Install Nethermind client

One-page interactive guide to install Nethermind client and configurate it for running on supported chain.

Disclaimer

This guide is for informational purposes only. The author nor website owner does not guarantee accuracy of the information in this guide and is not responsible for any damages or losses incurred by following the guide.

Nethermind client can be used for staking on various supported chains. Client installation is always only one, used by services with an individual configuration (different service name, data path and ports in use).

Install Nethermind client

Installing Nethermind client

Nethermind documentation: https://docs.nethermind.io/

  1. Find the latest stable version of Nethermind on Github

  2. Download Nethermind version 1.30.3-87c86379 to your node

    cd ~/downloads && curl -LO https://github.com/NethermindEth/nethermind/releases/download/1.30.3/nethermind-1.30.3-87c86379-linux-x64.zip

  3. Install package for unzipping

    sudo apt-get install -y unzip

  4. Unzip the downloaded file

    unzip nethermind-1.30.3-87c86379-linux-x64 -d nethermind

  5. Copy the client to /usr/local/bin/

    sudo cp -a nethermind /usr/local/bin/nethermind

  6. Remove downloaded files

    cd ~/downloads && rm nethermind-1.30.3-87c86379-linux-x64.zip && rm -r nethermind

Configurate the service

Create a system user and data directory for Nethermind service

  • Create a user

    : 
    sudo useradd --system --no-create-home --shell /bin/false nethermind

  • Create a folder for Nethermind data

    : 
    sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/nethermind

  • Set access permission and ownership for the Nethermind data folder

    sudo chown -R nethermind:nethermind /var/lib/nethermind

Configurate & Run Nethermind service

  • Choose ports for communication

    Change the default ports below if you are going to stake on more chains simultaneously (e.g. Ethereum and Gnosis at once) on the same machine. If you are going to stake only, you can keep the default ports. If you are changing the default ports, be sure that the newly selected port is not already in used. A port in used may be checked with following code:

    ss -tuln | grep ':PORT'
    • If it returns empty response, the port is free and can be used.

    Ports selection

    • (Default port: 30303)
    • (Default port: 8545)
    • (Default port: 8551)

    If needed, check JSON RPC server and fundamentals in Nethermind documentation.

  • Enable ports communication

    To allow execution client synchronization, there's need to enable port 30303 reserved for P2P traffic to TCP (allows the node to connect to peers) and UDP (allows node discovery). It may be done with following UFW setup:

    $ sudo ufw allow 30303

    Use this option only if you need operate execution client and beacon client on different machines.

    • Enable port 30303 for P2P traffic

      To allow execution client synchronization, there's need to enable port 30303 reserved for P2P traffic to TCP (allows the node to connect to peers) and UDP (allows node discovery). It may be done with following UFW setup:

      $ sudo ufw allow 30303
    • Enable port 8551 for IP of your second machine 
      sudo ufw allow from 192.168.88.0/27 to any port 8551

      Note: Be sure you use proper IP of your second machine / proper local network configuration.

  • Create configuration file for Nethermind service

    1. Open Nethermind configuration file

      sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/nethermind.service

    2. Copy the configuration below into the file. If needed, check flags documentation.

      [Unit]
Description=Nethermind Execution Client (Ethereum Mainnet)
After=network.target
Wants=network.target

[Service]
User=eth-nethermind
Group=eth-nethermind
Type=simple
Restart=always
RestartSec=5
WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/nethermind
Environment="DOTNET_BUNDLE_EXTRACT_BASE_DIR=/var/lib/nethermind"
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/nethermind/nethermind \
  --config mainnet \
  --datadir /var/lib/nethermind \
  --Sync.SnapSync true \
  --Sync.AncientBodiesBarrier 11052984 \
  --Sync.AncientReceiptsBarrier 11052984 \
  --JsonRpc.JwtSecretFile /var/lib/jwtsecret/ethereum.hex \
  --Network.P2PPort 30303 \
  --Network.DiscoveryPort 30303 \
  --JsonRpc.EnginePort 8551 \
  --JsonRpc.Port 8545

[Install]
WantedBy=default.target
      [Unit]
Description=Nethermind Execution Client (Gnosis chain)
After=network.target
Wants=network.target
[Service]
User=gno-nethermind
Group=gno-nethermind
Type=simple
Restart=always
RestartSec=5
WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/nethermind
Environment="DOTNET_BUNDLE_EXTRACT_BASE_DIR=/var/lib/nethermind"
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/nethermind/nethermind \
  --config gnosis \
  --datadir /var/lib/nethermind \
  --JsonRpc.JwtSecretFile /var/lib/jwtsecret/gnosis.hex \
  #--Sync.SnapSync false \ Supported since v 1.28
  #--Sync.FastSync true \
  --Sync.SnapSync true \
  --Network.P2PPort 30303 \
  --Network.DiscoveryPort 30303 \
  --JsonRpc.EnginePort 8551 \
  --JsonRpc.Port 8545
  #--Network.ActivePeersMaxCount 25 \
  #--Blocks.TargetBlockGasLimit 36000000
[Install]
WantedBy=default.target
      *Note: Update JsonRpc.JwtSecretFile, if you use different
    3. Press CTRL + X then Y then ENTER to save and exit the config file.

  • Start the Nethermind service

    sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl start nethermind

  • Check the service

    systemctl status nethermind
journalctl -fu nethermind

    If you see message "Waiting for Forkchoice message from Consensus Layer to set fresh pivot block", you can move on a Consensis Client setup.

  • Start the service automatically on system startup

    sudo systemctl enable nethermind
    • Open Delayed Start shell 
      sudo nano /usr/local/bin/delayed-start.sh

      Configurate service start inside it

      systemctl start nethermind.service
    • Be sure, delayed-start.service service controlling delayed-start.sh is enabled for auto start with system startup 
      sudo systemctl enable delayed-start.service

    1. Configurate Staking Manager util

      • Open the configuration file 
        sudo nano /usr/local/etc/staking/config/clients.conf

        If the file is empty, generate it with command sudo /usr/local/bin/staking.sh init

      • Set link to proper services. It should be as follow: 
        executionClients="nethermind"
        executionServices="nethermind.service"

    2. Activate service to start automatically on OS startup

      • Open Start with delay util 
        sudo nano /usr/local/bin/delayed-start.sh
      • Place or uncomment a command to start the Beacon client(s) 
        /usr/local/bin/staking.sh start execution
      • Verify, that a service `delayed-start.service` exists and is automatically launched on system start. 
        sudo systemctl enable delayed-start.service