Activation Queue: Once your EL+CL is synced, validator up and running, you just wait for activation. This process can take 24+ hours. Only 900 new validators can join per day. Check the queue length: https://wenmerge.com
Activated: When you're activated, your validator will begin creating and voting on blocks while earning staking rewards.
Syncing the consensus client is instantaneous with checkpoint sync but the execution client can take up to a day. On nodes with fast NVME drives and gigabit internet, expect your node to be fully synced in a few hours.
How do I know I'm fully synced?
Check your execution client's logs and compare the block number against the most recent block on https://holesky.etherscan.io
Check EL logs: journalctl -fu execution
Thanks to checkpoint sync, your consensus client's is instantly synched. You can compare the slot number against the most recent slot on https://holesky.beaconcha.in
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Congrats! You've finished the primary steps of setting up your validator. You're now an Ethereum staker!
FAQ
Recommended Steps
Install EthPillar: a simple companion UI for node management! Command line use is greatly reduced. Update your software with a keystroke.
Subscribe to your Execution Client and Consensus Client's Github repository: Be notified of new releases. Find the Github links on each EL/CL's Overview section. At your EL or CL's github page while logged in, click the Watch button > Custom > click the checkbox for "Release".
