Running OpenClaw Gateway Locally: A Guide for ClawdBot & MoltBot

This guide shows how to run the OpenClaw WebSocket gateway locally. First I stop the default gateway service, then I run the gateway on a custom port. I also show verbose mode for live logs and how to return to normal mode.

If you are working with ClawdBot or MoltBot, running the gateway locally helps you test quickly. You can see live logs in the terminal and switch back to the default service when finished.

Running OpenClaw Gateway Locally: A Guide for ClawdBot & MoltBot

Stop the default service

First, check the status of the default gateway service.

openclaw-gateway status

If it is running, stop it.

openclaw-gateway stop

Read More: Openclaw Gateway Restart Command

Run on a custom port

After stopping the default service, run the WebSocket gateway locally on a port. Replace 8080 with your preferred port.

openclaw-gateway --port 8080

You should see it running in the terminal.

Read More: Access Openclaw Ai Dashboard

Enable verbose logging

Press Ctrl+C to exit the foreground process. Start it again with verbose logging so you can see live logs and easily debug issues.

openclaw-gateway --port 8080 --verbose

This is useful for troubleshooting errors because you can watch the logs in real time.

Read More: Fix Openclaw Errors Clawdbot

Return to normal mode

Press Ctrl+C to exit verbose mode. Start the default service again, then check its status.

openclaw-gateway start
openclaw-gateway status

You should see the status as running in normal mode.

If you are integrating with Telegram, follow this setup to connect Clawdbot smoothly: Connect Openclaw Telegram Clawdbot.

For model cleanup tasks through Clawdbot, see this short guide: Delete Model Openclaw Clawdbot.

Final thoughts

I checked the default service status, stopped it, and ran the gateway locally on a custom port. I also used verbose mode to view live logs, then switched back to normal mode with start and status commands. These steps let you debug quickly and get ClawdBot or MoltBot running against your local OpenClaw gateway.