Hands-On Class: How to Run a Bitcoin Node for Beginners
Join us on Tuesday, September 30th at 6:00 PM for this hands-on class on how to run a Bitcoin node for beginners. A Bitcoin node connects your wallet to the Bitcoin network, allowing you to personally verify that the Bitcoin you hold is in fact Bitcoin, and giving you a voice in the consensus rules you choose to follow.
This class is geared towards beginners, no experience necessary! In this class, you’ll learn what a node is, why to run one, and how to set up and use your own hardware. We highly encourage you to bring your own hardware and a flashdrive (8 GB) in order to get the most out of the class.
Our recommended hardware is one of the following:
This computer strikes the perfect balance between affordability and quality.
If the above is out of stock, check out the HP EliteDesk Mini Computer 800 G3 ($150)
Additionally, please purchase a 2TB NVMe SSD which we will install in the class.
i. NVMe SSD - 2TB ($100)
2. RaspberryPi 4 8GB ($100), with a cooling fan ($6) and 64GB microSD card ($10)
We only recommend this option if you don’t care about the longevity of your node, but instead only want to buy something to use as a learning tool.
3. Start9 Server One ($620)
This is a mini computer that already has the open-source software we’ll be teaching installed onto it. It is the absolute easiest, but also most expensive option.
A good choice if price is no object and the most frictionless set-up experience possible is the goal.
4. Choose your own option
The previous options were chosen to make your purchase as simple as possible, but there are many hardware options that you can use to run a node! So long as they meet these minimum specifications:
i. Quad-Core CPU 2.5Ghz+ boost (processing power)
ii. 16GB+ RAM (temporary storage)
iii. 2TB+ Storage minimum
If you would like to research further, there is a community of Node Runners who have outlined a hardware master list of computers capable of running StartOS
If you’ve purchased a ticket to the class, feel free to join our Telegram for any questions you have before attending. Hold Bitcoin, run your own node, and be free!