To connect Puppeteer to Chrome on another computer on the same local network, start Chrome there with remote debugging enabled, fetch its browser-level WebSocket URL from http://REMOTE_IP:9222/json/version, then pass that URL to puppeteer.connect({ browserWSEndpoint }). Use the URL containing /devtools/browser/, not a page target URL containing /devtools/page/.
What you need before connecting
This setup uses Chrome’s or Chromium’s Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP) endpoint. The browser runs on a remote computer; your Node.js process and Puppeteer run on the client computer. Both must be able to communicate over the network, and the remote browser’s debugging port must be reachable from the client.
- Chrome or Chromium on the remote computer, launched with remote debugging enabled.
- A dedicated browser profile directory for that debugging session.
- Puppeteer installed in the client project. The example below uses Puppeteer’s documented
connectinterface; it does not launch or install a browser. - The remote computer’s LAN IP address and the debugging port, such as
192.168.1.50:9222.
Chrome’s remote debugging configuration guide demonstrates launching with a remote debugging port and a separate user-data directory, then connecting to http://127.0.0.1:9222 on the same computer: Chrome remote debugging port guide. From another computer, replace the loopback address with the remote machine’s LAN IP.
Start Chrome on the remote computer
Close or leave alone your ordinary Chrome session and launch a separate debugging instance with its own profile. A dedicated profile avoids sharing your everyday browser profile with the remote debugging session.
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Linux example
google-chrome --remote-debugging-port=9222 --user-data-dir=/tmp/puppeteer-remote-profilemacOS example
/Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome --remote-debugging-port=9222 --user-data-dir=/tmp/puppeteer-remote-profileWindows example
"C:Program FilesGoogleChromeApplicationchrome.exe" --remote-debugging-port=9222 --user-data-dir="C:puppeteer-remote-profile"Adjust the Chrome executable path and profile path for the remote computer. Keep the process running while Puppeteer is connected. These commands enable a listening CDP endpoint; they do not by themselves configure a safe network boundary. Restrict access to trusted machines and networks, and do not expose the debugging port publicly.
Find the browser WebSocket endpoint
On the Puppeteer client, request the version endpoint using the remote computer’s LAN IP and the configured port:
curl http://192.168.1.50:9222/json/versionReplace 192.168.1.50 with the remote host’s actual LAN IP. The response includes a webSocketDebuggerUrl property, usually shaped like this:
{
"Browser": "Chrome/...",
"webSocketDebuggerUrl": "ws://192.168.1.50:9222/devtools/browser/xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx"
}Use the value from webSocketDebuggerUrl as the browser endpoint. The ID is generated by the running browser, so read the value from the current response rather than copying an old ID or inventing one. The CDP discovery endpoint is documented by the Chrome DevTools Protocol: Chrome DevTools Protocol documentation.
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Browser endpoint versus page endpoint
The URL supplied as browserWSEndpoint must identify the browser and contain /devtools/browser/. A URL with /devtools/page/ identifies an individual page target and is not the browser-level endpoint that Puppeteer expects in this option. Puppeteer describes the browser WebSocket URL as the URL used to connect to that browser: Puppeteer Browser.wsEndpoint API.
Connect Puppeteer and use a page
Install Puppeteer in your client project if it is not already present, then save this as an ES module such as connect-remote.mjs. The sample reads the endpoint from an environment variable so you can avoid embedding a machine-specific endpoint in source code.
import puppeteer from 'puppeteer';
const browserWSEndpoint = process.env.BROWSER_WS_ENDPOINT;
if (!browserWSEndpoint) {
throw new Error('Set BROWSER_WS_ENDPOINT to the URL from /json/version');
}
const browser = await puppeteer.connect({ browserWSEndpoint });
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded' });
console.log('Title:', await page.title());
} finally {
// Detach this Puppeteer client; leave remote Chrome running.
browser.disconnect();
}Run it by setting the exact URL returned in webSocketDebuggerUrl:
BROWSER_WS_ENDPOINT='ws://192.168.1.50:9222/devtools/browser/xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx' node connect-remote.mjsOn Windows PowerShell, set the variable for the current session with $env:BROWSER_WS_ENDPOINT="ws://192.168.1.50:9222/devtools/browser/…", then run node .connect-remote.mjs. Puppeteer’s guide shows connecting to a browser launched outside Puppeteer and explains that browser.disconnect() disconnects the client without closing the browser or its pages: Puppeteer browser management guide.
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Disconnect versus close
Use browser.disconnect() when the remote Chrome process and its pages should remain open after your script is done. Calling browser.close() instead closes the browser; do not use it if another process or user needs that remote session to continue.
Check reachability and protect the endpoint
Before debugging Puppeteer code, make sure the client can reach the remote host and port. From the client, the /json/version request should return JSON rather than timing out or failing to connect. If you are using a hostname rather than a numeric IP, confirm that it resolves to the intended machine.
- Use the remote machine’s LAN address, not
127.0.0.1orlocalhost; those refer to the client machine when used on the client. - Confirm Chrome was launched with the selected port and remains running.
- Check that the port is listening on an interface reachable from the client, and that host firewall and network rules permit the connection.
- Keep the endpoint limited to trusted network peers. Anyone able to control a debugging endpoint may be able to interact with the browser session.
- Use a separate profile and avoid putting sensitive everyday browsing data into a remotely reachable debugging session.
The official setup documentation establishes the endpoint and connection mechanics, but it does not provide a complete authentication or firewall recipe. Choose network controls appropriate to your operating system and environment rather than assuming the debugging endpoint authenticates clients.
Common connection errors and fixes
/json/version times out or refuses the connection
This is a network or listener problem, not yet a Puppeteer problem. Confirm Chrome is running with --remote-debugging-port=9222, check the client is using the remote machine’s IP, and verify the port is reachable through the host firewall and local network. If the endpoint works only at 127.0.0.1 on the remote host, the service may not be reachable on the interface used by the client.
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The endpoint returns JSON, but Puppeteer reports an endpoint or protocol error
Copy the full webSocketDebuggerUrl field from /json/version. Confirm it is a WebSocket URL starting with ws:// and contains /devtools/browser/. Do not pass a page target URL from /json/list or any URL containing /devtools/page/ as browserWSEndpoint.
The script connects but the expected page is missing
A browser connection is not the same as selecting an existing page. Use await browser.newPage() to create one, or inspect the browser’s existing pages with await browser.pages() and choose the appropriate page. The remote Chrome session may already contain open tabs from another user or process.
The browser disconnects during a long task
Check whether the remote Chrome process exited, the remote host slept or changed networks, or the client lost its route to the debugging port. The WebSocket endpoint is tied to the running browser instance; after restarting Chrome, query /json/version again and use its current endpoint.
Need protocol-level logs
Puppeteer documents enabling diagnostic logging with NODE_DEBUG="puppeteer:*". Use logs to investigate the connection sequence and protocol messages, but treat them as sensitive: the Puppeteer guide warns that debug logs may contain sensitive information. See Puppeteer debugging guide.
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Operational trade-offs of a LAN-hosted browser
Connecting over a local IP is useful when you control both machines and need to run the browser on a particular host or profile. It also means you own the operational details: keeping Chrome available, maintaining a reachable endpoint, protecting access, and handling browser restarts. A LAN address is generally limited to the local network; it is not a public address for arbitrary remote access.
For repeated or production captures, consider the full operating cost rather than only the browser binary: host availability, updates, isolation between jobs, concurrent sessions, network restrictions, observability, and where the browser runs relative to the target site. A managed remote browser can reduce host administration, while a self-hosted browser gives you direct control of the machine and profile. The endpoint mechanics above apply when the CDP endpoint is reachable; they do not establish a particular service’s pricing, concurrency, or reliability.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use this connection from outside my local network?
The LAN-IP procedure is for machines that can reach one another on the local network. Do not expose the debugging port directly to the public internet; use an appropriately secured network path if remote access is required.
Does Puppeteer launch Chrome when I call connect()?
No. puppeteer.connect() attaches to a browser that is already running and exposes a reachable browser WebSocket endpoint.
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