Run Network Simulator 2 (NS-2.35) with NAM GUI inside Docker. Zero setup, 100% reproducible. Perfect for students, researchers, or legacy network labs.

Network Simulator 2 (NS-2.35) is a popular discrete event simulator for network research, but it often fails to compile on modern systems. This Docker image provides a plug-and-play environment with full GUI support, eliminating the setup hassle.

• Quick-start
• Features
• Usage Options: Two Ways to Use NS-2
• Running Simulations
• Wayland Support
• Project Structure
• Why Use Docker for NS2?
• Troubleshooting
• Maintainer
• Show Your Support
• Credits
• License

By default, the host directory for ns-2 script is $HOME/workspace/ns-2/scripts. If the directory is not present in your machine, the following command will create one for you and it will be auto mounted to /root/scripts in the container.

Note: NAM uses a GUI. Ensure your system supports X11 forwarding (e.g. X11/XWayland on Linux).

On your host machine:

docker pull abidmuin/ns-2.35 && \
git clone https://github.com/abidmuin/ns-2.git && \
cd ns-2 && \
mkdir -p $HOME/workspace/ns-2/scripts && \
chmod +x run-ns2.sh && \
./run-ns2.sh \

Then, inside the container:

cd /root/scripts
ns sample.tcl && nam out.nam

NAM GUI displaying a running simulation inside Docker with X11 forwarding.

• Pre-configured NS-2.35 with NAM GUI.
• Lightweight Docker container.
• GUI support even on Wayland via X11 forwarding.
• Mount host directory to /root/scripts for running your .tcl or .cpp script simulations.
• Includes patch for known ls.h compilation issue.
• Two usage options: pre-built image or build it yourself.

   docker pull abidmuin/ns-2.35

    git clone https://github.com/abidmuin/ns-2.git && cd ns-2

    ./run-ns2.sh

    git clone https://github.com/abidmuin/ns-2.git && cd ns-2

    docker build -t abidmuin/ns-2.35 .

    ./run-ns2.sh

A working sample.tcl is included in the scripts/ directory for testing.

Inside the container:

cd /root/scripts

ns sample.tcl && nam out.nam

All your .tcl or .cpp simulation scripts go into your host-side directory: $HOME/workspace/ns-2/scripts

Even if your host uses Wayland (echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE returns wayland), the container uses X11 via XWayland, and GUI applications like NAM work as expected. GUI access is granted using xhost.

xhost +local:root
docker run ...
xhost -local:root

This is already handled in run-ns2.sh. If NAM fails to launch, ensure xhost +local:root was successful and your Docker host allows X11 forwarding.

Note: xhost +local:root is required for GUI apps in Docker, but remember to run xhost -local:root afterward to restore security.

.
├── Dockerfile           # Docker build script
├── run-ns2.sh           # Launch script (GUI + mount setup)
├── README.md            # You're reading it!
└── scripts/             # (Optional) Your simulation scripts

• NAM doesn’t launch / GUI errors

  • Make sure X11 forwarding is working and xhost +local:root was successful.
  • On Wayland, ensure you have XWayland installed.

• Permission denied when mounting host directory

  • Try running with sudo, or ensure your user has Docker permissions.

Abid Hasan Muin
Email: muin.739@gmail.com

Feel free to open an issue if you encounter any problem or have suggestions.

If this project saved you time or simplified your workflow, feel free to:

• Star this repo.
• Share it on LinkedIn or with your classmates/research group.

• Original NS2 Source: SourceForge and ISI
• Sample TCL script: Mark Greis' Tutorial
• Patches & Docker Integration: @abidmuin

This project is licensed under the MIT License.