mcprouter

mcprouter is an MCP server that acts as a proxy to route client requests to remote MCP servers. Built for developers and teams using Model Context Protocol clients like Claude Desktop, the server bridges local client interfaces with hosted tools and remote execution environments. Standard MCP setups typically expect local processes communicating over standard input and output, which can make connecting directly to third-party or remotely hosted endpoints complicated. By serving as an intermediary gateway, mcprouter handles the connection lifecycle and dispatches tool calls and context queries to remote endpoints using assigned server keys. Developers use this router to consolidate access across distributed backends without having to manage separate bespoke transport layers in their local client configurations. It simplifies infrastructure management by allowing clients to invoke remotely deployed tools through a single local proxy command. Integrating this routing layer helps maintain centralized control over remote integrations while retaining compatibility with any standard MCP-compliant desktop application or CLI environment.

Category: AI & LLM Tooling

Tags: gateway, infrastructure, proxy, routing

Visit mcprouter

How to install and configure mcprouter

1. Obtain a remote server key by selecting a hosting server and clicking Connect on MCP.so. 2. Open your client configuration file, located at ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json on macOS or %APPDATA%/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json on Windows. 3. Add the server configuration to use npx: json { "mcpServers": { "mcprouter": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "mcprouter"], "env": { "SERVER_KEY": "your_server_key" } } } } 4. Alternatively, clone the source repository, run npm install, compile using npm run build, and configure the command to execute /path/to/mcprouter/build/index.js. 5. Restart your client application to start routing requests.

What you can do with mcprouter

• Connect local desktop clients to remotely hosted MCP servers using a secure server key without manual network forwarding. - Proxy tool execution requests from Claude Desktop to remote infrastructure hosting specialized computation environments or proprietary services. - Test and debug remote Model Context Protocol connections locally using the built-in MCP Inspector script during custom proxy development. - Standardize remote server connections across client workstations by distributing unified proxy configuration files across development teams.

Key facts

• https://github.com/chatmcp/mcp-server-router
• AI & LLM Tooling
• gateway, infrastructure, proxy, routing

Part of MCP Servers

What is mcprouter?

mcprouter is a proxy server designed to forward requests from Model Context Protocol clients to remote MCP servers. It functions as an intermediary layer, allowing applications like Claude Desktop to connect with remote tools and services using standard input and output protocols paired with a remote server key.

How do I install mcprouter?

You can run mcprouter directly via npx by adding it to your MCP client configuration file alongside your designated SERVER_KEY environment variable. If you prefer running a local build, clone the repository, install dependencies using npm install, compile the project with npm run build, and reference the compiled JavaScript path in your client settings.

Which MCP clients work with mcprouter?

Any client application that adheres to the Model Context Protocol standard can work with mcprouter. This includes Claude Desktop on macOS and Windows, as well as developer debugging interfaces like the MCP Inspector. Any interface that supports running stdio commands with custom environment variables is compatible.

How do I debug mcprouter connections?

You can debug mcprouter by executing npm run inspector inside the project repository. Because MCP servers communicate over stdio, the MCP Inspector package starts an interactive web-based debugging session and provides a local browser URL where you can inspect requests, responses, and tool call routing in real time.