Running a Bitcoin Node and Connecting to Ledger Live - aidanonycz/Ledger-Article-Guides-09 GitHub Wiki

Running a Bitcoin node and connecting it to Ledger Live enhances your privacy and sovereignty over your Bitcoin transactions by allowing you to verify balances and broadcast transactions directly through your own node, rather than relying on Ledger’s servers. 

While Ledger Live doesn’t natively manage a Bitcoin node, it supports integration with a full node via an experimental feature using Ledger SatStack, a lightweight bridge application. 

However, this feature’s full support has reportedly been inconsistent in the latest Ledger Live versions, so alternative methods using third-party wallets like Sparrow or Electrum may be more reliable. 

Please download the last update of Ledger Live Application:

1.Ledger Live for Windows 10/11

2.Ledger Live for MAC

3.Ledger Live for Android

Below is a step-by-step guide to running a Bitcoin node and connecting it to Ledger Live, along with practical considerations.

What You’ll Need

  • A Ledger hardware wallet (Nano S Plus, Nano X, Flex, or Stax) with the Bitcoin app installed.
  • Ledger Live installed and updated (e.g., version 2.81.0 or newer) from ledger.com/ledger-live.
  • A computer with sufficient resources to run a Bitcoin full node (minimum: 2 GB RAM, 500 GB free disk space, stable internet).
  • Bitcoin Core software (latest version, e.g., 26.0 as of late 2024) from bitcoincore.org.
  • Optional: A Raspberry Pi or dedicated device for a lightweight node setup.

Step 1: Set Up Your Bitcoin Node

  1. Download Bitcoin Core:
    • Visit bitcoincore.org, download the latest version for your OS (Windows, macOS, Linux).
    • Verify the download using GPG signatures to ensure authenticity.
  2. Install and Configure:
    • Install Bitcoin Core—on first run, it creates a data directory (e.g., ~/.bitcoin on Linux, %APPDATA%\Bitcoin on Windows).
    • Edit the bitcoin.conf file (create it if it doesn’t exist in the data directory):

server=1              # Enable RPC server

rpcbind=127.0.0.1     # Bind RPC to localhost

rpcport=8332          # Default RPC port

rpcuser=yourusername  # Choose a username

rpcpassword=yourpassword  # Set a strong password

txindex=1             # Enable transaction index (recommended for Ledger SatStack)

  • daemon=1              # Run in background
  • Optional: Add rpcallowip=192.168.x.x (your local network IP range) if connecting from another device.
  1. Sync the Blockchain:
    • Launch Bitcoin Core (bitcoind or bitcoin-qt)—it begins downloading the full Bitcoin blockchain (~500 GB as of 2025).
    • Syncing takes 1–7 days depending on your hardware and internet speed—let it run uninterrupted.
    • Verify sync completion: In Bitcoin-Qt, check “Recent Blocks” or run bitcoin-cli getblockchaininfo (progress = 1.0).
  2. Test Node Access:
    • Run bitcoin-cli -rpcuser=yourusername -rpcpassword=yourpassword getblockchaininfo—confirm it returns blockchain data.

Step 2: Install Ledger SatStack (Experimental)

  • Note: Ledger SatStack was designed to connect Ledger Live to your node, but posts on X and Reddit suggest it’s no longer fully supported in the latest Ledger Live versions due to bugs or deprecation. Proceed with caution—test with small amounts or consider Step 3 instead.
  1. Download SatStack:
    • Get the latest release from github.com/LedgerHQ/satstack (e.g., pre-built binaries for Linux/Windows/macOS).
    • Verify the download for security.
  2. Configure SatStack:
    • Create a lss.json config file in your home directory (e.g., ~/lss.json on Linux):
    • json

{

  “rpcurl”: “http://127.0.0.1:8332”,

  “rpcuser”: “yourusername”,

  “rpcpassword”: “yourpassword”,

  “depth”: 10

  • }
  • Optional: Add “torproxy”: “socks5://127.0.0.1:9050” if using Tor (requires a Tor daemon running).
  1. Run SatStack:
    • Launch via terminal: ./satstack (or satstack.exe on Windows)—keep it running in the background.
    • It connects to your Bitcoin Core node and waits for Ledger Live.

Step 3: Connect Ledger Live to Your Node (Experimental)

  • Status: This feature was under Settings > Experimental Features > Connect Bitcoin Full Node in older versions (e.g., 2.52.0), but recent feedback (e.g., Reddit’s r/ledgerwallet) indicates it’s broken or unsupported in newer releases (e.g., 2.81.0). If it works for your version, proceed; otherwise, skip to Step 4.
  1. Open Ledger Live:
    • Launch, connect your Ledger, unlock, and open the Bitcoin app on-device.
  2. Enable Node Connection:
    • Go to Settings > Experimental Features.
    • Toggle Connect Bitcoin Full Node, click Continue.
  3. Enter Node Details:
    • Host: 127.0.0.1:8332 (if on the same machine) or your node’s IP (e.g., 192.168.x.x:8332).
    • RPC Credentials: Input rpcuser and rpcpassword from bitcoin.conf.
    • Enable TLS if configured—click Continue.
  4. Sync Accounts:
    • Ledger Live uses SatStack to scan your Bitcoin accounts—approve on-device when prompted.
    • Wait for sync (minutes to hours, depending on accounts)—a green “Ready” appears if successful.
  5. Test: Send a small transaction (e.g., 0.001 BTC) via Send—verify it uses your node (no Ledger servers).

Step 4: Alternative—Use Sparrow or Electrum with Your Ledger

  • Why: More reliable than SatStack, widely supported, and privacy-focused.
  1. Install Sparrow Wallet (Recommended):
    • Download from sparrowwallet.com, verify signature, install.
  2. Configure Node Connection:
    • Open Sparrow, go to File > Preferences > Server.
    • Select Bitcoin Core, enter 127.0.0.1:8332, rpcuser, rpcpassword—test connection.
  3. Connect Ledger:
    • Plug in your Ledger, open Bitcoin app.
    • In Sparrow, File > New Wallet > Airgapped Hardware Wallet > Ledger, scan—import your xpub.
  4. Manage Funds:
    • Send/receive BTC—sign transactions on your Ledger (e.g., “Send 0.05 BTC…”).
    • Sparrow queries your node directly—full privacy.
  5. Ledger Live Role: Use it to monitor balances (optional)—it won’t interfere with Sparrow’s node connection.

Security Best Practices

  • Verify Software: Download Bitcoin Core, SatStack, and Sparrow from official sources—check signatures.
  • Never Share Seed: Your 24-word phrase stays on your Ledger—don’t enter it anywhere (see “Why Never Share Your Seed”).
  • Firewall: Restrict node access (e.g., rpcallowip=127.0.0.1)—prevents external queries.
  • Tor: Add proxy=127.0.0.1:9050 and listen=1 to bitcoin.conf for privacy—requires Tor setup.
  • Backup: Save bitcoin.conf and wallet descriptors offline—crucial for recovery.

Troubleshooting

  • SatStack Crashes: Downgrade Ledger Live to 2.52.0 (last known working version per Reddit)—or switch to Sparrow.
  • Connection Fails: Verify bitcoin.conf settings, restart node (bitcoin-cli stop, then bitcoind), check port 8332 is open (netstat -an).
  • Sync Slow: Ensure 500 GB free space, stable internet—pruned nodes aren’t supported with SatStack.
  • Ledger Live Errors: Clear cache (Settings > Help > Clear Cache)—reconnect node.

Conclusion

Running a Bitcoin node and connecting it to Ledger Live via SatStack offers privacy and trustlessness, but its experimental status means reliability varies—Sparrow or Electrum are more robust alternatives today. Set up your node with Bitcoin Core, integrate via Sparrow for seamless Ledger use, and keep Ledger Live as a backup viewer. Your transactions stay private, verified by your node, and secured by your Ledger.