Manage with local MCP

Use Secure Pipes from Claude, Codex and other AI applications that support MCP to inspect saved configurations, diagnose connection activity and request changes within your permissions.

Enable and connect

Open Automation → Local MCP, enable Enable Local MCP, select the client format and copy the configuration into your AI client. Use the configuration generated by this installation instead of guessing its executable or socket path. Restart or reconnect the AI client. Keep Secure Pipes running and unlocked. Local MCP is enabled by default when no preference is saved; your saved on/off choice is preserved. Pro or an eligible trial is required.

Permissions and credentials

When no change policy is saved, changes require manual approval. Existing permission choices are preserved. Choose Not allowed, Allow with approval, or Allow automatically according to the trust you give the client; the selection is remembered. Manual approval happens in Secure Pipes. Automatic approval permits supported changes without an individual prompt. MCP does not read saved passwords, private-key paths or other saved credentials, and cannot set passwords or private-key paths. Enter those in the app. Supported creation tools can set a username and the authentication-enabled flag.

Read, diagnose and create

Read connections, all forwarding mappings, proxy servers, rules, scenarios, applications, groups, service status, active proxy/sharing flows and supported general/DNS settings. Query or analyze recent in-memory log metadata; log analysis is a diagnostic hint, not proof of a root cause. With change permission, start/stop connections or groups, switch scenarios, manage routes and ordering/favorites, and manage supported service settings and task plans. Use the actual tool list and schema supplied by the running app.

Batch creation supports proxy servers, SSH preset hosts, local forwards, remote forwards, SOCKS proxies, rules and scenarios, up to 128 items per request. A local/remote profile can contain multiple forwarding mappings. Before creating app-specific rules, ask the client to read the app’s related identifiers rather than guessing a bundle ID. Complete authentication in the app before connecting.

Connection details and script references

Use list_connections to obtain a UUID, then get_connection_detail with {"id":"CONNECTION-UUID"}. The result includes mappingCount and the complete ordered mappings array, including disabled mappings. Rows identify local_forward, remote_forward, socks or reverse_socks, listener/target sides, addresses, ports and enabled state. SOCKS targets are dynamic. Detail reads also return saved notes, custom SSH text and mapping remarks: keep secrets out of those fields. Saved credential fields remain excluded.

Ask get_automation_reference for its section index, then a section or command query. For example: {"interface":"spcli","query":"open-remote-desktop","language":"en"}. Follow nextOffset for additional pages. This tool supplies the running build’s AppleScript/spcli descriptions and examples; it does not execute scripts. Useful prompts: show my connections and status; summarize recent DNS failures; write a script that starts a connection, waits for readiness and handles failure.

Troubleshooting

If the service is unavailable, check the running app, Local MCP switch, unlock state, license and the installation path in client configuration. After an app update, refresh tools or reconnect the client so it replaces the old bridge/tool cache. Transport closed can require restarting the client’s MCP connection; repeatedly retrying the same closed transport does not reopen it. Review MCP entries in Logs. Never post real client configuration, notes or log data containing private information.