Security & uptime
Keep your AI agent off your home network
Running OpenClaw or Hermes Agent on a spare laptop or Mac mini puts an autonomous program on the same network as your personal devices, and it goes offline whenever your power or internet does. Here is why hosting it elsewhere is safer and more reliable.
$49/mo per instance · $15 AI credit included ·
Pay with Lightning
Nothing exposed at home
No port forwarding, no tunnels, no agent sitting next to your laptop, phone, NAS and cameras.
Isolated container
Each agent runs in its own container on NowClaw infrastructure, separate from other users and from your devices.
Online 24/7
Agents restart automatically, so power cuts, ISP outages and sleep mode at home never take your bot offline.
Updates handled
Agents pull the latest image and run repair checks on every start, without you touching a terminal.
Why an agent at home is a security risk
AI agents like OpenClaw and Hermes Agent are built to act: they run commands, browse the web, read files and call APIs. That is what makes them useful, and also what makes them risky on a home network.
A malicious web page or email can try to steer an agent with prompt injection. If the agent lives on your home network, anything it can reach, from shared folders to your router admin page, is within reach of whoever steers it. Exposing its web gateway through a port forward or tunnel adds another way in.
Hosting the agent in an isolated container keeps it away from your personal devices entirely. If something goes wrong, the blast radius is that one container, not your home.
Why home hosting hurts uptime
An agent is only useful if it answers. At home it goes quiet every time the power drops, the internet hiccups, the machine sleeps, or an OS update reboots it overnight. Reminders and follow ups scheduled for that window are simply missed.
On NowClaw, agents run on always on servers with automatic restarts. Each start pulls the latest agent image and runs repair checks, so a broken upgrade does not leave your Telegram bot silent.
What hosting does not change
Your agent still acts with whatever access you give it. Connect only the accounts it needs, keep its Telegram bot paired to you, and treat its API keys like passwords. NowClaw handles the server; you stay in control of what the agent is allowed to touch.
| Self-hosted at home | NowClaw | |
|---|---|---|
| Network | Shares your home network | Isolated container, off your network |
| Open ports | Often needs a port forward or tunnel | None on your side |
| Uptime | Down with power, Wi-Fi, sleep or reboots | Always on, restarts automatically |
| Updates | Manual upgrades and fixes | Latest image pulled on every start |
| Hardware | ~$600 Mac mini or spare machine, plus power | Nothing to buy |
Live in three steps
- 01
Log in
Use your Nostr keys (browser extension, Nostr Connect, or a fresh keypair) or email.
- 02
Pay with Lightning
Scan a Lightning invoice or pay from a connected NWC wallet. No card needed.
- 03
Pick agent & model
Choose OpenClaw or Hermes Agent, select a model, and pair your Telegram bot.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to run OpenClaw on my home computer?+
It works, but the agent shares your home network and can reach other devices on it. Running it in an isolated, hosted container removes your home network from the picture.
Do I need to open ports or set up a tunnel?+
No. NowClaw agents talk to you over Telegram, so there is nothing to expose on your router.
What happens if my internet goes down?+
Nothing, for your agent. It runs on NowClaw servers, so it keeps answering and running scheduled tasks while you are offline.
Is my agent isolated from other users?+
Yes. Every instance runs in its own container with its own storage, keys and Telegram pairing.
Who keeps the agent updated?+
NowClaw does. Agents pull the latest image and run repair checks each time they start.
Can I move my existing self-hosted agent?+
Yes. Upload a zip of your souls, memory and skills and they are imported into your hosted agent.
Do I still need a Mac mini?+
No. A Mac is only required for iMessage, which is offered through the 1-on-1 setup service.
