Guides

MCP Setup Guide (Cursor)

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This guide instructs users on setting up the MCP Server and enabling Cursor integration for both Windows and macOS systems.

Prerequisites

Before beginning the setup process, you will need to:

  • Access to a Pax8 account (app.pax8.com)
  • Node.js version 18 or higher installed on your system
  • Administrative privileges on your computer
  • Internet connection for downloading required software

Step 1: Access the Pax8 Integrations Page

  1. Sign in to app.pax8.com
  2. On the left pane, select Settings > Integrations

Step 2: Generate Authentication Token

  1. Navigate to the Integrations page
  2. On the Integrations page, select the MCP server tab
  3. Under MCP Token and Authentication, select Generate Token
    • The page will refresh automatically after token generation

Step 3: Install Node.js v18 (If Not Already Installed)

Node.js v18 is the minimum requirement to access the MCP Server. Ensure your default Node.js version is set to 18 or higher.

Initial Steps (All Platforms)

  1. On the Integrations page, select the MCP server tab
  2. On the right Info panel, under Prerequisites, select Node.js v18
  3. On nodejs.org, select Download
  4. On the Download Node.js page, locate the dropdown for a prebuilt Node.js

Platform-Specific Download and Installation

Windows

  1. Select Windows from the dropdown
  2. Select Windows installer (.msi)
  3. Access the node-v[semver version].msi file on your device

macOS

  1. Select macOS from the dropdown
  2. Select macOS installer (.pkg)
  3. Access the node-v[semver version].pkg file on your device

Installation Process (All Platforms)

  1. On the Install Node.js wizard, select Continue
  2. Read the Software License Agreement and select Continue
  3. Select Agree to the terms of the agreement
  4. Select Install (you will be prompted to enter your device's username and password)
  5. Enter your login details and select Install Software
  6. When download is complete, select Close

Step 4: Download and Install Cursor

Prior to configuring the MCP Server, ensure you have completed Steps 1-3 (token generation and Node.js installation).

  1. Download and install the Cursor application from cursor.sh
  2. Follow the platform-specific installation instructions
  3. Open your newly-installed Cursor application
  4. Complete the initial setup and sign-in process if prompted

Step 5: Configure Cursor MCP Settings

Access Configuration File

You can access the configuration file through Cursor settings or locate it manually:

Option 1: Through Cursor Settings

  1. Open Cursor Settings using the keyboard shortcut:
    • macOS: ⌘ + ,
    • Windows: Ctrl + ,
  2. Navigate to Developer > Edit Config
  3. This should open a finder window to the cursor desktop config file

Option 2: Manual File Location

Locate the configuration file directly on your system:

macOS
  • File path: /Users/your-user-name/Library/Application Support/Cursor/cursor_desktop_config.json
Windows
  • File path: C:\Users\your-user-name\AppData\Roaming\Cursor\cursor_desktop_config.json

Edit Configuration File

  1. Open the cursor_desktop_config.json file in your device's default text editor
  2. Navigate back to the Integrations > MCP Server page in your browser
  3. Scroll down to the Connect section and select Cursor
  4. Select Copy Code (this will copy the configuration with your MCP token already in place to the clipboard)
    1. OR you can copy this code and replace with your unique token 
      1. {
  "mcpServers": {
    "supergateway-pax8": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "supergateway",
        "--header",
        "x-pax8-mcp-token:YOUR-MCP-TOKEN-HERE",
        "--sse",
        "https://mcp.pax8.com/v1/sse"
      ]
    }
  }
}
  5. Replace the existing text in your cursor_desktop_config.json file with the copied configuration
  6. On the top menu, select File > Save
  7. Exit the text editor once the file is saved

Apply Configuration Changes

  1. Save the MCP config file
  2. Restart the Cursor application to apply the changes:

Windows

  • Close Cursor completely
  • Reopen the Cursor application

macOS

  • Select Cursor > Quit from the top menu
  • Reopen the Cursor application

Step 6: Test the Integration

  1. Open a new chat session in Cursor
  2. Type the following test prompt: "Can you get me a list of companies using the pax8 mcp server?"
  3. This should trigger the MCP server tool call
  4. You may need to click the "Run Tool" button to see the tool call in action
  5. Verify that Cursor can successfully communicate with the Pax8 MCP Server

Verification Checklist

Ensure the following to confirm successful integration:

  • Node.js v18+ is installed and set as default version
  • Pax8 MCP token has been generated
  • Configuration file has been updated with your specific MCP token
  • Cursor application has been restarted after configuration changes
  • Test prompt successfully triggers MCP server tool calls

Optional: Getting Started

Use the sample prompts available on the Integrations > MCP Server page to begin exploring the integration capabilities with Cursor.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues during setup:

  • Node.js Version: Verify Node.js v18 or higher is installed by running node --version in your terminal
  • Token Issues: Ensure your authentication token was generated successfully and copied correctly
  • Configuration File: Check that the cursor_desktop_config.json file was saved correctly with proper JSON formatting
  • Application Restart: Always restart Cursor after making configuration changes
  • Tool Execution: If tools don't execute automatically, look for the "Run Tool" button in the chat interface

For additional support, refer to the Pax8 documentation or contact your system administrator or see Cursor official documentation: https://docs.cursor.com/context/model-context-protocol#configuring-mcp-servers

Updated about 3 hours ago