72 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
72 lines
4.6 KiB
Markdown
---
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summary: "macOS app flow for controlling a remote Clawdbot gateway over SSH"
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read_when:
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- Setting up or debugging remote mac control
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---
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# Remote Clawdbot (macOS ⇄ remote host)
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This flow lets the macOS app act as a full remote control for a Clawdbot gateway running on another host (desktop/server). It’s the app’s **Remote over SSH** (remote run) feature. All features—health checks, Voice Wake forwarding, and Web Chat—reuse the same remote SSH configuration from *Settings → General*.
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## Modes
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- **Local (this Mac)**: Everything runs on the laptop. No SSH involved.
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- **Remote over SSH (default)**: Clawdbot commands are executed on the remote host. The mac app opens an SSH connection with `-o BatchMode` plus your chosen identity/key and a local port-forward.
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- **Remote direct (ws/wss)**: No SSH tunnel. The mac app connects to the gateway URL directly (for example, via Tailscale Serve or a public HTTPS reverse proxy).
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## Remote transports
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Remote mode supports two transports:
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- **SSH tunnel** (default): Uses `ssh -N -L ...` to forward the gateway port to localhost. The gateway will see the node’s IP as `127.0.0.1` because the tunnel is loopback.
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- **Direct (ws/wss)**: Connects straight to the gateway URL. The gateway sees the real client IP.
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## Prereqs on the remote host
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1) Install Node + pnpm and build/install the Clawdbot CLI (`pnpm install && pnpm build && pnpm link --global`).
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2) Ensure `clawdbot` is on PATH for non-interactive shells (symlink into `/usr/local/bin` or `/opt/homebrew/bin` if needed).
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3) Open SSH with key auth. We recommend **Tailscale** IPs for stable reachability off-LAN.
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## macOS app setup
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1) Open *Settings → General*.
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2) Under **Clawdbot runs**, pick **Remote over SSH** and set:
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- **Transport**: **SSH tunnel** or **Direct (ws/wss)**.
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- **SSH target**: `user@host` (optional `:port`).
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- If the gateway is on the same LAN and advertises Bonjour, pick it from the discovered list to auto-fill this field.
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- **Gateway URL** (Direct only): `wss://gateway.example.ts.net` (or `ws://...` for local/LAN).
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- **Identity file** (advanced): path to your key.
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- **Project root** (advanced): remote checkout path used for commands.
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- **CLI path** (advanced): optional path to a runnable `clawdbot` entrypoint/binary (auto-filled when advertised).
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3) Hit **Test remote**. Success indicates the remote `clawdbot status --json` runs correctly. Failures usually mean PATH/CLI issues; exit 127 means the CLI isn’t found remotely.
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4) Health checks and Web Chat will now run through this SSH tunnel automatically.
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## Web Chat
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- **SSH tunnel**: Web Chat connects to the gateway over the forwarded WebSocket control port (default 18789).
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- **Direct (ws/wss)**: Web Chat connects straight to the configured gateway URL.
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- There is no separate WebChat HTTP server anymore.
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## Permissions
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- The remote host needs the same TCC approvals as local (Automation, Accessibility, Screen Recording, Microphone, Speech Recognition, Notifications). Run onboarding on that machine to grant them once.
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- Nodes advertise their permission state via `node.list` / `node.describe` so agents know what’s available.
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## Security notes
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- Prefer loopback binds on the remote host and connect via SSH or Tailscale.
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- If you bind the Gateway to a non-loopback interface, require token/password auth.
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- See [Security](/gateway/security) and [Tailscale](/gateway/tailscale).
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## WhatsApp login flow (remote)
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- Run `clawdbot channels login --verbose` **on the remote host**. Scan the QR with WhatsApp on your phone.
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- Re-run login on that host if auth expires. Health check will surface link problems.
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## Troubleshooting
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- **exit 127 / not found**: `clawdbot` isn’t on PATH for non-login shells. Add it to `/etc/paths`, your shell rc, or symlink into `/usr/local/bin`/`/opt/homebrew/bin`.
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- **Health probe failed**: check SSH reachability, PATH, and that Baileys is logged in (`clawdbot status --json`).
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- **Web Chat stuck**: confirm the gateway is running on the remote host and the forwarded port matches the gateway WS port; the UI requires a healthy WS connection.
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- **Node IP shows 127.0.0.1**: expected with the SSH tunnel. Switch **Transport** to **Direct (ws/wss)** if you want the gateway to see the real client IP.
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- **Voice Wake**: trigger phrases are forwarded automatically in remote mode; no separate forwarder is needed.
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## Notification sounds
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Pick sounds per notification from scripts with `clawdbot` and `node.invoke`, e.g.:
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```bash
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clawdbot nodes notify --node <id> --title "Ping" --body "Remote gateway ready" --sound Glass
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```
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There is no global “default sound” toggle in the app anymore; callers choose a sound (or none) per request.
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