MCP Gateway Automation Setup

🚀 MCP Gateway Automation

Transform Your Mini PC into a Powerful MCP Server for Your Entire Network

📖 Introduction

If you're using Claude Desktop or Claude Code CLI with MCP (Model Context Protocol) tools, you know that running Docker on every machine can be resource-intensive and complex to manage. This guide presents a game-changing solution: centralize your MCP Gateway on a single Mini PC and access it from all your devices without needing Docker installed on each one.

This setup transforms a low-power Mini PC into a dedicated MCP server that automatically starts on boot, manages all your Docker containers, and provides MCP tools to your entire network. Your main workstation, laptop, or even tablet can connect via a simple SSH tunnel, keeping them lean while still having full access to all MCP capabilities.

Perfect for: Developers who want to reduce resource usage on their main machine, teams sharing MCP tools, home lab enthusiasts, or anyone tired of managing Docker on multiple devices. This guide provides complete PowerShell scripts and step-by-step instructions for Windows 11, making the entire setup automatic and maintenance-free.

🎯 Why This Setup?

💡 Centralized MCP Server

Run Docker MCP Gateway once on your Mini PC, access it from ANY device on your network. No need to install Docker on every machine!

⚡ Resource Efficiency

Let your Mini PC handle the Docker containers and MCP tools. Your main workstation stays lean and focused on development.

🔧 Single Point of Management

Update MCP tools, manage Docker containers, and configure services in one place. Changes instantly available to all clients.

👥 Multi-Client Support

Multiple developers can connect to the same MCP Gateway. Perfect for teams or when switching between laptop and desktop.

🖥️ Cross-Platform Access

Access from Windows, Mac, or Linux machines. Even lightweight devices like tablets can use Claude with full MCP capabilities.

🚀 Always Available

Mini PC runs 24/7 with low power consumption. MCP tools are always ready, no waiting for Docker Desktop to start.

📊 Centralized vs Local Setup Comparison:

Aspect	Local Docker (Traditional)	Centralized MCP Server (This Setup)
Docker Required	Every machine	Mini PC only
Resource Usage	High on each machine	Minimal on clients
Maintenance	Update each machine	Update Mini PC only
Setup Complexity	Configure each machine	One-time server setup
Team Sharing	Each person configures own	Instant access for all

📚 Real-World Use Cases:

Development Team: Share MCP tools across the team without everyone needing Docker
Home Lab: Mini PC serves as your AI tools server for all devices
Resource-Limited Laptops: Offload heavy Docker operations to the Mini PC
Consistent Environment: Same MCP tools and versions across all your devices
Remote Work: SSH tunnel can work over VPN for remote access to your home MCP server

System Architecture

    [Mini PC - 192.168.0.18]              [Tower PC]
    +-------------------------+           +-------------------------+
    |                         |           |                         |
    |   Docker MCP Gateway    |           |    Claude Desktop       |
    |   Port: 8080           <===========>|    Claude Code CLI      |
    |                         | SSH Tunnel|    ↓                    |
    |   Auto-starts on login  | Port 8080 |    Supergateway         |
    |                         |           |    (Protocol Bridge)    |
    +-------------------------+           +-------------------------+
                |                                     |
                |                                     |
        Runs MCP Gateway                    Translates stdio ←→ HTTP
        as Windows service                  for Claude communication

🔄 Data Flow:

Claude Desktop/CLI sends stdio commands
Supergateway translates stdio to HTTP requests
Requests go through SSH tunnel to localhost:8080
Mini PC's Docker MCP Gateway processes the requests
Responses flow back through the same path in reverse

✨ What This Setup Does:

One Server, Many Clients: Mini PC runs MCP Gateway for your entire network
No Docker on Clients: Other machines only need Claude and an SSH connection
Auto-Everything: Gateway and tunnels start automatically on boot
Resource Efficient: Offload Docker operations to dedicated server
Team Ready: Multiple users can connect to the same MCP Gateway

🖥️ Mini PC Setup (192.168.0.18)

⚠️ Important Notes:

The username reg in the SSH command should be replaced with your actual Mini PC username if different
The IP 192.168.0.18 should match your Mini PC's static IP address
If you change the Mini PC's IP, update it in the mcp-ssh-tunnel.ps1 script

Prerequisites

Windows 11
Docker Desktop installed and configured to start on login
Docker MCP Gateway plugin installed
Static IP address (192.168.0.18 or your chosen IP)

⚠️ Critical: Static IP Required!

Why Static IP is Essential:

The SSH tunnel is hardcoded to connect to 192.168.0.18
If your Mini PC gets a different IP from DHCP, the tunnel will fail
All client machines need a consistent IP to connect to

How to Set Static IP on Windows 11:

Open Settings → Network & Internet → Ethernet (or Wi-Fi)
Click on your network connection
Click "Edit" next to IP assignment
Change from "Automatic (DHCP)" to "Manual"
Turn on IPv4 and enter:
- IP address: 192.168.0.18 (or another unused IP)
- Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
- Gateway: 192.168.0.1 (your router's IP)
- Preferred DNS: 8.8.8.8 (or your preferred DNS)
Click "Save"

Alternative - Router DHCP Reservation:
Configure your router to always assign the same IP to your Mini PC's MAC address. This way it still uses DHCP but always gets the same IP.

📄 mcp-gateway-task.ps1

This script creates a scheduled task that automatically starts the Docker MCP Gateway after Docker Desktop is ready.

What it does:

Removes any existing MCP Gateway task
Creates a hidden scheduled task that runs at login
Waits 1 minute for Docker Desktop to fully start
Runs Docker MCP Gateway on port 8080
Verifies the service is running

Script Content:

# Delete old task
Unregister-ScheduledTask -TaskName "MCP Gateway" -Confirm:$false -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

# Create task that runs HIDDEN
$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction `
    -Execute "cmd.exe" `
    -Argument "/c docker mcp gateway run --port 8080 --transport streaming"

$trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -AtLogon -User $env:USERNAME
$trigger.Delay = "PT1M"

$principal = New-ScheduledTaskPrincipal `
    -UserId "$env:USERDOMAIN\$env:USERNAME" `
    -LogonType S4U `
    -RunLevel Highest

$settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet `
    -AllowStartIfOnBatteries `
    -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries `
    -StartWhenAvailable `
    -ExecutionTimeLimit ([TimeSpan]::Zero) `
    -Hidden

Register-ScheduledTask `
    -TaskName "MCP Gateway" `
    -Action $action `
    -Trigger $trigger `
    -Principal $principal `
    -Settings $settings `
    -Force

Write-Host "Task created (runs hidden)" -ForegroundColor Green

# Test it
Start-ScheduledTask -TaskName "MCP Gateway"
Start-Sleep -Seconds 10

# Verify it's running
if (netstat -an | Select-String ":8080.*LISTENING") {
    Write-Host "MCP Gateway is running on port 8080!" -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
    Write-Host "Port 8080 not listening" -ForegroundColor Red
}

Installation Steps

Save the script

Save mcp-gateway-task.ps1 anywhere on your Mini PC (e.g., C:\Scripts\)

Run PowerShell as Administrator

Right-click PowerShell → Run as Administrator

Execute the script

.\mcp-gateway-task.ps1

Verify success

You should see: "MCP Gateway is running on port 8080!"

✅ Mini PC Configuration Complete!

The MCP Gateway will now automatically start every time you log into Windows.

🖥️ Tower PC Setup

Prerequisites

Windows 11
SSH client (built into Windows 11)
Node.js and npm installed
Supergateway npm package (npm install -g supergateway)
Claude Desktop and/or Claude Code CLI installed

🔌 What is Supergateway?

The Essential Protocol Bridge:

The Problem: Claude expects MCP servers to communicate via stdio (standard input/output), but Docker MCP Gateway provides an HTTP streaming endpoint
The Solution: Supergateway acts as a translator between these two protocols
How it works:

    Claude Desktop/CLI
           ↓
    [stdio protocol]
           ↓
      Supergateway  ← "Translates stdio to HTTP and back"
           ↓
    [HTTP streaming]
           ↓
    localhost:8080 (SSH tunnel)
           ↓
    Mini PC's Docker MCP Gateway

Without supergateway, Claude cannot communicate with HTTP-based MCP servers. It's the essential bridge that makes this entire setup possible!

📄 mcp-ssh-tunnel.ps1

Creates an SSH tunnel to forward localhost:8080 to the Mini PC's MCP Gateway.

What it does:

Creates a scheduled task for automatic SSH tunnel creation
Runs minimized in the background
Forwards port 8080 from Mini PC to your Tower PC
Auto-reconnects if the connection drops

Script Content:

# Fixed version - just check port, don't read response
Unregister-ScheduledTask -TaskName "MCP SSH Tunnel" -Confirm:$false -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction `
    -Execute "cmd.exe" `
    -Argument "/c start /min powershell -WindowStyle Hidden -Command ssh -N -L 8080:localhost:8080 [email protected]"

$trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -AtLogon -User $env:USERNAME

$settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet `
    -AllowStartIfOnBatteries `
    -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries `
    -StartWhenAvailable

Register-ScheduledTask `
    -TaskName "MCP SSH Tunnel" `
    -Action $action `
    -Trigger $trigger `
    -Settings $settings `
    -Force

Write-Host "SSH Tunnel task created" -ForegroundColor Green

# Start it now
Start-ScheduledTask -TaskName "MCP SSH Tunnel"

# Just check if port is listening
Start-Sleep -Seconds 5
if (netstat -an | Select-String ":8080.*LISTENING") {
    Write-Host "SUCCESS: SSH Tunnel is active on port 8080!" -ForegroundColor Green
    Write-Host "MCP Gateway is ready for Claude Desktop" -ForegroundColor Green
} else {
    Write-Host "Port 8080 not listening" -ForegroundColor Red
}

Write-Host "Setup complete!" -ForegroundColor Cyan

📄 claude-mcp-add-global.ps1

Configures Claude Code CLI to use the MCP Gateway globally for all projects.

What it does:

Creates a JSON configuration for the MCP server
Specifies supergateway as the command (protocol translator)
Points supergateway to the HTTP endpoint at localhost:8080
Sets output to stdio format that Claude understands
Adds it globally using Claude CLI's mcp add-json command

Key Configuration Explained:

"command": "npx" - Runs supergateway via npx
"args": ["supergateway", ...] - The protocol bridge tool
"--streamableHttp" - Tells supergateway to connect via HTTP
"http://localhost:8080/mcp" - The tunneled MCP Gateway endpoint
"--outputTransport", "stdio" - Output in Claude's expected format

Script Content:

# Create the JSON configuration
$config = @'
{
  "type": "stdio",
  "command": "npx",
  "args": ["supergateway", "--streamableHttp", "http://localhost:8080/mcp", "--outputTransport", "stdio"]
}
'@

# Add it globally
claude mcp add-json --scope user docker-gateway $config

Installation Steps

Set up SSH key authentication (recommended)

ssh-keygen -t ed25519

type $env:USERPROFILE\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub | ssh [email protected] "cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys"

This allows passwordless SSH connections.

Install supergateway

npm install -g supergateway

Run SSH tunnel setup

.\mcp-ssh-tunnel.ps1

You should see: "SSH Tunnel is active on port 8080!"

Configure Claude Code CLI

.\claude-mcp-add-global.ps1

Configure Claude Desktop

Edit %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "docker-gateway": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["supergateway", "--streamableHttp", "http://localhost:8080/mcp", "--outputTransport", "stdio"]
    }
  }
}

✅ Tower PC Configuration Complete!

Claude Desktop and Claude Code CLI can now access all Docker MCP tools!

🔍 Verification & Testing

Mini PC Status

netstat -an | findstr :8080

Should show LISTENING on port 8080

SSH Tunnel Status

netstat -an | findstr :8080

Tower PC should also show port 8080

Claude Code CLI Test

claude code

Type /mcp - should show docker-gateway connected

Claude Desktop Test

Look for MCP indicator in the bottom-right of the chat input

🌐 Extending to Other Machines

The Power of Centralization:

Once your Mini PC is running the MCP Gateway, ANY machine on your local network can connect to it. No Docker needed on client machines!

Adding a New Client Machine

Install only what you need

Claude Desktop and/or Claude Code CLI
Node.js and npm (for supergateway)
SSH client (for secure connection)

No Docker required!

Create SSH tunnel

Run the same mcp-ssh-tunnel.ps1 script on any new machine, just update the IP if needed

Configure Claude

Run claude-mcp-add-global.ps1 to configure Claude Code CLI

Network Topology Examples

    Scenario 1: Home Office Setup
    ================================
    
    Mini PC (192.168.0.18)
    └── MCP Gateway :8080
            │
            ├── Desktop PC (via SSH tunnel)
            ├── Laptop (via SSH tunnel)
            ├── Work Laptop (via VPN + SSH)
            └── iPad with Terminal (via SSH)
    
    
    Scenario 2: Small Team Setup
    ================================
    
    Office Server (10.0.1.5)
    └── MCP Gateway :8080
            │
            ├── Developer 1 Workstation
            ├── Developer 2 Workstation
            ├── Designer's Mac (for AI tools)
            └── Remote Developer (via VPN)
    
    
    Scenario 3: Hybrid Setup
    ================================
    
    Mini PC (Always On)
    └── MCP Gateway :8080
            │
            ├── Gaming PC (High-end, but no Docker)
            ├── MacBook (Different OS, same tools)
            └── Thin Client (Low resources)

💰 Cost Savings:

No need for Docker Desktop licenses on every machine
Lower resource usage on client machines
One Mini PC can serve 10+ clients easily
Reduced maintenance and updates

🔧 Troubleshooting

SSH tunnel not connecting:

Verify Mini PC has static IP: Check if it's still 192.168.0.18
Test connection: ping 192.168.0.18
If IP changed, update it in mcp-ssh-tunnel.ps1 script
Test SSH manually: ssh [email protected]
Check Windows Firewall settings on both machines

Port 8080 not listening on Mini PC:

Check if Docker Desktop is running
Manually test: docker mcp gateway run --port 8080 --transport streaming
Check Task Scheduler for errors

Claude not seeing MCP tools:

Restart Claude Desktop/CLI after configuration
Verify config files are properly formatted JSON
Check: claude mcp list

Mini PC IP keeps changing:

Set a static IP address (see Mini PC Prerequisites)
Or configure DHCP reservation in your router
Update all client scripts if you choose a different IP

Check scheduled tasks:

Get-ScheduledTask | Where-Object {$_.TaskName -like "*MCP*"}

🔄 How It All Works Together:

System Boot: Both PCs start and users log in
Mini PC: Docker Desktop starts → MCP Gateway task waits 1 minute → Starts gateway on port 8080
Tower PC: SSH Tunnel task starts → Creates tunnel to Mini PC → Port 8080 forwarded
Claude Apps: Connect to localhost:8080 → Access all Docker MCP tools
Result: Seamless access to MCP tools without manual intervention!

📖 Introduction

🎯 Why This Setup?

💡 Centralized MCP Server

⚡ Resource Efficiency

🔧 Single Point of Management

👥 Multi-Client Support

🖥️ Cross-Platform Access

🚀 Always Available

📊 Centralized vs Local Setup Comparison:

📚 Real-World Use Cases:

System Architecture

🖥️ Mini PC Setup (192.168.0.18)

Prerequisites

⚠️ Critical: Static IP Required!

How to Set Static IP on Windows 11:

What it does:

Script Content:

Installation Steps

🖥️ Tower PC Setup

Prerequisites

🔌 What is Supergateway?

What it does:

Script Content:

What it does:

Script Content:

Installation Steps

🔍 Verification & Testing

Mini PC Status

SSH Tunnel Status

Claude Code CLI Test

Claude Desktop Test

🌐 Extending to Other Machines

Adding a New Client Machine

Network Topology Examples

🔧 Troubleshooting

SSH tunnel not connecting:

Port 8080 not listening on Mini PC:

Claude not seeing MCP tools:

Mini PC IP keeps changing:

Check scheduled tasks:

Topics