Manage and monitor one or many PiKVMs through their web API and root SSH, with confirmations for changes and risky actions.
List configured PiKVMs and inspect version, hardware, health, and status.
Control ATX power, including on, soft/hard off, hard reset, and power/reset button presses.
Take screenshots with optional OCR and save full-size images.
Type text or keyboard shortcuts on the target machine.
Manage the virtual USB drive: status/list images, select ISO/disk, connect/disconnect, download from URL, and remove images.
Read kvmd logs and discover or call PiKVM web API endpoints.
Run read-only SSH health checks and arbitrary SSH commands, with risky commands gated by confirmation.
Read and write allowed PiKVM config files with diff preview, backup, kvmd -m validation, rollback on failure, and read-only disk restoration.
Check, start, restart, reload, enable, disable, or stop PiKVM services.
Target multiple PiKVMs by name, or use all for read-only calls; passwords come from environment variables and secret files are blocked.
Click on "Deploy Server".
Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state.
In the chat, type @ followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@PiKVM MCP take a screenshot of pikvm1 and tell me what's on screen"
That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed.
Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.
An MCP tool that lets Claude look at and configure your PiKVMs.
App side: the PiKVM web API. Power (ATX), screenshots, keyboard, virtual drive (MSD), GPIO, KVM switch, logs.
Server side: SSH as root. Config files, services, health checks.
Many PiKVMs in one tool. Name one, or use all for read-only calls.
Asks before it changes anything.
Every call has a level.
Read. Runs right away.
Change. Needs confirm=true. Claude must ask you first.
Risky. Needs confirm=true and a confirm_phrase. Power off, reset, deleting images, restarting kvmd, stopping services, reboot, package changes.
Also:
Passwords come only from environment variables. They are never saved, shown or logged.
Files with passwords, keys and 2FA secrets are blocked, for reading and writing.
Config writes make a backup, check the file with kvmd -m, and put the old file back if the check fails. The PiKVM disk is set back to read-only afterward.
In multi-PiKVM mode, each PiKVM only gets its own password.
The PiKVM certificate is self-signed, so the tool does not check it by default. Set PIKVM_VERIFY_TLS=true to check it.
SSH host keys are accepted the first time. Fine for a home network.
Related MCP server: MCP Remote Access
App side:
pikvm_servers lists your PiKVMs.
pikvm_info shows version, hardware and health.
pikvm_status shows power, screen, keyboard and mouse, and virtual drive in one go.
pikvm_power controls ATX power.
pikvm_snapshot takes a picture of the target screen. Optional OCR. The PiKVM video stream usually only runs while someone is watching, so if it fails, open the PiKVM web page or VNC first.
pikvm_type types text or a shortcut on the target.
pikvm_msd manages the virtual drive. Select, connect, download an ISO from a URL, remove.
pikvm_log shows the kvmd log.
pikvm_endpoints lists the web API paths.
pikvm_call runs any web API path.
Server side:
pikvm_system_info runs a read-only health check.
pikvm_config_read reads /etc/kvmd/override.yaml and other allowed files.
pikvm_config_write replaces a config file. Shows a diff first.
pikvm_service checks, restarts or stops a service.
pikvm_ssh runs any command.
Get the files: git clone https://github.com/drmogie/pikvm-mcp (or use D:\GitHub-Projects\pikvm-mcp).
Add the entry from claude_desktop_config.example.json to the Claude desktop MCP config.
Fill in the passwords there. Only in that file. Never in this repo.
Restart Claude.
The default PiKVM web login is admin. SSH is root. Use your own passwords.
"env": {
"PIKVM_URL": "https://192.168.1.29",
"PIKVM_PASSWORD": "...",
"PIKVM_SSH_PASSWORD": "..."
}PIKVM_URL, PIKVM_USER (default admin), PIKVM_PASSWORD
PIKVM_SSH_HOST (default: the host in the URL), PIKVM_SSH_PORT, PIKVM_SSH_USER (default root)
PIKVM_SSH_PASSWORD, or PIKVM_SSH_KEY (path to a private key)
PIKVM_VERIFY_TLS, PIKVM_DOWNLOAD_DIR
Several PiKVMs: PIKVM_SERVERS, then PIKVM_URL_<NAME>, PIKVM_PASSWORD_<NAME>, PIKVM_SSH_PASSWORD_<NAME>. <NAME> is the name in capitals with other characters turned into _.
If 2FA is on for the PiKVM web login (the file /etc/kvmd/totp.secret exists), the web API refuses the plain password with a 403 error. Two ways to fix it:
Keep 2FA. Set PIKVM_TOTP_SECRET_<NAME> to the secret. The tool makes the 6 digit code itself. To get the secret, SSH in and run cat /etc/kvmd/totp.secret yourself. This tool will not show it. Paste it only into the Claude desktop config.
Turn 2FA off for that PiKVM (kvmd-totp del over SSH, with the disk set writable). Only do this if you are happy with it.
The PiKVM clock must be right, or the codes will not match.
Built and tested against a fake PiKVM and a fake SSH layer (python tests/test_server.py, python tests/test_ssh_write.py). Tested through a real uvx launch. Not yet tested on a real PiKVM. Please report what breaks.
Not built: uploading image files from your PC to the virtual drive, the PiKVM Switch firmware tools, and Redfish.
MIT
Call any PiKVM web API path (see pikvm_endpoints).
method: GET or POST (DELETE too). path: starts with /api/. params: query options. Reads run right away. Changes need confirm=true after the user says yes. Power off, reset, deleting images and similar also need confirm_phrase equal to the path. Login and websocket paths are blocked.
Inputs: path (required), method (required), body, params, +4 more. Returns: result
Read a PiKVM config file over SSH.
Default is /etc/kvmd/override.yaml, the file where your own settings live. Allowed: text files in /etc/kvmd/, /boot/config.txt, /boot/cmdline.txt, /etc/hostname. Files with passwords, keys or 2FA secrets are blocked.
Inputs: path, server, max_chars. Returns: result
Replace a PiKVM config file over SSH. Needs one PiKVM.
path: same allowed files as pikvm_config_read. content: the WHOLE new file (read it first with pikvm_config_read, change it, send it all back). The first call shows a diff and does nothing. After the user says yes, call again with confirm=true. The tool makes the disk writable, saves a backup next to the file (.bak-date), writes the file, runs "kvmd -m" to check /etc/kvmd/*.yaml files (and puts the old file back if the check fails), then makes the disk read-only again. restart: optional service to restart after a good write, usually kvmd. A restart of kvmd, kvmd-nginx or kvmd-otg also needs confirm_phrase equal to the service name.
Inputs: path (required), content (required), server, confirm, +2 more. Returns: result
List the PiKVM web API paths this tool knows, with their options.
query: a word to look for. group: system, hid, atx, msd, gpio, streamer, switch, export. Use pikvm_call to run one.
Inputs: group, query. Returns: result
Show PiKVM details: version, hardware, health (throttling, temperature), name.
fields: any of auth, extras, fan, hw, meta, system (comma separated).
Inputs: fields, server, max_chars. Returns: result
Show the PiKVM (kvmd) log. Newest lines at the end.
lines: how many lines from the end to keep.
Inputs: lines, server, max_chars. Returns: result
The virtual USB drive (mass storage) that shows an ISO or disk image to the target.
action: status (also lists images), select (pick an image), connect, disconnect, download (fetch an image from url into the PiKVM), remove (delete an image). select: image name, cdrom=true for ISO, read_write=true for a writable disk. download: url, plus image for the file name. remove needs confirm_phrase equal to the path.
Inputs: url, cdrom, image, action, +4 more. Returns: result
Power control of the target machine through ATX.
action: status, on, off (soft, like a short press), off_hard (cut power, long press), reset_hard, click_power, click_power_long, click_reset. Everything except status and on can shut the machine down or restart it. Those need confirm=true and confirm_phrase equal to the path shown in the reply.
Inputs: action, server, confirm, confirm_phrase. Returns: result
List the PiKVMs this tool can reach.
Shows names, addresses and whether SSH is set up. Never shows passwords.
Inputs: no named parameters. Returns: result
Check or control a service on the PiKVM over SSH.
action: status, start, restart, reload, enable, disable, stop. unit: for example kvmd, kvmd-nginx, kvmd-vnc, kvmd-ipmi, kvmd-janus, kvmd-webterm. Status runs right away. Stop and disable, and any restart of kvmd, kvmd-nginx, kvmd-otg, ssh or networking, need confirm_phrase equal to the unit name.
Inputs: unit (required), action (required), server, confirm, +1 more. Returns: result
Take a picture of what the target machine is showing on its screen.
ocr: also read the text on the screen. max_width: shrink the picture (pixels). save: also keep the full size picture as a file on this computer. Needs one PiKVM (not "all").
Inputs: ocr, save, server, max_width.
Run one command on the PiKVM over SSH (as root).
Safe read-only commands run right away (cat of /etc/kvmd files, systemctl status, journalctl, df, uptime, ip a, vcgencmd measure_temp, kvmd -m, pacman -Q, ls, and pipes into head, tail, grep, wc). Anything else needs confirm=true after the user says yes. Risky ones (rm, reboot, pacman, pikvm-update, passwd, stopping services and similar) also need confirm_phrase equal to the first word of the command. Files with passwords or keys are blocked. The PiKVM disk is read-only. To change a config file use pikvm_config_write instead.
Inputs: command (required), server, confirm, timeout, +2 more. Returns: result
One look at the target machine: power (ATX), screen (streamer), keyboard and mouse (HID), and virtual drive (MSD).
Inputs: server, max_chars. Returns: result
A read-only health check over SSH: OS, kvmd version, uptime, disk, memory, temperature, throttling, USB gadget, network addresses, and the state of the main PiKVM services.
Inputs: server, max_chars. Returns: result
Type on the target machine like a USB keyboard.
text: text to type. shortcut: keys together, like ControlLeft,AltLeft,Delete. Give one of them. This changes what the machine does, so it needs confirm=true.
Inputs: slow, text, keymap, server, +2 more. Returns: result
Recent tool additions, removals, and schema changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
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Scored across 15 tools
Most tools target distinct resources (power, HID, MSD, config, services, logs). The main soft spots are pikvm_info vs pikvm_system_info vs pikvm_status, and pikvm_ssh vs pikvm_system_info, but descriptions clarify the API-vs-SSH vs target-state split, and pikvm_call is explicitly framed as an escape hatch rather than a competing tool.
Every tool shares the pikvm_ prefix with consistent snake_case, which makes the set very legible. The only deviation is mixing noun-oriented names (pikvm_info, pikvm_status, pikvm_servers) with verb-oriented ones (pikvm_call, pikvm_type, pikvm_power), but the pattern remains predictable.
15 tools is a reasonable, well-scoped surface for a device-control server spanning power, HID, storage, config, and services. A few tools (pikvm_info/pikvm_status, pikvm_system_info) feel slightly redundant, but each still covers a distinct slice.
Core lifecycle coverage is strong: read/write config, service control, power actions, HID input, MSD management, snapshots, logs, and a generic API passthrough that fills remaining gaps. Minor omissions like local image upload to MSD are workable via pikvm_call.
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