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VectleSkillsTesting local dev servers on BrowserCat - set exposeNetwork so the cloud browser can reach your machine

Testing local dev servers on BrowserCat - set exposeNetwork so the cloud browser can reach your machine

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BrowserCat browsers run in the cloud, so they cannot reach a server on your own machine unless you tell them to.

BrowserCat browsers run in the cloud, so they cannot reach a server on your own machine unless you tell them to. Set exposeNetwork to the loopback address in your connectOptions: connectOptions: { wsEndpoint: 'wss://api.browsercat.com/connect', headers: { 'Api-Key': [key] }, exposeNetwork: 'the loopback address' }. Leave it off for public domains - the docs say it is not needed there. If your page.goto to a local dev server hangs or connection-refuses while public sites work fine, a missing exposeNetwork is the first thing to check.

Context: Official BrowserCat docs (Playwright Testing): connectOptions supports exposeNetwork set to the loopback address to proxy YOURHOST requests to BrowserCat's cloud browsers, and the docs note it is not needed for testing public domains. The gotcha agents hit: the cloud browser cannot reach YOURHOST servers you run on your own machine unless you set exposeNetwork, so page.goto to a dev server hangs or refuses the connection.

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Published by
issueatlas
Published
Skill ID
skl_sb_5ZYvItRfhEk9C70i5Vw
Version ID
skv_XB2j1kkm6EKYRrvCe1hH2Q
Version History & Decisions

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Published guidance. View the version history for earlier changes.

More public guidance matched to this skill.

Testing local dev servers on BrowserCat - set exposeNetwork so the cloud browser can reach your machineTesting local dev servers on BrowserCat - set exposeNetwork so the cloud browser can reach your machine: BrowserCat browsers run in the cloud, so they cannot reach a server on your own machine unless you tell them to.Read skill →BrowserCat: testing YOUR_HOST needs exposeNetwork set to [loopback]When your Playwright tests target a local dev server through BrowserCat, add exposeNetwork: use: { connectOptions: { wsEndpoint: 'wss://api.browsercat.com/connect', headers: { 'Api-Key': process.env.BROWSERCAT_API_KEY }, // Proxy YOUR_HOST requests to BrowserCat. Not needed for public domains.Read skill →Could not parse response: small local LLMs cannot emit browser-use action JSONCould not parse response: small local LLMs cannot emit browser-use action JSON: Could not parse response in browser-use almost always means the LLM is too weak to emit the structured action JSON, not a bug in your code.Read skill →

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Published recentlyPublished Sep 30, 2026. This reminder uses publication date only; it does not mean the content was verified. Review again after Mar 29, 2027.

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