Why Am I Receiving a 'Couldn’t Connect with These Settings' Error When Adding OpenRouter API Key?

Based on the error message “Couldn’t connect with these settings” and the fact that you’re using the base URL https://openrouter.ai/api/v1, here are a few things to check:

1. Confirm the Endpoint URL

Make sure that the endpoint is correct for your use case. Sometimes services may require slight modifications (for example, a trailing slash or a different version) or even a completely different endpoint for authentication versus making API calls.

2. Verify Your API Key

Double-check that you’ve copied the API key correctly from OpenRouter. Ensure there are no leading or trailing spaces. Also, confirm that the key you are using is valid for the endpoint you’re targeting.

3. Check for Required Headers or Authentication Format

Some services require the API key to be sent in a specific header (for example, using the “Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_KEY>” format). Verify if OpenRouter expects the key as a header or as a query parameter—and that your credential settings in n8n are configured accordingly.

4. Test the API Outside n8n

It can be helpful to try a test call using the HTTP Request node or a tool such as Postman. Doing so will help you see if the connection works independently of the node’s integration. For example, using curl:

SHELLCopied
curl -X GET "https://openrouter.ai/api/v1/some-endpoint" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Replace “some-endpoint” with an appropriate endpoint and adjust the header as needed according to OpenRouter’s documentation.

5. Network or Proxy Issues

Ensure that your network, or any configured proxy/firewall, isn’t blocking outgoing requests to the OpenRouter API.

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If all of the above checks are correctly set and you still receive the error, reviewing any available OpenRouter documentation for integration specifics or contacting their support might provide further insights.

These troubleshooting steps should help you isolate whether the issue is with the endpoint URL, the API key formatting, or a network-related matter.