Common Connection Problems

If you're experiencing difficulty connecting to the Hacker News API through your MCP server, you're not alone. Connection issues typically stem from a few common causes that are straightforward to diagnose and resolve.

Verify Server Status

First, confirm that the MCP server is actually running. Check your Microsoft 365 environment to ensure the Hacker News MCP server appears in your list of active connections. If the server isn't listed or shows as inactive, you'll need to restart it through your MCP configuration settings.

Check Network Connectivity

The Hacker News MCP server requires outbound internet access to communicate with Hacker News APIs. If you're behind a corporate firewall or using a VPN, these may be blocking the necessary connections. Verify that your network allows HTTPS traffic to hacker-news.firebaseio.com, which is the primary endpoint for Hacker News data.

Authentication and Permissions

While Hacker News itself doesn't require authentication for reading public content, your MCP server configuration may have permission restrictions. Review your Microsoft 365 admin settings to ensure the MCP server has appropriate permissions to make external API calls. Check that no security policies are preventing the server from accessing external resources.

Troubleshooting Timeout Errors

If you're receiving timeout errors when requesting Hacker News content, this usually indicates the API is taking longer than expected to respond. The Hacker News API can occasionally experience high load, particularly during peak hours when major tech news breaks.

Try requesting smaller datasets first—instead of fetching all top stories at once, request just the first few items. If this succeeds, the issue is likely related to the volume of data being transferred rather than a fundamental connection problem.

Testing Your Connection

To verify your connection is working correctly, start with a simple query like requesting a specific story by its ID. Ask your AI assistant to "fetch Hacker News item 8863" (a well-known story that should always be available). If this succeeds, your basic connectivity is functioning properly, and any issues are likely related to specific query types or data volumes.

When to Seek Additional Help

If you've verified the server is running, confirmed network connectivity, and simple queries still fail, the issue may be with your MCP server installation itself. Check the server logs for specific error messages, which will provide more detailed information about what's failing. Configuration issues with the MCP server deployment are best addressed by reviewing the installation documentation or consulting your system administrator.