If you finished the OpenClaw install guide but still see “CLI works, Gateway dead,” “model timeouts,” or “daemon won’t stay up in WSL2,” you need post-install validation and symptom triage, not a copy-paste of install steps. This article is scoped against the three-platform install, Docker production, and advanced Secrets/PDF guides: it only delivers a symptom matrix, six-step runbook, and three hard ops metrics, plus WSL2 vs native Linux/macOS differences.
Systems that combine a long-lived Gateway, model egress, and local daemons often fail as “each part looks fine alone.” On-call, also separate one-off misconfiguration from intermittent network and power-policy issues. Align on the five traps below before reading the table.
Use the table for on-call; exact CLI names follow your installed OpenClaw version. Prefer doctor or equivalent checks before deeper dives.
| What you see | Likely direction | Try first |
|---|---|---|
| Process exits immediately | Node version, permissions, working directory | Match official Node baseline; run doctor; verify install user and data dir permissions |
| Gateway port silent | Bind address, port conflict, firewall | Confirm listener; curl health locally; check host and upstream security groups |
| Model timeouts or streams drop | Egress, DNS, proxy, region, quota | Minimal request test; bypass proxy; verify quota and endpoint region |
| WSL2 only, bare Linux OK | FS performance, virt networking, systemd gaps | Keep repos on WSL ext4; avoid huge cross-drive file trees; validate systemd/user-session strategy |
| Fails after sleep/update | Laptop power policy and daemon recovery | Power settings; whether daemons die with GUI session; need dedicated host |
# Post-install checks (names may match your CLI)
openclaw doctor
curl -fsS "http://127.0.0.1:${OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PORT:-PORT}/health" || true
WSL2: heavy builds or file watchers on /mnt/c are slower and can miss events versus Linux filesystems; long-lived Gateways should keep repos and data on the WSL Linux volume and validate systemd/session lifecycle separately.
These steps mirror Docker health-check discipline but apply to bare-metal or hybrid installs: every acceptance should be repeatable.
These do not replace docs but align review and on-call.
Sleep, updates, and permission prompts interrupt long-lived processes; WSL2 and native Windows networking diverge further. If OpenClaw’s Gateway must be team-dependable, a dedicated, observable Apple Silicon host usually beats endless local workarounds.
MACCOME offers multi-region bare-metal remote Macs suited for stable Gateways and automation; after the install and Docker guides, if sleep and daemon recovery still hurt you, start at the Help Center and align rates and regions.
For short-term laptop debugging, finish this six-step checklist and script health checks; when CI or 24/7 agents need in, evaluate migrating to a dedicated remote Mac instead of stacking local patches.
FAQ
The install guide already lists commands—why this article?
The three-platform install guide covers how to install; this article covers how to prove health and triage symptoms.
Does this duplicate the Docker production article?
No. The Docker production runbook focuses on images and Compose; this focuses on post-install checks, probes, and WSL2/native gaps.
Should I read the advanced Secrets article first?
Governance lives in the advanced runbook; if models still fail, use the matrix here first, then return for rotation and audit. For a stable host surface see rental rates.