Docker with WSL

Using WSL and Docker for Remote Development

I own a HP ZBook with 64 Gb of RAM running Windows 11. With specs like this, it is practically begging to have Linux installed so I can go crazy testing docker containers. Having 64 Gb of memory gives me more than enough breathing room to run a massive stack of services without breaking a sweat.

There is just one catch: I actually need my Windows installation for me and family daily tasks and I do not want to switch entirely to Linux. That is where the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) comes in. It allows me to keep my Windows environment while still playing around with Docker in a native-feeling Linux environment.

By pairing Docker Desktop with WSL, I can get exactly the setup I need. However, getting everything accessible via SSH from another computer requires a few extra steps. Here i will share those configurations:

Install and Info

# Enable WSL feature
wsl --install -d Ubuntu

# Check installed distros
wsl --list --verbose

# Set default WSL version
wsl --set-default-version <version#>

# Set default distribution
wsl --set-default <distribution>

# Terminate a distribution
wsl --terminate <distribution>

# Shutdown all WSL instances
wsl --shutdown

# Stop distribution   
wsl -t

# Update WSL
wsl --update

# Check WSL status
wsl --status

WSL2 Memory limit configuration

By default, WSL2 uses 50% of host RAM (~32GB on my machine). To use more:

Open File Explorer -> navigate to %USERPROFILE%
Create or edit the file: .wslconfig
Add the following:

[wsl2]
memory=48GB              # Max RAM for WSL2 (leave 16GB for Windows)
processors=12            # Optional: limit CPU cores
swap=4GB                 # Optional: reduce default 8GB swap
localhostForwarding=true # Required for SSH port forwarding

Restart WSL to apply changes:

wsl --shutdown
wsl

Check memory usage:

# Should show ~48GB total memory
free -h

Install Docker Desktop with WSL2 Integration

Download Docker Desktop for Windows from docker.com
During installation, enable “Use WSL2 instead of Hyper-V”
After install, open Docker Desktop -> Settings -> Resources -> WSL Integration:
- Enable integration with Ubuntu
- Enable “Start Docker Desktop when you log in” (optional)
Verify in WSL:

docker --version
docker run hello-world

💡 Store projects in WSL filesystem (~/projects), NOT /mnt/c/. Performance is 10–20× faster for I/O-heavy operations.

Enable Remote SSH Access to WSL2

By default, WSL2 is only accessible locally. Here’s how to SSH into it from any machine on your LAN. Install & Configure SSH Server in WSL. Execute the following in your WSL terminal:

# Install OpenSSH server
sudo apt update && sudo apt install openssh-server -y

# Generate host keys (if missing)
sudo ssh-keygen -A

# Enable password authentication
sudo sed -i 's/#\?PasswordAuthentication.*/PasswordAuthentication yes/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config

# Set a password for your WSL user
passwd

# Start SSH service
sudo service ssh start

# Verify SSH is listening
ss -tuln | grep ':22'
# Should show: 127.0.0.1:22 or 0.0.0.0:22

Configure Windows Port Forwarding. Run in PowerShell(Admin):

# Forward Windows port 2222 → WSL port 22 (via localhost)
netsh interface portproxy add v4tov4 listenport=2222 listenaddress=0.0.0.0 connectport=22 connectaddress=127.0.0.1

# Verify the rule
netsh interface portproxy show all
# Should show: 0.0.0.0:2222 → 127.0.0.1:22

💡 Why 127.0.0.1? This IP never changes, unlike WSL’s dynamic VM IP. This makes the rule persistent across reboots.

Configure Windows Firewall. Also in PowerShell(Admin):

ipconfig | findstr /i "IPv4"
# Note the IP (e.g., 192.168.1.2)

Connect from Another Machine. From your Mac, Linux, or another PC:

ssh -p 2222 your-wsl-username@192.168.1.2
# Example: ssh -p 2222 adriano@192.168.1.2

Set up SSH key authentication if you want to avoid password prompts:

# On client machine
ssh-keygen -t ed25519
ssh-copy-id -p 2222 adriano@192.168.1.2

Keep WSL Running 24/7 (Prevent Auto-Shutdown)

WSL automatically shuts down when idle — which kills your SSH sessions. Here’s how to keep it alive.

Option A: Simple Background Process (Recommended)

In WSL, run once:

nohup sleep infinity </dev/null >/dev/null 2>&1 &
echo $! > ~/.wsl_keepalive.pid

This keeps WSL running indefinitely. To make it persistent, add to ~/.profile:

# Keep WSL alive in background
if [ -z "$WSL_KEEPALIVE_PID" ]; then
  nohup sleep infinity </dev/null >/dev/null 2>&1 &
  echo $! > ~/.wsl_keepalive.pid
  export WSL_KEEPALIVE_PID=$!
fi

Option B: Windows Task Scheduler (Auto-start on Boot)

Run in PowerShell (Admin):