Troubleshooting

A node won’t come online

Dashcat Dashboard shows Waiting to connect, or Offline with when it was last seen.

• Is Dashcat Agent running? On a desktop, look for the Dashcat icon. Elsewhere, run dashcat-agent and leave it running, or dashcat-agent autostart enable so it starts at login.
• What does the Dashcat icon say? Can’t reach Dashcat, retrying means the node can’t reach app.dashcat.ai on port 443: check its internet connection and any firewall that limits outbound traffic. Not in a Dashcat account means it hasn’t joined: use a new invite link.
• Is remote access paused? Untick Pause remote access in the Dashcat icon’s menu.
• Was the machine asleep or logged out? Dashcat Agent runs as a user. On a desktop that user has to be logged in; on Linux servers, dashcat-agent autostart enable lets it start at boot.

An invite link doesn’t work

Each link works once and expires after 7 days. The join page says which. Make a new one with Add a node in Dashcat Dashboard. If your plan is full, remove a node first: the Free plan has 5.

My AI app can’t see a node

• Check the node is Online and its Connector column says Allowed. A node that joined as Direct only never appears through the connector.
• Under Connections, check this AI app can work on that node.
• Start a new chat, so the app asks Dashcat for its tools again.
• Still nothing? Remove the connector from the app and add it again.

A command hangs until it times out

Commands run with no keyboard attached, so anything that stops to ask a question waits forever. Ask your AI to use the command’s non-interactive option (-y, --yes, --non-interactive), or to run long jobs with start_process and follow their output.

Screenshots or UI automation fail

They need Dashcat Agent in the logged-in desktop session, not over SSH or as a service.

• macOS: allow Dashcat Agent under System Settings › Privacy & Security, in Screen & System Audio Recording for screenshots and Accessibility for UI automation, then restart it. Unsigned preview builds need allowing again after each update.
• Linux: screenshots and mouse and keyboard input need an X11 session. On Wayland, choose a session such as “Ubuntu on Xorg” at the login screen.
• Windows: a locked screen can’t be captured, and apps running as administrator can’t be controlled unless Dashcat Agent runs as administrator too.

See Screenshots and UI automation.

The installer is blocked

Preview builds aren’t signed yet. On Windows, choose More info › Run anyway. On macOS, right-click the app or package and choose Open.

Direct mode

• “the node’s identity has changed”: the node got a new key, usually after a reinstall. If you expected that, pair it again with dashcat-bridge nodes add. If you didn’t, don’t: something may be impersonating it.
• Can’t connect to the node: allow inbound TCP 7420 through the node’s firewall, and check the bridge uses the node’s current address.

Still stuck

Email hello@dashcat.ai with what you tried and what the Dashcat icon or dashboard says. For security problems, use security@dashcat.ai.