Connecting to a Remote Server

Managing and Connecting to Remote MCP Servers

Opening the MCP Servers Interface

Follow these steps to reach the MCP Servers interface within Sypha:

1. Select the Sypha icon located in the VSCode sidebar
2. Access the menu (⋮) positioned in the upper right section of the Sypha panel
3. Choose "MCP Servers" from the available options

Navigating the MCP Servers Interface

Within the MCP Servers interface, you'll find three primary sections:

• Marketplace: Browse and add pre-built MCP servers (when this feature is active)
• Remote Servers: Establish connections to MCP servers using their URL endpoints
• Installed: Oversee and configure your currently connected MCP servers

Establishing a Remote MCP Server Connection

Within the "Remote Servers" section, you can link to any MCP server available through a URL endpoint:

1. Navigate to the "Remote Servers" tab within the MCP Servers interface
2. Complete the necessary fields:
   • Server Name: Enter a distinctive, meaningful identifier for the server
   • Server URL: Input the full URL endpoint where the MCP server is hosted (for instance, https://example.com/mcp-sse)
   • Transport Type: Choose the appropriate connection protocol (Streamable HTTP is suggested for contemporary servers)
3. Select "Add Server" to begin establishing the connection
4. Sypha will initiate a connection attempt and show the current status

Note: Before connecting to any remote server, verify its trustworthiness, as MCP servers possess the capability to run code within your working environment.

Available Transport Protocols

Sypha offers support for two distinct transport protocols when connecting to remote MCP servers:

• Streamable HTTP (Recommended): The current-generation MCP transport protocol offering enhanced performance, improved reliability, and complete OAuth 2.1 authentication capabilities. This option is suitable for the majority of remote servers.
• SSE (Legacy): Server-Sent Events transport protocol. Choose this option exclusively when the server mandates SSE or lacks Streamable HTTP compatibility.

OAuth Authentication Process

Certain MCP servers (such as Vercel's MCP) necessitate OAuth authentication for secure data access. When establishing a connection to a server with OAuth requirements:

1. Register the server following standard procedures using its URL
2. Should authentication be necessary, an error notification will prompt you to authenticate
3. Select the "Authenticate" button when it becomes visible
4. Your default browser will launch, displaying the server's authorization interface
5. Complete the sign-in process and authorize the requested permissions
6. An automatic redirect will return you to Sypha
7. The server connection will complete successfully, indicated by a green status indicator

Following successful authentication, your access credentials are stored securely, enabling the server to reconnect automatically upon reloading Sypha. Re-authentication is unnecessary unless the server is removed or credentials reach expiration.

Discovering Available Remote Servers

Should you be searching for MCP servers to integrate, multiple third-party marketplaces offer catalogs of servers with diverse functionalities.

Warning: The third-party marketplaces referenced below are presented solely for informational reference. Sypha neither endorses nor verifies these marketplaces, and assumes no responsibility for servers they contain. These are cloud-based services that handle your requests and potentially access shared data. Prior to connecting to external services, always examine their privacy policies and usage terms.

Composio MCP Integration

Composio's MCP Marketplace grants access to an extensive collection of third-party servers compatible with the Model Context Protocol (MCP). These servers provide API interfaces for platforms including GitHub, Notion, Slack, among others. Each server comes with setup instructions and integrated authentication mechanisms (such as OAuth or API keys). To establish a connection, find your preferred service within the marketplace and proceed with the integration instructions presented.

Connecting via Smithery

Smithery represents a third-party marketplace for MCP servers, enabling users to locate and integrate various Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. When working with MCP-compatible clients (including Cursor, Claude Desktop, or Sypha), you can explore available servers and incorporate them into your development workflow.

To view the available server options, navigate to the Smithery marketplace: https://smithery.ai

Please note: Smithery operates independently and maintains no affiliation with our project. Usage remains at your own discretion.

Overseeing Your Connected MCP Servers

After being added, your MCP servers become accessible in the "Configure" tab, providing the following management capabilities:

Monitoring Server Status

Each server presents its operational state through visual indicators:

• Green dot: Successfully connected and operational
• Yellow dot: Currently attempting to establish connection
• Red dot: Connection lost or encountering errors

Adjusting Server Configuration

Select a server to reveal its configuration options:

1. Tools & Resources:
   • Browse all tools and resources made available by the server
   • Adjust auto-approval preferences for specific tools (when this feature is available)
2. Request Timeout:
   • Define the maximum duration Sypha waits for server responses
   • Available timeframes span from 30 seconds up to 1 hour
3. Server Management:
   • Restart Server: Re-establish connection when the server stops responding
   • Delete Server: Completely remove the server from your configuration

Activating or Deactivating Servers

Use the toggle control adjacent to each server for activation management:

• Enabled: Grants Sypha access to the server's complete toolkit and resources
• Disabled: Preserves the server within your configuration while rendering it inactive

Resolving Connection Problems

When a server connection attempt is unsuccessful:

1. A detailed error message will appear explaining the connection failure
2. For OAuth-related errors: Select the "Authenticate" button to finalize the authorization procedure
3. Confirm the server URL's accuracy and verify the server is actively running
4. Attempt switching between transport types (Streamable HTTP versus SSE)
5. Click the "Restart Server" button to initiate a fresh connection attempt
6. Should difficulties continue, consider removing the server and performing a new addition

Addressing OAuth Authentication Problems

When experiencing difficulties with OAuth-enabled server authentication:

• Persistent "Authentication required" message: Confirm you completed the entire authorization process in your browser without canceling
• Browser launch failure: Examine your system's default browser configuration and verify that external URLs are permitted to open
• Redirect-related errors: Ensure you're operating the most recent Sypha version - earlier releases may lack OAuth support
• Authentication reset procedure: Remove the server entirely and add it again to initiate a fresh OAuth authorization flow

Advanced Configuration Options

Advanced users can directly modify Sypha's MCP server configurations through a JSON settings file:

1. Within the "Configure" tab, select "Configure MCP Servers" to open the settings file
2. Server configurations adhere to the following structure:

{
	"mcpServers": {
		"exampleServer": {
			"url": "https://example.com/mcp-server",
			"type": "streamableHttp",
			"disabled": false,
			"autoApprove": ["tool1", "tool2"],
			"timeout": 60
		}
	}
}

Essential configuration parameters:

• url: The server's endpoint URL (applicable to remote servers)
• type: Connection protocol - "streamableHttp" (suggested) or "sse" (older standard)
• disabled: Current activation state of the server (true/false)
• autoApprove: Array of tool identifiers that bypass confirmation prompts
• timeout: Response wait time limit in seconds (60 by default)

To access supplementary MCP configuration options, select the "Advanced MCP Settings" link for VSCode settings access.

Utilizing MCP Server Tools

Following successful connection, Sypha gains the ability to leverage tools and resources from the MCP server. When Sypha proposes using an MCP tool:

1. An approval prompt will display (except for auto-approved tools)
2. Examine the tool specifications and parameters prior to granting approval
3. The tool executes and delivers results back to Sypha

Practical Example: Vercel MCP Integration

Vercel MCP represents an OAuth-authenticated server offering tools for Vercel project and deployment management:

1. Select the "Remote Servers" tab
2. Provide the following information:
   • Server Name: vercel
   • Server URL: https://mcp.vercel.com
   • Transport Type: Streamable HTTP (pre-selected)
3. Select "Add Server"
4. An "Authentication required" notification will appear - select the "Authenticate" button
5. Authenticate with Vercel through your browser and grant Sypha authorization
6. Navigate back to Sypha - the server connection establishes automatically
7. Vercel's complete toolkit (deployment, logs, projects) becomes accessible to Sypha

Your Vercel authentication credentials persist between sessions, eliminating the need for repeated authentication when using Sypha.