Enable SSH to WSL 2.0 from other machines

Often, I’m working on a separate machine and I have docker and other services running or files sitting in my windows machine. Instead of allowing RDP to access my windows machine, I find it easier to just use ssh / scp to do what I need to di via WSL.

It is quite straightforward process, as described below.

• Do this in WSL
  • Install openssh-server
    • sudo apt update
    • sudo apt -y install openssh-server
  • Edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config to enable port 22
    • Set port 22 for SSH by uncommenting (remove # sign) for this line
      • Port 22
    • Allow password login by uncommenting (remove # sign) for this line
      • PasswordAuthentication yes
    • Allow key based login by uncommenting (remove # sign) for this line
      • PubkeyAuthentication yes
  • Set sshd to auto-start and start sshd service
    • systemctl enable ssh –now
• Do this in powershell
  • Enable redirect / proxy from windows to WSL
    • Launch Task Scheduler (press WINDOWS key and search for Task Scheduler)
    • Left click on “Task Scheduler (Local)” and select “Create Task”
      
    • Enter the following details in General tab
      • Name: WSL SSH
      • Select “Run whether user is logged in or not”
      • Check the box for “Run with highest privileges”
      • 
    • Then enter the following details in Triggers tab (Click on Triggers tab then New)
      • Begin the task: At startup
      • 
    • Followed by the following details in Actions tab (Click on Actions tab then New)
      • Action: Start a program
      • Program/script: powershell.exe
      • Add arguments (optional): -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File “C:\app\wsl-ssh.ps1”
      • 
    • Create wsl-ssh.ps1 script in C:\app
      $wslIP = wsl hostname -I | ForEach-Object { $_.Trim() }
netsh interface portproxy delete v4tov4 listenaddress=* listenport=22
netsh interface portproxy add v4tov4 listenaddress=* listenport=22 connectaddress=$wslIP connectport=22
wsl -d Debian -- sudo /usr/sbin/service ssh start

• Test out the setup
  • Go to a different machine in the network
  • ssh <wsl_username>@<wsl_ip>
• If you ever need to edit it, you can find the task under “Task Scheduler (Local)”->”Task Scheduler Library”
• Done