pull down to refresh
10 sats \ 9 replies \ @BITC0IN 2 May 2023 \ on: Run a node? bitcoin
are you even a bitcoiner if you don't run a node?
I mean, if you have a computer and basic computer knowledge you should be able to run your own node.
reply
bare minimum is having internet and maybe the storage space (can also prune)
download .exe file
install .exe
sit back and let it run
anyone should be able to run a node
reply
Well, you do need to know how to open a port in your router if you want to accept incoming connections.
reply
No you don't. What are you referring to? I think you are conflating something else. If you want to access your node remotely? I mean you can use TOR which is slow but you can do it. You can also use a VPN like Wireguard but Tailscale is the easy way.
But really, remote access is another level. Just running your own node on a computer is simple. Doesn't require much knowledge any more.
reply
I was replying directly to @BITC0IN's comment that
bare minimum is having internet and maybe the storage space (can also prune) download .exe file install .exe sit back and let it run
I was assuming that the ".exe" means the bitcoin core installation executable. Just pointing out that if someone only installs bitcoin core and let it run, the node will not be able to accept incoming connections even after it syncs up. The next minimum step, at least I believe to be the minimum step, is to simply open port 8333 on the router. You can read more about it here if you like.
Yes, I am aware that you can use Tor or VPN. Tor allows you to not need to open any ports on the router and still can accept incoming transactions; but like you said, Tor is slow. If you use a VPN, your VPN provider needs to support either port forwarding or split tunneling and you still need to open port 8333 on your router.
I was just pointing out that the bare minimum to run a node that benefits the network, a node that accepts incoming connection is not simply to
download .exe file install .exe sit back and let it run
reply
Having incoming connections doesn't change anything
reply
I beg to differ
If you want to support the Bitcoin network, you must allow inbound connections.When Bitcoin Core starts, it establishes 10 outbound connections to other full nodes so it can download the latest blocks and transactions. If you just want to use your full node as a wallet, you don’t need more than these 10 connections—but if you want to support lightweight clients and other full nodes on the network, you must allow inbound connections.
Bitcoin is a peer to peer network. Allowing incoming connections means a node will upload / send data to other nodes and that makes all the difference. If all or only a handful of nodes allow incoming connections, you have a network full of leechers and no seeders (using BitTorrent terms), which is extremely unhealthy for the network.
reply
Yea, well, the starting comment of this thread was "are you a bitcoiner if you run your node". Yes, if you run bitcoin node with no incoming connections you are running bitcoin. If you are having incoming connections you are also helping the network. Ofc, not all users should be expected to do this, and defauly max incoming/outbound connections are 120/10 for a node which probably is enough to keep the network healthy.