Welcome

Welcome to the Proteus documentation! This is where you can find instructions and guides for setting up and using the machine.

What is a Proteus?

The Proteus is a small, low-cost, very efficient computer that is purpose-built to be a validating node on the Ethereum network. More specifically, it is intended to be a node that validates via the Rocket Pool protocol which makes Ethereum node operation easier, cheaper, and more fun!

Each Proteus comes pre-installed with the Rocket Pool Smartnode stack and all of its dependencies, so you're ready to launch your node right out of the box.

The software is totally open source, from the Smartnode all the way to the system image it comes flashed with.

Tech specs below:

• Board: Radxa Rock 5B Single-Board Computer (SBC)
• CPU: RK3588 with 8 arm64 cores; 4x 2.4Ghz and 4x 1.8Ghz
• RAM: 16 GB of onboard LPDDR4x
• SSD: SK Hynix P31 Gold 2TB NVMe
• Networking: 1x 2.5 GbE ethernet port (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are optional)
• Noctua NF-A4x20 silent fan
• Personalizable vanity plate on the front - make your node unique!
• Power draw: 5-10w

For a quick overview and look at the options, check out our announcement video:

Who is Building It?

The Proteus is designed, assembled, and tested by Joe Clapis - the founder of Mercadian Systems and a senior blockchain engineer with Rocket Pool. He maintains the Smartnode stack and the Rocket Pool guides.

Mercadian's founding principals are:

1. The Ethereum blockchain and its accompanying Beacon chain are important, valuable technologies but only as long as they stay decentralized.
2. The best way to improve that decentralization is to help foster more independent home stakers.
3. The best way to foster home stakers is to make staking easier by giving them tools that do the heavy-lifting for them.
4. The best tools for that job are small, affordable, energy efficient computers that can run the software just as well as professional node operators.
5. Our job is to provide those tools.

While Mercadian Systems does share some ties with Rocket Pool and its "Anyone can be a Node Operator" ethos, the Proteus is not an official project endorsed by Rocket Pool itself - it's just a passion project we run in response to a lot of community demand for a staking machine that's easy to use, low-cost, efficient, and comes with everything you need to run a Rocket Pool node pre-installed and ready to go.

How Do I Get One?

Easy! While we work on a more formal storefront website, you can use this Google form to reserve a place in the queue. Orders are filled on a first-come-first-served basis, so the earlier you reserve a spot, the sooner we can make your Proteus.

I Just Received Mine - How Do I Set it Up?

If you bought a full unit, please visit the Getting Started guide.

If you bought a conversion kit, please visit the assembly guide.