How to connect and configure an asic for mining

A tool for mining

The cryptocurrency market provides an opportunity for ordinary users, entrepreneurs and companies to earn money. One of the ways to earn income is mining coins and tokens. Solving a special task allows you to mine digital currency. Popular computing equipment in February 2022 are video cards and asics. For bitcoin mining, only ASIC devices are used. However, not everyone knows how to connect an asic to a pool for mining. Setting up the equipment requires certain skills.

Efficiency of ASIC mining

Until recently, cryptocurrency mining was done on processors (CPUs). At the beginning of 2023, they are used for mining in blockchains that are optimized for this – for example, Monero. In other networks, mining digital currency on CPUs does not generate revenue.

In 2010, the first client supporting bitcoin mining on video cards was created. It turned out to be many times more efficient than CPUs. After 12 years, video cards are used in mining Ethereum and other coins.

How to connect and configure an asic for mining
Farm for mining digital currency from 6 video cards

In 2023, bitcoin mining will only pay off using ASICs. These devices are created specifically for one task – mining blocks in the Bitcoin network. They show high efficiency and low power consumption relative to the power output.

Developers produce asics for any networks that are based on the Proof-of-Work algorithm.

Required hardware and software

The task of the miner is to get more profit from mining cryptocurrencies. The process of setting up should be comfortable, and the work of the equipment is efficient and stable. Additional devices and programs will help to achieve this. To set up an ASIC for mining, you need to have the following:

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  • Stable Internet. It is better to use a wired Ethernet connection.
  • A computer to control the process.
  • A power supply 10-15% more powerful than the equipment requires.
  • A surge protector of 4000 kW or more.
  • A program to find the ASIC address (example: Advanced IP Scanner).
  • A wallet for collecting mined coins.
  • Software for automatic restart of mining – WatchDog.

How to connect and configure the asic

The equipment must be properly connected to the computer. Next comes an important stage – the configuration of asics. The efficiency of mining digital currency depends on it. Step-by-step instructions for connecting and configuring an asic for mining will help to perform all actions correctly.

Creating a wallet

A special key stores a record that indicates the belonging of coins in the network to a certain user. To work with it, you need to create a wallet in a special program. It is necessary for storing bitcoins received from mining. Among users, the official Bitcoin Core wallet is popular. To start working with it, you need to:

  • Go to the provider’s website and download the file.
  • Unpack the archive and install the program.
  • Launch the Bitcoin Core application and specify a folder for storing the blockchain. The size of the network in February 2022 exceeds 390 gigabytes.
  • Next, the blockchain synchronization process will begin. Due to the large amount of data, it may take a few days.

After installing Bitcoin Core, a bitcoin wallet will be created automatically. In the settings, you can check the “Reduce blockchain volume” function. This will reduce the weight of the wallet to a few gigabytes.

How to connect and configure an asic for mining
The process of synchronizing the wallet with the blockchain

Pool setup

The probability of independently mining a block in the Bitcoin network is minimal. Therefore, miners use pools, finding the hash together. The reward for each block found is shared according to the distribution scheme (PPLNS, PPS+ and others). To set up a pool using the example of the popular Antpool service, you need:

  • Go to the site.
  • Register. You need to specify your e-mail address and come up with a password for login.
  • Create an account (enter a username).
  • Connect the asic miner.

Cryptocurrency will come to the wallet created by the service. Withdrawal of funds is carried out in the Setting tab.

Setting up the asic

Now it is necessary to connect and start the equipment. The order of actions can be considered on the example of Antminer S9:

  1. The device is noisy, so first you need to choose a place for installation.
  2. Next, you should connect power and internet to the ASIC via a LAN wire. The other end of the cable goes to a router or a switch.
  3. Now you need to click on the IP Report button. This is how the device will report its IP address to the computer.
  4. Then Antminer S9 needs to be started and proceed to configuration. You need to open Advanced IP Scanner on your computer and click “Search”. The Antminer address will appear in the list. It should be copied and pasted into the browser line.
  5. The ASIC interface with settings will open, where you need to enter your login and password for authorization. Usually it is root or admin. In the Miner Configuration tab you will need to specify the URL of the selected pool (available on the Antpool website), username and password (if available).
  6. You just need to click Save&Apply and the mining will start.

The Bitmain Antminer S9’s web interface allows you to monitor the device’s indicators (temperature, memory status, and others). On the Antpool website, the statistics on cryptocurrency mining will appear in 40-50 minutes.

Additional settings

In the web interface of the ASIC device, the user is provided with different functions. The available options depend on the selected model of the asic. It is possible to overclock the device to increase the power and earn money on bitcoin mining. To do this, you need to go to the Mining Profiles tab, where the AsicBoost option is provided. When it is enabled, the speed of mining blocks will increase. The program automatically controls the process.

Overclocking the computing equipment will lead to an increase in its temperature, power consumption and noise.

Reset settings

When buying ASIC-equipment from hands, there may be a problem with access to the interface. If you can not get into it, it means that the login and password have been changed by the previous user. In this case you need to reset the settings. The first way is to reflash (update the program). To do this, you need to:

  • Go to the website of the ASIC manufacturer.
  • Download the official firmware for the purchased model.
  • Transfer the file to a flash drive. It should be inserted into the connector of the equipment.
  • Start the asic, wait 10 minutes and press the Reset button.

You can solve the problem in another way. You need to press the Ip Report and Reset buttons for 20 seconds, and then turn off the power supply without releasing the keys. Then you need to wait the same amount of time and start it back up. After that, after another 20 seconds, the ASIC equipment will start rebooting. Now you can release the keys and the procedure of login and password reset will be over.

How to connect and configure an asic for mining
Buttons IP Report, Reset and LAN internet connector on the ASIC

Software for mining farms

If there are many devices for mining cryptocurrencies, the ASIC Hub service is used. The program allows you to manage all available equipment from one place. It scans the network, monitors the performance of each asic. The software does not change the program of the ASIC equipment, which preserves the warranty on it. The devices are managed from the Hive OS web interface.

Summary

Mining first appeared in January 2009, when the Bitcoin network was created. Back then, it was possible to mine coins on ordinary CPU processors. Over time, the complexity of the network has increased. Now bitcoin mining only generates revenue when using ASIC devices. However, having this equipment is not enough, it is important to set it up correctly to work effectively.

The advantages and disadvantages of cryptocurrency mining are described in the table.

ProsMinuses
To earn money, you need to buy equipment and run itASIC-devices lose relevance and break down
Bitcoin mining is available to everyoneThe complexity of mining is constantly growing
Investments in ASICs pay off within a yearCryptocurrency rates change rapidly (volatility)
Bitcoin growth brings additional income

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which ASIC manufacturers are better?

Bitmain, Innosilicon, AvalonMiner and WhatsMiner are popular among miners.

🔎 What is hash rate?

A unit of measurement of the processing power of devices.

📲 What do services that create mining pools get?

Most services take a commission (from 1 to 4%) of users’ earnings. Some pools (BW pool) allow you to participate in mining for free.

🎮 Can I mine bitcoin using video cards?

GPU mining is not different from other types of mining. However, in February 2022, mining bitcoin with video cards is not profitable.

✅ What is the lifespan of ASIC hardware?

There is no exact information, but on average, asics work from 12 to 18 months.

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Author: Saifedean Ammous, an expert in cryptocurrency economics.

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