---
title: "Connect a local model"
description: "Expose an LLM server on your machine through the Noket tunnel and share it."
---

> Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.noket.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect a local model

This path is for the person whose machine runs the model. The Noket connector dials out to Noket and
carries requests back down that connection, so your machine never accepts inbound traffic and your
upstream key never leaves it.

You need a machine that stays on while people use the model, and an LLM server reachable from that
machine. Ollama, vLLM, LM Studio, and any OpenAI- or Anthropic-compatible API work.

## 1. Install and log in

On macOS and Linux:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/noket-dev/noket/main/install.sh | bash
```

On Windows, in PowerShell:

```powershell
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/noket-dev/noket/main/install.ps1 | iex
```

The installer puts `noket` and `noketd` on `PATH`, installs shell completions, and enables the connector
at login. It then starts `noket login`, which opens the browser for approval. Check the result with:

```bash
noket status
```

The account section reports whether you are logged in and the connector whether it is running. See
[Install Noket](https://docs.noket.dev/connector/install/) and [Log in](https://docs.noket.dev/connector/login/) for the details and manual options.

## 2. Start your LLM server

Use the server you already run. A few common ones and their default addresses:

| Server | Default base URL | Protocol |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Ollama](https://docs.noket.dev/connector/local-models/ollama/) | `http://127.0.0.1:11434` | `openai` |
| [vLLM](https://docs.noket.dev/connector/local-models/vllm/) | `http://127.0.0.1:8000` | `openai` |
| [LM Studio](https://docs.noket.dev/connector/local-models/lm-studio/) | `http://127.0.0.1:1234` | `openai` |
| [Anthropic-compatible](https://docs.noket.dev/connector/local-models/anthropic-compatible/) | varies | `anthropic` |

Load at least one model and note its model id.

## 3. Add an upstream

```bash
noket upstream add
```

Fill in a name, the protocol, the base URL, and a key if the server needs one. The form probes
`{base_url}/v1/models` and offers the model ids it finds; you can also type an id by hand. The key is
read from standard input, never from an argument.

Check what the connector will serve:

```bash
noket upstream test your-upstream-name
```

The probe lists models without running a generation. See [Your first upstream](https://docs.noket.dev/connector/upstreams/) for
non-interactive examples and the field rules.

## 4. Start the tunnel

```bash
noket up
```

The connector registers a node — one per machine — and keeps a WebSocket open to Noket. The command prints
the process id, the node id and name, and the log path. If the installer enabled the login item,
`noketd` is already running; `noket up` reports the existing process rather than starting a second
one.

## 5. Create the model

The tunnel carries requests, but people call a model, not an upstream. In the console, open
[Models](https://noket.dev/models), choose **Add model**, and select **Tunnel node**. Pick your node,
then one of the upstream model ids it reports.

Give the model a slug. Its public id becomes `your-username/your-slug`. Set a budget now if you plan to
share it — you pay for the requests other people make.

See [Add a model](https://docs.noket.dev/console/models/add-model/) and [Budgets and limits](https://docs.noket.dev/console/models/budget/).

## 6. Share or call it

- To use it yourself, create an [API key](https://docs.noket.dev/console/api-keys/) and call the model id at
  `https://api.noket.dev`.
- To share it, open the **Members** dialog and add people or invite them by email. Follow
  [Share your models](https://docs.noket.dev/quickstarts/share-your-models/) from step 2.

## Next

- [How the tunnel works](https://docs.noket.dev/concepts/how-the-tunnel-works/)
- [Run as a service](https://docs.noket.dev/connector/run-as-service/)
- [Run a local server](https://docs.noket.dev/connector/local-models/)

Source: https://docs.noket.dev/quickstarts/connect-a-local-model/index.mdx