How to use codespaces index on remote server via SSH

Posted on 2025-09-29 Edited on 2025-09-30 In Scientific Research Views:

One of the most powerful tools of Cursor is codespace indexing. However, on remote servers, this function is prone to fail due to network limitations or fire walls. The functionality of Cursor has been greatly compromised. We can enable remote hosts to access external websites through the network interface of their own computers.

Install a local client

Install Clash/V2Ray, open an HTTP or SOCKS port (e.g. 7890) on your computer, and then forward through an SSH tunnel. Here, I installed Clash For Window (CFW).

And you can set the port like this.

Check the port

In PowerShell on windows, you can run the following command to check the port

1	netstat -ano \| findstr LISTEN

Once you see output like: TCP 127.0.0.1:7890 0.0.0.0:0 LISTENING 32080 , it means the client works well.

Establish an SSH tunnel

Still in PowerShell on windows, run:

1	ssh -R 8888:127.0.0.1:7890 user@remote_host

Then you will connect to the remote host.

Set the environment variables on the remote server

After logging in to the remote server, enter at the terminal:

1 2	export http_proxy=http://127.0.0.1:8888 export https_proxy=http://127.0.0.1:8888

You can of course use other number rather than 8888, or add these commands to your ~/.bashrc file and then source it.

This will allow most of the CLI tools (e.g. curl, wget, git) on the remote machine to access the extranet through your local proxy.

Test accessibility to outer websites

You can use curl, ping, wget to test accessibility to outer websites. For example:

Set `.ssh` on your own computer

To avoid running ssh -R 8888:127.0.0.1:7890 user@remote_host every time you want to use this function, you can modify .ssh on your own computer. For example you have:

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Host yuan.hsres.pitt.edu
  HostName yuan.hsres.pitt.edu
  User hat170

You can change it like:

Host yuan.hsres.pitt.edu
  HostName yuan.hsres.pitt.edu
  User hat170
  RemoteForward 8888 127.0.0.1:7890
  ServerAliveInterval 60
  ServerAliveCountMax 3

In Cursor settings

Use ctl+, open settings, and search ssh proxy:

Edit settings.json:

And then restart Cursor.

Finally

It work!