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clawdbot/docs/gateway/remote-gateway-readme.md
2026-01-08 10:42:23 +01:00

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---
summary: "SSH tunnel setup for Clawdbot.app connecting to a remote gateway"
read_when: "Connecting the macOS app to a remote gateway over SSH"
---
# Running Clawdbot.app with a Remote Gateway
Clawdbot.app uses SSH tunneling to connect to a remote gateway. This guide shows you how to set it up.
## Overview
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MacBook │
│ │
│ Clawdbot.app ──► ws://127.0.0.1:18789 (local port) │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ SSH Tunnel ────────────────────────────────────────────────│
│ │ │
└─────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────┘
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Remote Machine │
│ │
│ Gateway WebSocket ──► ws://127.0.0.1:18789 ──► │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
## Quick Setup
### Step 1: Add SSH Config
Edit `~/.ssh/config` and add:
```ssh
Host remote-gateway
HostName <REMOTE_IP> # e.g., 172.27.187.184
User <REMOTE_USER> # e.g., jefferson
LocalForward 18789 127.0.0.1:18789
IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa
```
Replace `<REMOTE_IP>` and `<REMOTE_USER>` with your values.
### Step 2: Copy SSH Key
Copy your public key to the remote machine (enter password once):
```bash
ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa <REMOTE_USER>@<REMOTE_IP>
```
### Step 3: Set Gateway Token
```bash
launchctl setenv CLAWDBOT_GATEWAY_TOKEN "<your-token>"
```
### Step 4: Start SSH Tunnel
```bash
ssh -N remote-gateway &
```
### Step 5: Restart Clawdbot.app
```bash
# Quit Clawdbot.app (⌘Q), then reopen:
open /path/to/Clawdbot.app
```
The app will now connect to the remote gateway through the SSH tunnel.
---
## Auto-Start Tunnel on Login
To have the SSH tunnel start automatically when you log in, create a Launch Agent.
### Create the PLIST file
Save this as `~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.clawdbot.ssh-tunnel.plist`:
```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>Label</key>
<string>com.clawdbot.ssh-tunnel</string>
<key>ProgramArguments</key>
<array>
<string>/usr/bin/ssh</string>
<string>-N</string>
<string>remote-gateway</string>
</array>
<key>KeepAlive</key>
<true/>
<key>RunAtLoad</key>
<true/>
</dict>
</plist>
```
### Load the Launch Agent
```bash
launchctl bootstrap gui/$UID ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.clawdbot.ssh-tunnel.plist
```
The tunnel will now:
- Start automatically when you log in
- Restart if it crashes
- Keep running in the background
---
## Troubleshooting
**Check if tunnel is running:**
```bash
ps aux | grep "ssh -N remote-gateway" | grep -v grep
lsof -i :18789
```
**Restart the tunnel:**
```bash
launchctl kickstart -k gui/$UID/com.clawdbot.ssh-tunnel
```
**Stop the tunnel:**
```bash
launchctl bootout gui/$UID/com.clawdbot.ssh-tunnel
```
---
## How It Works
| Component | What It Does |
|-----------|--------------|
| `LocalForward 18789 127.0.0.1:18789` | Forwards local port 18789 to remote port 18789 |
| `ssh -N` | SSH without executing remote commands (just port forwarding) |
| `KeepAlive` | Automatically restarts tunnel if it crashes |
| `RunAtLoad` | Starts tunnel when the agent loads |
Clawdbot.app connects to `ws://127.0.0.1:18789` on your MacBook. The SSH tunnel forwards that connection to port 18789 on the remote machine where the Gateway is running.