[Please help!!] Mirroring mode stops after some time

[DRV2539]

This is my .wslconfig content:
[wsl2]
networkingMode=mirrored
dnsTunneling=true
firewall=true
autoProxy=false

[experimental]
hostAddressLoopback=true

Please let me know what to do
I am trying to access localhost that is running on Windows 11 from WSL2

[tigran-sargsyan-w]

In mirrored mode you should be able to hit your Windows service from WSL on localhost. If it works at first and then dies, it’s usually one of: an outdated WSL engine, IPv6 disabled, a VPN/TAP adapter taking over, or the WSL/Windows firewall rules. Here’s a quick, reliable checklist.

---

1) Update WSL + restart clean

wsl --version
wsl --update
wsl --shutdown

Then reopen your distro and try again.

---

2) Minimal config to test

Temporarily simplify your %UserProfile%\.wslconfig (you can add the hardening back after you confirm stability):

[wsl2]
networkingMode=mirrored
firewall=false      # test without WSL's iptables layer
dnsTunneling=false  # test raw DNS first

[experimental]
hostAddressLoopback=true

After saving, do

wsl --shutdown

and start WSL again. If it now stays stable, re-enable firewall=true or dnsTunneling=true one by one to see which one was causing trouble.

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3) Make sure IPv6 is ON

Mirrored mode relies on IPv6 being available on Windows. In Network Adapter Properties, ensure Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) is checked for:

• Your active Wi-Fi/Ethernet
• vEthernet (WSL)
• Any virtual adapters you use

Disabling IPv6 is a common cause of “works, then dies”.

---

4) VPN / TAP adapters

If you’re on a corporate VPN, especially TAP-based, mirrored networking can drop or route oddly. Quick test:

• Disconnect the VPN → try again
• If your VPN offers TUN mode, use that instead of TAP

---

5) Windows service actually listening?

Confirm your Windows app is really bound and reachable on localhost (and not only on IPv6 or a different interface):

netstat -ano | findstr :<PORT>
curl -v http://127.0.0.1:<PORT>

From WSL:

curl -v http://127.0.0.1:<PORT>

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6) If it “drops” after sleep / network switch

A quick repair often helps:

wsl --shutdown
Restart-Service LxssManager

Reopen WSL and retry. If this fixes it consistently, something is reconfiguring networking on resume (drivers, VPN, or firewall policy).

---

7) If firewall=true breaks it

When you turn firewall=true back on and it regresses, either keep it off (if acceptable) or add explicit rules for your ports/app. Start simple (Windows Defender Firewall inbound allow for your app/port on Private).

---

Why these steps

• Mirrored mode lets Windows and WSL talk over localhost directly, no IP discovery tricks needed.
• IPv6 off (globally or on an adapter) is a frequent culprit.
• dnsTunneling and WSL firewall are useful, but they can introduce edge-cases; removing them during troubleshooting helps isolate the issue.
• VPN/TAP adapters can steal routes and break localhost mirroring.

---

If you still see drops

Share:

• wsl --version + Windows build (Win+R → winver)
• Output of ***powershell
  ipconfig /all

ip a

• Whether VPN is active and which type (TAP/TUN)
• Whether IPv6 is enabled on your adapters

I would reccomend you also read this docs and references:

• Mirrored networking & localhost in WSL (Microsoft Docs)
  https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/wsl/networking
• WSL config reference (firewall, dnsTunneling, etc.)
  https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/wsl/wsl-config
• Known IPv6/mirrored pitfalls and fixes
  No interfaces in Ubuntu when using networkingMode=mirrored #11002
  Mirrored networking fine at first but drops after only a few minutes #11369
  Localhost is not accessible from windows in mirrored mode #11172

If this helps, consider marking the answer as accepted so others can find it quickly.