/node-connect

name: node-connect
description: Diagnose OpenClaw node connection and pairing failures for Android, iOS, and macOS companion apps. Use when QR/setup code/manual connect fails, local Wi-Fi works but VPS/tailnet does not, or errors mention pairing required, unauthorized, bootstrap token invalid or expired, gateway.bind, gateway.remote.url, Tailscale, or plugins.entries.device-pair.config.publicUrl.

Node Connect

Goal: find the one real route from node -> gateway, verify OpenClaw is advertising that route, then fix pairing/auth.

Topology first

Decide which case you are in before proposing fixes:

• same machine / emulator / USB tunnel
• same LAN / local Wi-Fi
• same Tailscale tailnet
• public URL / reverse proxy

Do not mix them.

• Local Wi-Fi problem: do not switch to Tailscale unless remote access is actually needed.
• VPS / remote gateway problem: do not keep debugging `localhost` or LAN IPs.

If ambiguous, ask first

If the setup is unclear or the failure report is vague, ask short clarifying questions before diagnosing.

Ask for:

• which route they intend: same machine, same LAN, Tailscale tailnet, or public URL
• whether they used QR/setup code or manual host/port
• the exact app text/status/error, quoted exactly if possible
• whether `openclaw devices list` shows a pending pairing request

Do not guess from `can't connect`.

Canonical checks

Prefer `openclaw qr --json`. It uses the same setup-code payload Android scans.

openclaw config get gateway.mode
openclaw config get gateway.bind
openclaw config get gateway.tailscale.mode
openclaw config get gateway.remote.url
openclaw config get gateway.auth.mode
openclaw config get gateway.auth.allowTailscale
openclaw config get plugins.entries.device-pair.config.publicUrl
openclaw qr --json
openclaw devices list
openclaw nodes status

If this OpenClaw instance is pointed at a remote gateway, also run:

openclaw qr --remote --json

If Tailscale is part of the story:

tailscale status --json

Read the result, not guesses

`openclaw qr --json` success means:

• `gatewayUrl`: this is the actual endpoint the app should use.
• `urlSource`: this tells you which config path won.

Common good sources:

• `gateway.bind=lan`: same Wi-Fi / LAN only
• `gateway.bind=tailnet`: direct tailnet access
• `gateway.tailscale.mode=serve` or `gateway.tailscale.mode=funnel`: Tailscale route
• `plugins.entries.device-pair.config.publicUrl`: explicit public/reverse-proxy route
• `gateway.remote.url`: remote gateway route

Root-cause map

If `openclaw qr --json` says `Gateway is only bound to loopback`:

• remote node cannot connect yet
• fix the route, then generate a fresh setup code
• `gateway.bind=auto` is not enough if the effective QR route is still loopback
• same LAN: use `gateway.bind=lan`
• same tailnet: prefer `gateway.tailscale.mode=serve` or use `gateway.bind=tailnet`
• public internet: set a real `plugins.entries.device-pair.config.publicUrl` or `gateway.remote.url`

If `gateway.bind=tailnet set, but no tailnet IP was found`:

• gateway host is not actually on Tailscale

If `qr --remote requires gateway.remote.url`:

• remote-mode config is incomplete

If the app says `pairing required`:

• network route and auth worked
• approve the pending device

openclaw devices list
openclaw devices approve --latest

If the app says `bootstrap token invalid or expired`:

• old setup code
• generate a fresh one and rescan
• do this after any URL/auth fix too

If the app says `unauthorized`:

• wrong token/password, or wrong Tailscale expectation
• for Tailscale Serve, `gateway.auth.allowTailscale` must match the intended flow
• otherwise use explicit token/password

Fast heuristics

• Same Wi-Fi setup + gateway advertises `127.0.0.1`, `localhost`, or loopback-only config: wrong.
• Remote setup + setup/manual uses private LAN IP: wrong.
• Tailnet setup + gateway advertises LAN IP instead of MagicDNS / tailnet route: wrong.
• Public URL set but QR still advertises something else: inspect `urlSource`; config is not what you think.
• `openclaw devices list` shows pending requests: stop changing network config and approve first.

Fix style

Reply with one concrete diagnosis and one route.

If there is not enough signal yet, ask for setup + exact app text instead of guessing.

Good:

• `The gateway is still loopback-only, so a node on another network can never reach it. Enable Tailscale Serve, restart the gateway, run openclaw qr again, rescan, then approve the pending device pairing.`

Bad:

• `Maybe LAN, maybe Tailscale, maybe port forwarding, maybe public URL.`