MCP Usage

MCP mode de local MCP endpoint o remote client ni kaisetsu dekimasu. MCP wa Pro / Business plan de riyo dekimasu.

Plan requirement: MCP mode wa Pro matawa Business no login-zumi API key ga hitsuyo desu.

1. Install CLI

$ npm install -g instatunnel

2. Authenticate (new vs existing users)

New user

$ instatunnel auth login -e you@example.com

# Verify email from inbox and copy API key from verification page

$ instatunnel auth set-key "it_your_api_key"

Existing user

$ instatunnel auth show-key --reveal --copy

# If key is not saved locally:

$ instatunnel auth login -e you@example.com

# Use recovery email, then save the new/current key:

$ instatunnel auth set-key "it_your_api_key"

$ Set-Clipboard "it_your_api_key" # Windows PowerShell helper

$ instatunnel auth set-key "$(Get-Clipboard)"

$ pbpaste | xargs -I {} instatunnel auth set-key "{}" # macOS

$ xclip -o -selection clipboard | xargs -I {} instatunnel auth set-key "{}" # Linux

2a. Use Dashboard MCP Setup Wizard (recommended)

Guided flow ga hitsuyo nara dashboard de MCP Setup Wizard v2 o tsukatte kudasai. dashboard.

Setup mae ni MCP plan no shikaku o check shimasu.
Port to subdomain ni awasete instatunnel ... --mcp --transport v2 command o seisei shimasu.
VS Code, Cursor, Claude Desktop, Windsurf, Codex, Gemini Antigravity yoke no one-click JSON o seisei shimasu.

3. Start MCP tunnel (v1 default)

v1 wa default transport de, hiroku compatible desu.

$ instatunnel 8787 --mcp

$ instatunnel 8787 --mcp --subdomain my-mcp

4. Use streaming transport v2 when needed

Streaming ga hitsuyo na toki dake v2 o shiyou shite kudasai. Mayottara v1 de hajimete, streaming client no toki ni v2 e kirikaete kudasai.

$ instatunnel 8787 --mcp --transport v2

$ instatunnel 8787 --mcp --transport v2 --subdomain my-mcp

Compatibility: --transport v2 requires newer InstaTunnel CLI versions (1.1.7+). Recommended update: npm install -g instatunnel@latest.

5. Optional MCP token header (staged rollout)

InstaTunnel wa defense in depth no tame ni MCP token header o support shimasu. Genzai no staged rollout de wa saisho warn mode, ato de enforce mode ni naru baai ga arimasu.

$ export INSTATUNNEL_MCP_TOKEN="your-shared-secret"

$ instatunnel 8787 --mcp --transport v2

5a. Generate YOUR_MCP_TOKEN

Tsuyoi token o seisei shite MCP JSON no Authorization header de YOUR_MCP_TOKEN toshite tsukatte kudasai.

$ node -e "console.log(require('crypto').randomBytes(32).toString('hex'))"

$ node -e "console.log(require('crypto').randomBytes(32).toString('hex'))" | Set-Clipboard # Windows

$ node -e "console.log(require('crypto').randomBytes(32).toString('hex'))" | pbcopy # macOS

$ node -e "console.log(require('crypto').randomBytes(32).toString('hex'))" | xclip -selection clipboard # Linux

6. Configure your MCP client/server

Seisei sareta HTTPS URL o MCP client no setting ni tsukai, local MCP server no kitai suru path o settei shite kudasai.

https://your-subdomain.instatunnel.my

6a. Do you need Authorization headers?

Local stdio MCP server de wa hitsuyo arimasen. Header wa tsukawaremasen.
Remote MCP server ga auth o kyosei shinai nara hitsuyo arimasen.
MCP server ga bearer token o motomeru baai nomi hitsuyo desu (public endpoint de suisho).
VS Code, Cursor, Claude Desktop, Windsurf, Codex, Gemini Antigravity ni tekio. Client gawa wa bearer auth o kyosei sezu, server policy de kimarimasu.

7. One-click MCP config generator

VS Code, Cursor, Claude Desktop, Windsurf, Codex, Gemini Antigravity no JSON o one-click de seisei/copy dekimasu.

One-Click MCP Config Generator

Generate IDE-ready JSON for VS Code, Cursor, Claude Desktop, Windsurf, Codex, and Gemini Antigravity with endpoint and token header.

Tunnel subdomainMCP token

MCP Endpoint

https://your-subdomain.instatunnel.my/mcp

Target: .vscode/mcp.json (workspace)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "instatunnel-remote": {
      "type": "streamable-http",
      "url": "https://your-subdomain.instatunnel.my/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_MCP_TOKEN"
      }
    }
  }
}

headers.Authorization is not required by MCP clients by default. Add it only when your MCP server expects bearer-token auth. For local stdio MCP servers, headers are not used.

Token helper

Generate a strong token, paste it into YOUR_MCP_TOKEN, and use the same value in your local MCP server auth.

node -e "console.log(require('crypto').randomBytes(32).toString('hex'))" | Set-Clipboard

Loading MCP setup...

Notes

v1 wa compatibility no tame no default transport no mama desu.
Mayottara v1 kara hajimete kudasai.
MCP Streamable HTTP to nagai streaming response ni wa v2 o tsukatte kudasai.
--transport v2 ni wa CLI 1.1.7+ ga hitsuyo desu. npm install -g instatunnel@latest de update shite kudasai.
MCP tunnel ni wa MCP-senyo rate limit o fukumu yori strict na protection ga arimasu.
Account usage ni wa instatunnel --stats, request log ni wa instatunnel --logs o tsukatte kudasai.
Ninsho o tsukai, kikan na tool o public ni sarasanai de kudasai.

MCP FAQ (Localhost, Webhooks, IDE Setup)

Common setup and troubleshooting questions for VS Code, Cursor, Claude Desktop, Windsurf, Codex, and Gemini Antigravity.

Do VS Code, Cursor, Claude Desktop, Windsurf, Codex, or Gemini Antigravity require Authorization headers by default?

No. The client usually does not force bearer headers. Add "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_MCP_TOKEN" only if your remote MCP server enforces token auth. For local stdio MCP servers, headers are not used.

Which endpoint should I use with InstaTunnel?

Use: https://YOUR-SUBDOMAIN.instatunnel.my/mcp. Start your local MCP server first, then run: instatunnel 8787 --mcp --transport v2 --subdomain YOUR-SUBDOMAIN.

What is the difference between local stdio MCP and remote HTTP MCP?

Local stdio is process-to-process on your machine, with no public URL. Remote HTTP MCP is reachable via URL and is required when an IDE or agent needs to access your MCP server from another network context.

Why do I get "failed to reach local server localhost:8787"?

InstaTunnel can reach the public tunnel, but your local app is not listening on the forwarded port. Start your MCP server locally on the same port (for example 8787) and retry.

Can I use this for localhost sharing and webhook testing?

Yes. For generic webhook testing, use normal HTTP tunnels (for example instatunnel 3000 --subdomain webhook-demo). For MCP tools, use MCP mode with --mcp --transport v2 and the /mcp endpoint.

Which transport should I use: v1 or v2?

v1 is default and most compatible, so start there if you are unsure. Use v2 when you need Streamable HTTP behavior (long-lived streaming/tool responses). Recommended: instatunnel 8787 --mcp --transport v2. Note: --transport v2 requires newer CLI versions (1.1.7+). Update with npm install -g instatunnel@latest.

Why do I get "MCP mode is available on Pro and Business plans"?

MCP mode is gated by plan. Upgrade to Pro/Business, then rerun your command with the same saved API key.

Where do I configure MCP clients?

Use each client's MCP settings area. The JSON shape from the generator works for common MCP clients. For Codex, you can also register MCP servers via codex mcp add.

Official references

Loading MCP FAQ...

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Documentation

MCP Usage

1. Install CLI

2. Authenticate (new vs existing users)

2a. Use Dashboard MCP Setup Wizard (recommended)

3. Start MCP tunnel (v1 default)

4. Use streaming transport v2 when needed

5. Optional MCP token header (staged rollout)

5a. Generate YOUR_MCP_TOKEN

6. Configure your MCP client/server

6a. Do you need Authorization headers?

7. One-click MCP config generator

One-Click MCP Config Generator

Notes

MCP FAQ (Localhost, Webhooks, IDE Setup)

Need a quick path?

One-Click MCP Config Generator

MCP FAQ (Localhost, Webhooks, IDE Setup)