Lindacoin Hot Cool Masternode Setup Guide - larsen161/Lindacoin GitHub Wiki

Introduction

This guide is a forked version from the initial one made by NerdyUser for the Linda community. It contains security enhancements, deploys a Linda.conf file and automatic bootstrapping of your instance. It also does mostly everything for you in far fewer steps. If you need any help, feel free to join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/SHNjQBv

Before you start

  • A Linda masternode requires 2000000 (2 million) coins, you can buy these coins at the following exchanges: https://lindacoin.com/#exchanges.
  • We refer to the hot wallet as the Masternode that is running on the VPS. We call it hot because it’s ALWAYS directly accessible over the internet 24/7 and much vulnerable than the cool wallet. The hot wallet has a balance of zero coins and this will stay zero forever.
  • We refer to the cool wallet (a true cold wallet has never been online) as the Windows QT software that’s installed on your home machine. This wallet can also be run on Mac or Linux though. This Linda wallet contains the 2M coins for the Masternode and doesn’t need to be on 24/7 with a static IP address.
  • Don’t stake the wallet with the 2M coins in, it will cause the coins to split and disable your masternode.
  • All masternode payouts will come in your cool wallet (even when it isn’t online)
  • Follow all provide steps exactly & read the guide first before starting

Cool wallet setup

  • Download the Windows QT software from: https://github.com/Lindacoin/Linda/releases.
  • Open the download file and extract the file to your desktop PC.
  • Open the file & continue clicking next until finished.
  • Click on the Receive tab and label your existing address as mn1 and press OK.
  • To fast-forward the syncing process, download the bootstrap: http://bit.ly/lindabootstrap
  • Shutdown your Linda wallet.
  • Using Windows Explorer, go to the following path: %AppData%\Roaming\Linda
  • Copy the files from the ZIP file directly to this location (exclude autoBootstrap.cmd and the database folder). Replace the files in the destination if asked.
  • Open your Linda wallet again and copy your mn1 address. Send EXACTLY 2,000,000 LINDA to this address. If you send these coins directly from an exchange note exchange fees.
  • Your wallet now needs some time (from couple of minutes to couple of hours) to sync the remaining blocks
  • You will have to wait for 15 confirmations until the next steps for the Cool Masternode setup (you can continue with Hot wallet installation in the meantime).
  • When your transaction has 15 confirmations, go to Help –> Debug window –> Console and perform 2 commands:

masternode genkey

  • repeat masternode genkey for as many wallet addresses that you have with 2M coins each.

masternode outputs

NB: Never give out these 2 keys to anyone. Copy these 2 files to a temporary notepad file. If the masternode outputs shows nothing you didn’t send yourself exactly 2M Linda or it isn’t confirmed yet.

  • Shutdown your Linda wallet

  • Use the Notepad file you stored those values in and save the file as “masternode.conf” (no capital letters and save with quotes if using Notepad as your text editor) with the following format into your %AppData%\Linda folder:

MNName IpVps:33820 MasternodeGenkeyCoolWallet MasternodeOutputsCoolWallet Index

Example This shows multiple entries if you were to have another wallet address with an additional 2M coins.

mn1 12.34.56.78:33820 NjU4MGM2N2Q4N2MyMTkxNzYzZWFhMzk4NzlkY2EyMDhkODViOGI4 ZjYzYzc4ZTMxNTQzMzU1NzEyMWYwYzUyNGMyZDBmMjI0YjZkMmJjMDMxZjMyYTk3 1
mn2 23.45.67.89:33820 ZjBlNTdlMDQyMTEyODEwNDM5MjZlNjM3MGM1MWQ0MDIwMmQzMjEx MDYxZjlhMzU2N2JmM2U2NjFlNWEyZDJmYWU0ZmVhMmYxNWU4OTI1NWI3OTE4ZmRi 1

  • Save this file and open your Linda software again

  • Let it sync for a couple of minutes to be sure that everything is running & synced

  • Go to Help – Debug Window – Console and perform

masternode start-alias mn1 'your-wallet-passphrase'

You should get: Successfully started 1 masternodes...

Hot wallet setup

  • Rent a VPS from Vultr. Please use this referral link: https://www.vultr.com/?ref=7394984 (If you don’t have an account, you help me by using this link.)
  • Order a new server:
  1. Server location: Pick one (any available)
  2. Server Type: Ubuntu; 16.04 x64
  3. Server Size: (25GB SSD)
  4. Enable IPv6
  5. Enable Private Networking
  6. Add an SSH key if you have one (ignore if not)
  7. Server Hostname & Label - call is something like masternode01
  8. Press deploy now & let it install
  9. If on Windows, download Putty: https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/latest.html
    • Otherwise just use terminal on your Mac or Linux machine
  10. Open Putty & connect to the server (check Vultr dashboard for IP & password, login: root)

TIP 1: Windows users can paste copied text in Putty with a right click.

TIP 2: When you enter (or paste) the password nothing will happen (=it stays hidden), press enter on your keyboard to continue.

  • Perform the following commands after you're logged into your server:

user@server:~# git clone https://github.com/larsen161/Lindacoin.git

user@server:~# sh ~/Lindacoin/setup.sh

  • Select the option Control Masternode (Hot/Cool) and follow the prompts.

  • When this script is completed the config file will be displayed for confirmation.

Check the public blockchain: https://prohashing.com/explorer/Lindacoin/ to see the current block, if this block is the same as the blockid you get from 'Lindad getinfo' your masternode is synced

Finalising the configuration

  • Go back to your Windows Linda software and close the wallet
  • Go to the AppData folder: “%AppData%\Roaming\Linda” and edit Linda.conf to this (copy text below):

Extra validation step

  • Go to your VPS

user@server:~# Lindad masternode debug.

If you get masternode started remotely your masternode is running, congrats!

Your masternode will appear in the list under Masternodes but this can take some time. It will also take around 1 hour for you masternode to update it stats. You can find your masternode from your Linux machine by running the following, replacing the IP with your own:

user@server:~# Lindad masternode list | grep 1.2.3.4

Some more info

Why do you need a VPS for the masternode?

  • The masternode needs to be online 24/7 with low latency
  • A static IP address is required
  • You need some IT knowledge (port forwarding, firewall rules, networking...) if you run the masternode at home
  • Security! Every IP can be traced, if you run a masternode at home you can become an easily target for criminals (they know you have cryptocurrency)

What happens if my VPS gets hacked?

Because of the Hot & Cool setup your coins are safe on your own PC, if people hack your VPS the only thing they can do is converting it for their self (but they need 2M coins for that) or shutting your VPS down... So, this isn’t a big deal...

Do I need to backup my wallets?

If you followed this guide you don’t have to backup your VPS wallet, but you have to backup your Cool wallet 3 times and to be sure: encrypt it!! Safe every copy on different safe places.

What is different if my Cool wallet is on Mac?

Not much, only the location of your backend files (appdata), for the rest it’s all the same.