WSLHostPatcher

Dynamic patch WSL2 to listen port on any interfaces.

Updates

Check out experimental bridge solution at https://github.com/microsoft/WSL/issues/4150#issuecomment-1018524753.

Also MS official config for WSL 2 in Windows Build 19041 and later.

How it work

The localhost port actually forward by wslhost.exe on Windows, but it listen on localhost only.

WSLHostPatcher will scan all wslhost.exe processes, then inject into it to hook bind API listen on any IP. There is no any background processes neither cost any performance.

How to use

Download release and unzip it on Windows. Run WSLHostPatcher.exe after WSL2 started. This patch needs to running on every time WSL starts, and only the ports listening after running patch will work. You can also do one of the following two things to make it run automatically:

1. put it in your .profile - see #1.
2. put it in /etc/wsl.conf (suitable for auto-run services like ssh - runs on boot):

[boot]
command=<path to WSLHostPatcher.exe>

How to restore

wsl --shutdown or Reboot system.

Security Consideration

Listen port on any interfaces may cause some security problems. You are on your own.

Anti-virus software may alert, see discussion.