WSL2 & OpenClaw
What is WSL2 and why do you need it?
WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux 2) lets you run Linux directly on Windows without a separate virtual machine. WinWraper uses WSL2 to run OpenClaw, an AI gateway that connects AI providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, Ollama...) with AI tools on Windows.
WSL2 Manager Wizard
WinWraper includes a WSL2 Manager Wizard so you can manage WSL2 without using the command line.
To open it: in the Service List window, click ⚡ Quick Add ▾ on the toolbar and choose WSL2 Manager.
Available tasks
| Task | Description |
|---|---|
| Install a new distro | Download and install Ubuntu or another distro |
| Remove a distro | Completely delete a WSL2 distro |
| Disable WSL | Deactivate the WSL feature on Windows |
⚠️Warning
Removing a distro permanently deletes all data inside it and cannot be undone. Back up any important files before proceeding.
OpenClaw Setup Wizard
OpenClaw is an AI gateway running inside WSL2 that connects AI providers to MCP and AI tools on Windows. WinWraper provides a step-by-step wizard for a complete installation.
To open it: in the Service List window, click ⚡ Quick Add ▾ on the toolbar and choose OpenClaw Gateway.
OpenClaw Gateway running in WinWraper
After installation, OpenClaw Gateway appears in the service list with a live connection health indicator.
| # | Name | Executable | PID | Port | Type | Status | Uptime | CPU | RAM | Crashes | Windows Service | Auto-Restart | Health | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OpenClaw Gateway | openclaw | 26576 | 3100 | Console | ● Running | 8h 45m | 0.1% | 371 MB | 0 | — | Online |
Wizard steps
- Check WSL2, Ensure WSL2 is enabled and Ubuntu is installed.
- Install Node.js in WSL2, Use the NPM-in-WSL Wizard if Node.js is not yet installed.
- Install OpenClaw, Automatically downloads and installs OpenClaw inside Ubuntu.
- Choose an AI provider, Select the provider and model you want to use:
- OpenAI (GPT-4o, GPT-5...)
- Anthropic (Claude 4 Opus/Sonnet/Haiku)
- Google Gemini
- DeepSeek
- OpenRouter
- Ollama (runs locally, no internet required)
- Enter your API key / token, Varies by provider.
- Register the gateway, OpenClaw is automatically added as a WinWraper service.
ℹ️Note
Once installed, the OpenClaw gateway appears in WinWraper's Service List and is managed like any other service, WinWraper will restart it automatically if the gateway encounters an issue.
NPM-in-WSL Wizard
If your WSL2 distro doesn't have Node.js yet, this wizard installs it for you.
To open it: in the Service List window, click ⚡ Quick Add ▾ on the toolbar and choose NPM in WSL.
- Select the WSL2 distro that needs Node.js.
- The wizard automatically downloads and installs Node.js (LTS) inside that distro.
OpenClaw Manager
After installation, use OpenClaw Manager to change configuration without reinstalling:
- Change AI provider
- Change model
- Update API key / token
- Change gateway port
To open it: in the Service List window, right-click the OpenClaw service → Manage OpenClaw.
Uninstalling OpenClaw
To open it: in the Service List window, click ⚡ Quick Add ▾ on the toolbar and choose OpenClaw Uninstall.
The wizard will:
- Stop and remove OpenClaw from the WinWraper service list.
- Uninstall OpenClaw from the WSL2 distro.