As the name implies, this option “bridges” the virtual network to the physical network (Figure 6). This means that the virtual machine will appear to the network as an identifiable separate machine. It will even ask the local DHCP server (if any) for its IP address (Figure 7) and will appear in the DHCP leases of that DHCP server as a separate machine with a unique MAC address (Figure 8).
This connection will allow the virtual machine to offer resources to the network. For example, it can host a file server, a web server or any sort of server you need. You do not need to have a separate physical machine to host your home server: it can be a VM on your always-on desktop!
This option is also called Auto-bridging because it will automatically detect a functional LAN card installed on the host machine.
If your VMware Workstation is installed on a laptop or a mobile device, then you may want to consider the “Replicate physical network connection state” under bridged network option. If selected, the IP address of the virtual machine is automatically renewed as you move from one wired or wireless network to another.