Skip to main content

Registering MCPs

Learn how to add your MCP servers to PlexMCP for centralized access and management.

What is an MCP?​

Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers are tools that AI agents can interact with. They expose:

  • Tools: Functions the AI can call
  • Resources: Data the AI can read
  • Prompts: Templates for common tasks

PlexMCP acts as a gateway, allowing you to manage multiple MCPs through a single interface.

Registering via Dashboard​

Step 1: Access the MCPs Page​

  1. Log in to dashboard.plexmcp.com
  2. Click MCPs in the sidebar
  3. Click Add MCP

Step 2: Basic Information​

FieldRequiredDescription
NameYesDisplay name for your MCP
Endpoint URLYesURL where your MCP is hosted
DescriptionNoNotes about this MCP

Step 3: Authentication (Optional)​

If your MCP requires authentication:

Auth TypeDescription
NoneNo authentication required
Bearer TokenToken in Authorization header
API KeyKey in custom header
Basic AuthUsername and password

Step 4: Test Connection​

Click Test Connection to verify:

  • Endpoint is reachable
  • Authentication works
  • MCP responds correctly

Step 5: Create​

Click Create MCP to add it to your organization.

Registering via API​

Create MCP Request​

curl -X POST "https://api.plexmcp.com/v1/mcps" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $PLEXMCP_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Weather API",
    "endpoint_url": "https://weather-mcp.example.com",
    "description": "Provides weather data and forecasts",
    "auth_type": "bearer",
    "auth_token": "mcp_secret_token"
  }'

Response​

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "id": "mcp_abc123",
    "name": "Weather API",
    "endpoint_url": "https://weather-mcp.example.com",
    "status": "active",
    "health": "unknown",
    "created_at": "2024-01-20T10:00:00Z"
  }
}

MCP Requirements​

Endpoint URL​

Your MCP endpoint must:

  • Be accessible from the internet
  • Use HTTPS (required for production)
  • Respond within 30 seconds
  • Implement MCP protocol correctly

Protocol Compatibility​

PlexMCP supports:

  • MCP 2024-11-05: Current protocol version
  • HTTP transport: Standard REST-like communication
  • SSE transport: Server-Sent Events for streaming
  • WebSocket: Real-time bidirectional (Enterprise)

Health Checks​

PlexMCP monitors your MCPs:

  • Health check every 60 seconds
  • 30-second timeout per check
  • 3 retries before marking unhealthy

Authentication Options​

No Authentication​

For public MCPs:

{
  "auth_type": "none"
}

Bearer Token​

Standard token authentication:

{
  "auth_type": "bearer",
  "auth_token": "your_secret_token"
}

Sent as: Authorization: Bearer your_secret_token

API Key Header​

Custom header for API key:

{
  "auth_type": "api_key",
  "auth_header": "X-API-Key",
  "auth_token": "your_api_key"
}

Sent as: X-API-Key: your_api_key

Basic Authentication​

Username and password:

{
  "auth_type": "basic",
  "auth_username": "user",
  "auth_password": "password"
}

Sent as: Authorization: Basic base64(user:password)

Testing Your MCP​

Before registering, test your MCP directly:

# List tools
curl -X POST "https://your-mcp.example.com/tools/list" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{}'

# Call a tool
curl -X POST "https://your-mcp.example.com/tools/call" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "get_weather",
    "arguments": {"location": "SF"}
  }'

Best Practices​

1. Use HTTPS​

Always use HTTPS for production MCPs.

2. Descriptive Names​

Choose names that help your team:

  • Good: "Weather API - Production"
  • Bad: "MCP 1"

3. Add Descriptions​

Document what each MCP does and its available tools.

4. Secure Authentication​

  • Use strong, random tokens
  • Rotate credentials regularly
  • Store secrets securely

5. Monitor Health​

Check the dashboard for health status:

  • Green: Healthy
  • Red: Unhealthy
  • Gray: Unknown

Troubleshooting​

Connection Test Fails​

  1. Verify URL: Check for typos
  2. Check access: Is the MCP accessible from internet?
  3. Test directly: Try curl from your machine
  4. Check auth: Verify credentials are correct

MCP Shows Unhealthy​

  1. Check MCP logs: Look for errors
  2. Test endpoint: Verify it's responding
  3. Check timeout: MCPs must respond in 30s
  4. Review protocol: Ensure correct MCP implementation

Tools Not Appearing​

  1. Check tools/list endpoint: Test directly
  2. Verify authentication: Some MCPs require auth for listing
  3. Wait for sync: New MCPs may take a minute to sync