# /etc/network/interfaces

# Original file

# The loopback network interface
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

# The primary network interface (NAT)
auto eth0
allow-hotplug eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

# Host-only interface (vboxnet0)
auto eth1
allow-hotplug eth1
iface eth1 inet static
address 192.168.56.2
netmask 255.255.255.0
network 192.168.56.0
broadcast 192.168.56.255
gateway 192.168.56.1

Kernel IP routing table
Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags Metric Ref    Use Iface
0.0.0.0         10.0.2.2        0.0.0.0         UG    0      0        0 eth0
10.0.2.0        0.0.0.0         255.255.255.0   U     0      0        0 eth0
192.168.56.0    0.0.0.0         255.255.255.0   U     0      0        0 eth1

# /etc/network/interfaces

# Modified file

# The loopback network interface
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

# The primary network interface (NAT)
auto eth0
allow-hotplug eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

# Host-only interface (vboxnet0)
auto eth1
allow-hotplug eth1
iface eth1 inet static
address 192.168.56.2
netmask 255.255.255.0
network 192.168.56.0
broadcast 192.168.56.255
# gateway 192.168.56.1
post-up route add default gw 192.168.56.1
pre-down route del default gw 192.168.56.1

Kernel IP routing table
Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags Metric Ref    Use Iface
0.0.0.0         192.168.56.1    0.0.0.0         UG    0      0        0 eth1
0.0.0.0         10.0.2.2        0.0.0.0         UG    0      0        0 eth0
10.0.2.0        0.0.0.0         255.255.255.0   U     0      0        0 eth0
192.168.56.0    0.0.0.0         255.255.255.0   U     0      0        0 eth1