IIS7 on Windows Server 2008 R2 connection problem

I just got IIS7 set up on a Windows Server 2008 R2 machine in VirtualBox. After doing so, I could not connect from any other client, though http://localhost worked. For that matter, I was unable to even ping the server.

After doing some research, I found that enabling Fi开发者_高级运维le and Print Sharing on the server solved the problem, but surely there has to be a better way, and I would much prefer to learn to use the best method, rather than the easiest one.

What, specifically, should I do to enable both pinging of the server as well as access to the web server running on it?

Isn't it that the inbound web HTTP port is blocked by default? I'm not a server guru but can remember going to the firewall to allow it through. Should already be there.

Out of the box on Windows Server 2008/2008R2 firewall is installed and users cannot access resources or services on the server unless you configure exceptions to the firewall. There is one exception to this are services/resources on this server that you make available through the GUI tools (Initial Configuration Tasks Wizard, Server manager) - these automatically create firewall required exceptions for you.
So in your case either upon File and Print Sharing installation or upon using File and Print Sharing config wizard/Shared resource provision wizard (most likely the later) required firewall exception was created for you. The rule in question is: File and Printer Sharing (Echo Request – ICMPv4-In) - actually allows ping, but I guess Windows also uses it for network resources discovery and other things implied by the role you installed.
Nothing prevents you from not enabling File and Print Sharing and just enabling mentioned firewall exception manually.