Rovai AI

Connect over a trusted LAN

Use a phone or another computer on the same trusted network. Keep this HTTP entrance off the public Internet.

Use the host’s network address

The phone and host share a trusted LAN. The browser opens the host IP, with 8766 for Desktop Web or 8767 for Server. Loopback addresses stay on each individual device.
The phone and host share a trusted LAN. The browser opens the host IP, with 8766 for Desktop Web or 8767 for Server. Loopback addresses stay on each individual device. Mermaid source

Find the right IP on the host

  1. Connect both devices to the same trusted network. A similar Wi-Fi name is not enough if one device is on a guest network or an isolated VLAN.
  2. On macOS, open System Settings → Network, choose the active connection and read its TCP/IP address. On Windows, run ipconfig and find the active adapter’s IPv4 address. On Linux, run ip -br -4 addr.
  3. Choose the address of the interface reachable from the other device, for example 192.168.1.50. Ignore loopback, disconnected adapters and addresses belonging to unrelated VPNs.
  4. For repeated use, reserve the host’s DHCP address in your router or check it again after a network change.

Choose the listening scope

Desktop Web
Enable Remote connection. In Desktop 0.4.1 the service listens on network interfaces at the selected port (default 8766). Restrict who can reach it through the host firewall.
Independent Server
Stop the previous foreground instance, then start it with a LAN listen address and --allow-insecure-lan. A specific interface address limits the listener; 0.0.0.0 covers all IPv4 interfaces.

Server · bind one LAN interface

rovai-server --data-dir "$HOME/.rovai-server" \
  --listen 192.168.1.50:8767 --allow-insecure-lan

Use the executable for your installation

Replace the IP with your host’s actual address. On macOS 0.4.0, replace rovai-server with "$HOME/.local/share/rovai-server/current/rovai-server" as described in the installation guide. On Windows PowerShell, place the arguments on one line instead of using the shell continuation character above.

The flag acknowledges unencrypted HTTP on a trusted network; it does not turn off login. Do not forward this port from your Internet router or permit it from every public address.

Allow only the required local traffic

  1. If the host firewall blocks the listener, add an inbound rule for the selected TCP port and your trusted local subnet. Keep the firewall enabled.
  2. On macOS, review the firewall’s application permission for Rovai Desktop or the Server executable. On Windows, limit an inbound rule to the Private profile and the local subnet; do not change an untrusted network to Private just to connect.
  3. On Ubuntu using UFW, the example below allows a /24 LAN to port 8767. Substitute your real subnet and use port 8766 only for Desktop. It adds a rule; it does not enable or disable UFW.
  4. Open http://192.168.1.50:8767/ for Server, or http://192.168.1.50:8766/ for Desktop, on the other device. Enter that instance’s Token and open the intended conversation.

Ubuntu UFW · example scoped rule

sudo ufw allow from 192.168.1.0/24 to any port 8767 proto tcp
sudo ufw status

When the address does not open

Wrong network
Disable neither authentication nor the firewall. Check Wi-Fi, guest isolation, corporate VLAN rules and VPN routing first.
Loopback-only listener
127.0.0.1 is reachable only on the host. Restart Server with the intended interface; changing the URL in your browser does not change the listener.
Address or port changed
Read the current host IP and service port again. A remembered browser address can be stale.
Host asleep / App stopped
Wake the host, start the intended instance and confirm its status. The browser cannot wake or launch it by itself.
Page opens, login fails
Use this instance’s Token and the same address as the page. See the login guide for origin and session errors.

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