Install OpenClaw and Connect Telegram

The Main Event

This is where your server becomes an AI assistant. OpenClaw's install process uses a setup wizard that walks you through connecting your AI provider and messaging channels.

Step 1: Install OpenClaw

SSH into your server:

ssh claw@YOUR_SERVER_IP
cd ~/openclaw

Pull and start OpenClaw:

docker pull openclaw/openclaw:latest
docker run -d \
  --name openclaw \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  -v $(pwd)/data:/app/data \
  -v $(pwd)/config:/app/config \
  -p 3838:3838 \
  openclaw/openclaw:latest

Verify the container is running:

docker ps

You should see an openclaw container listed with a status of Up. If it shows Restarting or isn't listed, check the logs:

docker logs openclaw --tail 20

You should see OpenClaw starting up and eventually showing a setup URL or onboarding prompt.

Step 2: Run the Setup Wizard

OpenClaw includes an onboarding wizard on first run. Follow it to:

1. Skip the AI provider for now — we'll set up Claude (Anthropic) properly in Lesson 10
2. Connect Telegram:
   • Select Telegram as your channel
   • Paste your bot token from Lesson 8
   • OpenClaw will automatically start polling for messages

Alternatively, you can configure Telegram directly in the config file:

nano ~/openclaw/config/default.yaml

Add your Telegram bot token in the channels section:

channels:
  telegram:
    botToken: "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN_HERE"

Restart OpenClaw after config changes:

docker restart openclaw

Step 3: Open the Firewall for OpenClaw

If you want to access the OpenClaw web interface:

sudo ufw allow 3838/tcp

Then visit http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:3838 in your browser.

Step 4: Send Your First Message

Open Telegram and send a message to your bot. Something simple:

Hello, are you there?

Watch the Docker logs in real time to confirm the message arrives:

docker logs openclaw --tail 10 -f

Press Ctrl+C to stop following the logs.

Troubleshooting

• Bot doesn't respond: Check docker logs openclaw for errors. Most common cause: wrong bot token.
• Can't reach web interface: Make sure UFW allows port 3838 (sudo ufw status) and the container is running (docker ps).
• Container keeps restarting: Check logs with docker logs openclaw — usually a config syntax error in default.yaml.
• Docker not running: If docker ps gives an error, make sure Docker is started: sudo systemctl start docker.
• Port already in use: If you see a "port already allocated" error, check what's using 3838 with sudo lsof -i :3838 and stop it, or change the port mapping in the docker run command (e.g., -p 3839:3838).
• Permission denied: Make sure your claw user is in the docker group (you did this in Lesson 7). If you just added it, log out and back in.

When You're Done

• OpenClaw Docker container running (docker ps shows it as Up)
• Telegram channel connected via bot token
• Sent a test message to your bot
• Message appears in Docker logs
• Web interface accessible (optional)