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Yllen Fernandez
Yllen Fernandez

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Setting Up OpenClaw on ZimaCube: It's Easier Than You Think

#homelab #selfhosting #zimacube #programming

Spoiler: the machine was fine. My assumptions were not.

Step 0: SSH Is Not Enabled by Default

You will try to SSH into your ZimaCube Pro. It will refuse. Not because of permissions, not because of a firewall. Because SSH is simply off.

ssh zimacube-pro
ssh: connect to host zimacube-pro port 22: Connection refused
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Go to your ZimaOS web UI → Settings → Network → scroll down. Toggle SSH on. That's it. That's the whole horror.

Screenshot of ZimaOS toggle for SSH

Step 1: OpenClaw Is Not a Binary on the Host

ZimaOS installs apps as Docker containers. There is no openclaw in your PATH. This will confuse you.

Every CLI command needs to be run inside the container:

sudo docker exec -it openclaw openclaw <command>
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And yes, sudo is required unless your user is in the docker group.

Step 2: Each Machine Has Its Own Gateway

This one is the real trap.

If you run OpenClaw on a different server AND your ZimaCube, they are two completely separate gateways. Pending pairing requests on the ZimaCube will NOT show up when you run openclaw devices list on another machine.

When the dashboard says "pairing required", you need to approve it from the machine the dashboard is pointing at. Check the WebSocket URL in the dashboard settings to confirm which machine that is.

Step 3: The Correct Pairing Flow

  1. Open the OpenClaw dashboard and click Connect to trigger the pairing request
  2. SSH into your ZimaCube and run: 
sudo docker exec -it openclaw openclaw devices list
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  1. Find the pending request ID and approve it: 
sudo docker exec -it openclaw openclaw devices approve <requestId>
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If devices list shows nothing pending, the request hasn't been sent yet. Go back to the dashboard and click Connect first.

Step 4: Accessing the Dashboard

Once pairing is approved, don't overthink it. Close any leftover tabs, go back to your ZimaOS interface, and click Open on the OpenClaw app. It will take you directly to:

http://192.168.1.242:24190/
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That's your local IP on port 24190. Works immediately, no extra config needed.

Quick Reference

Problem Fix
Connection refused on SSH Enable SSH in ZimaOS Settings → Network
openclaw: command not found Use sudo docker exec -it openclaw openclaw <cmd>
Pending devices not showing up You're on the wrong machine's gateway
Dashboard not loading after pairing Close the tab, open OpenClaw from ZimaOS UI

That's it, feel free to comment if you found it helpful or interesting. I read all messages :)

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