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384 sats \ 14 replies \ @DarthCoin 4 Dec \ on: Why Should I Have a Bitcoin Core Full Node If I'm Not a Miner? bitcoin_beginners
The answer is simply NO.
You could easily install https://bitcoincore.org/ or Knots on any simple PC and open it only when you need to do a tx.
Also if you have a friend running a core node, you can connect a Sparrow wallet to it directly (even no need for heavy Electrum server) and transact in peace.
I personally do no push people to run their own Bitcoin Core node, only if is really needed.
Another option is to use Zeus or Blixt or Breez, that are "light" LND nodes using Neutrino as blocks provider. Neutrino is very easy to use for onchain with no need of heavy sync of over 700Gb of blocks data.
Also you can run your own LND node on any PC in neutrino mode, without heavy GBs of data and transact in perfectly fine privacy.
I still do not understand why people with Umbrels & others are still running full core nodes instead of just using Neutrino. Bitcoin Core is eating almost all resources for a node. And a LN node with a neutrino is more than enough to run smoothly a LN node.
A full Bitcoin node is necessary only in specific cases.
Running a core node without opening the port 8333 and give more seeds to the whole network is NOT helping the network as many says... But opening that port comes with more hurdle, bandwidth, IP etc
If we talk in terms of the bitcoin network, does having a full node help the network at all? If so, in what way?
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While I agree with Darth on many things, running an always-on node can be good for the bitcoin network. Your node is more than a copy of the chain, it also stores and relays unconfirmed transactions (it has a mempool). More mempools means new transactions propagate through the network with greater speed. Also, your node's mempool can help ensure that transactions you believe follow the bitcoin protocol have a better chance to spread (imagine there were people who refused to relay some kinds of rule following txs, you can be a mempool that makes it harder for people to censor). Does it make a huge difference? No. But it makes a difference that you can actually exert some control over, and that is worth it imo.
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I will ask some simple questions:
- how many onchain txs are you doing in a month to worth running an "always online" core node?
- is a core node that is running only when I need it different than one that is 24/7 online?
- is a core node running 24/7 and doing nothing else helping the others, without opening the port 8333 and seed to more peers?
- is a core node running 24/7 without a LN node helping others?
The answer is NO. If you really want to run for yourself, you do not need to run it 24/7.
As a normal user, most of the payments are done through LN. You use onchain exclusively for opening / closing LN channels. To run a decent LN node you really do not need a full blown core node syncing 24/7.
Running full core nodes are for specific use cases. People nowadays still do not understand what is a real full core node. They think that running a shity RPi node at home is a full node. IT IS NOT.
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how many onchain txs are you doing in a month to worth running an "always online" core node?
Not relevant to my answer.
is a core node that is running only when I need it different than one that is 24/7 online?
Yes. When you only turn your node on for broadcast/receive, your list of peers goes stale. Sometimes you have to resort to hard coded list of peers to get connected again. This is a trust issue. Maybe you trust the hard coded list, but it's a clear benefit to not need such a thing. When your node is mostly on, you develop a more organic set of peers. Much harder to attack.
is a core node running 24/7 and doing nothing else helping the others, without opening the port 8333 and seed to more peers?
Yes. Serving blocks is only a little of it, relaying unconfirmed transactions is important for the reasons I listed above. I believe your node still relays unconfirmed txs even if port 8333 is closed (please let me know if I'm wrong).
is a core node running 24/7 without a LN node helping others?
Same as above.
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Just for few of your onchain txs is not relevant to have a full blown core node 24/7.
If you transact only onchain you can easily just start that core app every day, few minutes and let it sync. Then close it down. Nothing burger. It's all fine.
KEEPING A CORE NODE 24/7 OPEN IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HELP THE NETWORK. You help only yourself.
Even if you use another client connected to that core node, like Sparrow, you need it only TO SERVE THE LATEST BLOCKS and sync your wallet. That's all.
On contrary, if you do not know how to secure well your network and keep a core 24/7 you are mostly receive more attacks than usual and will slow down your whole network, FOR NOTHING.
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It helps only yourself.
If you are a miner or big LN routing node is totally another story. But for a regular meaningless user, it doesn't matter.
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If you really want to "help the network", then do this:
- open port 8333 on your router
- Use a public IP (paid)
- use a high bandwidth internet connection. Supporting many leeches connected to your public core ndoe it takes a lot of bandwidth
- use a list of blocking spammers. There are many fake nodes trying to fool the BTC network with fake blocks. Read Loop guides about.
- use a high reliable server for that node
Can you do that with a regular fucking Rpi machine? Hell NO! You will be killed instantly.
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Use a public IP (paid)
You mean static IP?
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You can set a static IP on your LAN, but that does not necessarily mean that IP is publicly accessible.
To be maximally helpful for "the network", your node needs to broadcast an IP that anyone can connect.
Most residential Internet service does not include a public IP, rather your router is behind a carrier grade NAT, meaning you cannot forward ports.
Additionally, many Internet plans have data caps that make it "expensive" to sync a node from genesis quickly, let alone seed blocks to others.
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Oh! I wasn't talking about a static ip on a local network but on a public network (aka internet :)).
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If you don't have a static IP but are still able to forward ports using a dynamic IP, then, when your IP changes, all connections will be dropped. Your node will reopen all outgoing connections using your new IP address. Unfortunately incoming connections will not be reopened and any remote nodes will have to wait for your node's new external IP address to be advertised again by your peers.
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I think that paid (@DarthCoin mentioned that) is always static.
But I think that if you have public dynamic IP on your router (which is in 99% free) then you can use "discover" parameter in bitcoin core so it will find out that public IP it self and will use it.
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