Guide | (Legacy) How to setup a validator on ETH2 testnet
Become a validator and help secure eth2, a proof-of-stake blockchain. Anyone with 32 ETH can join.
As of August 28 2021, testnet PYRMONT is no longer supported.
This guide is for historical references only.
As a validator for eth2, you will typically have the following abilities:
- operational knowledge of how to set up, run and maintain a eth2 beacon node and validator continuously
- a long term commitment to maintain your validator 24/7/365
- basic operating system skills
- Operating system: 64-bit Linux (i.e. Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Server or Desktop)
- Processor: Dual core CPU, Intel Core i5–760 or AMD FX-8100 or better
- Memory: 8GB RAM
- Storage: 128GB SSD
- Internet: Broadband internet connection with speeds at least 1 Mbps.
- Power: Reliable electrical power.
- ETH balance: at least 32 goerli ETH and some ETH for deposit transaction fees
- Wallet: Metamask installed
- Operating system: 64-bit Linux (i.e. Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Server or Desktop)
- Processor: Quad core CPU, Intel Core i7–4770 or AMD FX-8310 or better
- Memory: 16GB RAM or more
- Storage: 2TB SSD or more
- Internet: Broadband internet connections with speeds at least 10 Mbps without data limit.
- Power: Reliable electrical power with uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
- ETH balance: at least 32 goerli ETH and some ETH for deposit transaction fees
- Wallet: Metamask installed
Pro Validator Tip: Highly recommend you begin with a brand new instance of an OS, VM, and/or machine. Avoid headaches by NOT reusing testnet keys, wallets, or databases for your validator.
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If you need ideas or a reminder on how to secure your validator, refer to
If you need to install Ubuntu Server, refer to
or Ubuntu Desktop,
If you need to install Metamask, refer to
At the end of this guide, you will build a machine that hosts three main components: a validator client, a beacon chain client and an eth1 node.
Validator client - Responsible for producing new blocks and attestations in the beacon chain and shard chains.
Beacon chain client - Responsible for managing the state of the beacon chain, validator shuffling, and more.
Eth1 node - Supplies incoming validator deposits from the eth1 mainnet chain to the beacon chain client.
Note: Teku and Nimbus combines both clients into one process.
How eth2 fits together featuring Leslie the eth2 Rhino, the mascot named after American computer scientist Leslie Lamport
Every 32 ETH you own allows you to make 1 validator. You can run thousands of validators with your beacon node. However on testnet, please only run 1 or 2 validators to keep the activation queue reasonably quick.
!send <your metamask goerli network ETH address>
- 1.Install dependencies, the ethereum foundation deposit tool and generate your two sets of key pairs.
Each validator will have two sets of key pairs. A signing key and a withdrawal key. These keys are derived from a single mnemonic phrase. Learn more about keys.
You have the choice of downloading the pre-built ethereum foundation deposit tool or building it from source. Alternatively, if you have a Ledger Nano X/S or Trezor Model T, you're able to generate deposit files with keys managed by a hardware wallet.
Allnodes has created an easy to use tool to connect a Ledger Nano X/S and Trezor Model T and generate the deposit json files such that the withdrawal credentials remain secured by the hardware wallet. This tool can be used by any validator or staker.
- 1.Connect your hardware wallet to your PC/laptop
- 2.If using a Ledger Nano X/S, open the "ETHEREUM" ledger app (if missing, install from Ledger Live)
- 3.
- 4.Select network > Gorli (Pyrmont) Testnet
- 5.Select your wallet > then CONTINUE
6. From the dropdown, select your eth address with at least 32 ETH to fund your validators
7. On your hardware wallet, sign the ETH signature message to login to allnodes.com
8. Again on your hardware wallet, sign another message to verify your eth2 withdrawal credentials
Double check that your generated deposit data file contains the same string as in withdrawal credentials and that this string includes your Ethereum address (starting after 0x)
9. Enter the amount of nodes (or validators you want)
10. Finally, enter a KEYSTORE password to encrypt the deposit json files. Keep this password safe and offline.
11. Confirm password and click GENERATE
Install dependencies.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3-pip git -y
Download source code and install.
cd $HOME
git clone https://github.com/ethereum/eth2.0-deposit-cli.git eth2deposit-cli
cd eth2deposit-cli
sudo ./deposit.sh install
Make a new mnemonic.
./deposit.sh new-mnemonic --chain pyrmont
Advanced option: Custom eth1 withdrawal address, often used for 3rd party staking.
# Add the following
--eth1_withdrawal_address <eth1 address hex string>
# Example
./deposit.sh new-mnemonic --chain pyrmont --eth1_withdrawal_address 0x1...x
If this field is set and valid, the given Eth1 address will be used to create the withdrawal credentials. Otherwise, it will generate withdrawal credentials with the mnemonic-derived withdrawal public key in EIP-2334 format.
Download eth2deposit-cli.
cd $HOME
wget https://github.com/ethereum/eth2.0-deposit-cli/releases/download/v1.2.0/eth2deposit-cli-256ea21-linux-amd64.tar.gz
echo "825035b6d6c06c0c85a38f78e8bf3e9df93dfd16bf7b72753b6888ae8c4cb30a *eth2deposit-cli-ed5a6d3-linux-amd64.tar.gz" | shasum -a 256 --check
Example valid output:
eth2deposit-cli-256ea21-linux-amd64.tar.gz: OK
Only proceed if the sha256 check passes with OK!
Extract the archive.
tar -xvf eth2deposit-cli-256ea21-linux-amd64.tar.gz
mv eth2deposit-cli-256ea21-linux-amd64 eth2deposit-cli
rm eth2deposit-cli-256ea21-linux-amd64.tar.gz
cd eth2deposit-cli
Make a new mnemonic.
./deposit new-mnemonic --chain pyrmont
Advanced option: Custom eth1 withdrawal address, often used for 3rd party staking.
# Add the following
--eth1_withdrawal_address <eth1 address hex string>
# Example
./deposit.sh new-mnemonic --chain pyrmont --eth1_withdrawal_address 0x1...x
If this field is set and valid, the given Eth1 address will be used to create the withdrawal credentials. Otherwise, it will generate withdrawal credentials with the mnemonic-derived withdrawal public key in EIP-2334 format.
[ Optional ] Pro Security Tip: Run the eth2deposit-cli tool and generate your mnemonic seed for your validator keys on an air-gapped offline machine booted from usb.
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The Tails OS is an amnesic operating system, meaning it will save nothing and leave no tracks behind each time you boot it.
You need:
- 2 storage mediums (can be USB stick, SD cards or external hard drives)
- One of them must be > 8GB
- Windows or Mac computer
- 30 minutes or longer depending on your download speed
Make sure you follow the guide on the Tails website to verify your download of Tails.
For Windows, use one of
Run the above software. This is an example how it looks like on Mac OS with etcher, but other software should be similar.
Select the Tails OS image that you downloaded as the image. Then select the USB stick (the larger one).
Then flash the image to the larger USB stick.
You can refer to the other tab on this guide on how to download and verify the eth2-deposit-cli.
Copy the file to the other USB stick.
After you have done all the above, you can reboot. If you are connected by a LAN cable to the internet, you can disconnect it manually.
Plug in the USB stick that has your Tails OS.
On Mac, press and hold the Option key immediately upon hearing the startup chime. Release the key after Startup Manager appears.
On Windows, it depends on your computer manufacturer. Usually it is by pressing F1 or F12. If it doesn't work, try googling "Enter boot options menu on [Insert your PC brand]"
Choose the USB stick that you loaded up with Tails OS to boot into Tails.
You can boot with all the default settings.
Plug in your other USB stick with the
eth2-deposit-cli file.You can then open your command line and navigate into the directory containing the file. Then you can continue the guide from the other tab.
Make a new mnemonic.
./deposit.sh new-mnemonic --chain pyrmont
If you ran this command directly from your non-Tails USB stick, the validator keys should stay on it. If it hasn't, copy the directory over to your non-Tails USB stick.
**** Make sure you have saved your validator keys directory in your other USB stick (non Tails OS) before you shutdown Tails. Tails will delete everything saved on it after you shutdown..
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Congrats on learning how to use Tails OS to make an air gapped system. As a bonus, you can reboot into Tails OS again and connect to internet to surf the dark web or clear net safely!
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2. If using eth2deposit-cli, follow the prompts and pick a KEYSTORE password. This password encrypts your keystore files. Write down your mnemonic and keep this safe and offline.
**** Do not send real mainnet ETH during this process! Use only goerli ETH.
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You should have both your Eth1 node and Beacon Chain node synced before your validator becomes active. If they are not, you may incur penalties until they are synced. You may want to complete steps 3 and 4 BEFORE initiating your deposit to avoid these penalties.
3. Follow the steps at https://pyrmont.launchpad.ethereum.org while skipping over the steps you already just completed. Study the eth2 phase 0 overview material. Understanding eth2 is the key to success!
**** Batch Depositing Tip: If you have many deposits to make for many validators, consider using Abyss.finance's eth2depositor tool. This greatly improves the deposit experience as multiple deposits can be batched into one transaction, thereby saving gas fees and saving your fingers by minimizing Metamask clicking.
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Make sure to switch to GÖRLI network.
4. Back on the launchpad website, upload your
deposit_data-#########.json found in the validator_keys directory.5. Connect to the launchpad with your Metamask wallet, review and accept terms.
6. Confirm the transaction(s). There's one deposit transaction of 32 ETH for each validator.
Your transaction is sending and depositing your ETH to the pyrmont ETH2 deposit contract address.
Check, double-check, triple-check that the pyrmont Eth2 deposit contract address is correct.
**** Critical Crypto Reminder: Keep your mnemonic, keep your ETH.
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🚀
- Write down your mnemonic seed offline. Not email. Not cloud.
- The withdrawal keys will be generated from this mnemonic in the future.
- Make offline backups, such as to a USB key, of your
validator_keysdirectory.
Ethereum 2.0 requires a connection to Ethereum 1.0 in order to monitor for 32 ETH validator deposits. Hosting your own Ethereum 1.0 node is the best way to maximize decentralization and minimize dependency on third parties such as Infura.
Do not run your processes as ROOT user.
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😱
Geth
Besu
Nethermind
OpenEthereum (Parity)
Minimum Hardware Setup (Infura)
Geth - Go Ethereum is one of the three original implementations (along with C++ and Python) of the Ethereum protocol. It is written in Go, fully open source and licensed under the GNU LGPL v3.
Install from the repository
🧬
sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa:ethereum/ethereum
sudo apt-get update -y
sudo apt-get install ethereum -y
Setup and configure systemd
⚙
Run the following to create a unit file to define your
eth1.service configuration.Simply copy/paste the following.
cat > $HOME/eth1.service << EOF
[Unit]
Description = geth eth1 service
Wants = network-online.target
After = network-online.target
[Service]
User = $(whoami)
ExecStart = /usr/bin/geth --http --goerli --metrics --pprof
Restart = on-failure
RestartSec = 3
TimeoutSec = 300
[Install]
WantedBy = multi-user.target
EOF
Nimbus Specific Configuration: Add the following flag to the ExecStart line.
--ws
Move the unit file to
/etc/systemd/system and give it permissions.sudo mv $HOME/eth1.service /etc/systemd/system/eth1.service
sudo chmod 644 /etc/systemd/system/eth1.service
Run the following to enable auto-start at boot time.
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable eth1
Start geth
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sudo systemctl start eth1
Hyperledger Besu is an open-source Ethereum client designed for demanding enterprise applications requiring secure, high-performance transaction processing in a private network. It's developed under the Apache 2.0 license and written in Java.
Install java dependency
🧬
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt install openjdk-18-jdk -y
Download and unzip Besu
🌜
cd
wget -O besu.tar.gz https://dl.bintray.com/hyperledger-org/besu-repo/besu-20.10.1.tar.gz
tar -xvf besu.tar.gz
rm besu.tar.gz
mv besu* besu
Setup and configure systemd
⚙
Run the following to create a unit file to define your
eth1.service configuration.Simply copy/paste the following.
cat > $HOME/eth1.service << EOF
[Unit]
Description = besu eth1 service
Wants = network-online.target
After = network-online.target
[Service]
User = $(whoami)
ExecStart = $(echo $HOME)/besu/bin/besu --metrics-enabled --rpc-http-enabled --network=goerli --data-path="$HOME/.besu_goerli"
Restart = on-failure
RestartSec = 3
[Install]
WantedBy = multi-user.target
EOF
Move the unit file to
/etc/systemd/system and give it permissions.sudo mv $HOME/eth1.service /etc/systemd/system/eth1.service
sudo chmod 644 /etc/systemd/system/eth1.service
Run the following to enable auto-start at boot time.
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable eth1
Start besu
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sudo systemctl start eth1
Nethermind is a flagship Ethereum client all about performance and flexibility. Built on .NET core, a widespread, enterprise-friendly platform, Nethermind makes integration with existing infrastructures simple, without losing sight of stability, reliability, data integrity, and security.
Install dependencies
⚙
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install curl libsnappy-dev libc6-dev jq libc6 unzip -y
Download and unzip Nethermind
🌜
Automatically download the latest linux release, un-zip and cleanup.
mkdir $HOME/nethermind
chmod 775 $HOME/nethermind
cd $HOME/nethermind
curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/NethermindEth/nethermind/releases/latest | jq -r ".assets[] | select(.name) | .browser_download_url" | grep linux | xargs wget -q --show-progress
unzip -o nethermind*.zip
rm nethermind*linux*.zip
Setup and configure systemd
⚙
Run the following to create a unit file to define your
eth1.service configuration.Simply copy/paste the following.
cat > $HOME/eth1.service << EOF
[Unit]
Description = nethermind eth1 service
Wants = network-online.target
After = network-online.target
[Service]
User = $(whoami)
ExecStart = $(echo $HOME)/nethermind/Nethermind.Runner --config goerli --baseDbPath $HOME/.nethermind_goerli --Metrics.Enabled true --JsonRpc.Enabled true --Sync.DownloadBodiesInFastSync true --Sync.DownloadReceiptsInFastSync true --Sync.AncientBodiesBarrier 11052984 --Sync.AncientReceiptsBarrier 11052984
Restart = on-failure
RestartSec = 3
[Install]
WantedBy = multi-user.target
EOF
Move the unit file to
/etc/systemd/system and give it permissions.sudo mv $HOME/eth1.service /etc/systemd/system/eth1.service
sudo chmod 644 /etc/systemd/system/eth1.service
Run the following to enable auto-start at boot time.
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable eth1
Start Nethermind
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sudo systemctl start eth1
Note about Metric Error messages: You will see these until prometheus pushergateway is setup in section 6.
Error in MetricPusher: System.Net.Http.HttpRequestException: Connection refusedOpenEthereum will no longer be supported post London hard fork. Gnosis, maintainers of OpenEthereum, suggest users migrate to their new Erigon Ethererum client.
OpenEthereum - It's **** goal is to be the fastest, lightest, and most secure Ethereum client using the Rust programming language. OpenEthereum is licensed under the GPLv3 and can be used for all your Ethereum needs.
Install dependencies
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sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install curl jq unzip -y
Install OpenEthereum
🤖
Automatically download the latest linux release, un-zip, add execute permissions and cleanup.
mkdir $HOME/openethereum
cd $HOME/openethereum
curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/openethereum/openethereum/releases/latest | jq -r ".assets[] | select(.name) | .browser_download_url" | grep linux | xargs wget -q --show-progress
unzip -o openethereum*.zip
chmod +x openethereum
rm openethereum*.zip
Setup and configure systemd
⚙
Run the following to create a unit file to define your
eth1.service configuration.Simply copy/paste the following.
cat > $HOME/eth1.service << EOF
[Unit]
Description = openethereum eth1 service
Wants = network-online.target
After = network-online.target
[Service]
User = $(whoami)
ExecStart = $(echo $HOME)/openethereum/openethereum --chain goerli --metrics --metrics-port=6060
Restart = on-failure
RestartSec = 3
[Install]
WantedBy = multi-user.target
EOF
Nimbus Specific Configuration: Add the following flag to the ExecStart line.
--ws-origins=all
Move the unit file to
/etc/systemd/system and give it permissions.sudo mv $HOME/eth1.service /etc/systemd/system/eth1.service
sudo chmod 644 /etc/systemd/system/eth1.service
Run the following to enable auto-start at boot time.
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable eth1
Start OpenEthereum
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sudo systemctl start eth1
Infura is suitable for limited disk space setups. Always run your own full eth1 node when possible.
- 1.Sign up for a free account.
- 2.Confirm your email address.
- 3.
- 4.Create a project, give it a name.
- 5.Select Goerli as the ENDPOINT
- 6.Follow the specific configuration for your eth2 client found below.
- 1.When creating your systemd's unit file, update the
--web-urlparameter with this endpoint. - 2.Copy the websocket endpoint. Starts with
wss:// - 3.Save this for step 4, configuring your eth2 node.
#example
--web3-url=<your wss:// infura endpoint>
- 1.After creating the
teku.yamllocated in/etc/teku/teku.yaml, update the--eth1-endpointparameter with this endpoint. - 2.Copy the http endpoint. Starts with
http:// - 3.Save this for step 4, configuring your eth2 node.
#example
eth1-endpoint: <your https:// infura endpoint>
- 1.When creating your beacon chain systemd unit file, add the
--eth1-endpointparameter with this endpoint. - 2.Copy the https endpoint. Starts with
https:// - 3.Save this for step 4, configuring your eth2 node.
#example
--eth1-endpoint=<your https:// infura endpoint>
- 1.When creating your beacon chain systemd unit file, update the
--http-web3providerparameter with this endpoint. - 2.Copy the https endpoint. Starts with
https:// - 3.Save this for step 4, configuring your eth2 node.
#example
--http-web3provider=<your https:// infura endpoint>
Syncing an eth1 node can take up to 1 week. On high-end machines with gigabit internet, expect syncing to take less than a day.
Your eth1 node is fully sync'd when these events occur.
OpenEthereum:Imported #<block number>Geth:Imported new chain segmentBesu:Imported #<block number>Nethermind:No longer syncing Old Headers
To view and follow eth1 logs
🗒
journalctl -u eth1 -f
To stop eth1 service
🗒
sudo systemctl stop eth1
Your choice of Lighthouse, Nimbus, Teku, Prysm, or Lodestar.
Lighthouse
Nimbus
Teku
Prysm
Lodestar
Lighthouse is an Eth2.0 client with a heavy focus on speed and security. The team behind it, Sigma Prime, is an information security and software engineering firm who have funded Lighthouse along with the Ethereum Foundation, Consensys, and private individuals. Lighthouse is built in Rust and offered under an Apache 2.0 License.
curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
Enter '1' to proceed with the default install.
Update your environment variables.
echo export PATH="$HOME/.cargo/bin:$PATH" >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc
Install rust dependencies.
sudo apt install -y git gcc g++ make cmake pkg-config libssl-dev
mkdir ~/git
cd ~/git
git clone https://github.com/sigp/lighthouse.git
cd lighthouse
git fetch --all && git checkout stable && git pull
make
In case of compilation errors, run the following sequence.
rustup update
cargo clean
make
This build process may take a few minutes.
Verify lighthouse was installed properly by checking the version number.
lighthouse --version
When you import your keys into Lighthouse, your validator signing key(s) are stored in the
$HOME/.lighthouse/pyrmont/validators folder.Run the following command to import your validator keys from the eth2deposit-cli tool directory.
Enter your keystore password to import accounts.
lighthouse account validator import --network pyrmont --directory=$HOME/eth2deposit-cli/validator_keys
Verify the accounts were imported successfully.
lighthouse account_manager validator list --network pyrmont
WARNING: DO NOT USE THE ORIGINAL KEYSTORES TO VALIDATE WITH ANOTHER CLIENT, OR YOU WILL GET SLASHED.
Specific to your networking setup or cloud provider settings, ensure your validator's firewall ports are open and reachable.
- Lighthouse beacon chain requires port 9000 for tcp and udp
- eth1 node requires port 30303 for tcp and udp
Port Forwarding Tip: You'll need to forward and open ports to your validator. Verify it's working with https://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/ or https://canyouseeme.org/ .
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Benefits of using systemd for your beacon chain
🍰
- 1.Auto-start your beacon chain when the computer reboots due to maintenance, power outage, etc.
- 2.Automatically restart crashed beacon chain processes.
- 3.Maximize your beacon chain up-time and performance.
Setup Instructions
🛠
Run the following to create a unit file to define your
beacon-chain.service configuration.cat > $HOME/beacon-chain.service << EOF
# The eth2 beacon chain service (part of systemd)
# file: /etc/systemd/system/beacon-chain.service
[Unit]
Description = eth2 beacon chain service
Wants = network-online.target
After = network-online.target
[Service]
User = $(whoami)
ExecStart = $(which lighthouse) bn --staking --validator-monitor-auto --metrics --network pyrmont
Restart = on-failure
[Install]
WantedBy = multi-user.target
EOF
**** Lighthouse Pro Tip: On the ExecStart line, adding the
🔥
--eth1-endpoints flag allows for redundant eth1 nodes. Separate with comma. Make sure the endpoint does not end with a trailing slash or/ Remove it.# Example:
--eth1-endpoints http://localhost:8545,https://nodes.mewapi.io/rpc/eth,https://mainnet.eth.cloud.ava.do,https://mainnet.infura.io/v3/xxx
Move the unit file to
/etc/systemd/systemsudo mv $HOME/beacon-chain.service /etc/systemd/system/beacon-chain.service
Give it permissions.
sudo chmod 644 /etc/systemd/system/beacon-chain.service
Run the following to enable auto-start at boot time and then start your beacon node service.
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable beacon-chain
sudo systemctl start beacon-chain
Nice work. Your beacon chain is now managed by the reliability and robustness of systemd. Below are some commands for using systemd.
Check whether the beacon chain is active
✅
sudo systemctl is-active beacon-chain
View the status of the beacon chain
🔎
sudo systemctl status beacon-chain
Restarting the beacon chain
🔄
sudo systemctl reload-or-restart beacon-chain
Stopping the beacon chain
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