Docker Toolbox - Localhost not working

Docker Toolbox doesn't get as many conveniences as Docker for Windows, but you're correct in using it since you're on Home edition.

In Toolbox, nothing will be localhost, and will be 192.168.99.100 by default, since it's running a Linux VM in VirtualBox.

So if you run docker run -p 80:80 nginx

(notice I had to publish a port for 192.168.99.100 to listen on that port)

Then going to http://192.168.99.100 should work.


I was following docker for windows tutorial in https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-windows/#set-up-tab-completion-in-powershell and got stuck in step #6 when test nginx in the web browser. Seems I faced a similar problem since I also use Windows Home and don't have Hyper-V. My workaround is quite simple:

  1. check your docker IP default

$ docker-machine ip default

192.168.99.100

  1. Go to Oracle Virtual Machine to set for port forwarding. Make sure the network setting is NAT, and add port forwarding. Host IP: 127.0.0.1, Guest IP: 192.168.99.100, port all set to 80 like this

  2. Try again to your browser and run http://localhost or http://127.0.0.1 (can add the port 80 also). It should run.

The thing is that the nginx IP is meant to be accessible within the docker Virtual Machine, so that we need that port forwading setting in order to access it directly in the host machine's browser


I initially had a few issues with accessing my Applications at localhost:8080 while using DockerToolBox and OracleVM VirtualBox.

In VirtualBox:

  1. Click the appropriate machine (probably the one labeled "default")
  2. Settings
  3. Network > Adapter 1 > Advanced > Port Forwarding
  4. Click "+" to add a new Rule
  5. Set Host Port 8080 & Guest Port 8080; be sure to leave Host IP and Guest IP empty

Run the command:

docker run -p 8080:8080 ${image_id}

You can use localhost instead of '192.168.99.100' by following the instructions:

Step #01:

docker-machine ip default

You will see the default IP

Step #02:

docker-machine stop default

Step #03:

  1. Open VirtualBox Manager (from the start programs in windows search for VirtualBox Manager)
  2. Select your Docker Machine VirtualBox image (e.g.: default)
  3. Open Settings -> Network -> Advanced -> Port Forwarding
  4. Add your app name, the desired host port and your guest port i.e, app name : nginx, host: 127.0.0.1, host port: 80, guest port: 80

Step #04: Now you’re ready to start your Docker Machine by executing the following:

docker-machine start default

Then just start your Docker container and you will be able to access it via localhost.

Have a look here for details.