Next Steps

⏭️ Next Steps

Sync Timeline: 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.

Patience required: If you're checking the logs and see any warnings or errors, please be patient as these will normally resolve once both your execution and consensus clients are fully synced to the Ethereum network.\

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://goerli.etherscan.io/

  • Check EL logs: journalctl -fu execution

• Check your consensus client's logs and compare the slot number against the most recent slot on https://goerli.beaconcha.in

  • Check CL logs: journalctl -fu consensus

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.

Quick monitoring: Use https://goerli.beaconcha.in/ to create alerts and track your validator's performance.

🎉 Congrats! You've finished the primary steps of setting up your validator. You're now an Ethereum staker!

👍 Recommended Steps

• Subscribe to your Execution Client and Consensus Client's Github repository to 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".

• Join the community on Discord and Reddit to discuss all things staking related.

• Familiarize yourself with Part II - Maintenance section, as you'll need to keep your staking node running at its best.

• Up your staking understanding with the EthStaker Knowledge Base.

• Review your staking validator backups!

• Finished testing? Before decommissioning your validator, it's good practice to properly exit your validator as this improves staking network health.

🏁 Optional Steps

• Setup MEV-boost for extra staking rewards!
• Setup Monitoring with Grafana and Prometheus
• Setup Mobile App Notifications and Monitoring by beaconcha.in
• Setup External Monitoring with Uptime Check by Google Cloud
• Familiarize yourself with Part III - Tips section, as you dive deeper into staking.

☎️ Need extra live support?

• Find Ethstaker frens on the Ethstaker Discord and coincashew Discord.
• Use reddit: r/Ethstaker, or DMs, or r/coincashew

💟 Like these guides?

• Audience-funded guide: If you found this helpful, please consider supporting it directly. 🙏
• Support us on Gitcoin Grants: We build this guide exclusively by community support!

• Feedback or pull-requests: https://github.com/coincashew/coincashew

Ready for mainnet staking? Mainnet guide available here.

Last Words

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This is Leslie, the official mascot of Eth Staking