# Router Node Setup

## <mark style="color:red;">WIP - THIS IS EARLY DRAFT</mark>

## Overview

The **Router Node** acts as a **Web2-compatible RESTful API endpoint**, enabling seamless integration of existing Web2 applications into the Cortensor network. It provides **OpenAI-compatible APIs**, allowing developers to integrate AI inference functionality as effortlessly as a hotswap—without modifying their core infrastructure.

While this Router Node is **privately hosted**, it mirrors the behavior of a public gateway by bridging external requests with Cortensor’s internal session flow.

For Web3 applications and smart contracts, direct interaction with the **Session** and **Session Queue** modules is supported, bypassing the Router Node to operate in a fully decentralized and trustless manner.

This setup empowers developers to serve both traditional and decentralized clients while participating in Cortensor’s distributed AI inference network.

> **Note:** The Router Node setup follows the same process as a standard Cortensor node with additional configuration for API access.

***

### Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure the following:

* You’ve followed the [Cortensor Node Setup Guide](https://docs.cortensor.network/getting-started/installation-and-setup) to install `cortensord` and IPFS.
* Your environment is properly configured with required dependencies and keys.
* You are running a compatible system (Linux, macOS, or Windows).

***

## Installation Steps

#### 1. Install `cortensord` and IPFS

Follow the [installation instructions](https://docs.cortensor.network/getting-started/installation-and-setup) to install:

* `cortensord` (Cortensor daemon)
* IPFS (InterPlanetary File System)

#### 2. Generate Node Keys

Use the key generation process described in the node setup documentation to generate necessary identity and signing keys.

***

### Configuration

#### 3. Update Environment File (`.env`)

Ensure the following variables are present and configured in your `.env` file:

```bash
# Enable API
API_ENABLE=1

# Generate a unique API key
API_KEY=f18a7432-4d1e-47a9-a352-81145275809a

# Set your API port
API_PORT=5010

# Router External IP and Port for Miner Communication
# Used for external access to the router
ROUTER_EXTERNAL_IP="192.168.250.221"
ROUTER_EXTERNAL_PORT="9001"

# Router REST Bind IP and Port for Client Communication
# Reverse proxy to this IP and port
ROUTER_REST_BIND_IP="127.0.0.1"
ROUTER_REST_BIND_PORT="5010"
```

#### 4. Generate a New API Key

You can generate a secure API key using the following command:

```bash
cortensord ~/.cortensor/.env tool gen-api-key
```

Copy and paste the generated key into your `.env` under `API_KEY`.

***

### Launching the Router Node

**4. Create a Session from the Dashboard**

Before starting your Router Node, create a session via the Cortensor Dashboard:\
🔗 <https://dashboard-alpha.cortensor.network/session>

#### 5. Start the Router Node

Use the following command to start your router node:

```bash
cortensord ~/.cortensor/.env routerv1
```

Upon startup, your router node will:

* Register itself to handle session routing
* Open API access on the configured port (default: `5010`)
* Begin communication with miners over WebSocket
* Accept and relay inference tasks from clients

***

### Post-Setup: API Access

Once the router node is running, you can:

* Use the Web2 REST API to create sessions and submit inference tasks
* Monitor inference data as it streams between your node and miners
* Integrate Cortensor AI functionality into applications via SDKs or custom integrations

For more details on API endpoints and usage, visit:\
📘 [API Reference](/getting-started/web2-api-reference.md)

***

### Notes

* The router node does **not** perform inference—it coordinates task flow between users and miners.
* Your node must remain online and responsive to maintain API availability.
* In future releases, additional features such as task prioritization, caching, and rate limits may be configurable.

***

By hosting your own router node, you gain private access to Cortensor’s decentralized AI inference capabilities, with full control over task submission, request routing, and session monitoring.


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