Interactive guide for running Rocketpool client on Ubuntu OS

Rocketpool client(s) and file(s) (hybrid configuration, native mode)

Rocketpool implementation
├── Service Users
│   ├──  (Service user)
│   └──  (Validator user)
├── clients
│   ├── /usr/local/bin/rocketpool-cli (rocketpool client)
│   └── /usr/local/bin/rocketpool-daemon (rocketpool daemond client)
├── data & companion scripts
│   ├── /srv/rocketpool (rocketpool service data)
│   │   ├── data (rocketpool data)
│   │   ├── node-log.sh (rp-node.service log script)
│   │   ├── restart-vc.sh (companion script)
│   │   ├── stop-validator.sh (companion script)
│   │   ├── user-settings.yml (rocketpool configuration)
│   │   └── watchtower-log.sh (rp-watchtower.service log script)
│   └── /rocketpool-validator (rocketpool validator data)
└── services
    ├── /etc/systemd/system/rp-node.service (rocketpool user)
    ├── /etc/systemd/system/rp-watchtower.service (rocketpool user)
    └── /etc/systemd/system/.service (rocketpool-validator user)

Install Rocketpool service

1. Create a Rocketpool service user

   • Create a rocketpool service User

     sudo useradd --system --no-create-home --shell /bin/false rocketpool

   • Add server user into rocketpool group

     sudo usermod -aG rocketpool myserveruser

2. Create directories for Rocketpool client's data

   • Root folder

     sudo mkdir -p /srv/rocketpool

   • Validators data directory with proper permissions

     sudo mkdir -p /srv/rocketpool/data/validators && sudo chmod 775 /srv/rocketpool/data/validators

   • Reward trees Data directory

     sudo mkdir /srv/rocketpool/data/rewards-trees

   • Custom keys Data directory

     sudo mkdir /srv/rocketpool/data/custom-keys

3. Download Rocketpool clients

   Rocketpool clients should be downloaded from the official Rocketpool Github.

   • Download latest Rocketool client (linux-amd64 version)

     wget https://github.com/rocket-pool/smartnode/releases/latest/download/rocketpool-cli-linux-amd64 -O ~/downloads/rocketpool

   • Download latest Rocketool daemon client (linux-amd64 version)

     wget https://github.com/rocket-pool/smartnode/releases/latest/download/rocketpool-daemon-linux-amd64 -O ~/downloads/rocketpoold

4. Copy clients to targeted locations

   sudo cp rocketpool /usr/local/bin && sudo cp rocketpoold /usr/local/bin

5. Set clients permissions

   • sudo chown rocketpool:rocketpool /usr/local/bin/rocketpool

   • sudo chown rocketpool:rocketpool /usr/local/bin/rocketpoold

   • sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/rocketpool

   • sudo chmod u+sx,g+sx,o-rwx /usr/local/bin/rocketpoold

6. Remove downloaded clients files

   rm ~/downloads/rocketpool && rm ~/downloads/rocketpoold

7. Configurate Rocketpool Node service

   • Define rp-node.service service

     sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/rp-node.service

     Copy the configuration below into the rp-node.service service file

     [Unit]
     Description=rp-node
     After=network.target
     
     [Service]
     Type=simple
     User=rocketpool
     Restart=always
     RestartSec=5
     ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/rocketpoold --settings /srv/rocketpool/user-settings.yml node
     
     [Install]
     WantedBy=multi-user.target

     Save and Exit the file by pressing ctrl+x, then y.

   • Define log script for rp-node.service

     • Open node-log.sh log file

       sudo nano /srv/rocketpool/node-log.sh

       Copy the code below into the file

       #!/bin/bash
       journalctl -u rp-node -b -f

       Save and Exit the file by pressing ctrl+x, then y.

     • Set running permission for node-log.sh

       sudo chmod +x /srv/rocketpool/node-log.sh

       Note: Log can be watched with sudo /srv/rocketpool/node-log.sh command

8. Configurate Rocketpool Watchtower service

   • Define rp-watchtower.service

     sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/rp-watchtower.service

     Copy the configuration below into the rp-watchtower.service service file

     [Unit]
     Description=rp-node
     After=network.target
     
     [Service]
     Type=simple
     User=rocketpool
     Restart=always
     RestartSec=5
     ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/rocketpoold --settings /srv/rocketpool/user-settings.yml watchtower
     
     [Install]
     WantedBy=multi-user.target

     Save and Exit the file by pressing ctrl+x, then y.

   • Define log script for rp-watchtower.service

     • Open watchtower-log.sh log file

       sudo nano /srv/rocketpool/watchtower-log.sh

       Copy the code below into the file

       #!/bin/bash
       journalctl -u rp-watchtower -b -f

       Save and Exit the file by pressing ctrl+x, then y.

     • Set running permission for node-log.sh

       sudo chmod +x /srv/rocketpool/watchtower-log.sh

       Note: Log can be watched with sudo /srv/rocketpool/watchtower-log.sh command

9. Configurate a validator service for validators controlled by Rocketpool

   Validator service controlled by Rocketpol is same as Solo validator, only with Rocketpool data placed in its config file.

   Validator service name:

   Validator service directory:

   • Create a new rocketpool validator user

     sudo useradd --system --no-create-home --shell /bin/false rocketpool-validator

   • Add validator user into rocketpool user group

     sudo usermod -aG rocketpool rocketpool-validator

   • Create a directory for the validator data

     sudo mkdir /var/lib/ethereum/prysm/rocketpool-validator

   • Set permissions for the directory

     sudo chown -R rocketpool-validator:rocketpool-validator /var/lib/ethereum/prysm/rocketpool-validator

   • Define rocketpool-validator.service file

     sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/rocketpool-validator.service

     Copy the configuration below into the prysmvalidator-rp.service service file

     [Unit]
     Description=Prysm Consensus Client VC (Mainnet)
     Wants=network-online.target
     After=network-online.target
     
     [Service]
     User=rocketpool-validator
     Group=rocketpool-validator
     Type=simple
     Restart=always
     RestartSec=5
     EnvironmentFile=/srv/rocketpool/data/validators/rp-fee-recipient-env.txt
     ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/validator \
       --datadir=/var/lib/ethereum/rocketpool-validator \
       --wallet-dir=/srv/rocketpool/data/validators/prysm-non-hd \
       --wallet-password-file=/srv/rocketpool/data/validators/prysm-non-hd/direct/accounts/secret \
       --suggested-fee-recipient=${FEE_RECIPIENT} \
       --enable-builder \
       --graffiti "Rocketpool | Nethermind+Prysm" \
       --suggested-fee-recipient=0xXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX \
       --graffiti="Nethermind+Prysm" \
       --accept-terms-of-use
     
     [Install]
     WantedBy=multi-user.target

     All Prysm Validator flags:https://prysm.offchainlabs.com/docs/configure-prysm/parameters/#validator-flags

     Save and Exit the file by pressing ctrl+x, then y.

   • Create additional directories

     • sudo mkdir -p /srv/rocketpool/data/validators/prysm-non-hd/direct/accounts

     • sudo chown -R rocketpool:rocketpool /srv/rocketpool/data/validators/prysm-non-hd

     • sudo chmod -R 775 /srv/rocketpool/data/validators/prysm-non-hd

   Guide can be created on request.

   Guide can be created on request.

   Guide can be created on request.

10. Define alias for Rocketpool access

    • Open ~/.profile file

      sudo nano ~/.profile

    • Place the code below at the end of the file

      alias rocketpool="rocketpool -d /usr/local/bin/rocketpoold -c /srv/rocketpool"

      Save and Exit the file by pressing ctrl+x, then y.
    • Process the change

      source ~/.profile

11. Configure Rocketpool companion scripts

    Companion scripts allows Rocketpool client to process certain operations automatically, if necessary.

    • Restarting validator instance

      • Download the companion script

        sudo wget https://github.com/rocket-pool/smartnode/raw/release/install/scripts/restart-vc.sh -O /srv/rocketpool/restart-vc.sh

      • Modify the downloaded file for your validator service

        Open the file

        sudo nano /srv/rocketpool/stop-validator.sh

        Replace #sudo systemctl restart lighthouse-validator at the last line for:

        sudo systemctl restart rocketpool-validator

        Do not forget remove # at the start. Save and Exit the file by pressing ctrl+x, then y.

      • Allow execution

        sudo chmod +x /srv/rocketpool/restart-vc.sh

    • Stoping validator instance

      • Download the companion script

        sudo wget https://github.com/rocket-pool/smartnode/raw/release/install/scripts/stop-validator.sh -O /srv/rocketpool/stop-validator.sh

      • Modify the downloaded file for your validator service

        Open the file

        sudo nano /srv/rocketpool/stop-validator.sh

        Replace #sudo systemctl stop lighthouse-validator at the last line for:

        sudo systemctl stop rocketpool-validator

        Do not forget remove # at the start. Save and Exit the file by pressing ctrl+x, then y.

      • Allow execution

        sudo chmod +x /srv/rocketpool/stop-validator.sh

    Set up passwordless access

    • Request sudo visudo -f /etc/sudoers.d/rocketpool to open the configuration file

      Place the code below into the file

      Cmnd_Alias RP_RESTART = /usr/bin/systemctl restart rocketpool-validator
      Cmnd_Alias RP_STOP = /usr/bin/systemctl stop rocketpool-validator
      rocketpool    ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: RP_RESTART, RP_STOP

12. Configurate Rocketpool native mode

    • Launch service configuration tool

      rocketpool service config

      And follow the documentation

    • Reload Daemon

      sudo systemctl daemon-reload

    • Start the services

      sudo systemctl enable rp-node rp-watchtower

    • Set automatic launch on system startup

      sudo systemctl start rp-node rp-watchtower

13. Generate rocketpool wallet

    NOTE: It's recommended to access the device locally to generate the seed

    • Enable access to the directory for server user

      sudo chown -R myserveruser:myserveruser /srv/rocketpool/data

    • Unlink the server to the internet

    • Generate the wallet

      rocketpool wallet init

      and go through the process of generating the seed and wallet

    • Reboot PC

      $sudo reboot
    • Connect the server back to the internet
    • Now you can safely connect over SSH again

    • Check wallet status

      rocketpool wallet status

      and copy address for an option to paste it in next step

    • Retrun permision back to rocketpool user

      sudo chown -R rocketpool:rocketpool /srv/rocketpool/data

    • Set temporary permissions

      • $sudo usermod -aG rocketpool myserveruser
      • $sudo usermod -aG myserveruser rocketpool
      • $cd /srv/rocketpool/data/
      • $sudo chmod g+r password (temporary, it will be returned back to sudo chmod 600 password later)
      • $sudo chmod g+r wallet (temporary, it will be returned back to sudo chmod 600 wallet later)

14. Set UMASK, if needed

    By default, your system will typically come with a umask configuration that will strip the +w bit from the group permissions whenever the node daemon creates a new folder. This is problematic for several consensus clients, because they will actually write things such as lock files or other metadata into the directories that the Smartnode creates when it generates new validator keys during a minipool deposit.

    To combat this and ensure your VC works correctly, please relax your umask settings. For example, instead of 0022, you should consider setting it to 0002 for the rp user.

    Guide: https://www.howtogeek.com/812961/umask-linux/

15. Choosing Distributor / Smoothing pool option

    • $rocketpool node status - check fee distributor's address
    • $rocketpool node initialize-fee-distributor - fee distributor initialization
    • $rocketpool node distribute-fees - request fees distribution

    • $rocketpool node join-smoothing-pool
    • $rocketpool node leave-smoothing-pool
    • $rocketpool node claim-rewards

16. Reload daemon

    sudo systemctl daemon-reload

17. Launch Rocketpool services

    • sudo systemctl start rp-node rp-watchtower rocketpool-validator

    • Check Rocketpool services

      systemctl status rp-node rp-watchtower rocketpool-validator

      The VC will fail to start until you make a new Rocket Pool minipool (described later in the guides) because these files won't be created until that time, but the Beacon Node will be able to sync properly.

    • Monitor services

      journalctl -f -u rp-node -u rp-watchtower

      journalctl -f -u rocketpool-validator

18. Prepare Rocketpool node

    guides/node/prepare-node
    • $rocketpool node status
    • $rocketpool node register
    • Whitelist HW wallet for RPL staking: $rocketpool node add-address-to-stake-rpl-whitelist <wallet>
    • Setting Withdrawal wallet: $rocketpool node set-withdrawal-address <wallet> → https://stake.rocketpool.net/withdrawal/
    • Setting your Voting Delegate Address: $rocketpool node set-voting-delegate <wallet>

19. Create a rocketpool validator

    guides/node/create-validator
    • Manage node / Stake RPL - https://node.rocketpool.net/
    • $rocketpool node deposit

20. Monitor

    • $rocketpool node status
    • $journalctl -fu rp-node.service
    • $journalctl -fu rp-watchtower.service
    • $journalctl -fu prysmvalidator-rp

21. Remove option to read wallet and password files for the group

    • $cd /srv/rocketpool/data/
    • $sudo chmod 600 password
    • $sudo chmod 600 wallet

Update Rocketpool service

• Check version of running Rocketpool client

  rocketpool -v

1. Download Rocketpool clients

   Rocketpool clients should be downloaded from the official Rocketpool Github.

   • Download latest Rocketool client (linux-amd64 version)

     wget https://github.com/rocket-pool/smartnode/releases/latest/download/rocketpool-cli-linux-amd64 -O ~/downloads/rocketpool

   • Download latest Rocketool daemon client (linux-amd64 version)

     wget https://github.com/rocket-pool/smartnode/releases/latest/download/rocketpool-daemon-linux-amd64 -O ~/downloads/rocketpoold

2. Stop Rocketpool services

   • If preferred, you can wait for a moment after published attestation(s)

     journalctl -fu rocketpool-validator

   • Stop Rocketpool services

     sudo systemctl stop rp-node rp-watchtower rocketpool-validator

   • Check state

     systemctl status rp-node rp-watchtower rocketpool-validator

3. Copy clients to targeted locations

   sudo cp rocketpool /usr/local/bin && sudo cp rocketpoold /usr/local/bin

4. Set clients permissions

   • sudo chown rocketpool:rocketpool /usr/local/bin/rocketpool

   • sudo chown rocketpool:rocketpool /usr/local/bin/rocketpoold

   • sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/rocketpool

   • sudo chmod u+sx,g+sx,o-rwx /usr/local/bin/rocketpoold

5. Start Rocketpool services

   sudo systemctl start rp-node rp-watchtower rocketpool-validator

6. Check state of running

   systemctl status rp-node rp-watchtower rocketpool-validator

   Monitor logs

   • journalctl -fu rp-node.service

   • journalctl -fu rp-watchtower.service

   • journalctl -fu rocketpool-validator

7. Remove downloaded clients files

   rm ~/downloads/rocketpool && rm ~/downloads/rocketpoold

Other commands

• Check Rocketpool version

  $rocketpool -v - check rocketpool client version

• Check Rocketpool health

  rocketpool node status

• Claim rewards:

  • Beacon chain: rocketpool minipool distribute-balance
  • Tx Fees: rocketpool node distribute-fees
  • RPL: rocketpool node claim-rewards

• Add another validator

  rocketpool node deposit

Regular maintenance

As a regular member securying the network and processing blockchain operations on it, you need to keep your software up to date to avoid penalties and earning rewards for the work.