Jaykul · October 27, 2025 14:24 · May 2, 2023 · May 2, 2023 · May 2, 2023 · May 2, 2023
diff --git a/Install.ps1 b/Install.ps1
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <#
-  .SYNOPSIS
-    Install npiperelay and socat and convfigure SSH_AUTH_SOCK forwarding
+    .SYNOPSIS
+        Install npiperelay and socat and configure SSH_AUTH_SOCK forwarding
 #>
 [CmdletBinding()]
 param(
@@ -12,33 +12,33 @@ param(
     # Defaults to your username all lowercase
     [Parameter(ParameterSetName = "Insecure")]
     $Username = $Env:USERNAME.ToLower(),
-    
+
     # Ingore chocolatey for install (winget must be available).
     [switch]$NoChocolate
 )
 # Install npiperelay
 if (!(Get-Command npiperelay.exe -ErrorAction Ignore)) {
-  if (-not $NoChocolate -and (Get-Command choco -ErrorAction Ignore)) {
-     choco upgrade npiperelay -y
-  } elseif (Get-Command winget -ErrorAction Ignore) {
-      winget install --id=jstarks.npiperelay -e --accept-source-agreements
-  } else {
-      throw "Unable to install. Please download https://github.com/jstarks/npiperelay/releases/latest/download/npiperelay_windows_amd64.zip and extract it somewhere in your PATH"
-  }
+    if (-not $NoChocolate -and (Get-Command choco -ErrorAction Ignore)) {
+        choco upgrade npiperelay -y
+    } elseif (Get-Command winget -ErrorAction Ignore) {
+        winget install --id=jstarks.npiperelay -e --accept-source-agreements
+    } else {
+        throw "Unable to install. Please download https://github.com/jstarks/npiperelay/releases/latest/download/npiperelay_windows_amd64.zip and extract it somewhere in your PATH"
+    }
 }
 
 # install socat in WSL
 wsl -d $Distribution -u root apt install socat
 if ($LASTEXITCODE) {
-  throw "Unable to install socat. I give up."
+    throw "Unable to install socat. I give up."
 }
 
 # create the ssh-agent-pipe script in WSL
 # Ensure the carriage returns are correct (and fetch the script, if necessary):
 $script = if (Test-Path $PSScriptRoot\ssh-agent-pipe.sh) {
-  (Get-Content $PSScriptRoot\ssh-agent-pipe.sh) -join "`n"
+    (Get-Content $PSScriptRoot\ssh-agent-pipe.sh) -join "`n"
 } else {
-  Invoke-RestMethod https://gist.github.com/Jaykul/19e9f18b8a68f6ab854e338f9b38ca7b/raw/ssh-agent-pipe.sh
+    Invoke-RestMethod https://gist.github.com/Jaykul/19e9f18b8a68f6ab854e338f9b38ca7b/raw/ssh-agent-pipe.sh
 }
 # escape $ and " so we can pass this through bash
 $script = $script -replace "\$", "\$" -replace '"', '\"'

diff --git a/Install.ps1 b/Install.ps1
@@ -49,4 +49,4 @@ wsl -d $Distribution -u root -- bash -c "cat > /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe <<'
 wsl -d $Distribution -u root chmod +x /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe
 
 # Add to .bashrc for the specified user
-wsl -d $Distribution -u $Username -- bash -c "echo \"source /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe\" >> ~/.bashrc"
+wsl -d $Distribution -u $Username -- bash -c "echo \`"source /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe\`" >> ~/.bashrc"
diff --git a/Install.ps1 b/Install.ps1
@@ -49,4 +49,4 @@ wsl -d $Distribution -u root -- bash -c "cat > /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe <<'
 wsl -d $Distribution -u root chmod +x /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe
 
 # Add to .bashrc for the specified user
-wsl -d $Distribution -u $Username -- bash -c "echo \"source /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe\" >> ~/.bashrc'
+wsl -d $Distribution -u $Username -- bash -c "echo \"source /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe\" >> ~/.bashrc"
diff --git a/Agent Passthru.md b/Agent Passthru.md
@@ -5,15 +5,15 @@ I tried to point someone else at it and they were very confused by it, so this i
 
 # Installation
 
-With [Chocolatey](https://community.chocolatey.org/), you must use an elevated PowerShell session. If there's no `choco` command found, it will fall back to winget for the npiperelay install.
+With [Chocolatey](https://community.chocolatey.org/), you must use an elevated PowerShell session. If there's no `choco` command found, it will fall back to winget for the npiperelay install. To force using Winget even if you have choco installed, you need to download it, so you can pass parameters to it.
 
-Just run this in PowerShell:
+Easy mode: just run this in PowerShell:
 
 ```powershell
 iex (irm https://gist.github.com/Jaykul/19e9f18b8a68f6ab854e338f9b38ca7b/raw/Install.ps1)
 ```
 
-To be more cautious, click the [Download zip](#) button in the top right, unzip everything, read it through carefully,  to make sure I'm not tricking you (or switch the install to winget) and _then_ run the `Install.ps1` script.
+To be more cautious, click the [Download zip](https://gist.github.com/Jaykul/19e9f18b8a68f6ab854e338f9b38ca7b/archive/7249d778915993e1358058b40a0c6adeafe163da.zip) button in the top right, unzip everything, read it through carefully, to make sure I'm not tricking you. _Then_ run the `Install.ps1` script from the unzipped files.
 
 ## What does it do?
 

diff --git a/Install.ps1 b/Install.ps1
@@ -49,4 +49,4 @@ wsl -d $Distribution -u root -- bash -c "cat > /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe <<'
 wsl -d $Distribution -u root chmod +x /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe
 
 # Add to .bashrc for the specified user
-wsl -d $Distribution -u $Username -- bash -c 'echo "source /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe" >> ~/.bashrc'
+wsl -d $Distribution -u $Username -- bash -c "echo \"source /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe\" >> ~/.bashrc'
diff --git a/Agent Passthru.md b/Agent Passthru.md
@@ -5,6 +5,22 @@ I tried to point someone else at it and they were very confused by it, so this i
 
 # Installation
 
-Either copy and paste the contents of the Install.ps1 into PowerShell _on Windows_, or download the zip of this, extract both script files, and run the install.ps1 from PowerShell (on Windows)
+With [Chocolatey](https://community.chocolatey.org/), you must use an elevated PowerShell session. If there's no `choco` command found, it will fall back to winget for the npiperelay install.
 
-wsl-ssh-agent
+Just run this in PowerShell:
+
+```powershell
+iex (irm https://gist.github.com/Jaykul/19e9f18b8a68f6ab854e338f9b38ca7b/raw/Install.ps1)
+```
+
+To be more cautious, click the [Download zip](#) button in the top right, unzip everything, read it through carefully,  to make sure I'm not tricking you (or switch the install to winget) and _then_ run the `Install.ps1` script.
+
+## What does it do?
+
+It's all designed to be run from PowerShell (5+) on Windows. When commands need to be run in WSL, it will use the `wsl` command to do so (as `root` and as _you_). Before you start, make sure you have wsl 2 and a distro installed (run `wsl --list -v` and pick a distro that has VERSION 2).
+
+1. Install npiperelay in Windows using chocolatey or winget
+2. Install socat in WSL using apt (sorry, if your distro isn't apt, please fork and comment 😉)
+3. Copy an `ssh-agent-pipe` script that starts npiperelay for you whenever you open bash
+4. Make that script executable
+5. Add that script to your .bashrc (note: better not to run this install multiple times 😝)
diff --git a/Install.ps1 b/Install.ps1
@@ -11,14 +11,27 @@ param(
     # The user for whom .bashrc should be modified
     # Defaults to your username all lowercase
     [Parameter(ParameterSetName = "Insecure")]
-    $Username = $Env:USERNAME.ToLower()
+    $Username = $Env:USERNAME.ToLower(),
+
+    # Ingore chocolatey for install (winget must be available).
+    [switch]$NoChocolate
 )
-# Install npiperelay with chocolatey.
-# You could, instead, use: winget install --id=jstarks.npiperelay -e
-choco upgrade npiperelay -y
+# Install npiperelay
+if (!(Get-Command npiperelay.exe -ErrorAction Ignore)) {
+  if (-not $NoChocolate -and (Get-Command choco -ErrorAction Ignore)) {
+     choco upgrade npiperelay -y
+  } elseif (Get-Command winget -ErrorAction Ignore) {
+      winget install --id=jstarks.npiperelay -e --accept-source-agreements
+  } else {
+      throw "Unable to install. Please download https://github.com/jstarks/npiperelay/releases/latest/download/npiperelay_windows_amd64.zip and extract it somewhere in your PATH"
+  }
+}
 
 # install socat in WSL
 wsl -d $Distribution -u root apt install socat
+if ($LASTEXITCODE) {
+  throw "Unable to install socat. I give up."
+}
 
 # create the ssh-agent-pipe script in WSL
 # Ensure the carriage returns are correct (and fetch the script, if necessary):
@@ -27,8 +40,8 @@ $script = if (Test-Path $PSScriptRoot\ssh-agent-pipe.sh) {
 } else {
   Invoke-RestMethod https://gist.github.com/Jaykul/19e9f18b8a68f6ab854e338f9b38ca7b/raw/ssh-agent-pipe.sh
 }
-# escape $ so we can pass this through bash
-$script = $script -replace "\$", "\$"
+# escape $ and " so we can pass this through bash
+$script = $script -replace "\$", "\$" -replace '"', '\"'
 
 wsl -d $Distribution -u root -- bash -c "cat > /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe <<'EOF'`n${script}`nEOF"
 

diff --git a/Install.ps1 b/Install.ps1
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ $script = if (Test-Path $PSScriptRoot\ssh-agent-pipe.sh) {
 # escape $ so we can pass this through bash
 $script = $script -replace "\$", "\$"
 
-wsl -d $Distribution -u root -- bash -c "cat > /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe <<'EOF'`n$script`nEOF"
+wsl -d $Distribution -u root -- bash -c "cat > /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe <<'EOF'`n${script}`nEOF"
 
 # Make it executable
 wsl -d $Distribution -u root chmod +x /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe

diff --git a/ssh-agent-pipe.sh b/ssh-agent-pipe.sh
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ if [ "$1" = "-k" ] || [ "$1" = "-r" ]; then
     if [ -n "${sshpid}" ]; then
         kill "${sshpid}"
     else
-        echo "'socat' not found or PID not found"
+        echo "socat not found or PID not found"
     fi
     if [ "$1" = "-k" ]; then
         exit

diff --git a/Agent Passthru.md b/Agent Passthru.md
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@ I tried to point someone else at it and they were very confused by it, so this i
 
 # Installation
 
-Download the zip of this, and run the install.ps1
+Either copy and paste the contents of the Install.ps1 into PowerShell _on Windows_, or download the zip of this, extract both script files, and run the install.ps1 from PowerShell (on Windows)
 
 wsl-ssh-agent
diff --git a/Install.ps1 b/Install.ps1
@@ -1,27 +1,38 @@
+<#
+  .SYNOPSIS
+    Install npiperelay and socat and convfigure SSH_AUTH_SOCK forwarding
+#>
 [CmdletBinding()]
 param(
     # The distribution to connect the pipe to
     [Parameter(Position = 0)]
-    $Distribution = "ubuntu",
+    $Distribution = "Ubuntu",
 
-    # Optionally, a user (startiong the pipe will be added to their .bashrc)
-    # Defaults to your username all lowercase (as in the other functions here)
+    # The user for whom .bashrc should be modified
+    # Defaults to your username all lowercase
     [Parameter(ParameterSetName = "Insecure")]
     $Username = $Env:USERNAME.ToLower()
 )
-# install npiperelay
+# Install npiperelay with chocolatey.
+# You could, instead, use: winget install --id=jstarks.npiperelay -e
 choco upgrade npiperelay -y
+
 # install socat in WSL
 wsl -d $Distribution -u root apt install socat
+
 # create the ssh-agent-pipe script in WSL
-# Ensure the carriage returns are correct, and escape $ for bash
+# Ensure the carriage returns are correct (and fetch the script, if necessary):
 $script = if (Test-Path $PSScriptRoot\ssh-agent-pipe.sh) {
-  (Get-Content $PSScriptRoot\ssh-agent-pipe.sh) -join "`n" -replace "\$", "\$"
+  (Get-Content $PSScriptRoot\ssh-agent-pipe.sh) -join "`n"
 } else {
-
+  Invoke-RestMethod https://gist.github.com/Jaykul/19e9f18b8a68f6ab854e338f9b38ca7b/raw/ssh-agent-pipe.sh
 }
+# escape $ so we can pass this through bash
+$script = $script -replace "\$", "\$"
+
 wsl -d $Distribution -u root -- bash -c "cat > /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe <<'EOF'`n$script`nEOF"
-# Set the permissions
+
+# Make it executable
 wsl -d $Distribution -u root chmod +x /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe
 
 # Add to .bashrc for the specified user

diff --git a/ssh-agent-pipe.sh b/ssh-agent-pipe.sh
@@ -25,4 +25,4 @@ fi
 if [ -z "${sshpid}" ]; then
     rm -f $SSH_AUTH_SOCK
     ( setsid socat UNIX-LISTEN:$SSH_AUTH_SOCK,fork EXEC:"npiperelay.exe -ei -s //./pipe/openssh-ssh-agent",nofork & ) >/dev/null 2>&1
-fi
+fi
diff --git a/Agent Passthru.md b/Agent Passthru.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+For awhile now, each time I got a new Windows laptop 
+I would dig up [strasis gist](https://gist.github.com/strarsis/e533f4bca5ae158481bbe53185848d49) on 
+how to set up agent forwarding for SSH in WSL2 -- but recently 
+I tried to point someone else at it and they were very confused by it, so this is my attempt at simpler instructions.
+
+# Installation
+
+Download the zip of this, and run the install.ps1
+
+wsl-ssh-agent
diff --git a/Install.ps1 b/Install.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+[CmdletBinding()]
+param(
+    # The distribution to connect the pipe to
+    [Parameter(Position = 0)]
+    $Distribution = "ubuntu",
+
+    # Optionally, a user (startiong the pipe will be added to their .bashrc)
+    # Defaults to your username all lowercase (as in the other functions here)
+    [Parameter(ParameterSetName = "Insecure")]
+    $Username = $Env:USERNAME.ToLower()
+)
+# install npiperelay
+choco upgrade npiperelay -y
+# install socat in WSL
+wsl -d $Distribution -u root apt install socat
+# create the ssh-agent-pipe script in WSL
+# Ensure the carriage returns are correct, and escape $ for bash
+$script = if (Test-Path $PSScriptRoot\ssh-agent-pipe.sh) {
+  (Get-Content $PSScriptRoot\ssh-agent-pipe.sh) -join "`n" -replace "\$", "\$"
+} else {
+
+}
+wsl -d $Distribution -u root -- bash -c "cat > /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe <<'EOF'`n$script`nEOF"
+# Set the permissions
+wsl -d $Distribution -u root chmod +x /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe
+
+# Add to .bashrc for the specified user
+wsl -d $Distribution -u $Username -- bash -c 'echo "source /usr/local/bin/ssh-agent-pipe" >> ~/.bashrc'
diff --git a/ssh-agent-pipe.sh b/ssh-agent-pipe.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Usage: ssh-agent-pipe [ -k | -r ]
+# Options:
+#    -k    Kill the current process (if exists) and do not restart it.
+#    -r    Kill the current process (if exists) and restart it.
+# Default operation is to start a process only if it does not exist.
+
+export SSH_AUTH_SOCK=$HOME/.ssh/agent.sock
+
+sshpid=$(ss -ap | grep "$SSH_AUTH_SOCK")
+if [ "$1" = "-k" ] || [ "$1" = "-r" ]; then
+    sshpid=${sshpid//*pid=/}
+    sshpid=${sshpid%%,*}
+    if [ -n "${sshpid}" ]; then
+        kill "${sshpid}"
+    else
+        echo "'socat' not found or PID not found"
+    fi
+    if [ "$1" = "-k" ]; then
+        exit
+    fi
+    unset sshpid
+fi
+
+if [ -z "${sshpid}" ]; then
+    rm -f $SSH_AUTH_SOCK
+    ( setsid socat UNIX-LISTEN:$SSH_AUTH_SOCK,fork EXEC:"npiperelay.exe -ei -s //./pipe/openssh-ssh-agent",nofork & ) >/dev/null 2>&1
+fi