P2Pool Node Setup

Warning

The dashpay/p2pool-dash repository is no longer maintained. Its last update was in May 2023, during the Dash Core v18 release cycle, and its installation procedure depends on Python 2, which is not available on current Ubuntu and Debian releases.

The step-by-step setup instructions that previously appeared on this page have been removed because they can no longer be completed successfully. See Community forks below for projects that continue development.

This page describes what P2Pool is and what to consider before running a node. Unlike centralized mining pools, P2Pool is based on the same peer-2-peer (P2P) model as Dash, making the pool as a whole highly resistant to malicious attacks, and preserving and protecting the decentralized nature of Dash. When you launch a P2Pool node, it seeks out, connects with, and shares data with a decentralized network of other P2Pool nodes (also known as peers). P2Pool nodes share a cryptographic chain of data representing value, similar to Dash’s blockchain. The P2Pool version is called the sharechain. The decentralized and fair nature of this mining model means mining with P2Pool is strongly encouraged. P2Pool for Dash uses the p2pool-dash software, which is a fork of p2pool for Bitcoin. For more information, see here.

Because of the way P2Pool manages difficulty adjustments on the sharechain, it is important to maintain low latency between the miners and the P2Pool node to avoid miners submitting shares too late to enter the sharechain. When setting up your node, you need to consider its physical and network location relative to the miners you intend to connect to the node. If you operate a mining farm, your P2Pool node should probably be a physical machine on the same local network as your miners. If you plan to operate a public node, it may be best to set up your P2Pool node as a virtual machine in a data center with a high speed connection so geographically close miners can mine to your pool with relatively low latency.

Community forks

Development of p2pool-dash continues in forks maintained by individual community members. One example is frstrtr/p2pool-dash, which supports current Dash Core releases and provides its own installation guide. A separate from-scratch C++ reimplementation, c2pool, is also under development.

These forks are not maintained, reviewed or endorsed by the Dash project, and this documentation does not describe how to install or operate them. Refer to each project’s own documentation for setup instructions.

Note that P2Pool software takes a payout address and requires RPC credentials for a synchronized Dash Core node on the same host. Evaluate any fork carefully before running it, as you would with any other third-party software that handles mining rewards.