To reach a Linux container from Windows, publish its port with Docker, then connect to the published host port—usually through localhost. WSL, Docker Desktop’s Linux VM, and the container are separate networking contexts, so the right address depends on which machine initiates the connection.
Which machine is connecting to which?
Think of the connection as crossing distinct layers: Windows host, a WSL 2 distribution, Docker Desktop’s Linux VM, and the container. A service running directly in WSL is not the same as one running in a container, and Docker’s published-port mapping is not the same as WSL’s localhost forwarding.
| Connection direction | Address or mechanism | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Windows → service in WSL | localhost:<port> by default with WSL 2 NAT |
WSL localhost forwarding lets Windows reach a service running in the distribution. |
| WSL → service on Windows | Windows host IP from the WSL default route under NAT | Connects from Linux to a Windows-hosted service; this is the reverse direction, not localhost forwarding. |
| Windows → container in Docker Desktop | Published host port, such as localhost:8080 |
Docker Desktop’s backend forwards the connection through its Linux VM to the container port. |
| Container → service on Docker Desktop host | host.docker.internal |
Resolves the Docker Desktop host from within the container. |
How to reach a service running directly in WSL
With WSL 2’s default NAT networking, start the service in your Linux distribution and connect from Windows to http://localhost:<port>. For example, if the service listens on port 3000, open http://localhost:3000. WSL localhost forwarding is enabled by default in the documented configuration.
If Windows cannot connect, first verify that the service is running and listening on the intended port and interface. Then check whether localhost forwarding has been disabled in the WSL configuration. In .wslconfig, the localhostForwarding setting controls whether WSL VM ports bound to wildcard or localhost addresses can be reached from Windows using localhost.
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To find a WSL distribution’s IP from Windows, run:
wsl.exe --distribution <DistroName> hostname -IThis reports the distribution’s address. It is not the Windows host IP that Linux needs when a process inside WSL connects to a Windows service.
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How a WSL process connects to a Windows service
Under NAT, a Linux process in WSL should connect to the Windows host IP. From the distribution, obtain the address from the default route with:
ip route show | grep -i default | awk '{ print $3}'Use the resulting address with the Windows service’s listening port. This path is different from Windows connecting to WSL through localhost.
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How to publish a Docker container port to Windows
Docker’s -p option maps a host port to a port inside the container. The format is HOST_PORT:CONTAINER_PORT. For example:
docker run --rm -p 127.0.0.1:8080:80 nginxThis maps host loopback port 8080 to container port 80. Open http://localhost:8080 from Windows. The application in the container must actually listen on port 80 for this mapping to work; the host and container port numbers do not have to match.
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The host-side binding controls where the published port can be reached. Without a host IP, Docker publishes on all host interfaces by default. An explicit 127.0.0.1 binding limits access to the host’s loopback interface; a broader binding may allow other machines to connect depending on the network and firewall rules.
Published, exposed, and random ports
| Option | Effect | Host port |
|---|---|---|
EXPOSE or --expose |
Declares or exposes a container port; by itself it does not publish that port to the host. | No host mapping created. |
-p HOST_PORT:CONTAINER_PORT |
Publishes a specific host-to-container port mapping. | Chosen explicitly. |
-P |
Publishes ports marked exposed. | Selected randomly; inspect the mapping with docker port. |
Docker Desktop’s backend accepts connections to published host ports and forwards them through its Linux VM to the container. Publishing is the step that makes a container’s listening port reachable from Windows; merely declaring an exposed port is not enough.
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How a container connects to a service on Windows
From a Docker Desktop container, use host.docker.internal as the hostname for a service running on the Docker Desktop host. This is for container-to-host connections. It does not publish a port for Windows to connect to a service in the container; use -p for that direction.
Choosing between WSL NAT and mirrored networking
NAT is WSL’s default. Microsoft documents mirrored networking for Windows 11 version 22H2 and later. It adds networking capabilities and can improve compatibility for some setups, but the connection behavior and firewall considerations differ.
| Consideration | NAT | Mirrored |
|---|---|---|
| Windows ↔ WSL localhost | Windows can generally reach a WSL service through localhost using forwarding. For WSL-to-Windows, use the Windows host IP from the default route. |
For the documented Windows/WSL localhost path, use IPv4 127.0.0.1; ::1 is not supported for that path. |
| Eligibility | Default WSL 2 networking mode. | Requires Windows 11 version 22H2 or later. |
| Networking needs | Does not provide the mirrored-mode benefits listed by Microsoft. | Documented benefits include IPv6 support, improved VPN compatibility, multicast, and direct LAN access to WSL. |
| Inbound LAN access | Depends on network configuration and firewall policy. | Still depends on firewall policy; Microsoft documents Hyper-V firewall configuration examples. |
| Docker Desktop port publishing | No mirrored-mode-specific published-port issue noted here. | Microsoft documents a known published-port failure under the default namespace; consult its current WSL troubleshooting guidance before applying a workaround. |
WSL’s configuration reference lists networkingMode values including nat, mirrored, none, deprecated bridged, and virtioproxy. NAT is the default. Choose mirrored mode for its documented networking features when the Windows version qualifies, but account for firewall rules and the Docker Desktop issue described above.
Quick Recap
Troubleshoot a port that will not open
- Locate the service. Establish whether it runs directly in a WSL distribution or inside a Docker container. The WSL guest, Docker Desktop VM, and container are distinct network contexts.
- Check that it is listening. Confirm the application is running on the expected port and bound to an interface that can accept the forwarded connection.
- Check the container mapping. Inspect the
docker runoptions or Compose port mapping.EXPOSEalone does not publish a host port; use a published mapping such as-p 8080:80. - Match the address to the connection direction. Windows-to-container uses the published host port; a container reaching the Docker Desktop host uses
host.docker.internal; under NAT, WSL reaching Windows uses the host IP from the default route. - Verify the bind address and port pair. The container-side port must match the port on which the application listens. The host-side port can differ. A host binding of
127.0.0.1restricts a published port to host loopback, while an unspecified host IP binds all interfaces by default. - Review firewall policy. Windows Firewall or Hyper-V firewall rules can block inbound connections, particularly when reaching a service from another machine. Mirrored-mode WSL LAN access may require an appropriate Hyper-V firewall rule.
- For mirrored-mode Docker failures, verify the current known issue. Microsoft documents a Docker Desktop published-port failure when mirrored mode uses the default namespace. Listed workarounds include
--network hostor configuring the port under experimentalignoredPorts. Host networking changes the container’s network isolation and port-publishing behavior, so it is not an equivalent drop-in replacement for ordinary port publishing.
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