Network Sketcher

Network Sketcher is an AI-native network design and diagramming tool. It generates L1/L2/L3 topology diagrams, device tables, and AI-ready context files from structured network data and natural-language workflows.

For MCP users, Network Sketcher Local MCP lets LLM clients such as Cursor and Claude Code design Cisco-style networks directly through Model Context Protocol tool calls. It runs locally over stdio, keeps master files on your machine, and produces SVG / PowerPoint diagrams plus HTML device tables.

Discovery: Network Sketcher Local MCP is listed on the LobeHub MCP Plugins Marketplace and ranked in the AI & ML MCP server category on Remote OpenClaw. If Network Sketcher helps your workflow, please consider starring the repository.

Common use cases:

• Build a 5-site WAN or campus LAN design from an AI conversation
• Generate L1 physical, L2 VLAN/broadcast-domain, and L3 IP topology diagrams
• Export a combined L1/L2/L3 HTML viewer and an interactive device table
• Create an AI Context file so another LLM can review or extend the network design

Network Sketcher provides three editions:

• Network Sketcher Local MCP — AI-native MCP server for LLM clients (Cursor, Claude Code, etc.). The most direct AI integration: the LLM calls Network Sketcher tools without a browser or copy-paste.
• Network Sketcher Online — Browser-based web service.
• Network Sketcher Offline — Desktop GUI + CLI. Runs independently with the network-sketcher_offline/ folder alone.

You can use any combination.

network-sketcher/
├── network-sketcher_local_mcp/  # Local MCP edition — MCP server for LLM clients (AI-native)
├── network-sketcher_online/     # Online edition — Web service (browser-based)
├── network-sketcher_offline/    # Offline edition — GUI + CLI (standalone desktop app)
├── README.md
├── LICENSE
└── ...

Network Sketcher Local MCP

AI-native edition: Network Sketcher Local MCP exposes the engine as a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, enabling LLM clients such as Cursor and Claude Code to drive network design directly. This is the most direct AI integration of the three editions — no browser, no copy-paste.

What is Network Sketcher Local MCP?

Network Sketcher Local MCP is the third edition of Network Sketcher. It wraps network-sketcher_online/ns_engine/ as a library and exposes the Network Sketcher CLI through the Model Context Protocol so that LLM clients can drive network design via Tool calls.

Positioning: The Online edition is "browser + human + LLM (copy-paste)"; the Offline edition is "desktop GUI / CLI"; this edition is "AI-native — the LLM executes the CLI directly".

5min Demo video of the Local MCP edition.

The AI ​​agent Cursor autonomously creates a network using Network Sketcher's Local MCP functionality. It also simultaneously references best practices from other MCPs.

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/274d5b66-5f4a-407a-bfb5-f71026971fc4

Local MCP Features

• No browser, no copy-paste. The LLM calls add device ... and similar commands as Tool invocations
• Reuses network-sketcher_online/ns_engine/ as a library (no code duplication)
• No changes are made to the existing _online / _offline folders
• stdio transport (designed for local operation)

Limitations (Local MCP)

• Single-user edition designed to run on a local PC
• Only stdio transport is supported (HTTP/SSE not supported)
• Diagram generation for large networks may take some time
• LLM clients cannot directly view binary output (PPTX / SVG); if visual feedback is needed, the user should open the generated SVG directly
• Verification status: End-to-end verified in Cursor (the primary tested host). Claude Code support follows the published MCP specification but is design-validated only at this release; please report any issues you encounter.

Requirement (Local MCP)

• Python 3.10 or later (required by the MCP SDK; the engine itself supports 3.9+)
• The full Network Sketcher repository (the network-sketcher_online/ folder must be present)
• Recommended LLM: Claude Opus 4.7 or later. The Local MCP edition relies heavily on multi-step tool calling, schema interpretation, and adherence to the layout / workflow rules embedded in the server instructions and AI Context (e.g., RULE 0 / 0.5 layout, RULE 3.5 multi-transport WAN waypoint design, mandatory get_workspace_info to get_ai_context bootstrap). Weaker or older models may struggle with these workflows.

Installation (Local MCP)

git clone https://github.com/cisco-open/network-sketcher/
cd network-sketcher/network-sketcher_local_mcp
python -m pip install -r requirements_mcp.txt

Connection Examples

Cursor and Claude Code use different configuration mechanisms, so the setup steps are split below. Pick the one that matches your client.

For Cursor

Add the following to the Cursor MCP configuration file (File > Preferences > Cursor Settings > MCP → mcp.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "network-sketcher": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/network-sketcher/network-sketcher_local_mcp/ns_mcp_server.py"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Replace /path/to/network-sketcher/ with the actual path where you cloned the repository. On Windows, you can use either forward slashes (/) or escaped backslashes (\\).

For Claude Code

Register the MCP server with the claude CLI. The -- (double dash) separator is required so that the script path is passed to python rather than parsed as a flag of claude mcp add:

# Local scope (default; current project only, stored in ~/.claude.json)
claude mcp add network-sketcher -- python "/path/to/network-sketcher/network-sketcher_local_mcp/ns_mcp_server.py"

# User scope (available across all your projects)
claude mcp add --scope user network-sketcher -- python "/path/to/network-sketcher/network-sketcher_local_mcp/ns_mcp_server.py"

# Project scope (shared with team via .mcp.json in project root)
claude mcp add --scope project network-sketcher -- python "/path/to/network-sketcher/network-sketcher_local_mcp/ns_mcp_server.py"

Replace /path/to/network-sketcher/ with the actual path where you cloned the repository. See the Claude Code MCP installation scopes documentation for details on each scope and when to use which.

Find on LobeHub MCP Marketplace

Network Sketcher Local MCP is listed on the LobeHub MCP Plugins Marketplace.

If you find the server useful and you trust the official @lobehub/ npm scope, please leave a rating from your MCP host CLI (the version range below is intentionally pinned to mitigate supply-chain risk):

npx @lobehub/market-cli@^0.0 mcp comment cisco-open-network-sketcher \
  -c "Used to drive Cisco network design from Cursor / Claude Code." --rating 5

User Guide (Local MCP)

Network Sketcher Online

AI-native software: Network Sketcher Online is designed around AI (LLM) interaction — generate AI context, send it to an LLM, and paste the resulting commands back to update your network design, all within the browser.

Demo Video (Ver 3.0.1b)

A demo video of approximately 4 minutes, starting with the installation of Network Sketcher. This demo video demonstrates creating a network configuration using LLM from URL in