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Tailscale (Gateway dashboard)

OpenClaw can auto-configure Tailscale Serve (tailnet) or Funnel (public) for the Gateway dashboard and WebSocket port. This keeps the Gateway bound to loopback while Tailscale provides HTTPS, routing, and (for Serve) identity headers.

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Modes

  • serve: Tailnet-only Serve via tailscale serve. The gateway stays on 127.0.0.1.
  • funnel: Public HTTPS via tailscale funnel. OpenClaw requires a shared password.
  • off: Default (no Tailscale automation).

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Auth

Set gateway.auth.mode to control the handshake:
  • token (default when OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN is set)
  • password (shared secret via OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PASSWORD or config)
When tailscale.mode = "serve" and gateway.auth.allowTailscale is true, valid Serve proxy requests can authenticate via Tailscale identity headers (tailscale-user-login) without supplying a token/password. OpenClaw verifies the identity by resolving the x-forwarded-for address via the local Tailscale daemon (tailscale whois) and matching it to the header before accepting it. OpenClaw only treats a request as Serve when it arrives from loopback with Tailscale’s x-forwarded-for, x-forwarded-proto, and x-forwarded-host headers. To require explicit credentials, set gateway.auth.allowTailscale: false or force gateway.auth.mode: "password".

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Config examples

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Tailnet-only (Serve) 

{
  gateway: {
    bind: "loopback",
    tailscale: { mode: "serve" },
  },
}
Open: https://<magicdns>/ (or your configured gateway.controlUi.basePath)

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Tailnet-only (bind to Tailnet IP)

Use this when you want the Gateway to listen directly on the Tailnet IP (no Serve/Funnel). 
{
  gateway: {
    bind: "tailnet",
    auth: { mode: "token", token: "your-token" },
  },
}
Connect from another Tailnet device:
  • Control UI: http://<tailscale-ip>:18789/
  • WebSocket: ws://<tailscale-ip>:18789
Note: loopback (http://127.0.0.1:18789) will not work in this mode.

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Public internet (Funnel + shared password) 

{
  gateway: {
    bind: "loopback",
    tailscale: { mode: "funnel" },
    auth: { mode: "password", password: "replace-me" },
  },
}
Prefer OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PASSWORD over committing a password to disk.

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CLI examples 

openclaw gateway --tailscale serve
openclaw gateway --tailscale funnel --auth password

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Notes

  • Tailscale Serve/Funnel requires the tailscale CLI to be installed and logged in.
  • tailscale.mode: "funnel" refuses to start unless auth mode is password to avoid public exposure.
  • Set gateway.tailscale.resetOnExit if you want OpenClaw to undo tailscale serve or tailscale funnel configuration on shutdown.
  • gateway.bind: "tailnet" is a direct Tailnet bind (no HTTPS, no Serve/Funnel).
  • gateway.bind: "auto" prefers loopback; use tailnet if you want Tailnet-only.
  • Serve/Funnel only expose the Gateway control UI + WS. Nodes connect over the same Gateway WS endpoint, so Serve can work for node access.

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Browser control (remote Gateway + local browser)

If you run the Gateway on one machine but want to drive a browser on another machine, run a node host on the browser machine and keep both on the same tailnet. The Gateway will proxy browser actions to the node; no separate control server or Serve URL needed. Avoid Funnel for browser control; treat node pairing like operator access.

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Tailscale prerequisites + limits

  • Serve requires HTTPS enabled for your tailnet; the CLI prompts if it is missing.
  • Serve injects Tailscale identity headers; Funnel does not.
  • Funnel requires Tailscale v1.38.3+, MagicDNS, HTTPS enabled, and a funnel node attribute.
  • Funnel only supports ports 443, 8443, and 10000 over TLS.
  • Funnel on macOS requires the open-source Tailscale app variant.

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