How to Fix WSL2 DNS Resolution Issues on Windows (No Internet in WSL)

— LiveStream

Your WSL2 Ubuntu was working yesterday. Today apt update hangs, ping google.com says 'Temporary failure in name resolution', but Windows itself is online. It's a DNS problem inside WSL2 — and here is how to fix it for good.

Why WSL2 loses DNS

WSL2 runs in a lightweight VM behind a virtual NIC. It auto-generates /etc/resolv.conf from Windows, but VPNs, corporate networks, and Windows updates frequently break that hand-off, leaving WSL with a nameserver it can't reach.

The quick fix — set a working nameserver

Stop WSL from auto-generating resolv.conf, then point it at a public resolver:

# in WSL, create /etc/wsl.conf
sudo tee /etc/wsl.conf <

Then from PowerShell, restart WSL so the change loads:

wsl --shutdown

If you are on a VPN

Corporate VPNs often need WSL to use the VPN's DNS. Either set the nameserver to your VPN's resolver, or mirror Windows networking (Windows 11 22H2+): add networkingMode=mirrored under [wsl2] in %UserProfile%\.wslconfig and shut down WSL.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Editing resolv.conf without disabling generateResolvConf — WSL overwrites it on restart.
• Forgetting wsl --shutdown — changes don't apply to a running distro.
• Using only an internal DNS that the WSL VM can't route to.

Key takeaways

• WSL2 DNS breaks when the Windows hand-off fails (VPN/updates).
• Disable generateResolvConf, then set 8.8.8.8 / 1.1.1.1.
• Always wsl --shutdown after changes.
• On VPNs, prefer mirrored networking mode.
• Make resolv.conf immutable (chattr +i) if it keeps resetting.

FAQ

Q: Will this survive reboots?
A: Yes, once generateResolvConf=false. Use chattr +i /etc/resolv.conf to lock it.

Q: ping works but apt fails?
A: Likely a proxy, not DNS — check /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/ for stale proxy settings.

Q: Mirrored mode — which Windows?
A: Windows 11 22H2 and later.

For more practical fixes and tech walkthroughs, subscribe to @explorenystream. Found this useful? Share it with someone fighting the same error.