perplexity-pro-openclaw
// Connect Perplexity PRO to OpenClaw with anti-bot browser automation, bypassing Cloudflare protection via Xvfb and VNC authentication
Perplexity PRO for OpenClaw
This skill enables OpenClaw to search Perplexity PRO with persistent authenticated sessions, bypassing Cloudflare protection through undetectable browser automation.
What This Skill Does
- ✅ Bypasses Cloudflare bot detection (Xvfb + stealth Chrome)
- ✅ Maintains persistent Perplexity PRO sessions across reboots
- ✅ Provides VNC access for manual OAuth authentication
- ✅ Creates automated search capability for OpenClaw agents
Prerequisites
- Ubuntu Server (headless or with display)
- OpenClaw installed and configured
- Google Chrome (NOT Snap version)
- Xvfb package
- x11vnc for remote access
Interactive Setup Steps
During installation, the agent will guide you through:
Step 1: Chrome Installation
The agent will help you remove Snap Chromium and install proper Google Chrome:
sudo snap remove chromium
wget https://dl.google.com/linux/direct/google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i google-chrome-stable_current_amd64.deb
Step 2: Browser Launcher Setup
The agent creates start-stealth-browser.sh with anti-bot settings:
- Xvfb virtual display (bypasses headless detection)
- Persistent profile in
~/.openclaw/browser-profile/ - Stealth flags to mask automation
Step 3: VNC Configuration
The agent sets up x11vnc for remote browser access:
sudo apt-get install -y x11vnc
x11vnc -storepasswd openclaw /tmp/vncpass
⚠️ Security Note: Default VNC password is "openclaw" - change this in production!
Step 4: Manual Authentication (Required)
You must authenticate manually through VNC:
- Connect via VNC (macOS:
open vnc://your-server:5900, Windows: RealVNC Viewer) - Open Perplexity.ai in the browser
- Click "Sign in with Google"
- Enter your email and password directly
- Complete 2FA if enabled
Important: App Passwords do NOT work for web authentication. Use your actual Google password.
How to Use
After setup, the agent can search Perplexity:
# Via skill script
./scripts/start-stealth-browser.sh
# Search Perplexity
openclaw browser open "https://www.perplexity.ai/search?q=your+query"
File Structure
perplexity-pro-openclaw/
├── SKILL.md # This file - skill metadata and setup
├── README.md # Detailed installation guide
├── scripts/
│ └── start-stealth-browser.sh # Browser launcher
└── CHANGELOG.md # Version history
Anti-Bot Techniques (7 Levels)
- Browser Fingerprint Masking -
--disable-blink-features=AutomationControlled - Session Persistence - Profile in
~/.openclaw/browser-profile/(not /tmp) - Xvfb Virtual Display - Real Chrome window, not headless
- Realistic Viewport - 1920x1080 resolution
- Disabled Automation Flags - Background throttling disabled
- Persistent Cookies - Survives browser restarts
- FlareSolverr (optional) - For extreme cases
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Chrome shows "HeadlessChrome" | Ensure Xvfb is running, not --headless flag |
| Cloudflare still blocking | Update Chrome, verify all stealth flags |
| VNC connection refused | Check ss -tlnp | grep 5900, verify firewall |
| Perplexity asks to login again | Profile directory issue - re-authenticate via VNC once |
Security Considerations
- VNC password should be changed from default "openclaw"
- Profile stored in
~/.openclaw/browser-profile/(user home, not /tmp) - OAuth tokens persist - secure your server appropriately
- VNC traffic is unencrypted by default - use SSH tunnel for remote access
Author
Created by rundax.com
Part of the OpenClaw ecosystem - ClawHub