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Configuring MCP Server with Claude Desktop

Overview​

Claude Desktop provides native support for Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers through Custom Connectors. This article shows you how to connect your Cequence AI Gateway MCP server to Claude Desktop.

Recommended Method

Claude Desktop now supports Custom Connectors - a user-friendly way to add remote MCP servers directly through the UI. This is the recommended approach for connecting to remote MCP servers.

Custom Connectors is the modern, recommended way to connect Claude Desktop to remote MCP servers. This method provides a streamlined UI experience with built-in OAuth support.

Benefits of Custom Connectors​

  • Easy Setup: No manual file editing required
  • OAuth Support: Secure authentication flow
  • Tool Management: Enable/disable specific tools from the UI
  • Better Security: Granular permission controls

Configuration Steps​

1. Open Claude Desktop Settings​

For Pro and Max plans:

  1. Open Claude Desktop
  2. Navigate to Settings → Connectors

For Team and Enterprise plans:

  1. Organization Owners must first enable connectors in Admin settings → Connectors
  2. Individual users then navigate to Settings → Connectors

2. Add Custom Connector​

  1. Select "Add custom connector" at the bottom of the Connectors section
  2. Enter your MCP server URL from Cequence AI Gateway
  3. (Optional) Select "Advanced settings" to add OAuth Client ID and Secret if your server requires authentication
  4. Select "Add" to save the connector

3. Enable and Authenticate​

  1. Find your newly added connector in the list
  2. Select "Connect" to authenticate (if required)
  3. Grant necessary permissions through the OAuth flow
  4. Use the "Search and tools" button (lower left of chat) to enable/disable specific tools

4. Start Using​

Your MCP server is now connected! Claude can access the tools and data from your configured service.

Security Considerations​

According to Claude's Custom Connectors documentation:

  • Only add connectors from trusted organizations
  • Review Claude's tool approval requests carefully
  • Only enable tools relevant to your current conversation
  • Be aware of any actions Claude is taking in connected applications

Method 2: Configuration File (Alternative)​

Legacy Method

While this method still works, Custom Connectors (Method 1) is now the recommended approach for connecting to remote MCP servers. Use this method only if Custom Connectors don't meet your needs.

1. Locate Configuration File​

Claude Desktop stores its MCP configuration in a JSON file:

macOS:

~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Windows:

%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

2. Edit Configuration​

Open the claude_desktop_config.json file in your preferred text editor and add your MCP server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "your-server-name": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cequenceai/mcp-remote",
        "your-mcp-server-url"
      ]
    }
  }
}

3. Configuration Parameters​

Replace the following placeholders:

  • your-server-name: A descriptive name for your MCP server (for example, "salesforce", "github", "databricks")
  • your-mcp-server-url: The URL provided by Cequence AI Gateway after creating your MCP server

4. Multiple MCP Servers​

To add multiple MCP servers, include additional entries in the mcpServers object:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "salesforce": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@cequenceai/mcp-remote", "https://your-salesforce-mcp-url"]
    },
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@cequenceai/mcp-remote", "https://your-github-mcp-url"]
    },
    "databricks": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@cequenceai/mcp-remote", "https://your-databricks-mcp-url"]
    }
  }
}

5. Restart Claude Desktop​

After saving the configuration file, restart Claude Desktop for the changes to take effect.

Verification​

Once configured, your MCP server should appear in Claude Desktop. You can verify by:

  1. Starting a new conversation
  2. Checking for available tools/functions from your MCP server
  3. Testing with a simple command related to your configured service

Troubleshooting​

MCP Server Not Appearing​

Issue: MCP server doesn't show up after configuration

Solutions:

  • Verify the configuration file syntax is valid JSON
  • Ensure the MCP server URL is correct
  • Check that you've restarted Claude Desktop
  • Review Claude Desktop logs for errors

Connection Errors​

Issue: "Failed to connect to MCP server"

Solutions:

  • Verify your internet connection
  • Ensure the MCP server URL is accessible
  • Check if the MCP server is deployed and running
  • Verify your authentication credentials are valid

NPX Command Issues​

Issue: "npx command not found"

Solutions:

  • Install Node.js (which includes npx): nodejs.org
  • Verify Node.js installation: node --version
  • Ensure npx is available: npx --version

Configuration File Location Helper​

If you can't find the configuration file, you can create it:

macOS:

mkdir -p ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/
touch ~/Library/Application\ Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Windows (PowerShell):

New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path "$env:APPDATA\Claude"
New-Item -ItemType File -Force -Path "$env:APPDATA\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json"

Example Configuration​

Here's a complete example configuration with a Salesforce MCP server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "salesforce-crm": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cequenceai/mcp-remote",
        "https://mcp.aigateway.cequence.ai/v1/servers/abc123xyz"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Additional Resources​

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