Topic: Should I, we, run a bitcoin node? - page 2. (Read 384 times)

An RPi can definetely run a full node. You only need to add an SSD to store the blockchain.


I am running 2 bitcoin full nodes:

1. I run umbrel on a raspberry pi 4 model B with 8 GB Ram. I connect to it via TOR, which umbrel makes very easy.
2. I run a custom node on another device. When I say custom, I mean I installed Bitcoin Core and ElectrS and I install manually anything I want to add to it. I have set TOR, so I connect to it via TOR.

You should be running a node for privacy. You will never be private if every interaction you have with the Bitcoin network happens through another person's electrum server.

You should be running a node to help the network too. One more node setting the rules of the network and have a clear picture of the blockchain is a good thing.

Why would you think that? Of course it can. But if you want to run a Bitcoin node even cheaper, you can check out this guide.
[Guide] How to run a Bitcoin Core full node for under 50 bucks!


I admit, I've been running a Bitcoin Core full node for well over a year now. 

Ok, I was a bit overboard on the power and cooling.  On the other hand, a Raspberry Pi cannot run a full node with the entire block chain.  But no reader has admitted to running a node.  I would really like to hear thoughts and comments from someone running a full node.

You can run Bitcoin node even on a Raspberry Pi or similar computer hardware. The power consumption of a Raspberry Pi is approximately 4W, which is on par with a standard home Internet router. And no, there's no need for special cooling in your home because of such a device.

The 51% attack refers to hashrate!
You can have 100 000 nodes and the attacker only one, if he has more rate than the rest of the network he can attack it.
What multiple nodes can prevent is a sybil attack.


There are no direct financial advantages! A slight difference to no advantage at all, which weirdly enough are listed on that article you linked.
Also, cooling your house from running a node? Common!  

What he meant was that those wallet or exchange that you use to broadcast your transactions rely on third party nodes to validate your transactions and this will hinder your privacy because your IP address can get exposed, there by exposing your physical location. With your personal node you wouldn’t also rely on block explorers to verify the status of your transaction, because with your personal node you have the entire blockchain stored except if it is a pruned node and not a full node

I don't understand something here.  When I use an exchange, such as Coinbase, they do all the work. Or at least get it started. When I use a wallet, such as Trezor, the request is submitted to the Bitcoin network and some number of the Bitcoin nodes validate the transaction.  In the response you wrote, I get the hint that I might need to do something more to validate the transaction.  Please explain a bit more.

For enhanced privacy, when you are connected to other nodes your IP will be exposed which can be a threat to your privacy.


There is no financial gain but you can't say there is no direct advantage while running your own node, cause you don't need to rely to 3rd party to validate your transaction. Also when you run your own node the privacy of the address and transaction history seems to be more valuable than few sats.

AFAIK, nodes have no role in the 51% attack, and it's completely related to the hash rates of miners which confimrs the transactions but nodes have the ability to validate which makes high decentralized when the number of running nodes is higher.

A few days ago I found an article that stated the number of bitcoin node has dropped from some high value, something like 40,000 nodes (but I did not take careful note), down to something like 10,000 nodes.  Then again, this site:  Bitcoin network node count sets new all-time high (cointelegraph.com), dated JUL 15, 2021,  states that for the first time the node count has exceeded 13,000.  Maybe that 40,000 count was something I misread.

Side thought, found this site:  Tor-enabled Bitcoin nodes are back after bug on network (cointelegraph.com) that mentioned as many as 25% of the Bitcoin nodes run on TOR.  
Why use TOR for a Bitcoin node?

Back to the main topic.

I have a basic, only very basic, concept of the need to run a node.  This includes the need to make the entire Bitcoin system resilient and prevent a 51% attack.  That attack would be rather difficult to do right now, but if the node count drops, might become a problem.

This site presents some advantages of running a full note:  Why should I run a bitcoin node? — 7 reasons - Unchained
https://unchained.com/blog/why-run-bitcoin-node/#:~:text=7%20reasons%20to%20run%20your%20own%20bitcoin%20node,...%207%207.%20Increase%20your%20bitcoin%20knowledge%20

Edit, when first posted, the link did not work out well.  Just edited to add that link and test it.

But there are no direct advantages.  No minor amount of Satoshis seem gained, meaning no financial gain.  The disadvantage is the cost of the computer and storage space, and the cost of electricity and cost to cool my house.

Still, I am considering it.  The tentative plan is to buy a five year old (about) computer, install about 8 or 16 Gig of memory, Maybe a Terra byte drive for the OS and the node code, then a raid of SSD Terra byte drives for the block chain.  (I presume the block chain changes little so SSDs will last quite a while and use less power.  Make it a RAID-5 (not positive) in the event that when one drive fails it can easily be replaced with no loss of data.)  This will not be my daily use computer and will be dedicated to the node.

To the question:  Have you considered running a Bitcoin node?  Why did you or why did you not start a node?  If you are running a node, private or working for a company, have you any important thoughts to share?