Node.js and NPM network dramatically slow

[ekalkutin]

Windows Build Number

Windows 11 Pro 21H2 Build: 22000.100

WSL Version

• WSL 2
• WSL 1

Kernel Version

Kernel version: 5.10.43

Distro Version

Ubuntu 20.04

Other Software

I have Ubuntu, Docker (v20.10.7), WSL 2 installed in my system.
I am using nvm with node.js (tried different versions still the same results)

Repro Steps

Cloned my fresh repo.
npm install - might pass and actually install.
Whenever I want to install an additional package - it might take forever to install.

Expected Behavior

Should run smoothly, without a long time-consuming.

Actual Behavior

I have dramatically slow network speed while working with Node.js and NPM.

• Request made from Node.js app - randomly are slow, unstable, timeouts
• npm install might take forever

I have to cancel and run npm install again, and if I am lucky - all packages will be installed, otherwise, I have to cancel and run again.
I am unsure why cache revalidation takes so much time

Diagnostic Logs

I ran npm install --verbose
Here 24 mins duration highlighted, so I just canceled.

[ssalbdivad]

I'm having the same issue as of today, really bizarre 🤷

[ekalkutin]

I'm having the same issue as of today, really bizarre 🤷

If you somehow fix it, please reply in this thread. It really annoying issue..

[ssalbdivad]

If you somehow fix it, please reply in this thread. It really annoying issue..

Will do. I'm back on native Ubuntu for now since I can't reliably update my project's dependencies.

Would be great if someone on the WSL team could take a look given that whatever set of circumstances causes this to happen effectively blocks node development on WSL, which I assume is one of its most popular applications.

[ekalkutin]

@ssalbdivad I have just reinstalled windows 10 (didn't go forward to insiders preview Win11).
I checked with wsl --status that I have Kernel version: 5.10.16 and there are no updates.

However, if I update to Windows 11 Preview, i might get Kernel version: 5.10.43 version. Could you please check if you have issues in that particalar kernel version?

[ssalbdivad]

@ecalcutin Can confirm I'm on 5.10.43.

[ekalkutin]

@ecalcutin Can confirm I'm on 5.10.43.

So, looks like this issue happens on 5.10.43.
Since on 5.10.16 - IS ok.

Could you please tell, was you running WSL in windows 11 preview? Otherwise, how did you get such kernel version?

[ssalbdivad]

Yes, I'm on Windows 11.

[ekalkutin]

Yes, I'm on Windows 11.

And to confirm, have you made kernel update manually? (wsl --update) after upgrading to windows 11 ?

[ssalbdivad]

I believe I tried to manually update wsl when I was setting up wslg. Not sure as to whether that actually resulted in any updates or if I was already on 5.10.43.

[ekalkutin]

I believe I tried to manually update wsl when I was setting up wslg. Not sure as to whether that actually resulted in any updates or if I was already on 5.10.43.

Seems like the wsl --update you and me ran, updated kernel version to broken one.
Have you tried the #5452
Googling about to how downgrade kernel version - I found that.

If you are able to downgrade kernel version , and you doing get node issue , probably it's kernel issue.

[ssalbdivad]

Interesting, rollback brought me all the way back to 4.19.104, but I'm still having the same issue 🤨

[ekalkutin]

Interesting, rollback brought me all the way back to 4.19.104, but I'm still having the same issue 🤨

That's strange. But I can confirm that Kernel Version 5.10.16 - IS ok. I am working on it right now. Maybe there exists a command to install a specific version of kernel =\

I am really want to use Windows 11. I'll reinstall and upgrade to 11, and will check if WSL works ok without manually updating the kernel. I'll post my status here

[ekalkutin]

Interesting, rollback brought me all the way back to 4.19.104, but I'm still having the same issue 🤨

That's strange. But I can confirm that Kernel Version 5.10.16 - IS ok. I am working on it right now. Maybe there exists a command to install a specific version of kernel =\

I am really want to use Windows 11. I'll reinstall and upgrade to 11, and will check if WSL works ok without manually updating the kernel. I'll post my status here

Confirm, that rolling back to 5.10.16 won't fix the issue once you get it after the update.

[ekalkutin]

I reinstalled windows 10. Did update to Windows 11 120 build. Considering the consequences, issue is not related to WSL 2 Kernel versions, but related to Win11 in general