Unable to accessing Windows applications from WSL

[kid1412621]

Please fill out the below information:

• Your Windows build number: Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19041.1]

• What you're doing and what's happening:

1. follow this document start a node app on Windows (Powershell 7.0.0-rc.1);
   

2. request the app from WSL;

  NAME      STATE           VERSION
* Ubuntu    Running         2

• What's wrong / what should be happening instead:
  Unable access Windows applications from WSL.

[craigloewen-msft]

Seems likely that this is related to this issue: #4139

[therealkenc]

Seems likely that this is related to this issue: #4139

Related #4619 (it can be both, too).

On the Windows side, listen on 172.17.48.1 (or a subnet) instead of 127.0.0.1. Or ever-popular 0.0.0.0.

[numeric-lee]

I was able to use graphic applications in WSL using XMING and Export DISPLAY=:0.0

However, once I upgraded to WSL2 and switching to Export DISPLAY = 172.28.801:0 (my host#) it failed to connect

Things tried:

downloading VcXsrv
switching to another graphics application
running vcxsrv -ac from bash (command not recognized)
running vcxsrv -ac from powershell (command not recognized)
turning firewall off
My Windows 10 build: 19041.1

Here is a typical error message

QStandardPaths: XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not set, defaulting to '/tmp/runtime-lw' qt.qpa.screen: QXcbConnection:
Authorization required, but no authorization protocol specified
Could not connect to any X display.

In #4106 you advise to run "vcxsrv -ac" from the bash command line and at least one user accepted that as a solution. I downloaded vcxsrv.exe from sourceforge as an .exe outside of bash, and I see no way to execute it from bash

Many thanks

[fredericseiler]

Hi,

A quick & dirty workaround

• Install VcXsrv, then run XLaunch:
  

• Specify your display port:
  

• Select "Start no client":
  

• Don't forget to check "Disable access control" (the "-ac" switch, listen on all interfaces):
  

• Finish the configuration and verify that VcXsrv is actually listening on all interfaces (hostname:0.0):
  

• Find your host LAN IP address (your real Ethernet/Wifi IP, ex. 192.168.1.3)

• On your wsl distro shell, modify the $DISPLAY env:

  export DISPLAY=192.168.1.3:0.0
  export LIBGL_ALWAYS_INDIRECT=1

• Then, you can start any GUI app:
  

At the time of writing, for any wsl > host connection, you have to listen on the host side for all interfaces (eg. 0.0.0.0) and specify the host LAN IP address on the wsl distro side:

If you really want to use the /etc/resolv.conf host IP address (the one from the Hyper-V virtual ethernet adapter), you have to play with the public profile of Windows Defender Firewall. At your own risk. Dealing with private profile rules makes me much more comfortable.

[numeric-lee]

@fredericseiler @therealkenc
Thanks for the clear response and the additional details
I followed your instructions, still experiencing the same issues
I am running with the windows firewall turned off
the IP address has been dummified

(base) yy@ZZ:$ export DISPLAY=999.88.77.1:0.0
(base) yy@ZZ:$ export LIBGL_ALWAYS_INDIRECT=1

example 1

(base) yy@ZZ:$ spyder &
[1] 18558
(base) yy@ZZ:$ QStandardPaths: XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not set, defaulting to '/tmp/runtime-yy'
qt.qpa.screen: QXcbConnection: Could not connect to display 999.88.77.1:0.0
Could not connect to any X display.

example 2

(base) yy@ZZ:$ glxgears &
[1] 19820
(base) yy@ZZ:$ Error: couldn't open display 999.88.77.1:0.0

Any additional suggestions? any workarounds where I fallback on the methods which worked successfully in WSL1?

[fredericseiler]

It's one of a kind IP address you got there.

[numeric-lee]

The iP address has been dummified :)

[fredericseiler]

Didn't see that part, my bad. You don't need to obfuscate the IP, as only devices in your own private network can reach it. Or maybe are your trying to use your WAN IP ?

What is the result of a ping host_lan_ip_address from your WSL distro ?

[numeric-lee]

@fredericseiler @therealkenc
I just solved it with that last hint. Your instructions were accurate, superior to the official documentation, and much appreciated. However, there were two different IPv4 Addresses, one for the Ethernet adapter and one for the WiFI. Once I substituted the second IPV4 address, it worked. Thanks so much.

[fredericseiler]

I'm glad if that helped you ;)

Alternatively, you can mess around with the Windows Firewall and disable the WSL interface protection (while letting the Firewall turned on for the other interfaces) every time you start your computer (for example, via a powershell script in a scheduled task). This way, you can use the host Hyper-V IP (the one from /etc/resolv.conf). And as a bonus, you can add linux-side services automatic startup in your script.

# hide errors
$ErrorActionPreference = 'silentlycontinue'

# start VcXsrv with a custom profile
Start-Process -FilePath "$Env:ProgramFiles\VcXsrv\xlaunch.exe" -ArgumentList "-run `"$Env:USERPROFILE\config.xlaunch`""

# disable the WSL interface in the Windows Firewall
Set-NetFirewallProfile -DisabledInterfaceAliases "vEthernet (WSL)"

# start some services (nginx, cron, dbus...)
# don't forget to allow sudo without password for commands that need it
wsl /home/frederic/.local/bin/services.sh

Other options:

• Wait for the public 20H1 release, hoping that the clever guys of MS figured out something to fix this issue (and others)
• Linux in a VM (awfully slow and unsuitable for coding and keyboard shortcuts)
• The full Linux desktop experience (my laptop is unfortunately not a ThinkPad, so it was just shitty for me; Nvidia Optimus issues, no battery charging limit, and so on)
• Buy an overexpensive Mac like every other dev who just ship things instead of bothering with this like us...

[winest]

I come up with an script after checking discussions, which makes things easier without adding Firewall rules and not exposing public IP.

[Updated Feb.21]
For enterprise firewall, try also adding this
powershell -Command "Set-NetFirewallProfile -DisabledInterfaceAliases \"vEthernet (WSL)\""

To make it works:

1. On Windows, save the following code as xxx.bat, and you can make it run when boot if you like:

@ECHO OFF

REM Start WSL once to create WSL netowrk interface
wsl exit

REM Find IP for WSL network interface
SET WSL_IF_IP=
CALL :GetIp "vEthernet (WSL)" WSL_IF_IP
ECHO WSL_IF_IP=%WSL_IF_IP%
setx "WSL_IF_IP" "%WSL_IF_IP%"
setx "WSLENV" "WSL_IF_IP/u"

REM Change E:\VcXsrv to your VcXsrv installation folder
START /D "E:\VcXsrv" /B vcxsrv.exe -multiwindow -clipboard -nowgl -ac -displayfd 720
GOTO :EOF



:GetIp ( aInterface , aIp )
(
    SETLOCAL EnableExtensions EnableDelayedExpansion
    FOR /f "tokens=3 delims=: " %%i IN ('netsh interface ip show address "%~1" ^| findstr IP') DO (
        SET RET=%%i
    )
)
(
    ENDLOCAL
    SET "%~2=%RET%"
    EXIT /B
)

2. In WSL, edit ~/.bashrc file to add following lines:

export DISPLAY=$WSL_IF_IP:0
unset LIBGL_ALWAYS_INDIRECT

That's all to make WSL2 works automatically. The idea is to get the private LAN IP of WSL interface on Windows, and use Environment variable to pass to WSL. WSL then update this LAN IP to DISPLAY for X-Server connection.