WSL Networking

IP Addressing

• WSL2 uses a virtual NAT-based network adapter
• Each WSL distribution has its own IP address
• Access WSL from Windows via localhost or the distribution's IP
• Find WSL IP: hostname -I inside WSL

Port Forwarding

• WSL2 runs as a VM, so port access from Windows works automatically
• Access Windows services from WSL: localhost or 127.0.0.1
• Forward Windows ports to WSL: netsh interface portproxy (WSL1 only)

Network Modes

• WSL1: Integrated network - shares Windows IP, no port forwarding needed
• WSL2: Virtual machine - separate IP, better performance but requires port access setup

Useful Commands

hostname -I          # Get WSL IP address
ip addr show         # Detailed network info
ping <windows-ip>    # Test connectivity to Windows

Troubleshooting

• Check if WSL VM is running: wsl -l -v
• Restart networking in WSL: sudo service networking restart
• Windows Firewall may block connections between WSL and Windows apps

Accessing Windows from WSL

• /mnt/c/ mounts your C: drive
• Use Windows executables directly: cmd.exe /c dir
• Access localhost Windows apps at http://localhost:<port>