The key difference between pool mining and solo mining is that for pool mining, you earn a pro rata share of each block found by the pool, based on your hashrate contribution, whereas for solo mining, you are working on your own to find blocks, but when you do find one, you receive the entire block reward.
Longterm, both pool mining and solo mining should mathematically give you very similar returns.
However, miners with low-end hardware often find pool mining a preferable option, as they can see a visible trickle of coins coming into their wallet, compared to the more unpredictable results of solo mining with a low hashrate.
Currently, there is only the option to CPU mine. Code for GPU mining is not currently available.
Depending on your computer-skill level, you have several options for solo mining. It is recommended that you take your computing skills into consideration when looking at the various solo mining options available.
Please refer to the operating system instructions you require.
WARNING: Do NOT mine to an exchange address, as they may not credit to your exchange account.
Ubuntu
- 1-Click Miner (perfect for the novice) NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE: 1-Click CPU Miner awaiting update to the new Algorithm.
- Miner
If in Desktop mode, start a Terminal window, then:
Edit 30/1/2020: As of xmrig v5.4.0, the RandomSFX algorithm has been included in the official xmrig code.
Build instruction info can be found at: https://github.com/xmrig/xmrig/wiki/Build
screen -S miner
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade -y
sudo apt-get install git build-essential cmake libuv1-dev libssl-dev libhwloc-dev
git clone https://github.com/safex/safex-rig.git
cd safex-rig && mkdir build && cd build
cmake …
make
Let it build the xmrig executable
The preferred way to configure the miner is the JSON config file as it is more flexible and human friendly. The command line interface does not cover all features, such as mining profiles for different algorithms. Important options can be changed during runtime without miner restart by editing the config file or executing API calls.
Create your config.json file in the same location.
sudo nano config.json
Copy and paste the following, changing MINING_POOL_URL and POOL as per the pool you wish to mine to, and YOUR_WALLET_ADDRESS to your address
{
"api": {
"id": null,
"worker-id": null
},
"http": {
"enabled": false,
"host": "127.0.0.1",
"port": 0,
"access-token": null,
"restricted": true
},
"autosave": true,
"version": 1,
"background": false,
"colors": true,
"randomx": {
"init": -1,
"numa": true
},
"cpu": {
"enabled": true,
"huge-pages": true,
"hw-aes": null,
"priority": null,
"memory-pool": false,
"max-threads-hint": 100,
"asm": true,
"argon2-impl": null,
"cn/0": false,
"cn-lite/0": false
},
"opencl": {
"enabled": false,
"cache": true,
"loader": null,
"platform": "AMD",
"cn/0": false,
"cn-lite/0": false
},
"cuda": {
"enabled": false,
"loader": null,
"nvml": true,
"cn/0": false,
"cn-lite/0": false
},
"donate-level": 1,
"donate-over-proxy": 1,
"log-file": null,
"pools": [
{
"algo": "rx/sfx",
"coin": null,
"url": "MINING_POOL_URL:PORT",
"user": "YOUR_WALLET_ADDRESS",
"pass": "x",
"rig-id": null,
"nicehash": false,
"keepalive": false,
"enabled": true,
"tls": false,
"tls-fingerprint": null,
"daemon": false,
"self-select": null
}
],
"print-time": 60,
"health-print-time": 60,
"retries": 5,
"retry-pause": 5,
"syslog": false,
"user-agent": null,
"watch": true
}
For people looking to maximise their hashrate, you could try the hugepages and swapfile changes provided by @Cyberian in his Improve your Hashrate on Virtual Machines
Whilst the instructions were written for a Virtual Machine, these adjustments should also boost hashrate on a home mining rig, assuming you have sufficient RAM and HDD space available to accommodate the configuration changes.
Start mining:
./xmrig
Leave it running, and within a few moments, it will begin accepting jobs from the pool and will also display your hashrate.
Now, you can detach the ubuntu mining screen, if you like,
CTRL-SHIFT-A
CTRL-SHIFT-D
and the miner will continue running in the background.
Once you see it working, then you can leave it running and head over to the pool website. If you used the default Safex.org pool, then simply go to Safex Mining Pool – Safex.org
If you used another pool, you will have to go to their respective website.
Enter your wallet address into the Lookup field and you will see your mining progress.
Additionally, it is recommended you go to the Setting page of the pool website and adjust your minimum payout level to 100-200, as leaving it at the default 2 SFX amount will result in a mountain of small payments into your wallet address.
Lots of small “outputs” in your wallet is not ideal for minimising subsequent transaction fees, when you eventually go to send those SFX somewhere.
Win 7/10
- 1-Click Miner (perfect for the novice) NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE: 1-Click CPU Miner awaiting update to the new Algorithm.
- Miner
Edit (23/12/2019): As of xmrig v5.4.0, the RandomSFX algorithm has been included in the official xmrig code.
Release info can be found at: https://github.com/xmrig/xmrig/releases
Trusted community member and long-time Safex Discord Moderator, @Astralite, has built a Windows 7/10 executable of the custom safex-rig version of xmrig. Please bear in mind, this is NOT an official Safex release, but many members of the Safex community are already using this build without issue.
To prepare for downloading and extracting the files, create a folder called “xmrig”.
Then, in your antivirus software, add the new xmrig folder to your exclusion list.
Download the file directly to the xmrig folder, or your antivirus may block the download or quarantine the file immediately.
Once the file finishes downloading, Windows may prompt you to Discard the file. The dropdown to the right of Discard allows you to select Keep.
Then rename the pool.json to config.json
Open (edit) the config.json and add your wallet address in the “user” section of “pools”.
Also change the “url” information to a Safex mining pool.
Save the file.
Next, right click on the xmrig file and select Properties .
You may find that Windows has Blocked the xmrig file from running. Select Unblock .
Next, go to the Compatibility tab and tick the checkbox beside Run this program as an administrator .
Click Apply , then OK .
Now simply run the xmrig file by double clicking it. A command line window will appear, and it will begin mining to the mining pool.
Leave it running, and within a few moments, it will begin accepting jobs from the pool and will also display your hashrate.
Once you see it working, then you can leave it running and head over to the pool website. If you used Safexnews pool, then simply go to Safex Mining Pool – Safex.org
If you used a different pool, you will have to go to their respective website.
Enter your wallet address into the Lookup field and you will see your mining progress.
Additionally, it is recommended you go to the Setting page of the pool website and adjust your minimum payout level to 100-200, as leaving it at the default 2 SFX amount will result in a mountain of small payments into your wallet address.
Lots of small “outputs” in your wallet is not ideal for minimising subsequent transaction fees, when you eventually go to send those SFX somewhere.
Mac
- 1-Click Miner (perfect for the novice) NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE: 1-Click CPU Miner awaiting update to the new Algorithm.
- Miner
Edit (23/12/2019): As of xmrig v5.4.0, the RandomSFX algorithm has been included in the official xmrig code.