airbox.fyi

OpenClaw

Advanced: bridge OpenClaw to Airbox via a self-hosted MCP proxy

No coding required. If you've never used an API key before, follow the walkthrough below step by step. Developers can skip to Quick reference at the bottom

Part 1 — Get your API key

  1. This is an advanced, self-hosted path — OpenClaw is not a one-click connector.
  2. OpenClaw's MCP server (`openclaw mcp serve`) is stdio-only: it expects to be spawned as a local child process by a desktop MCP client, then it dials the OpenClaw Gateway over WebSocket.
  3. Airbox is a hosted service that connects only to remote Streamable-HTTP MCP servers, so it cannot spawn `openclaw` for you — you bridge OpenClaw's stdio server to an HTTP endpoint Airbox can reach.
  4. Run `openclaw mcp serve` behind a stdio→Streamable-HTTP proxy (e.g. mcp-proxy or supergateway) on a host you control.
  5. Expose that proxy at an HTTPS URL and protect it with a bearer token — this URL + token are what you give Airbox.

Open OpenClaw key page →

Part 2 — Add your connection in Airbox

  1. Stand up the proxy: `openclaw mcp serve` wrapped by a stdio→Streamable-HTTP proxy, reachable at an HTTPS URL with a bearer token
  2. Dashboard → Connections → + MCP server
  3. Paste the proxy's Streamable-HTTP URL
  4. Paste your bearer token as the authorization token (OpenClaw's stdio bridge is not an OAuth/DCR server, so use a static token on the proxy)
  5. Open inbox routing (gear icon) and check this server under MCP servers
  6. Keep an AI or LLM provider as the inbox default — OpenClaw supplies tools, your provider runs the model

Open the dashboard in a new tab if you want to follow along

Part 3 — Route your inbox

Your Airbox address does not use a connection until you attach one:

  1. In the Inboxes card, find your Airbox address
  2. Click the gear icon (⚙) on that address to open routing settings
  3. Under "AI, LLM or MCP provider", choose the connection you just added from the dropdown
  4. Leave "Email a reply back" checked if you want results in your inbox (recommended)
  5. Click "Save"

Try it — send an email

Subject: (* @openclaw #summarize *)

New to commands? See copy-paste examples and the syntax cheat sheet

Quick reference

Dashboard typemcp
Email targets@openclaw
Default model—
Keyshttps://docs.openclaw.ai/cli/mcp

What you get

  • Reuses Airbox's generic MCP connection (works with any inbox LLM)
  • Exposes OpenClaw-routed channel conversations as MCP tools

Notes

  • OpenClaw's MCP server mode is stdio-only (no HTTP/port-listen flags), and Airbox only reaches remote Streamable-HTTP servers — so the self-hosted proxy is required; there is no direct, turnkey OpenClaw connection.
  • OpenClaw is not an OpenAI-compatible LLM endpoint — do not add it as an openai_compat / Custom provider.

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