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openclaw/docs/gateway/multiple-gateways.md
Tak Hoffman 09c5669299 docs: clarify rescue bot gateway setup (#69788)
* docs: clarify rescue bot gateway setup

* docs: make rescue bot guide more prescriptive
2026-04-21 12:29:40 -05:00

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---
summary: "Run multiple OpenClaw Gateways on one host (isolation, ports, and profiles)"
read_when:
- Running more than one Gateway on the same machine
- You need isolated config/state/ports per Gateway
title: "Multiple Gateways"
---
# Multiple Gateways (same host)
Most setups should use one Gateway because a single Gateway can handle multiple messaging connections and agents. If you need stronger isolation or redundancy (e.g., a rescue bot), run separate Gateways with isolated profiles/ports.
## Isolation checklist (required)
- `OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH` — per-instance config file
- `OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR` — per-instance sessions, creds, caches
- `agents.defaults.workspace` — per-instance workspace root
- `gateway.port` (or `--port`) — unique per instance
- Derived ports (browser/canvas) must not overlap
If these are shared, you will hit config races and port conflicts.
## Recommended: use the default profile for main, a named profile for rescue
Profiles auto-scope `OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR` + `OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH` and suffix service names. For
most rescue-bot setups, keep the main bot on the default profile and give only
the rescue bot a named profile such as `rescue`.
```bash
# main (default profile)
openclaw setup
openclaw gateway --port 18789
# rescue
openclaw --profile rescue setup
openclaw --profile rescue gateway --port 19001
```
Services:
```bash
openclaw gateway install
openclaw --profile rescue gateway install
```
If you want both Gateways to use named profiles, that also works, but it is not
required.
## Rescue-bot guide
Recommended setup:
- keep the main bot on the default profile
- run the rescue bot on `--profile rescue`
- use a completely separate Telegram bot for the rescue account
- keep the rescue bot on a different base port such as `19001`
This keeps the rescue bot isolated from the main bot so it can debug or apply
config changes if the primary bot is down. Leave at least 20 ports between
base ports so the derived browser/canvas/CDP ports never collide.
### Recommended rescue channel/account
For most setups, use a completely separate Telegram bot for the rescue profile.
Why Telegram:
- easy to keep operator-only
- separate bot token and identity
- independent from the main bot's channel/app install
- simple DM-based recovery path when the main bot is broken
The important part is full independence: separate bot account, separate
credentials, separate OpenClaw profile, separate workspace, and separate port.
### Recommended install flow
Use this as the default setup unless you have a strong reason to do something
else:
```bash
# Main bot (default profile, port 18789)
openclaw onboard
openclaw gateway install
# Rescue bot (separate Telegram bot, separate profile, port 19001)
openclaw --profile rescue onboard
openclaw --profile rescue gateway install
```
During `openclaw --profile rescue onboard`:
- use the separate Telegram bot token
- keep the `rescue` profile
- use a base port at least 20 higher than the main bot
- accept the default rescue workspace unless you already manage one yourself
If onboarding already installed the rescue service for you, the final
`gateway install` is not needed.
### What onboarding changes
`openclaw --profile rescue onboard` uses the normal onboarding flow, but it
writes everything into a separate profile.
In practice, that means the rescue bot gets its own:
- config file
- state directory
- workspace (by default `~/.openclaw/workspace-rescue`)
- managed service name
The prompts are otherwise the same as normal onboarding.
## Port mapping (derived)
Base port = `gateway.port` (or `OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PORT` / `--port`).
- browser control service port = base + 2 (loopback only)
- canvas host is served on the Gateway HTTP server (same port as `gateway.port`)
- Browser profile CDP ports auto-allocate from `browser.controlPort + 9 .. + 108`
If you override any of these in config or env, you must keep them unique per instance.
## Browser/CDP notes (common footgun)
- Do **not** pin `browser.cdpUrl` to the same values on multiple instances.
- Each instance needs its own browser control port and CDP range (derived from its gateway port).
- If you need explicit CDP ports, set `browser.profiles.<name>.cdpPort` per instance.
- Remote Chrome: use `browser.profiles.<name>.cdpUrl` (per profile, per instance).
## Manual env example
```bash
OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH=~/.openclaw/main.json \
OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR=~/.openclaw \
openclaw gateway --port 18789
OPENCLAW_CONFIG_PATH=~/.openclaw/rescue.json \
OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR=~/.openclaw-rescue \
openclaw gateway --port 19001
```
## Quick checks
```bash
openclaw gateway status --deep
openclaw --profile rescue gateway status --deep
openclaw --profile rescue gateway probe
openclaw status
openclaw --profile rescue status
openclaw --profile rescue browser status
```
Interpretation:
- `gateway status --deep` helps catch stale launchd/systemd/schtasks services from older installs.
- `gateway probe` warning text such as `multiple reachable gateways detected` is expected only when you intentionally run more than one isolated gateway.