# How crowdsec works on syncloud

**URL:** <https://syncloud.discourse.group/t/how-crowdsec-works-on-syncloud/553>\
**Category:** Existing Apps\
**Tags:** crowdsec\
**Created:** [4 February 2025 01:48 UTC](https://syncloud.discourse.group/t/how-crowdsec-works-on-syncloud/553 "2025-02-04T01:48:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Swerve7837](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Swerve7837](https://syncloud.discourse.group/u/Swerve7837)\
**Post date:** [4 February 2025 01:48 UTC](https://syncloud.discourse.group/t/how-crowdsec-works-on-syncloud/553/1 "2025-02-04T01:48:40Z")

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I’m trying to wrap my head around how crowdsec works and how to actually use it with syncloud. I installed it and I can see from the dashboard that my one machine is detected, but there seems to be no activity being reported.

I tried enrolling the engine, but got an error `FATA[04-02-2025 01:29:23] no configuration for Central API in '/var/snap/crowdsec/current/config/crowdsec/config.yaml'`

So is this meant to be setup as a local only API? If so how is it actually used? All of the documentation and videos online about setup point you towards enrolling your engine with the central API.

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**Author:** ![boris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/74df32/32.png) [@boris](https://syncloud.discourse.group/u/boris)\
**Post date:** [4 February 2025 09:30 UTC](https://syncloud.discourse.group/t/how-crowdsec-works-on-syncloud/553/2 "2025-02-04T09:30:03Z")

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Agree it was always not clear, do you need to enrol first and receive some sort of api key?

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**Author:** ![Swerve7837](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Swerve7837](https://syncloud.discourse.group/u/Swerve7837)\
**Post date:** [4 February 2025 12:07 UTC](https://syncloud.discourse.group/t/how-crowdsec-works-on-syncloud/553/3 "2025-02-04T12:07:56Z")

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Yes you can create an account and get an api key. My attempt at connecting with the api produced the error in my previous post.

I’ll dig into the documentation a little more. Do you know of anyone that has it working?

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**Author:** ![boris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/74df32/32.png) [@boris](https://syncloud.discourse.group/u/boris)\
**Post date:** [19 March 2026 08:31 UTC](https://syncloud.discourse.group/t/how-crowdsec-works-on-syncloud/553/4 "2026-03-19T08:31:25Z")

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Sorry it took me so long but now crowdsec is upgraded and automatically connects to the central api