Snynet Solution Logo
MON - SUN: 10 AM - 6 PM
+60 11 5624 8319

Blog

Windows Subsystem for Linux now supports USB devices

Image Description

The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) compatibility layer on Windows 11 now supports several developer-oriented USB scenarios, enabling developers to use WSL to interact with devices connected via USB. 

The WSL compatibility layer is designed for developers to enable them to use Linux binaries without leaving the comfort of their Windows workstations.

Microsoft explains that the new USB functionality takes advantage of the USB/IP protocol to forward USB traffic over the virtual network interface between Windows and WSL. While the Linux kernel has supported USB/IP since 2009, several recent changes have made it easier to use it in WSL.

Smoke and mirrors

Explaining the development, Ben McMorran, Senior Software Engineer, in the C++ Team at Microsoft wrote that building tooling for Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code to support C++ embedded device development required them to connect devices over USB. 

However, they couldn’t test their tools on WSL, since USB devices weren’t supported by WSL.

“While this functionality is still not natively available in WSL, I’m excited to announce that our summer intern, Nelson Daniel Troncoso Aldas, contributed changes to the open-source usbipd-win project to enable common developer USB scenarios like flashing an Arduino or accessing a smartcard reader,” shared McMorran. 

McMorran hasn’t said whether the existing solution can be extended to enable USB passthrough for general users. However, as McMorran notes, the ability to use USB devices via WSL is a highly requested feature, so it shouldn’t be long before the functionality lands in WSL. 

Want to code? Check out our roundup of the best laptops for programming

Date

10 Nov 2021

Sources

Share

Other Blog

  • Google has overhauled G Suite - but not all users will be happy

    Wave goodbye to G Suite, and hello to Google Workspace.

    Read More

  • Hackers could exploit this nasty Safari bug to lift files from your hard drive

    A security researcher has published details on a new bug in Safari after Apple delayed issuing a fix until 2021.

    Read More

  • The global chip shortage could finally be coming to an end

    One of the world’s leading PC vendors believes the worst is behind us already.

    Read More

  • We don't need the 12-inch MacBook anymore

    Apple recently sent out a survey to 12-inch MacBook users asking for feedback, leading some to think a new model may be on the way, but do we really need one?

    Read More

Find Out More About Us

Want to hire best people for your project? Look no further you came to the right place!

Contact Us