Compatibility of srsRAN with Windows + WSL2

[pragonp]

Hi all,

I’m currently working on a 5G NR / network-slicing testbed using USRP N310s and an OctoClock-G at the University of Sydney.

Following the installation guide, I understand that srsRAN officially supports native Linux (e.g. Ubuntu 22.04 LTS). However, my supervisor prefers to keep the lab PCs on Windows, so I’d like to confirm whether srsRAN Project can run reliably under WSL2 for real hardware (UHD-based) deployments.

Specifically:

• Can the UHD driver communicate with the USRP N310 over 10 GbE inside WSL2?
• Are there known issues with real-time scheduling, clock synchronisation, or network jitter under WSL?
• Would you recommend a dual-boot/native Ubuntu install for stable over-the-air operation?

For context, I’ve already implemented the end-to-end xApp with near-RT RIC successfully using the tutorial here on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Now I’m moving from simulation to real-hardware integration and want to confirm the best-supported environment before configuring the USRPs. I also searched existing GitHub discussions and issues, but didn’t find any clear mention of WSL2 compatibility, so I’d appreciate any confirmed experiences or official guidance.

Appreciate any insights or confirmed experiences!
Ford

[aibtw]

I don't have answers to you, but I have tried to get srsRAN+open5gs running on WSL2 recently and it didn't work for me.
The issue I faced was dependencies (specifically sctp and something else that I forgot) and I tried solving it for couple of hours but didn't work out.

Hopefully someone else has better answers.

Regardless, I personally suggest you go for a dual boot/native Ubuntu install.

[pragonp]

Thank you for your input. I'll try to go with the dual boot, so there is less OS debugging.

[robertfalkenberg]

The srsRAN Project is not tested under WSL.

Better user native linux, with or without containers.