Remote Gateway

Connect ClawManager to an OCPlatform gateway running on another machine, whether a VPS, home server, or another PC on your network.

Overview

By default, ClawManager talks to a local OpenClaw gateway running on the same machine. Remote Gateway mode lets you point ClawManager at a gateway running somewhere else: a cloud VPS, a home server, or another desktop on your LAN.

This means you can manage your agents from any device without needing OpenClaw installed locally. Two connection methods are supported:

🌐 Direct URL

For publicly reachable gateways. Enter an HTTPS URL and auth token. Best for VPS and cloud deployments.

🖥️ SSH Tunnel

For gateways on your local network or behind a firewall. ClawManager opens an SSH tunnel, no need to expose gateway ports.

Where to Find It

Look at the top-right corner of ClawManager. You'll see a small colored dot next to the gateway status area. This dot tells you the current connection state:

Green — Connected to local gateway

Amber — Connected via SSH tunnel to a remote gateway

Cyan — Connected via direct URL to a remote gateway

Red — Disconnected

Click the status dot to open a dropdown menu. Select Connect to Remote... to open the Remote Gateway modal. If you're already connected remotely, you'll see Manage Remote... and Switch Back to Local options instead.

🌐 Connecting via Direct URL

Use this method when your gateway has a public URL, for example a VPS with an HTTPS endpoint like https://your-vps.com:18789.

1.Open the Remote Gateway modal (click the gateway status dot)

2.Select the Direct URL tab

3.Enter your gateway URL (must be a public address, not a LAN IP)

4.Enter the auth token from your remote OpenClaw instance

5.Click Test to verify connectivity (optional but recommended)

6.Click Connect to switch to the remote gateway

⚠️ Private addresses blocked: Direct URL mode intentionally blocks LAN addresses like 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, and localhost. If your gateway is on another PC in your home or office network, use SSH Tunnel instead.

🖥️ Connecting via SSH Tunnel

This is the recommended method for another PC on your local network or any machine you can SSH into. ClawManager opens an SSH tunnel that forwards localhost:18789 on your machine to the remote gateway. The remote gateway can stay bound to 127.0.0.1with no ports exposed to the internet.

Prerequisites

• SSH server enabled on the remote machine
• You can log in with your SSH key or ssh-agent
• OCPlatform gateway is installed and running on the remote machine

Setup Steps

1.Verify SSH access works: ssh root@192.168.1.106 (use your actual host/user)

2.Verify the gateway is running remotely: openclaw gateway status

3.Open the Remote Gateway modal in ClawManager

4.Select the SSH Tunnel tab

5.Enter Host (IP or hostname), SSH Port (default 22), Username (default root), and SSH Key Path (default ~/.ssh/id_ed25519)

6.Click Connect via SSH

Quick reference

Host: 192.168.1.106

SSH Port: 22

Username: root

SSH Key Path: ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Leave SSH Key Path blank to use ssh-agent instead of a key file.

🔐 Connect vs. Pair

Remote access works in two stages. Connecting gets you read access. Pairing unlocks full control.

🔓 Connected (without pairing)

• Read remote agents and overview cards
• View supported core agent files
• See which backend you're connected to
• Switch between local, SSH, and direct modes

Essentially read-only. Chat turns and file writes may fail.

🔒 Connected + Paired

• Remote chat turns work (gateway grants write scope)
• Supported remote file saves work
• Full dashboard visibility

Full remote control for supported operations.

How to Pair

1.Connect first using either SSH Tunnel or Direct URL (as described above).

2.On the remote OpenClaw instance, open Devices & Pairing and approve this ClawManager device.

3.Refresh or reconnect in ClawManager. Once paired, remote chat turns and supported remote writes unlock.

For more on device pairing and approval, see Devices & Remote Access.

Current Limitations

Even after pairing, the current OpenClaw build does not expose all workspace paths remotely. Some things may remain unavailable:

• Daily memory notes
• Chat archives
• File uploads
• General workspace files outside of core agent files

Broader remote file support is expected in future OCPlatform releases.

Switching Back to Local

To disconnect from a remote gateway and return to your local OpenClaw instance:

• Click the gateway status dot in the top bar
• Select Switch Back to Local
• ClawManager disconnects and reloads, pointing at your local gateway again

You can also open the Remote Gateway modal and click Disconnect in the bottom-left corner.

What Changes in Remote Mode

When connected to a remote gateway, a few things behave differently:

• The gateway status dot changes color (amber for SSH, cyan for direct)
• The gateway dropdown shows the remote host and connection mode
• Local gateway controls (Logs, Doctor, Start/Stop, Restart) are hidden since they don't apply to the remote instance
• Status & Diagnostics still works and shows remote gateway health
• The app stops showing local backend data while connected remotely

Next Steps

Manage device pairing in Devices & Remote Access, lock down remote access with Security settings, or check Troubleshooting if you can't connect.