So who is running multiple full nodes on one external IP? Any issues in reality? Does the ability to sync just get less the more you have? I am plotting on two machines and just blocking 8444 in firewall to keep them from syncing. What’s to stop me from connecting them to my first machine that isn’t blocked and is farming?
How do you start a farmer in windows GUI, but not a full node?
Why would you want to run more than one full-node on the same network? That does not make any sense to me.
Instead of blocking the ports of your plotters, you could stop using the GUI and Plot by CLI instead. With that approach, you only run the plotter, not a full-node.
CLI cmd to start a Farmer:
chia start harvester
So the machine that is the full node is also the farmer. So I can leave this one running doing both functions? On the plotting machines I then do plotting via command line, maybe using SWAR?
Excatly. if you run for example;
chia start farmer
on your main machine (full-node), you will realize that the farmer services are already running.
On your plotters you simply need chia.exe available. You now have two options:
You start Chia GUI, enter your mnemonic and close it right after it again (never open it again). Then you call chia.exe with “plot create” and or using a Plot Manager like Swar, Plotman or Ploto.
To prevent possible access to your private key, this option here should be considered. In this approach, you don’t launch the GUI ever and you dont import your mnemonic. You will need to specify -p and -f parameters for plots create command. This passes your public pool and farmers keys onto your plots that then can be farmed by your full-node/farmer that has these keys in his trust chain. To get these keys, simply run the following command on your full-node. chia keys show
Thank you for taking the time. I will have a play around with it, very clear explanation thank you.
Hi!
I have 3 full nodes running on the same external IP on ports 8444, 8443 and 8445. All PCs are running absolutely fine and connect to different nodes.
So this is definitely possible, but perhaps this is not what you want (see replies from other members).
I’m using 3 full nodes, because I have 12 machines total (around 120 plots per day): 1x - only farmer, 2x powerful Ryzen 5900 farmer+plotter. And a 9 more not so powerful plotters. Sometimes I have to take one or another farmer+plotter offline to swap disks, etc and sometimes they crash and reboot. So I just want to be absolutely sure that I don’t miss “my” block. Also, sometimes my main farmer machine reboots (it’s an old PC, probably have some issues, need to look into it once I have time).
I always plot from command line, never from GUI. Also started using SWAR manager on Windows a few days ago, highly recommended.
Thanks!
The GUI has problems but the windows CLI is woefully awkward.
I ditched the CLI and went back to the gui on numerous PCs. Then I simply copy all the completed plots on to one large array(not into the farm folder directly) ; then when they sit on the drive I move them into the farming folder. Same drive moves are pretty Instant.
Seems to not upset the farmer.
Everyone telling people who have issues to use the CLI might mean well but it isn’t helpful for people used to GUI. We aren’t babies for wanting a GUI.
Thats great if that setup works for you. I’m not saying your a baby for wanting a GUI. I always prefer a GUI over a CLI.
However, if the functionality of the GUI is massively limited and does not let me achieve what I want, I fire up the CLI. And this is the case with Chia GUI.
Yeah I guess that’s a fair summary of the situation (Chia GUI is super basic and frankly needs addressing)
Just many of the posts I read replying to someone trying to do something with the GUI just tell the OP to use CLI.
Fine for many. But there are ways to do what given GUI users want in a slightly roundabout way with the GUI as it is.
"To prevent possible access to your private key, this option here should be considered. In this approach, you don’t launch the GUI ever and you dont import your mnemonic. "
I am curious. I have seen this reference many places. What exactly is the risk here? Is it fear your PC is being hacked by anonymous internet hackers? Are you worried people are looking over your shoulder writing down your key? Are you worried that a wife/gf is going to spill the key to your chia friends?
Out of any of these, none seem very plausible, or even likely. So why all the concern about where the key is on or is not on a PC?
Personally my biggest fear would be that there is currently (or there is eventually introduced) some accidental vulnerability in the Chia code itself that allows someone to use open port 8444 access to gain control of the farmer and steal the keys.
(I’m not saying I believe this to be the case)
I dont care if my wife or family sees me typing in my mnemonic. It’s about storing the private keys on a system where it does not need to be. The risk is simply being connected to the www and thus be vulnerable to all kinds of threats out there. So basically yes; the anonymous internet hackers.
I’m laughing inside. So some hacker finds a way into my pc and steals my of-so-valuable key and does what exactly with it? Perhaps get a hold of possible miniscule rewards that they don’t even know if they exist? Plot on my behalf w/my key wo/me knowing? Good luck turning whatever (nothing) into anything of value given XCH wide acceptance and convertibility at this point!
But seriously, perhaps if you’re a pool operator or a Chia whale with 100s-10,000s of XCH that could be a legit concern. But for the common guy/gal with a few plots, isn’t that getting into tin hat territory?
There was a plotter or plot manager where the dev stole a bunch of people’s private keys.* The issue seems to be, since the keys aren’t protected in the Chia app or GUI if you install a third party app to ‘help’ on a machine with your private key installed then this app could send the key to the malicious individual.
*since most of us have no XCH it probably didn’t cause all too much harm.
Eh, I think we get that you’re not concerned, but you can bet there are plenty of people right now trying to figure out how to steal more than just your key - stealing your key, when you have 0XCH, agree, nobody is after it, is a waste of time - stealing keys of individual people who have 2XCH - 10XCH, possibly worth the time - but trying to automatically steal massive numbers of peoples keys through a common vulnerability or exploit - the example @DjDemonD mentioned is far better than mine - a helper app by some unknown community member is a far easier vector than targeting the Chia code directly, could quickly become very worthwhile.
I know I was only making light of what is a serious issue. The keys ought to be encrypted on the computer where installed.
Agreed. Security seems to not have been considered in this area, where it should have been, and esp going forward one hopes much better effort by devs will be taken.