What allows virtual machines to act as nodes on the host machine's LAN and obtain their own IP address?

Bridged networking is the correct choice because it allows virtual machines (VMs) to connect directly to the host machine's network interface as if they were separate physical machines on a local area network (LAN). In this setup, each VM can acquire its own IP address from the DHCP server on the LAN, making it function like any other device on the network. This configuration enables communication between the virtual machine and other devices on the same network, providing a seamless experience for both user applications and network services.

In contrast, host-only networking restricts VMs to communicate only with the host, without access to the external network. Internal networking allows VMs to communicate exclusively among themselves without any interaction with the host or external network. NAT networking provides a way for VMs to access the outside network via the host’s IP address, but they do not receive individual IP addresses on the LAN, limiting their visibility and interaction with other network devices.