Borealis-Github-Replica/Docs/Codex/WireGuard_Troubleshooting.md

Borealis WireGuard Troubleshooting Handoff

This file is a self-contained handoff prompt + context for a new Codex agent to resume WireGuard tunnel troubleshooting.

Prompt to Use in a New Codex Session

Copy/paste the prompt below into a new Codex chat:

""" You are a new Codex agent working in d:\Github\Borealis. Please do the following:

1. Read AGENTS.md, Docs/Codex/BOREALIS_AGENT.md, Docs/Codex/BOREALIS_ENGINE.md, Docs/Codex/REVERSE_TUNNELS.md, then Docs/Codex/WireGuard_Troubleshooting.md (this file).
2. Note environment mapping:
   • D:\Github\Borealis = Engine (this device).
   • Z:\ = Agent (remote device) read-only share for logs/configs.
   • Use Z:\ to read agent logs/configs instead of asking the user to paste them.
3. Confirm the WireGuard listener on the Engine starts and stays running, then confirm the tunnel handshake from the remote agent.
4. Keep all config files inside the project root only:
   • Agent config path: Agent\Borealis\Settings\WireGuard\Borealis.conf
   • Engine config path: Engine\WireGuard\borealis-wg.conf
5. Make edits only in Data/Agent or Data/Engine. The user handles redeploying the Agent runtime on the remote device when needed.
6. If any doc in Docs\Codex is outdated, update it to reflect the current state and blockers. """

Environment / Scope

• Workspace: D:\Github\Borealis (local project root for the Engine)
• Host OS: Windows 10/11 (build 26200). Engine runs on this machine.
• Remote Agent: mounted read-only at Z:\ (maps to C:\Borealis on the remote device; logs/configs under Z:\Agent...).
• Agent/Engine launch: via Borealis.ps1, always elevated as admin.
• Network: Engine on 10.0.0.54; remote agent uses server_url.txt to derive endpoint host.
• WireGuard version: wireguard.exe 0.5.3, wg.exe 1.0.20210914.
• PIA (Private Internet Access) is installed and supplies a wintun driver (pia-wintun.sys). Do NOT treat the PIA adapter as the Borealis adapter.

Desired Behavior

• Agent has a dedicated WireGuard adapter named "Borealis".
• Adapter provisioning is idempotent: if "Borealis" exists, do not recreate it.
• Configs must live inside the project root:
  • Agent: Agent\Borealis\Settings\WireGuard\Borealis.conf
  • Engine: Engine\WireGuard\borealis-wg.conf
• Agent brings up the WireGuard tunnel on vpn_tunnel_start, then remote shell/RDP/VNC/SSH flow through it.
• On stop/idle, the tunnel is torn down and firewall rules removed.

Recent Changes (Current Repo State)

• Data/Agent/Roles/role_WireGuardTunnel.py
  • Lazy client init (avoid side effects on import).
  • Service name fix: WireGuard tunnel service is "WireGuardTunnel$Borealis".
  • Endpoint override: if Engine sends localhost, use host from server_url.txt and port from the token.
  • Config path preference: Agent\Borealis\Settings\WireGuard.
  • Service display name set to "Borealis - WireGuard - Agent".
  • Applies/removes the VPN shell firewall rule using the engine /32 from allowed_ips.
• Data/Engine/services/VPN/wireguard_server.py
  • Engine config path: Engine\WireGuard\borealis-wg.conf (project root only).
  • Removed invalid "SaveConfig = false" line (WireGuard rejected it).
  • Service display name set to "Borealis - WireGuard - Engine".
  • Ensures the listener service is running after install, and raises if it fails.
• Borealis.ps1
  • Service name interpolation fixed to include the literal "$" in "WireGuardTunnel$Borealis".

Note: Data/Agent changes only apply after Borealis.ps1 re-stages the agent under Agent.

Current Symptoms (2026-01-14 00:05)

• Tunnel handshakes are healthy; TCP shell connectivity succeeds after adding a firewall rule for TCP/47002 from the engine /32.
• The firewall rule is now applied/removed by role_WireGuardTunnel.py using the engine /32 in the allowed_ips payload.
• wireguard.exe /dumplog /tail still fails with "Stdout must be set" when run from PowerShell (use file redirection).

Key Paths

• Agent WireGuard role: Data/Agent/Roles/role_WireGuardTunnel.py
• Agent VPN shell role: Data/Agent/Roles/role_RemotePowershell.py
• Engine WireGuard manager: Data/Engine/services/VPN/wireguard_server.py
• Engine tunnel service: Data/Engine/services/VPN/vpn_tunnel_service.py
• Agent tunnel logs: Z:\Agent\Logs\VPN_Tunnel\tunnel.log
• Agent shell logs: Z:\Agent\Logs\VPN_Tunnel\remote_shell.log
• Engine tunnel logs: Engine\Logs\VPN_Tunnel\tunnel.log
• Engine shell logs: Engine\Logs\VPN_Tunnel\remote_shell.log
• Agent WireGuard config: Z:\Agent\Borealis\Settings\WireGuard\Borealis.conf
• Engine WireGuard config: Engine\WireGuard\borealis-wg.conf

Known WireGuard Services / Names

• Engine listener service name: "WireGuardTunnel$borealis-wg"
• Agent tunnel service name: "WireGuardTunnel$Borealis"
• Adapter name in Control Panel: "Borealis"
• Service display names:
  • "Borealis - WireGuard - Engine"
  • "Borealis - WireGuard - Agent"

Suggested Verification Commands

• Engine service status:
  • Get-Service -Name "WireGuardTunnel$borealis-wg"
  • sc.exe query "WireGuardTunnel$borealis-wg"
  • netstat -ano -p udp | findstr :30000
• Engine WireGuard log tail:
  • cmd /c ""C:\Program Files\WireGuard\wireguard.exe" /dumplog /tail > %TEMP%\wg-tail.log"
  • powershell -NoProfile -Command "& 'C:\Program Files\WireGuard\wireguard.exe' /dumplog /tail 2>&1 | Out-File $env:TEMP\wg-tail.log"
• Agent tunnel state (remote, via Z:\ logs):
  • Z:\Agent\Logs\VPN_Tunnel\tunnel.log
  • Z:\Agent\Logs\VPN_Tunnel\remote_shell.log
  • Z:\Agent\Borealis\Settings\WireGuard\Borealis.conf

Current Blockers / Next Steps

1. Ensure the agent runtime is re-staged so role_WireGuardTunnel.py applies the shell firewall rule on tunnel start.
2. During an active session, run Test-NetConnection -ComputerName 10.255.0.2 -Port 47002 on the Engine and confirm it reaches the agent.
3. While the session is active, confirm Agent\Borealis\Settings\WireGuard\Borealis.conf includes a [Peer] with endpoint/AllowedIPs (it reverts to idle config after stop).
4. Capture engine + agent tunnel/shell logs around a failed shell open attempt and re-check WireGuard service state if issues persist.