Guide to Staking on Ethereum (Ubuntu/Nimbus)
Last updated: 19-August-2024
This is a step-by-step guide to staking on the Ethereum mainnet via an Execution Client and the Nimbus Consensus Client. It is based on the following technologies:
- Server: Ubuntu v22.04 (LTS) x64
- Execution Client: Besu / Erigon / Geth / Nethermind / Reth
- Consensus Client: Status Nimbus
- Crypto wallet: MetaMask
Warnings
Staking requires a deposit of 32 ETH + gas fees. This guide includes instructions to safely deposit your ETH for staking on the Ethereum mainnet using official methods. DO NOT send ETH anywhere without knowing what you are doing.
Disclaimer
This article (the guide) is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. The author does not guarantee accuracy of the information in this article and the author is not responsible for any damages or losses incurred by following this article. A full disclaimer can be found at the bottom of this page — please read it before continuing.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Support
Prerequisites
Testnet to Mainnet
Requirements
Activation Queue
Overview
Step 1 — Generate Staking Data
Step 2 — Create the Server User
Step 3 — Update the Server
Step 4 — Secure the Server
Step 5 — Create a Swap Space
Step 6 — Configure Timekeeping
Step 7 — Generate Client Authentication Secret
Step 8 — Configure the Execution Client
- Install the Execution Client — Besu
- Install the Execution Client — Erigon
- Install the Execution Client — Geth
- Install the Execution Client — Nethermind
- Install the Execution Client — Reth
Step 9 — Install the Nimbus Consensus Client
Step 10 — Import the Validator Keys
Step 11 — Sync the Nimbus Beacon Chain
Step 12 — Configure the Nimbus Service
Step 13 — Fund the Validator Keys
Final Remarks and Recommended Next Steps
Further Reading
Appendix A — Updating Besu
Appendix B — Updating Erigon
Appendix C — Updating Geth
Appendix D — Updating Nethermind
Appendix E — Updating Reth
Appendix F — Updating Nimbus
Appendix G — Adding Validators
Appendix H — Exiting Validators
Appendix I — Manage Systemd Journal Logs
Appendix J — Expanding the Logical Volume
Full Disclaimer
Acknowledgements
Thanks to the EthStaker Admins and Educators, the Ethereum Execution and Consensus Client teams, the Ethereum core developers and researchers, and the Ethereum staking community for all of their amazing contributions, feedback, and support.
Support
For technical support reach out to:
- The EthStaker community on Reddit or Discord. Knowledgeable and friendly community passionate about staking on Ethereum.
- The Nimbus Consensus Client team Discord.
- The Besu / Erigon / Geth / Nethermind Execution Client team Discord.
- The Reth Execution Client team Telegram.
Prerequisites
This guide assumes some knowledge of Ethereum, ETH, staking ETH, Linux, and MetaMask.
This guide also requires the following before getting started:
- Ubuntu server v22.04 (LTS) amd64 installed and running on a local computer or in the cloud. A locally running computer is encouraged for greater decentralization.
- MetaMask crypto wallet web browser extension installed and configured on a computer with a desktop (Mac, Windows, Linux, etc.) and a web browser (Brave, Safari, FireFox, etc.).
Testnet to Mainnet
If moving from a testnet setup to a mainnet setup it is strongly recommended that you start on fresh (newly installed) server instance. This guide has not been tested for migration scenarios and does not guarantee success if you are using an existing server instance with previously installed testnet software.
Requirements
In general the following are required for good staking performance. More information here and here.
- A relatively modern multi-core CPU.
- 16GB RAM (32GB is better, and required in some cases).
- An SSD (NVMe is better) of at least 2TB.
- A stable internet connection with sufficient download speed and monthly data allowance.
Activation Queue
As demand grows for staking, the queue to register new validators increases. Based on various factors, the Ethereum PoS network allows a fixed number validators to join per day. Depending on demand it might be mins, hours, days, weeks, or even months until your deposit becomes active and eligible for validation duties. This means once you queue your validator to join the network (by depositing your 32 ETH) it won’t be eligible to participate in staking or to earn staking rewards until it has activated.
The pending validators queue can be observed here.
Estimated queue times can be viewed here.
NOTE: As stated at the beginning of this guide, DO NOT deposit your ETH without understanding what you are doing. DO NOT send your ETH to the Ethereum deposit contract without following the instructions in this guide.
Overview
The simplified diagram below illustrates the staking setup. The yellow boxes are the areas this guide covers.
The Consensus Client (formerly Eth2 client) is the software that provides the PoS consensus mechanism to the Execution Client. It includes the Beacon Chain Node and the Validator.
The Execution Client (formerly Eth1 client) is the software that is responsible for various Ethereum network operations such as selecting/executing transactions from the mempool.
NOTE: Both the Execution Client and the Consensus Client are required to stake.
The conceptual flow through the guide is:
- Generate the staking Deposit Data and Validator Keystore(s)
- Prepare the Ubuntu Server (updates, firewall, security, etc.)
- Set up an Execution Client node and sync it with the Ethereum mainnet
- Set up the Nimbus Consensus Client and sync with other Beacon Nodes
- Deposit 32 ETH to activate the staking Validator(s)
Let’s get started!
Step 1 — Generate Staking Data
In order to participate in staking it is necessary to use a tool to generate data files based on the number of validators you’d like to fund and operate.
NOTE: If you have already generated your staking Deposit Data and Validator Key(s) you can skip this step.
Each validator will require a deposit of 32 ETH in order to activate it on the Ethereum mainnet. You should have sufficient ETH in your MetaMask wallet to fund each validator. For example if you plan to run 2 validators you will need to have (32 x 2) = 64 ETH plus some extra to cover the gas fees. The ETH deposit will happen later in the guide after everything else is up and running.
Download the Deposit Tool (Staking Deposit CLI)
The Staking Deposit CLI is a stand-alone tool that can be run on either Windows or Linux. Besides staking data files, it generates a mnemonic which is sensitive, so there are some security best practices discussed below.
Go here to get the Latest version of the Staking Deposit CLI (command line interface) tool.
In the Assets section locate the version matching the required platform. If Windows, right-click the link and download. If Linux, download the archive using the commands below.
Modify the URL below to match the download link for the latest version.
$ cd ~
$ curl -LO https://github.com/ethereum/staking-deposit-cli/releases/download/v2.7.0/staking_deposit-cli-fdab65d-linux-amd64.tar.gz
If on Windows, unzip the archive and go into the folder created. If on Linux, unpack the tar archive using the commands below and go into the directory after renaming it.
Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ tar xvf staking_deposit-cli-fdab65d-linux-amd64.tar.gz
$ mv staking_deposit-cli-fdab65d-linux-amd64 staking-deposit-cli
$ rm staking_deposit-cli-fdab65d-linux-amd64.tar.gz # <-- Clean up
$ cd staking-deposit-cli
There should be a binary file (executable) in the archive named deposit
.
Prepare to Run the Deposit Tool (Staking Deposit CLI)
The Staking Deposit CLI tool generates a mnemonic key. It is used to generate the staking data and (eventually) the withdrawal key(s) as well. This mnemonic must be handled securely to avoid any risk of it being exposed. There are different ways to proceed; two options are provided below.
Option 1: Air-Gapped Machine (recommended) — Copy the deposit
binary file to a USB drive. Connect the drive to a fully air-gapped machine (never previously connected to a network or the internet) and copy the binary file to the air-gapped machine.
Option 2: Current Machine (not recommended) — Run from the current machine. An internet connection may be an opportunity to leak your mnemonic key. If a fully air-gapped machine isn’t available, disconnect the network/internet on the current machine before proceeding.
Run the Deposit Tool (Staking Deposit CLI)
On the secure machine run the binary file in a terminal window (or CMD in Windows). For example, if you want to create 2 validators use the commands below.
On Linux:
$ sudo ./deposit new-mnemonic --num_validators 2 --chain mainnet --eth1_withdrawal_address <YourWithdrawalAaddress>
On Windows:
deposit.exe new-mnemonic --num_validators 2 --chain mainnet --eth1_withdrawal_address <YourWithdrawalAaddress>
Replace <YourWithdrawalAddress>
with an Ethereum address within your control.
NOTE: Once set, the withdrawal address CANNOT be changed, so be ABSOLUTELY SURE that it is an address within your control and correctly specified. For example:
--eth1_withdrawal_address 0xd8dA6BF26964aF9D7eEd9e03E53415D37aA96045
NOTE: The flag
--eth1_withdrawal_address
allows you to specify an Ethereum address that your staking rewards in excess of 32 staked ETH will automatically be withdrawn to (once withdrawals are enabled). This will also be the address your 32 ETH will be withdrawn to if you exit the validator. More information here.NOTE: If you don’t set the
--eth1_withdrawal_address
flag at this time, you can set it later via a special process (known as converting the withdrawal credential from0x00
to0x01
) when you are ready to start withdrawing the staking rewards or when you want to exit the validator. If you don’t set the flag, staking rewards in excess of 32 ETH will not be automatically withdrawn and you will not be able to reclaim the 32 ETH deposit upon exiting the validator until you convert the withdrawal credential.
Once you execute the above steps on your platform of choice, confirm your withdrawal address, and provide your language preferences you will be asked to create the validator keystore(s) password. Back it up somewhere safe. You will need this later to import the validator(s) into the Consensus Client.
Next, a seed phrase (mnemonic) will be generated. Back it up somewhere safe. This is CRITICAL. You will eventually use this to generate your withdrawal keys for your staked ETH or to add additional validators.
NOTE: If you lose the mnemonic you will not be able to withdraw your funds.
Once you have confirmed your mnemonic your validator(s) will be created.
The validator(s) and deposit data file are created at the specified location. The contents of the directory are shown below.
Notes on the files:
- The
deposit_data-[timestamp].json
file contains the public key(s) for the validator(s) and information about the staking deposit. This file will be used to complete the ETH staking deposit process later in this guide. - The
keystore-[..].json
files contain the encrypted validator signing key. There is one keystore file per validator that you are funding. These will be imported into the Consensus Client for use during validation operations. - You will copy the files over to your Ubuntu server (if not already there) later in this guide.
- If you lose or accidentally delete the files it is possible to regenerate them using the Staking Deposit CLI tool and your mnemonic via the
existing-mnemonic
command. More information here.
Final Steps
Now that you have generated the deposit data, keystore file(s), validator password, and the mnemonic move on to set up the Ubuntu server.
DO NOT DEPOSIT any ETH at this moment.
It is important to complete and verify your staking setup first. If your ETH deposits become active and your staking setup is not ready, inactivity penalties will be deducted from your staked ETH balance.
Step 2 — Create the Server User
Using a SSH client, connect to your Ubuntu server. If you are logged in as root
(usually denoted in this format: root@YourServerName:~#
) then create a user-level account with admin privileges instead, since logging in as the root
user is risky.
NOTE: If you are not logged in as
root
(usually denoted in this format:YourUserName@YourServerName:~$
) then skip this and go to Step 3.
Create a new user. Replace <yourusername>
with a username of your choice. You will asked to create a strong password and provide some other optional information.
# adduser <yourusername>
Grant admin rights to the new user by adding it to the sudo
group. This will allow the user to perform actions with superuser privileges by typing sudo
before commands.
# usermod -aG sudo <yourusername>
OPTIONAL: If you used SSH keys to connect to your Ubuntu instance via the root
user you will need to associate the new user with the root user’s SSH key data.
# rsync --archive --chown=<yourusername>:<yourusername> ~/.ssh /home/<yourusername>
Finally, log out of root
and log in as <yourusername>
.
Step 3 — Update the Server
Make sure the system is up to date with the latest software and security updates.
$ sudo apt -y update && sudo apt -y upgrade
$ sudo apt dist-upgrade && sudo apt autoremove
$ sudo reboot
Step 4 — Secure the Server
Security is important. This is not a comprehensive security guide, just some basic settings.
Modify the Default SSH Port
Port 22 is the default SSH port and a common attack vector. Change the SSH port to avoid this.
Choose a port number between 1024–49151 and run the following command to check is not already in use.
$ sudo ss -tulpn | grep ':YourSSHPortNumber'
Example:
$ sudo ss -tulpn | grep ':6673'
A blank response indicates not in use, a red text response indicates it is in use: try a different port.
If confirmed available, modify the default SSH port number by updating your server’s SSH config. Open the config file:
$ sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Find or add (if not present) the line Port 22
in the file. Remove the #
(if present) and change the value as below.
Port <YourSSHPortNumber>
Check the screen shot below for reference.
Press <CTRL> + X then Y then <ENTER> to save and exit.
Restart the SSH service to reflect the changes.
$ sudo systemctl restart ssh
Remember to update your SSH client settings to reflect the new SSH port that you configured. Log out and log back in via SSH using YourSSHPortNumber
as the port number to make sure everything is working correctly.
Configure the Firewall
Ubuntu 22.04 servers can use the UFW firewall to restrict inbound traffic to the server. The firewall helps prevent unwanted connections to your server.
Install UFW
UFW should be installed by default. The following command will ensure it is.
$ sudo apt install ufw
Apply UFW Defaults
Explicitly apply the defaults: inbound traffic denied, outbound traffic allowed.
$ sudo ufw default deny incoming
$ sudo ufw default allow outgoing
Allow SSH
Allow inbound traffic on YourSSHPortNumber
as set above. SSH requires the TCP protocol.
NOTE: If you are hosting your Ubuntu instance locally and would like to access your server remotely (not recommended for security reasons), your internet router may need to be configured to allow incoming traffic on port
YourSSHPortNumber
as well.
$ sudo ufw allow YourSSHPortNumber/tcp
Example:
$ sudo ufw allow 6673/tcp
Deny SSH Port 22
If you have changed the value of the SSH port then deny inbound traffic on the default port 22/TCP.
$ sudo ufw deny 22/tcp
Allow Execution Client Port 30303
Allow P2P connections with Execution Client peers (port 30303). This is a common port used by all of the Execution Clients described in this guide.
NOTE: If you are hosting your Ubuntu instance locally your internet router may need to be configured to allow incoming traffic on port 30303 as well.
$ sudo ufw allow 30303
Allow Nimbus
Allows P2P connections with Consensus Client peers for actions on the Beacon Chain Node (port 9000).
NOTE: If you are hosting your Ubuntu instance locally your internet router may need to be configured to allow incoming traffic on port 9000 as well.
$ sudo ufw allow 9000
Enable the Firewall
Enable the firewall and verify the rules have been correctly configured.
$ sudo ufw enable
$ sudo ufw status numbered
Check the screen shot below for reference.
Log out and SSH back in again to confirm everything is working correctly.
Step 5 — Create a Swap Space
A swap space (a file on the disk used to store in-memory data when the system memory gets low) is used to guard against out-of-memory errors. It is particularly useful for clients that require large amounts of memory when syncing or running. More information here.
NOTE: This step should be considered optional. Disk space is at a premium and while having the swap can be useful, it comes at the cost of multiple gigabytes of storage. The advantage is that it may prevent out of memory (OOM) incidents, especially if using the Erigon Execution Client.
Confirm there is no swap space already configured.
$ free -h
Zeros on the Swap:
row indicate there is no swap space assigned.
NOTE: If you already have swap space assigned you can skip this step.
The recommended swap space size on disk is shown below. If you have 8GB RAM then use a swap space size of 3GB.
RAM Swap Size
8GB 3GB
12GB 3GB
16GB 4GB
24GB 5GB
32GB 6GB
64GB 8GB
128GB 11GB
Check for available disk space.
$ df -h
In the Mounted on
column locate the row with /
. The swap file will be created on that disk. Make sure it has sufficient space available.
Create the swap space. The value 3G
(3GB) below is for a server with 8GB RAM. Change the value based on the size you require. E.g. If your server has 16GB RAM, then use 4G
.
$ sudo fallocate -l 3G /swapfile
$ sudo chmod 600 /swapfile
$ sudo mkswap /swapfile
$ sudo swapon /swapfile
Verify the changes.
$ free -h
The swap space should now show.
Enable the swap space to persist after reboot.
$ sudo cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.bak
$ echo '/swapfile none swap sw 0 0' | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab
Configure the swap space.
$ sudo sysctl vm.swappiness=10
$ sudo sysctl vm.vfs_cache_pressure=50
Open the config file to configure the swap space.
$ sudo nano /etc/sysctl.conf
Add the following to the end of the file.
vm.swappiness=10
vm.vfs_cache_pressure=50
Check the screenshot below for reference.
Press <CTRL> + X then Y then <ENTER> to save and exit.
The swap file is now configured. Monitor using the htop
command.
Press <CTRL> + C to exit.
Step 6 — Configure Timekeeping
Running validators against a blockchain requires accurate timekeeping in order to ensure proper synchronization with the blockchain network. Ubuntu has time synchronization built in and activated by default using the timedatectl systemd directive.
Verify it’s running correctly.
$ timedatectl
Check the screenshot below for reference.
The NTP service
should be active
. If not then run:
$ sudo timedatectl set-ntp on
Step 7 — Generate Client Authentication Secret
On the server, communication between the Execution and Consensus clients is secured using a JSON Web Token (JWT) authentication scheme. The JWT is represented by a file that contains a randomly generated 32-byte hex string. The Execution and Consensus clients each make use of the file for message authentication. More information here.
Create a directory on the server to store the JWT file.
$ sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/jwtsecret
Generate the JWT file using the openssl
cryptography software library.
$ openssl rand -hex 32 | sudo tee /var/lib/jwtsecret/jwt.hex > /dev/null
Use the following command to inspect the file with the hex string.
$ sudo nano /var/lib/jwtsecret/jwt.hex
Press <CTRL>+X to exit.
Later in the guide, the path to the jwt.hex
file will be included in the configuration of the Execution and Consensus clients so they can authenticate incoming and outgoing messages.
Step 8 — Configure the Execution Client
An Execution Client is required for staking. This guide includes instructions for installing each of the four main Execution Clients. They are:
Each client has different characteristics. More information here.
NOTE: It is only necessary to install and run ONE Execution Client from the five options above.
The client you choose is up to you, however, it is recommended in the interests of client diversity (and to avoid serious penalties if using a majority client which experiences a broadly impacting bug) that you select a minority client. Check here to determine the current distribution. For example, at the time the screenshot was taken below, Geth was the majority Execution Client so you should consider a different option.
The following instructions detail installation steps for each of the five Execution Clients. Remember: it is only necessary to install one. Skip past the other sections as necessary.
NOTE: Check your available disk space (e.g. using
df -h
). A fully synced Execution Client database currently requires just under 1.2 TB of space. Even if you have a large SSD there are cases where Ubuntu reports only 200GB free. If this applies to you then refer to Appendix J — Expanding the Logical Volume.
Install the Execution Client — Besu
Install the Hyperledger Besu (or simply Besu) Execution Client by downloading the latest version.
Go here to get the Latest release of Besu.
In the Assets section copy the download link to the tar.gz file. Be sure to copy the correct link.
Download the archive using the commands below. Modify the URL to match the download link for the latest version.
$ cd ~
$ curl -LO https://github.com/hyperledger/besu/releases/download/24.5.4/besu-24.5.4.tar.gz
Extract the files from the archive and copy to the /usr/local/bin
directory. The Besu service will run it from there. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ tar xvf besu-24.5.4.tar.gz
$ sudo cp -a besu-24.5.4 /usr/local/bin/besu
Clean up the files. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ rm besu-24.5.4.tar.gz
$ rm -r besu-24.5.4
Install the required prerequisites.
$ sudo apt -y install openjdk-21-jre-headless
$ sudo apt install -y libjemalloc-dev
Besu will be configured to run as a background service. Create an account for the service to run under. This type of account can’t log into the server.
$ sudo useradd --no-create-home --shell /bin/false besu
Create the data directory. This is required for storing the Ethereum blockchain data.
$ sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/besu
Set directory permissions. The besu user account needs permission to modify the data directory.
$ sudo chown -R besu:besu /var/lib/besu
Create a systemd service config file to configure the service.
$ sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/besu.service
Paste the following service configuration into the file.
[Unit]
Description=Besu Execution Client (Mainnet)
Wants=network-online.target
After=network-online.target
[Service]
User=besu
Group=besu
Type=simple
Restart=always
RestartSec=5
Environment="JAVA_OPTS=-Xmx5g"
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/besu/bin/besu \
--network=mainnet \
--sync-mode=SNAP \
--data-path=/var/lib/besu \
--data-storage-format=BONSAI \
--engine-jwt-secret=/var/lib/jwtsecret/jwt.hex
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
Notable flags:
Environment="JAVA_OPTS=-Xmx5g"
Sets the maximum Java heap size, which defines the maximum amount of memory the besu process can utilize. The value shown here is 5g (5 gigabytes of RAM). The higher the Xmx, the faster the initial sync, to a maximum of 8g (8 gigabytes of RAM). Besu never needs more than -Xmx8g
. Note that on a single machine the available RAM will need to accommodate both the Execution Client and Consensus client. More information here and here and here.
--sync-mode=SNAP
The recommended method of syncing against the Ethereum blockchain when using the BONSAI data storage format. More information here.
--data-storage-format=BONSAI
A storage and lookup efficient method for managing blockchain data. More information here.
--engine-jwt-secret=/var/lib/jwtsecret/jwt.hex
The path to the shared secret authentication token that is required for communication between the Execution and Consensus clients.
-- Xplugin-rocksdb-high-spec-enabled
(optional, not shown above). Add this flag to improve performance on servers running 16 GB RAM or greater. More information here.
Check the screenshot below for reference.
Press <CTRL> + X then Y then <ENTER> to save and exit.
Reload systemd to reflect the changes and start the service. Check the status to make sure it’s running correctly.
$ sudo systemctl daemon-reload
$ sudo systemctl start besu
$ sudo systemctl status besu
Check the screenshot below for reference. It should say active (running) in green text. If not then go back and repeat the steps to fix the problem.
Press Q to quit (will not affect the besu service).
The sync will begin immediately. Use the journal output to follow the progress or check for errors by running the following command.
$ sudo journalctl -fu besu
Check the screenshot below for reference.
Press <CTRL>+ C to exit (will not affect the besu service).
Enable the besu service to automatically start on reboot.
$ sudo systemctl enable besu
NOTE: It is necessary to follow a specific series of steps to update the Besu client software. See Appendix A — Updating Besu for further information.
Install the Execution Client — Erigon
Install the Erigon Execution Client by downloading the latest version.
NOTE: Erigon requires a minimum of 16GB RAM. More information here.
Go here to get the Latest release of Erigon.
In the Assets section copy the download link to the linux_amd64.tar.gz file. Be sure to copy the correct link.
Download the archive using the commands below. Modify the URL to match the download link for the latest version.
$ cd ~
$ curl -LO https://github.com/ledgerwatch/erigon/releases/download/v2.60.1/erigon_2.60.1_linux_amd64.tar.gz
Extract the files from the Erigon archive and copy to the /usr/local/bin
directory. The erigon service will run it from there.
$ tar xvf erigon_2.60.1_linux_amd64.tar.gz
$ sudo cp erigon /usr/local/bin
Clean up the files. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ rm erigon_2.60.1_linux_amd64.tar.gz
$ rm erigon && rm README.md
Erigon will be configured to run as a background service. Create an account for the service to run under. This type of account can’t log into the server.
$ sudo useradd --no-create-home --shell /bin/false erigon
Create the data directory. This is required for storing the Ethereum blockchain data.
$ sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/erigon
Set directory permissions. The erigon user account needs permission to modify the data directory.
$ sudo chown -R erigon:erigon /var/lib/erigon
Create a systemd service config file to configure the service.
$ sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/erigon.service
Paste the following service configuration into the file.
[Unit]
Description=Erigon Execution Client (Mainnet)
After=network.target
Wants=network.target
[Service]
User=erigon
Group=erigon
Type=simple
Restart=always
RestartSec=5
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/erigon \
--chain=mainnet \
--datadir=/var/lib/erigon \
--authrpc.jwtsecret=/var/lib/jwtsecret/jwt.hex \
--private.api.addr= \
--prune.r.before=11052984 \
--prune htc
[Install]
WantedBy=default.target
Notable flags:
To see information on flags use the following command:
$ /usr/local/bin/./erigon --help
--authrpc.jwtsecret=/var/lib/jwtsecret/jwt.hex
The path to the shared secret authentication token that is required for communication between the Execution and Consensus clients.
--private.api.addr=
Disables the private RPC server. If required, remove the flag to enable it.
--prune.r.before=11052984
Prune blockchain receipts before the specified block. This is the deposit contract block for the network, as defined here.
--prune htc
Prune blockchain data for ( h )istory, ( t )ransaction lookups, and ( c )all traces.
Check the screenshot below for reference.
Press <CTRL> + X then Y then <ENTER> to save and exit.
Reload systemd to reflect the changes and start the service. Check the status to make sure it’s running correctly.
$ sudo systemctl daemon-reload
$ sudo systemctl start erigon
$ sudo systemctl status erigon
Check the screenshot below for reference. It should say active (running) in green text. If not then go back and repeat the steps to fix the problem.
Press Q to quit (will not affect the erigon service).
The sync will begin immediately. Use the journal output to follow the progress or check for errors by running the following command.
$ sudo journalctl -fu erigon
Check the screenshot below for reference.
Press <CTRL>+ C to exit (will not affect the erigon service).
Enable the erigon service to automatically start on reboot.
$ sudo systemctl enable erigon
NOTE: It is necessary to follow a specific series of steps to update the Erigon client software. See Appendix B — Updating Erigon for further information.
Install the Execution Client — Geth
Install the Geth Execution Client by downloading the latest version.
Go here to get the Latest release of Geth.
Right-click on the For Linux button and copy the download link to the tar.gz file. Be sure to copy the correct link.
Download the archive using the commands below. Modify the URL to match the download link for the latest version.
$ cd ~
$ curl -LO https://gethstore.blob.core.windows.net/builds/geth-linux-amd64-1.14.5-0dd173a7.tar.gz
Extract the files from the archive and copy to the /usr/local/bin
directory. The geth service will run it from there. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ tar xvf geth-linux-amd64-1.14.5-0dd173a7.tar.gz
$ cd geth-linux-amd64-1.14.5-0dd173a7
$ sudo cp geth /usr/local/bin
Clean up the files. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ cd ~
$ rm geth-linux-amd64-1.14.5-0dd173a7.tar.gz
$ rm -r geth-linux-amd64-1.14.5-0dd173a7
Geth will be configured to run as a background service. Create an account for the service to run under. This type of account can’t log into the server.
$ sudo useradd --no-create-home --shell /bin/false geth
Create the data directory. This is required for storing the Ethereum blockchain data.
$ sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/geth
Set directory permissions. The geth user account needs permission to modify the data directory.
$ sudo chown -R geth:geth /var/lib/geth
Create a systemd service config file to configure the service.
$ sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/geth.service
Paste the following service configuration into the file.
[Unit]
Description=Geth Execution Client (Mainnet)
After=network.target
Wants=network.target
[Service]
User=geth
Group=geth
Type=simple
Restart=always
RestartSec=5
TimeoutStopSec=600
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/geth \
--mainnet \
--datadir /var/lib/geth \
--authrpc.jwtsecret /var/lib/jwtsecret/jwt.hex \
--db.engine pebble
[Install]
WantedBy=default.target
NOTE: A previous version of this guide was using
/var/lib/goethereum
for thedatadir
. If you used that in your original setup it is safe to continue to use it — you do not need to modify the path. The config above should then read--datadir /var/lib/goethereum
.NOTE: The inclusion of
TimeoutStopSec=600
is to allow the Geth service sufficient time to write cached data to disk on shutdown. More information here.
Notable flags:
--authrpc.jwtsecret /var/lib/jwtsecret/jwt.hex
The path to the JWT file that is required for authenticated communication between the Execution and Consensus clients. Enables the Engine API RPC endpoint. Setting this will expose an authenticated HTTP endpoint (http://127.0.0.1:8551).
--db.engine pebble
Specifies the use of the new backing database “Pebble”. More information here.
Check the screenshot below for reference.
Press <CTRL> + X then Y then <ENTER> to save and exit.
Reload systemd to reflect the changes and start the service. Check the status to make sure it’s running correctly.
$ sudo systemctl daemon-reload
$ sudo systemctl start geth
$ sudo systemctl status geth
Check the screenshot below for reference. It should say active (running) in green text. If not then go back and repeat the steps to fix the problem.
Press Q to quit (will not affect the geth service).
The sync will begin immediately. Use the journal output to follow the progress or check for errors by running the following command.
$ sudo journalctl -fu geth
Check the screenshot below for reference.
Press <CTRL>+ C to exit (will not affect the geth service).
Enable the geth service to automatically start on reboot.
$ sudo systemctl enable geth
NOTE: It is necessary to follow a specific series of steps to update the Geth client software. See Appendix C — Updating Geth for further information.
Install the Execution Client — Nethermind
Install the Nethermind Execution Client by downloading the latest version.
Go here to get the Latest release of Nethermind.
In the Assets section copy the download link to the linux-x64 zip file. Be sure to copy the correct link.
Download the archive using the commands below. Modify the URL in the instructions below to match the download link for the latest version.
$ cd ~
$ curl -LO https://github.com/NethermindEth/nethermind/releases/download/1.26.0/nethermind-1.26.0-0068729c-linux-x64.zip
Extract the files from the archive and copy to the /usr/local/bin
directory. The nethermind service will run it from there. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ sudo apt-get install -y unzip
$ unzip nethermind-1.26.0-0068729c-linux-x64.zip -d nethermind
$ sudo cp -a nethermind /usr/local/bin/nethermind
Clean up the files. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ rm nethermind-1.26.0-0068729c-linux-x64.zip
$ rm -r nethermind
Nethermind will be configured to run as a background service. Create an account for the service to run under. This type of account can’t log into the server.
$ sudo useradd --no-create-home --shell /bin/false nethermind
Create the data directory. This is required for storing the Ethereum blockchain data.
$ sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/nethermind
Set directory permissions. The nethermind user account needs permission to modify the data directory and the binary directory (for logging).
$ sudo chown -R nethermind:nethermind /var/lib/nethermind
Create a systemd service config file to configure the service.
$ sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/nethermind.service
Paste the following service configuration into the file.
[Unit]
Description=Nethermind Execution Client (Mainnet)
After=network.target
Wants=network.target
[Service]
User=nethermind
Group=nethermind
Type=simple
Restart=always
RestartSec=5
WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/nethermind
Environment="DOTNET_BUNDLE_EXTRACT_BASE_DIR=/var/lib/nethermind"
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/nethermind/nethermind \
--config mainnet \
--datadir /var/lib/nethermind \
--Sync.SnapSync true \
--JsonRpc.JwtSecretFile /var/lib/jwtsecret/jwt.hex \
--Pruning.Mode Hybrid \
--Pruning.FullPruningTrigger VolumeFreeSpace \
--Pruning.FullPruningThresholdMb 285000
[Install]
WantedBy=default.target
Notable flags:
--SnapSync true
Enables both the SnapSync and FastSync features. More information here.
--JsonRpc.JwtSecretFile /var/lib/jwtsecret/jwt.hex
The path to the JWT file that is required for authenticated communication between the Execution and Consensus clients.
--Pruning.Mode Hybrid
--Pruning.FullPruningTrigger VolumeFreeSpace
--Pruning.FullPruningThresholdMb 285000
Enables automated pruning of the historical data to free up disk space. Triggers when available disk space reaches 285GB. More information here.
Check the screenshot below for reference.
Press <CTRL> + X then Y then <ENTER> to save and exit.
Reload systemd to reflect the changes and start the service. Check the status to make sure it’s running correctly.
$ sudo systemctl daemon-reload
$ sudo systemctl start nethermind
$ sudo systemctl status nethermind
Check the screenshot below for reference. It should say active (running) in green text. If not then go back and repeat the steps to fix the problem.
Press Q to quit (will not affect the nethermind service).
The sync will begin immediately. Use the journal output to follow the progress or check for errors by running the following command.
$ sudo journalctl -fu nethermind
Check the screenshot below for reference.
Press <CTRL>+ C to exit (will not affect the nethermind service).
Enable the nethermind service to automatically start on reboot.
$ sudo systemctl enable nethermind
NOTE: It is necessary to follow a specific series of steps to update the Nethermind client software. See Appendix D — Updating Nethermind for further information.
Install the Execution Client — Reth
Install the Reth Execution Client by downloading the latest version.
Go here to get the Latest release of Reth.
In the Binaries section copy the download link to the x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz file. Be sure to copy the correct link.
Download the archive using the commands below. Modify the URL to match the download link for the latest version.
$ cd ~
$ curl -LO https://github.com/paradigmxyz/reth/releases/download/v1.0.5/reth-v1.0.5-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz
Extract the files from the Reth archive and copy to the /usr/local/bin
directory. The reth service will run it from there.
$ tar xvf reth-v1.0.5-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz
$ sudo cp reth /usr/local/bin
Clean up the files.
$ rm reth
$ rm reth-v1.0.5-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz
Reth will be configured to run as a background service. Create an account for the service to run under. This type of account can’t log into the server.
$ sudo useradd --no-create-home --shell /bin/false reth
Create the data directory. This is required for storing the Ethereum blockchain data.
$ sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/reth
Set directory permissions. The reth user account needs permission to modify the data directory.
$ sudo chown -R reth:reth /var/lib/reth
Create a systemd service config file to configure the service.
$ sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/reth.service
Paste the following service configuration into the file.
[Unit]
Description=Reth Execution Client (Mainnet)
After=network.target
Wants=network.target
[Service]
User=reth
Group=reth
Type=simple
Restart=always
RestartSec=5
ExecStart=reth node \
--full \
--datadir /var/lib/reth \
--authrpc.jwtsecret /var/lib/jwtsecret/jwt.hex \
--log.file.directory /var/lib/reth/logs \
--log.file.max-size 50 \
--log.file.max-files 1
[Install]
WantedBy=default.target
Notable flags:
--full
Indicates a full node is to be run (as opposed to an archive node).
--authrpc.jwtsecret /var/lib/jwtsecret/jwt.hex
The path to the JWT file that is required for authenticated communication between the Execution and Consensus clients.
--log.file.directory
and --log.file.max-size
and --log.file.max-files
Sets the log file directory, limits the log file size to 50 MB and limits the log file count to 1 log file, respectively.
Check the screenshot below for reference.
Press <CTRL> + X then Y then <ENTER> to save and exit.
Reload systemd to reflect the changes and start the service. Check the status to make sure it’s running correctly.
$ sudo systemctl daemon-reload
$ sudo systemctl start reth
$ sudo systemctl status reth
Check the screenshot below for reference. It should say active (running) in green text. If not then go back and repeat the steps to fix the problem.
Press Q to quit (will not affect the reth service).
The sync will begin after a period of time. Use the journal output to follow the progress or check for errors by running the following command.
$ sudo journalctl -fu reth
Check the screenshot below for reference.
Press <CTRL>+ C to exit (will not affect the reth service).
Enable the reth service to automatically start on reboot.
$ sudo systemctl enable reth
NOTE: It is necessary to follow a specific series of steps to update the Reth client software. See Appendix E — Updating Reth for further information.
You should now have installed, configured, and run one of the Execution Clients above. Great job! Next we will configure the Consensus client.
Step 9 — Install the Nimbus Consensus Client
The Nimbus Consensus Client is a single binary which encapsulates the functionality of the beacon node and validator. This step will download and prepare the Nimbus binary.
First, go here and identify the Latest release. For example:
In the Assets section copy the download link to the nimbus-eth2_Linux_amd64…tar.gz file. Be sure to copy the correct link.
Download the archive using the commands below. Modify the URL to match the download link for the latest version.
$ cd ~
$ curl -LO https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/releases/download/v24.7.0/nimbus-eth2_Linux_amd64_24.7.0_99f657e5.tar.gz
Extract the files from the archive and copy to the /usr/local/bin
directory. The Nimbus service will run it from there. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ tar xvf nimbus-eth2_Linux_amd64_24.7.0_99f657e5.tar.gz
$ cd nimbus-eth2_Linux_amd64_24.7.0_99f657e5
$ sudo cp build/nimbus_beacon_node /usr/local/bin
Clean up the files. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ cd ~
$ rm nimbus-eth2_Linux_amd64_24.7.0_99f657e5.tar.gz
$ rm -r nimbus-eth2_Linux_amd64_24.7.0_99f657e5.tar
NOTE: It is necessary to follow a specific series of steps to update Nimbus. See Appendix F — Updating Nimbus for further information.
Step 10 — Import the Validator Keys
Configure the Nimbus validator by importing the validator keys generated in Step 1.
Copy the Validator Keystore Files to the Server
If you generated the validator keystore-[..].json
file(s) on a machine other than your Ubuntu server you will need to copy the file(s) over to your home directory. You can do this using a USB drive (if your server is local), or via secure FTP (SFTP).
Place the files here: $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys
. Create the directories first using the following command, if necessary.
$ sudo mkdir -p $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys
If you are using SFTP and you get a permission denied error when copying the files, grant the login account access to the directory using the following command. Replace <yourusername>
with the login account username.
$ sudo chown -R <yourusername>:<yourusername> $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys
Check the screenshot below for reference.
Import the Validator Keystore Files into Nimbus
Create the Nimbus data directory and apply read/write/execute permissions on the directory for the user. This is enforced by the Nimbus validator import process.
$ sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/nimbus
$ sudo chmod 700 /var/lib/nimbus
Run the validator key import process. You will need to provide the directory where the generated keystore-[..].json
files are located. E.g. $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys
.
$ sudo /usr/local/bin/nimbus_beacon_node deposits import --data-dir=/var/lib/nimbus $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys
You will be asked to provide the password for the validator key(s). This is the password you set when you created the key(s) during Step 1.
Check the screenshot below for reference.
The import is complete and the validator is now set up.
NOTE: It is necessary to follow a specific series of steps to add an additional validator. See Appendix F — Adding Validators for further information.
Step 11 — Sync the Nimbus Beacon Chain
Run the stand-alone trusted node sync feature to greatly speed up the Beacon Chain Node sync.
Run the following command to execute the sync.
$ sudo /usr/local/bin/nimbus_beacon_node trustedNodeSync --network=mainnet --data-dir=/var/lib/nimbus --trusted-node-url=CheckpointSyncURL --backfill=false
Replace the CheckpointSyncURL
above with a URL to a synced Beacon Chain Node. You can get one here.
Check the screenshot below for reference.
NOTE: It may be necessary to retry by running the sync command again if it fails.
Step 12 — Configure the Nimbus Service
Configure and run the Nimbus Consensus Client as a service.
Set up the Account
Create an account for the service to run under. This type of account can’t log into the server.
$ sudo useradd --no-create-home --shell /bin/false nimbus
Set up the Permissions
Set directory permissions. The nimbus account needs permission to modify the data directory (/var/lib/nimbus
) created in the previous step.
$ sudo chown -R nimbus:nimbus /var/lib/nimbus
Create and Configure the Service
Create a systemd service config file to configure the service.
$ sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/nimbus.service
Paste the following into the file.
[Unit]
Description=Nimbus Consensus Client (Mainnet)
Wants=network-online.target
After=network-online.target
[Service]
User=nimbus
Group=nimbus
Type=simple
Restart=always
RestartSec=5
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/nimbus_beacon_node \
--network=mainnet \
--data-dir=/var/lib/nimbus \
--web3-url=http://127.0.0.1:8551 \
--jwt-secret=/var/lib/jwtsecret/jwt.hex \
--suggested-fee-recipient=FeeRecipientAddress \
--graffiti="<yourgraffiti>"
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
NOTE: Be sure to set the
FeeRecipientAddress
above to a valid Ethereum address within your control to receive the validator fees. For example:--suggested-fee-recipient=0xd8dA6BF26964aF9D7eEd9e03E53415D37aA96045
Notable flags:
--web3-url=http://127.0.0.1:8551
The address of the Execution Client. Should be the same for all Execution Clients detailed in this guide.
--jwt-secret=/var/lib/jwtsecret/jwt.hex
The path to the JWT file that is required for authenticated communication between the Execution and Consensus clients.
--suggested-fee-recipient=FeeRecipientAddress
Validators can receive tips from user transactions. Provide an Ethereum address within your control to specify where the tips should go.
--graffiti="<yourgraffiti>"
Replace with your own graffiti string (max 32 characters). For security and privacy reasons avoid information that can uniquely identify you. E.g. --graffiti="Validatooor"
.
--enr-auto-update=true
This flag is not included above, but if you have a dynamic IP address (usually the case if you are running your server at your home) then you should include it to help better discover peers. More information here.
Check the screenshot below for reference.
Press <CTRL> + X then Y then <ENTER> to save and exit.
Reload systemd to reflect the changes and start the service. Check the status to make sure it’s running correctly.
$ sudo systemctl daemon-reload
$ sudo systemctl start nimbus
$ sudo systemctl status nimbus
Check the screenshot below for reference. It should say active (running) in green text. If not then go back and repeat the steps to fix the problem.
Press Q to quit (will not affect the nimbus service).
The sync will begin immediately.
NOTE: In order to be able to stake both the Execution Client and the Consensus Client must be fully synced.
Use the journal output to follow the progress or check for errors by running the following command.
$ sudo journalctl -fu nimbus
Check the screenshot below for reference.
NOTE: The Nimbus client will not attempt to perform validator duties without a connection to a fully synced Execution Client.
Enable the service to automatically start on reboot.
$ sudo systemctl enable nimbus
NOTE: It is necessary to follow a specific series of steps to add additional validators. See Appendix G — Adding Validators for further information.
You should now have installed, configured, and run the Nimbus Consensus Client. Great job! Next we will perform the deposit to activate your validators on the network.
Step 13 — Fund the Validator Keys
Now that the Consensus Client is up and running, to actually begin staking on the Ethereum network you will need to deposit ETH to fund your validators.
NOTE: If you have already submitted your staking deposits you can skip this step.
This step involves depositing the required amount of ETH to the Ethereum deposit contract. DO NOT SEND ETH TO THE DEPOSIT CONTRACT. Rather, this is done in a web browser running your MetaMask (or other) wallet via the Ethereum Launchpad website.
NOTE: You should wait until your Execution Client and Consensus Client have fully synced before proceeding with the deposit. If they have not and your validator(s) become active on the network you would be subject to inactivity penalties.
Go here: https://launchpad.ethereum.org/
Click on Become a Validator, click through the warning steps and continue through the screens until you get to the Generate Key Pairs section. Select the number of validators you are going to run. Choose a value that matches the number of validators you created in Step 1.
Scroll down, check the box if you agree, and click Continue.
You will be asked to upload the deposit_data-[timestamp].json
file. You generated this file in Step 1. You may need to copy the file to the computer you are running the Launchpad from. There are no security concerns copying the file. Browse or drag the file to upload and click continue.
Connect your wallet. Choose MetaMask (or one of the other supported wallets), log in, select the account where you have your ETH and click Continue.
Your MetaMask balance will be displayed. The site will allow you to continue if you have selected Mainnet and you have sufficient ETH balance.
A summary shows the number of validators and total amount of ETH required. Tick the boxes if you agree and click continue.
If you are ready to deposit click on Initiate All Transactions.
This will pop open MetaMask (or one of the other supported wallets) where you can confirm each transaction.
Once all the transactions have successfully completed you are done!
Congratulations you have deposited your stake!
Check the Status of Your Validator Deposits
Newly added validators can take a while to activate. You can check the status of your keys with these steps:
- Copy your MetaMask (or other) wallet address used to make the deposit.
- Go here: https://beaconcha.in/
- Search for your key(s) using your wallet address.
Digging into a specific validator we see a Status section that provides an estimate until activation for each validator.
That’s it. You now have a functioning Execution and Consensus client and the staking deposit done. Once your deposit is active you will automatically begin staking and earning rewards. Probably a good time to get a fresh beverage and hydrate.
Congratulations: You are officially an Ethereum Staker!
Final Remarks and Recommended Next Steps
Thanks for the opportunity. Hopefully this guide was helpful for you.
Next steps
- Reboot your machine and make sure all services come back up
- Understand how to update the client and server software
- Use
htop
,df -h
, orncdu /
to monitor resources on the local machine - Review Appendix H — Manage Systemd Journal Logs to manage log size
- Get familiar with beaconcha.in so you can monitor your validators
- Use the beaconcha.in mobile app to monitor your validators
- Check my testnet guides for details on setting up Grafana monitoring
- Join the Ethstaker and Nimbus Discord for important notifications
- Share feedback on Discord (somer112), Twitter, or Reddit
- Help others on the EthStaker Discord or EthStaker Reddit
- Share this guide with your friends!
- Tips appreciated:
- somer.eth
- 0x32B74B90407309F6637245292cd90347DE658A37
Further Reading
It is strongly recommended that you evaluate information from as many sources as possible. These are additional resources to help familiarize yourself with staking on Ethereum.
The author has not verified these resources. Use at your own risk.
- Ethereum Foundation
- Execution Client docs: Besu / Erigon / Geth / Nethermind / Reth
- Consensus Client docs: Lighthouse / Lodestar / Prysm / Nimbus / Teku
- CoinCashew Guides
- Metanull-Operator Guide
- Remy Roy EthStaker Guides
- ETH Docker Docs
Appendix A — Updating Besu
If you need to update to the latest version of Besu follow these steps.
Go here to get the Latest release of Besu. In the Download link section copy the download link to the tar.gz file. Be sure to copy the correct link.
Modify the URL in the instructions below to match the download link for the latest version.
$ cd ~
$ curl -LO https://github.com/hyperledger/besu/releases/download/24.5.2/besu-24.5.2.tar.gz
NOTE: As of
24.6.x
Besu requires Java 21 to run. Use$ java -version
to determine the version you have installed. If it is not 21 or greater, then run the following command$ sudo apt -y install openjdk-21-jre-headless
to install Java 21 before updating.
Stop the Besu service.
$ sudo systemctl stop besu
Extract the files from the archive and copy to the /usr/local/bin
directory. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ tar xvf besu-24.5.2.tar.gz
$ sudo rm -r /usr/local/bin/besu # <-- Remove the old files
$ sudo cp -a besu-24.5.2 /usr/local/bin/besu
Restart the services and check for errors.
$ sudo systemctl start besu
$ sudo systemctl status besu # <-- Check for errors
$ sudo journalctl -fu besu # <-- Monitor
$ sudo journalctl -fu nimbus # <-- Monitor
Clean up the files. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ cd ~
$ rm besu-24.5.2.tar.gz
$ rm -r besu-24.5.2
Appendix B — Updating Erigon
If you need to update to the latest version of Erigon follow these steps.
Go here to get the Latest release of Erigon. In the Assets section copy the download link to the linux_amd64.tar.gz file. Be sure to copy the correct link.
Modify the URL in the instructions below to match the download link for the latest version.
$ cd ~
$ curl -LO https://github.com/ledgerwatch/erigon/releases/download/v2.60.1/erigon_2.60.1_linux_amd64.tar.gz
Extract the files from the Erigon archive. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ tar xvf erigon_2.60.1_linux_amd64.tar.gz
Stop the Erigon service.
$ sudo systemctl stop erigon
Copy to the /usr/local/bin
directory.
$ cd ~
$ sudo cp erigon /usr/local/bin
Restart Erigon and check for errors.
$ sudo systemctl start erigon
$ sudo systemctl status erigon # <-- Check for errors
$ sudo journalctl -fu erigon <-- Monitor
$ sudo journalctl -fu nimbus # <-- Monitor
Clean up the files. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ rm erigon_2.60.1_linux_amd64.tar.gz
$ rm erigon && rm README.md
Appendix C — Updating Geth
If you need to update to the latest version of Geth follow these steps.
NOTE: If you installed Geth using an earlier version of this guide using PPA’s (Personal Package Archives) then skip ahead to the steps at the end of this Appendix instead.
First, go here and right-click on the For Linux button and copy the download link to the tar.gz file. Be sure to copy the correct link.
Modify the URL in the instructions below to match the download link for the latest version.
$ cd ~
$ curl -LO https://gethstore.blob.core.windows.net/builds/geth-linux-amd64-1.14.5-0dd173a7.tar.gz
Stop the Geth service.
$ sudo systemctl stop geth
Extract the files from the archive and copy to the /usr/local/bin
directory. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ tar xvf geth-linux-amd64-1.14.5-0dd173a7.tar.gz
$ cd geth-linux-amd64-1.14.5-0dd173a7
$ sudo cp geth /usr/local/bin
Restart the services and check for errors.
$ sudo systemctl start geth
$ sudo systemctl status geth # <-- Check for errors
$ sudo journalctl -fu geth # <-- Monitor
$ sudo journalctl -fu nimbus # <-- Monitor
Clean up the files. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ cd ~
$ rm geth-linux-amd64-1.14.5-0dd173a7.tar.gz
$ rm -r geth-linux-amd64-1.14.5-0dd173a7
OPTIONAL: If you are running Geth configured via a previous version of this guide using PPA’s (Personal Package Archives) then follow these steps instead.
$ sudo systemctl stop geth
$ sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
$ sudo systemctl start geth
$ sudo systemctl status geth # <-- Check for errors
$ sudo journalctl -fu geth # <-- Monitor
$ sudo journalctl -fu nimbus # <-- Monitor
OR: If you would like up modify your geth setup to match this guide, see the steps detailed here.
Appendix D — Updating Nethermind
If you need to update to the latest version of Nethermind follow these steps.
First, go here and identify the Latest release. In the Assets section copy the download link to the linux-x64 zip file. Be sure to copy the correct link.
Modify the URL in the instructions below to match the download link for the latest version.
$ cd ~
$ curl -LO https://github.com/NethermindEth/nethermind/releases/download/1.26.0/nethermind-1.26.0-0068729c-linux-x64.zip
Stop the Nethermind service.
$ sudo systemctl stop nethermind
Extract the files from the archive and copy to the /usr/local/bin
directory. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ unzip nethermind-1.26.0-0068729c-linux-x64.zip -d nethermind
$ sudo rm -r /usr/local/bin/nethermind # <-- Remove the old files
$ sudo cp -a nethermind /usr/local/bin/nethermind
Restart the services and check for errors.
$ sudo systemctl start nethermind
$ sudo systemctl status nethermind # <-- Check for errors
$ sudo journalctl -fu nethermind # <-- Monitor
$ sudo journalctl -fu nimbus # <-- Monitor
Clean up the files. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ rm nethermind-1.26.0-0068729c-linux-x64.zip
$ rm -r nethermind
Appendix E — Updating Reth
If you need to update to the latest version of Reth follow these steps.
Go here to get the Latest release of Reth. In the Binaries section copy the download link to the x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz file. Be sure to copy the correct link.
Modify the URL to match the download link for the latest version.
$ cd ~
$ curl -LO https://github.com/paradigmxyz/reth/releases/download/v1.0.5/reth-v1.0.5-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz
Stop the Reth service.
$ sudo systemctl stop reth
Extract the files from the archive and copy to the /usr/local/bin
directory. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ tar xvf reth-v1.0.5-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz
$ sudo cp reth /usr/local/bin
Restart the services and check for errors.
$ sudo systemctl start reth
$ sudo systemctl status reth # <-- Check for errors
$ sudo journalctl -fu reth # <-- Monitor
$ sudo journalctl -fu nimbus # <-- Monitor
Clean up the files. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ rm reth-v1.0.5-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz
$ rm reth
Appendix F — Updating Nimbus
If you need to update to the latest version of Nimbus follow these steps.
First, go here and identify the Latest release. In the Assets section copy the download link to the nimbus-eth2_Linux_amd64…tar.gz file. Be sure to copy the correct link. Be sure to copy the correct link.
$ cd ~
$ curl -LO https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/releases/download/v24.7.0/nimbus-eth2_Linux_amd64_24.7.0_99f657e5.tar.gz
Stop the Nimbus client service.
$ sudo systemctl stop nimbus
Extract the files from the archive and copy to the /usr/local/bin
directory. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ tar xvf nimbus-eth2_Linux_amd64_24.7.0_99f657e5.tar.gz
$ cd nimbus-eth2_Linux_amd64_24.7.0_99f657e5
$ sudo cp build/nimbus_beacon_node /usr/local/bin
Restart the service and check for errors.
$ sudo systemctl start nimbus
$ sudo systemctl status nimbus # <-- Check for errors
$ sudo journalctl -fu nimbus # <-- Monitor
Clean up the files. Modify the file name to match the downloaded version.
$ cd ~
$ rm nimbus-eth2_Linux_amd64_24.7.0_99f657e5.tar.gz
$ sudo rm -r nimbus-eth2_Linux_amd64_24.7.0_99f657e5
Appendix G — Adding Validators
If you want to add one or more validators to Nimbus use the following steps.
NOTE: This appendix assumes that you have already followed the guide and completed all of the steps. Do not use this section to add validators to an empty validator wallet/incomplete setup.
Generate Deposit Data
You will need to generate deposit data for your new validator(s). This will be used to add the new validator(s) to your existing wallet.
Go here to get the “Latest release” of the deposit command line interface (CLI) app.
Transfer the binary to a USB stick and copy to an air-gapped machine for safety (recommended), or if not available, copy to a machine that is not connected to the network/internet (not recommended).
On the secure machine run the binary file in a terminal window (or CMD in Windows) and continue using the commands below.
The existing-mnemonic
command is used to re-generate or derive new validator key(s) from your existing mnemonic. You will need to supply your mnemonic phrase to do this, hence the security requirements.
On Linux:
$ sudo ./deposit existing-mnemonic --validator_start_index <ValidatorStartIndex> --num_validators <NumberOfValidators> --chain mainnet --eth1_withdrawal_address <YourWithdrawalAaddress>
On Windows:
deposit.exe existing-mnemonic --validator_start_index <ValidatorStartIndex> --num_validators <NumberOfValidators> --chain mainnet --eth1_withdrawal_address <YourWithdrawalAaddress>
Replace <ValidatorStartIndex>
with the start index of the new validator(s) you are adding. For example: If you have 2 existing validators (#0, #1) and you want to add one more, you would specify 2
(being the next number in the sequence) as the start index. E.g. --validator_start_index 2
.
NOTE: Double check the start index. Be sure you use the correct value.
Replace <NumberOfValidators>
with the number of validators you want to fund. Each validator requires a 32 ETH deposit to fund.
Replace <YourWithdrawalAddress>
with an Ethereum address within your control.
NOTE: Once set, the withdrawal address CANNOT be changed, so be ABSOLUTELY SURE that it is an address within your control and correctly specified. For example:
--eth1_withdrawal_address 0xd8dA6BF26964aF9D7eEd9e03E53415D37aA96045
NOTE: The flag
--eth1_withdrawal_address
allows you to specify an Ethereum address that your staking rewards in excess of 32 staked ETH will automatically be withdrawn to (once withdrawals are enabled). This will also be the address your 32 ETH will be withdrawn to if you exit the validator. More information here.NOTE: If you don’t set the
--eth1_withdrawal_address
flag at this time, you can set it later via a special process (known as converting the withdrawal credential from0x00
to0x01
) when you are ready to start withdrawing the staking rewards or when you want to exit the validator. If you don’t set the flag, staking rewards in excess of 32 ETH will not be automatically withdrawn and you will not be able to reclaim the 32 ETH deposit upon exiting the validator until you convert the withdrawal credential.
From the example above, we are adding one new validator: --num_validators 1
at start index 2 --validator_start_index 2
.
Enter your mnemonic that you should have stored safely after creating your initial validator(s).
You will be asked to enter your validator keystore password. This password was set in Step 1. You can create a different password here, but it is recommended for simplicity to use the same password as the original keystore. Once you have confirmed your keystore password your validator key(s) will be created.
The validator key(s) and deposit data file are created at the specified location. The contents of the directory are shown below.
Notes about the files:
- The newer
deposit_data-[timestamp].json
file contains the public key(s) for the newly added validator(s) and information about the staking deposit. This file will be used to complete the ETH staking deposit process later in this guide. - The newly created
keystore-[..].json
file(s) contain the encrypted validator signing key. There is one keystore file per additional validator that you are funding. These will be imported into the Consensus Client validator wallet for use during validation operations. - You will copy the files over to your Ubuntu server (if not already there) later in this step.
- If you lose or accidentally delete the files it is possible to regenerate them using the Staking Deposit Tool and your mnemonic via the
existing-mnemonic
command. More information here.
DO NOT DEPOSIT any ETH at this moment.
It is important to complete and verify your staking setup first. If the ETH deposits become active and your staking setup is not ready, inactivity penalties will be deducted from your staked ETH balance.
Copy the Validator Keystore Files to the Server
If you generated the validator keystore-[..].json
file(s) on a machine other than your Ubuntu server you will need to copy the file(s) over to your home directory. You can do this using a USB drive (if your server is local), or via secure FTP (SFTP).
Place the files here: $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys
. Create the directories if necessary.
To add the new validator keys we will stop the Nimbus service.
$ sudo systemctl stop nimbus
Run the validator key import process. You will need to provide the directory where the generated keystore-[..].json
files are located. E.g. $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys
.
$ sudo /usr/local/bin/nimbus_beacon_node deposits import --data-dir=/var/lib/nimbus $HOME/staking-deposit-cli/validator_keys
You will be asked to provide the password for the validator key(s). This is the password you set when you created the key(s) during Step 1. You have the option to skip previously imported validators, or if you enter the password it will skip the importing them.
Check the screenshot below for reference.
The import is complete.
Reapply permissions to the nimbus directory.
$ sudo chown -R nimbus:nimbus /var/lib/nimbus
Start up the client and check for errors.
$ sudo systemctl start nimbus
$ sudo systemctl status nimbus # <-- Check for errors
$ sudo journalctl -fu nimbus # <-- Monitor
If you did everything correctly you should see the following output confirming the newly added validator(s).
Local validator attached
pubkey=8a0e3be52467601d2db8506308c06581061c63296ea0504758539735eee7b931257dc6c71eccd730fa7f2013b353565e
validator=8a0e3be5
start_slot=3611477
Now that the validators have been imported into your validator and ready to perform duties, you will need to go over to Step 13 — Fund the Validator Keys above and fund the new validators via the Launchpad. You will need to upload the new deposit_data-[timestamp].json
file that was created earlier in this section.
NOTE: The new validator(s) will not be fully functional until you complete Step 13 and the validators clear the activation queue.
Appendix H — Exiting Validators
If you would prefer not to participate in staking it is possible to exit your validator(s). Once a validator is exited it cannot rejoin or be used again to stake in the future. The exited validator will not earn rewards or be subject to inactivity penalties.
NOTE: You won’t be able to access the staked funds associated with the exited validator until the withdraw functionality has been enabled.
To exit, ensure the nimbus service is running and run the following command.
NOTE: The Nimbus REST API must be enabled before you can exit a validator. More information here. To enable it, simply add the following flag to the Nimbus service config:
--rest
. Don’t forget to reload the config and restart the service.
Modify the values as explained below.
$ /usr/local/bin/nimbus_beacon_node deposits exit --data-dir=/var/lib/nimbus --validator=<VALIDATOR_PUBLIC_KEY>
--validator
allows you to specify a validator by its public key to exit.
NOTE: It may take some time for the validators to exit. You may be able to to check the status of the exit by searching for the validator key on https://beaconcha.in/.
Appendix I — Manage Systemd Journal Logs
The systemd services create logs that grow over time. It is possible to clear the logs to free up disk space on your server.
NOTE: The following steps will delete existing log data. Be careful if you require this data for debugging purposes.
Check the amount of disk space the logs are using.
$ sudo journalctl --disk-usage
To clear the logs use the following command.
$ sudo journalctl --flush --rotate
$ sudo journalctl --vacuum-time=3days
The --flush
flag flushes the logs currently in memory onto the disk.
The --rotate
flag archives the existing logs so they can’t be written to any more and starts new logs for each service.
The --vacuum-time
flag deletes log data that is older than 3 days.
Output should be similar to the screenshot below.
It is recommended to check the logs are in a good state after the vacuum operation.
$ sudo journalctl --verify
Each log should have a status of PASS
.
Automatically Limit Log Size
If you would prefer to have the system automatically keep log data to a specified max size complete the following additional steps.
Open the systemd journal service configuration file.
$ sudo nano /etc/systemd/journald.conf
Carefully edit the file to set the maximum disk space that can be used by the journal in persistent storage. Remove the #
from the line SystemMaxUse
and add a value in megabytes, say 200M
.
Check the screenshot below for reference.
Press <CTRL> + X then Y then <ENTER> to save and exit.
Restart the journald after updating the file.
$ sudo systemctl restart systemd-journald
Journal logs will now be limited to 200MB in size.
Appendix J — Expanding the Logical Volume
There are cases where Ubuntu is provisioning only 200GB of a larger SSD causing users to run out of disk space when syncing their Eth1 node. The error message is similar to:
Fatal: Failed to register the Ethereum service: write /var/lib/goethereum/geth/chaindata/383234.ldb: no space left on device
To address this issue, assuming you have a SSD that is larger than 200GB, expand the space allocation for the LVM by following these steps:
$ sudo lvdisplay # <-- Check your logical volume size
$ sudo lvm
> lvextend -l +100%FREE /dev/ubuntu-vg/ubuntu-lv
> lvextend -l +100%FREE -r /dev/ubuntu-vg/ubuntu-lv
> exit
$ sudo resize2fs /dev/ubuntu-vg/ubuntu-lv
$ df -h # <-- Check results
That should resize your disk to the maximum available space.
If you need support on this please check with the EthStaker Discord.
Full Disclaimer
This article (the guide) is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. The author does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, integrity, quality, completeness, currency, or validity of any information in this article. All information herein is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind and is subject to change at any time without notice. The author disclaims all express, implied, and statutory warranties of any kind, including warranties as to accuracy, timeliness, completeness, or fitness of the information in this article for any particular purpose. The author is not responsible for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or any other damages arising out of or in connection with the use of this article or in reliance on the information available on this article. This includes any personal injury, business interruption, loss of use, lost data, lost profits, or any other pecuniary loss, whether in an action of contract, negligence, or other misuse, even if the author has been informed of the possibility.