Setting the network mode to host for a docker container doesn't reflect on the WSL2 instance or windows host

[Erokos]

Windows Version

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.26100.3775]

WSL Version

2.3.26.0

Are you using WSL 1 or WSL 2?

• WSL 2
• WSL 1

Kernel Version

5.15.167.4-1

Distro Version

Ubuntu 24.04

Other Software

Docker Desktop Current version: 4.39.0 (184744)

Repro Steps

Install Docker Desktop on Windows 11 and make it use WSL2 as its backend. Run openvpn in a docker container within wsl2 distro of your choice (Ubuntu 24.04 is in my example), and set the network mode for the container to host. Here's an example of a compose file used to run the container with the openvpn client inside it. Routes will be configured within the container but not on the WSL2 instance and resources will only be reachable from within container.

services:

  eu:
    image: openvpn-ubuntu22
    container_name: eu-openvpn
    restart: always
    #privileged: true
    environment:
      - openvpn_config=openvpn-eu.ovpn
      - auth_file=eu-auth.txt
    #volumes:
    #  - ./openvpn-configs/:/etc/openvpn/
    devices:
      - "/dev/net/tun:/dev/net/tun"
    cap_add:
      - NET_ADMIN
      - SYS_ADMIN
      - DAC_READ_SEARCH
    network_mode: "host"

Expected Behavior

When using the network mode set to host, the networking settings should at least reflect on the WSL2 instance and routes should be added correctly. This is the behavior observed on a pure linux system.

Actual Behavior

Within the container routes are added and resources are reachable from within the container where vpn is running but not from WSL2 or the Windows host.

Diagnostic Logs

WslLogs-2025-05-11_10-56-02.zip

[github-actions]

Logs are required for review from WSL team

If this a feature request, please reply with '/feature'. If this is a question, reply with '/question'.
Otherwise please attach logs by following the instructions below, your issue will not be reviewed unless they are added. These logs will help us understand what is going on in your machine.

How to collect WSL logs

Download and execute collect-wsl-logs.ps1 in an administrative powershell prompt:

Invoke-WebRequest -UseBasicParsing "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/microsoft/WSL/master/diagnostics/collect-wsl-logs.ps1" -OutFile collect-wsl-logs.ps1
Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force
.\collect-wsl-logs.ps1

The script will output the path of the log file once done.

If this is a networking issue, please use collect-networking-logs.ps1, following the instructions here

Once completed please upload the output files to this Github issue.

Click here for more info on logging
If you choose to email these logs instead of attaching to the bug, please send them to wsl-gh-logs@microsoft.com with the number of the github issue in the subject, and in the message a link to your comment in the github issue and reply with '/emailed-logs'.

[github-actions]

Diagnostic information

Issue was edited and new log file was found: https://github.com/user-attachments/files/20148078/WslLogs-2025-05-11_10-56-02.zip
Detected appx version: 2.3.26.0

[Erokos]

Wow, great, at least a comment from someone would be appreciated.