several cases, for example you may use it to offer to application needing a network connection an adapter to bind-to even if there's no real network connection available... and then... for other purposes As for the why it isn't installed by default, the answer is simple, because not everyone may or will need it, and since installing it just requires a few seconds, people which knows about such a "virtual adapter" and needs it won't have any problem in installing it as needed HTH

What difference would it make? Do you think that it doesn't work because you can't see an interface in ipconfig? You cannot give 127.0.0.1 to an MLA because it is a reserved address. It is reserved for localhost (whether you can see an interface or not). There are lots of reasons to use an MLA, but using it as a substitute for localhost is not one of them.Bill

What I'm comparing with this with is many Linux distrobutions which have a lo or local adapter card that do this by default and wondering why MS doesn't do the same? For example: lo Link encap:Local Loopback inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask:255.0.0.0 inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1 RX packets:10956814 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0 TX packets:10956814 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0 collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 RX bytes:2802587448 (2.6 GiB) TX bytes:2802587448 (2.6 GiB) Because in Windows, the virtual adapter used for the "loopback" address range is emulated straight inside the stack; there's no need for a "lo" interface; then, if you want/need a virtual adapter (to which you may then assign whatever IP settings - except the loopback ones by the way) for whatever purpose you may add the "Microsoft Loopback Adapter" but it isn't the same thing as the virtual "lo" one used in *nix systems That said... I can't still understand what you need to do/achieve; if possible, please explain what you need so that we may try to help you finding a solution

Why not show it in ipconfig ? Reason being is Oracle is saying to install the MS Loopback adapter because they can't see that its there.

The loopback address will not show in IPCONFIG. If you need to have a virtual adapter, install the Microsoft loopback adapter (link above), then configure it with a static IP in the private IP range (10.x.x.x/8, 172.16.0.x/16-172.31.x.x/16, 192.168.x.x). You cannot assign the 127.0.0.1 address to this interface. Guides and tutorials, visit ITGeared.com.

I did, same issue w/ re: to my oracle issue and suggestion to do this. However, what I'm saying is that it should show as an adapter and be installed by default vs just "in the stack" to avoid confusion so we wouldn't have to go through this nor be told to install the MS Loopback adapter because people can't see it on Microsoft, but Linux they can.

Yes, but that is not how it is configured in the Windows OS. I don't believe its possible. Guides and tutorials, visit ITGeared.com.

Anything is possible.

Yes you are correct. I wish that I could provide you with more information to help you in this situation. Maybe someone else may have something of value for you. Guides and tutorials, visit ITGeared.com.