Setup via API Connection (recommended)

Setup via API Connection

This is the recommended method. The client connects directly to your GateControl server, registers automatically as a peer and keeps the configuration permanently up to date.

Step 1: Create an API token in GateControl Server

1. Open the GateControl Web UI
2. Go to Settings, then API & Webhooks
3. Under API Tokens, enter a token name (e.g. Windows Client Marc)
4. Under Integration, enable the Client App scope
5. Click Create Token
6. Copy the displayed token (gc_...) — it is only shown once

Step 2: Configure the client

1. Launch the GateControl Client
2. Switch to the Settings tab
3. Enter the Server URL (e.g. https://vpn.example.com)
4. Paste the API Key (the copied gc_... token)
5. Click Test Connection — a confirmation appears on success
6. Click Save & Register

The client automatically registers as a new peer on the server. The peer ID is saved and the WireGuard configuration is downloaded from the server.

Advantages of API Connection

• Automatic peer registration — no manual setup on the server needed
• Config polling — changes on the server are synced automatically
• Heartbeat — the server sees the client online status and traffic
• No manual maintenance — unlike .conf files or QR codes

Tip: In the GateControl Web UI, the new peer appears under Peers with the Windows PC hostname.