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How to setup a Masternode

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Welcome to the masternode setup guide, in this guide we will explain all the steps necessary to install a LUX masternode. We recommend everyone to install their masternode “cold” which means that the masternode collateral is not online and therefore much safer.

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Disclaimer

When performed correctly, this should pose no risk to your virtual coins. Luxcore will not be responsible for any incorrectly performed actions or steps that may result in any losses of any kind. Please refer Luxcore Terms &Conditions here

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VPS initial setup

Prerequisites:

Reset root password

Log into the VPS with root and change the root password for your own protection.

passwd root

Create luxadmin user

Create the luxadmin user. Do NOT use the same password as root !! 

adduser luxadmin

Give the luxadmin user sudo permissions

The luxadmin user needs sudo permissions.

usermod -aG sudo luxadmin

Update the Operating System

Make sure the Operating System is updated properly.

apt update

apt upgrade -y

Now reboot the VPS

reboot

Login as luxadmin and install fail2ban

Login to your VPS using putty (ssh) and install fail2ban, this protects your VPS against brute force attacks.

sudo apt install fail2ban -y

Disable SSH login for root

In this step we disable SSH access for the root account 

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Change “PermitRootLogin” from “prohibit-password” to “no”

Press “ctrl-x” and answer “y” to save the configuration.

Restart sshd and test root login

Now we restart sshd to activate the configuration.

sudo systemctl reload sshd

To verify we have changed the configuration successfully, try to login with root through SSH using putty. This should fail.

Install & Configure firewall

To protect the system from attacks, we will only open the ports we need and firewall all other ports.

sudo apt install ufw && sudo ufw allow ssh && sudo ufw allow 26969 && sudo ufw deny 26868 && sudo ufw deny 16969 && sudo ufw deny 26888 && sudo ufw deny 16868 && sudo ufw deny 16120 && sudo ufw enable

Add swapfile

To ensure we have enough memory to compile the daemon, we add 4gb swap.

sudo fallocate -l 4G /swapfile && sudo chmod 600 /swapfile && sudo mkswap /swapfile && sudo swapon /swapfile && sudo cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.bak && echo '/swapfile none swap sw 0 0' | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab && free –h

Now reboot the VPS again.

reboot

Installing dependencies and compiling daemon

In this chapter we will install the required dependencies and compile the LUX daemon.

Download and unpack the source code

Browse to https://github.com/LUX-Core/lux/releases to copy the link to the latest source code.

Now login to your vps and download the source code.

wget copiedgithublink

Unpack the source code: 

mkdir -p lux && tar xf tarfilename -C ./lux --strip-components=1

Make files executable and install dependencies

First step is to make all the .sh files executable:

sudo find lux/ -type f -iname "*.sh" -exec chmod +x {} \;

Now enter the lux directory: 

cd lux/

Now we need to install the dependencies (this will take a few minutes): 

sudo sh ./depends/install-dependencies.sh

Compile the executables

Now we need to compile the executables, depending on your VPS speed, this can take a while (1-5 hours).

sudo ./autogen.sh && sudo ./configure --disable-tests --without-gui && sudo make clean && sudo make -j$(nproc)

Place the executables in your home directory

Now we place the executables we just compiled in the root of the luxadmin home directory

cd /home/luxadmin

cp lux/src/luxd .

cp lux/src/lux-cli .

Create lux.conf

Now we will setup the lux.conf, on linux this is done in the .lux directory (comparable to %appdata%\lux on windows). 

mkdir ~/.lux

nano ~/.lux/lux.conf

Copy paste the below configuration:

#--------------------LUXCORE--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rpcuser=pleaseuseacomplexusername #please use a complex username
rpcpassword=pleaseusealongcomplexpassword #please use a long complex password
rpcallowip=127.0.0.1
#--------------------LUXCORE--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
listen=1
server=1
daemon=1
maxconnections=100
#--------------------LUXCORE--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
externalip=x.x.x.x #this is your vps external ip address
#masternodeprivkey=YOU-WILL-REPLACE-THIS-LATER
staking=0
#masternode=1
bind=x.x.x.x #this is your vps external ip address
masternodeaddr=x.x.x.x:26969 #please replace the x.x.x.x with your vps external ip
port=26969
#--------------------LUXCORE--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Change the x.x.x.x with the external IP address of your VPS
Change the rpcuser/rpcpassword to a unique and complex username and password
Save the file by pressing “ctrl-x” and answering “y” when asked to save the file

Start the LUX daemon

Now we start the LUX daemon and have it sync fully. 

./luxd

Use the following command to check progress:

./lux-cli getinfo| grep blocks

We will wait for the sync to complete and will return to it later. Refer to https://explorer.luxcore.io/ for the latest block number.

Setup Windows QT wallet

In this chapter we will setup your Windows QT cold staking wallet, this guide assumes you have a QT wallet installed/encrypted and fully synched with the network. If you do not, please refer to the Windows QT user guide here

Generate masternode key and address

In this step we generate the key that will tell your daemon that the cold MN address collateral exists. This key does not allow anyone to touch the collateral.

Go to the debug console

masternode genkey

Save this key in a notepad, now generate the MN address:

getaccountaddress luxcoldmn1

Save the masternode address in a notepad aswell. This is your masternode public address and all masternode rewards will be send to this address. This is also the address you will send the 16120 LUX collateral to.

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BACKUP !!

Now take your time to backup the wallet.dat (preferable to multiple locations) and save the private key of the masternode address we just generated securely (and preferably offline).

Dump the private key of the luxcoldmn1 address we just generated:

dumpprivkey

Configure QT wallet lux.conf

Now we will configure the QT wallet to disable staking to avoid accidental staking (this would stop your masternode from functioning).

Open the Wallet Configuration File

This opens the lux.conf, it should be completely empty. Add “staking=0”.

Now save and close notepad

Fund the masternode address

Now we will fund the address we created (AND BACKED UP !) earlier. The funding has to be done in 1 transaction of 16120 LUX.

Confirmation screen:

If you funded the masternode from the same wallet, the transaction looks like this:

Wait for the transactions to have a few confirmations, then proceed.

Get masternode transaction hash

Open the debug console again and type

masternode outputs

This is the txid of your masternode collateral, this is confirmation your masternode is funded. Save the output to notepad.

Complete the masternode configuration (QT)

Go to tools -> Open Masternode Configuration File

Now we configure the masternode file:

Alias: the alias used (luxcoldmn1)
x.x.x.x: external IP address of your masternode
masternodeprivkey: This is the key we generated with masternode genkey
collateral_output_txid: The large string we generated with masternode outputs
collateral_output_index: The number we generated with masternode outputs (can be 0 or 1)

After completing the configuration, save and close notepad. And restart the QT wallet.

Finalizing the masternode setup

In this chapter we finish the configuration and start the masternode.

Check daemon progress

Open your putty (reconnect if needed) and check progress on the vps:

./lux-cli getinfo| grep blocks

Verify on the explorer if your masternode is in sync:

In this example the masternode is in sync, if it is behind, please wait.

Configure the lux.conf on the VPS

Now we configure the lux.conf on the vps:

./lux-cli stop

nano ~/.lux/lux.conf

and edit the following lines

(remove the # in front of the lines)

masternode=1
masternodeprivkey= This is the key we generated here with masternode genkey

Now we start the LUX daemon again.

./luxd

Finalize the Windows wallet configuration

Enable coin control, go to tools -> options

Enable coin control features.

Go to the send tab and select inputs.

You might see the 16120 coins are locked.

If it is locked, you can right click and select “unlock unspent”

The coins are now unlocked

You can now close the send window.

Start the masternode

To start the masternode, go to tools -> debug console

Unlock your wallet for 1 minute

walletpassphrase "YOURPASSPHRASE" 60

Start the masternode

masternode start-alias luxcoldmn1

Close the debug console

Verify the masternode is running

Your masternode should appear in the masternodes tab.

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Succes !

You can now close your QT wallet and SSH session to your VPS. Congratulations, you are now running a LUX masternode !

Updated 10 months ago