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❓ Help

General Questions​

What is EthPillar?

EthPillar is an open-source tool for managing Ethereum nodes and validators through a text-based user interface (TUI). It simplifies the process of running Ethereum nodes and participating in staking.

Cost: Is EthPillar free to use?

Yes, EthPillar is completely free and open-source software.

Technical Requirements​

What are the minimum system requirements?

For mainnet:

  • CPU: 4+ cores
  • RAM: 16GB minimum (32GB recommended)
  • Storage: 2TB NVMe SSD
  • OS: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or compatible Linux distribution
  • Internet: Stable connection with minimum 20 Mbps

For Ephemery or Hoodi testnet:

  • CPU: 1+ cores
  • RAM: 4GB minimum
  • Storage: 30GB NVMe SSD
  • OS: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or compatible Linux distribution
  • Internet: Stable connection with minimum 20 Mbps
Which operating systems are supported?

Currently, EthPillar officially supports Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. Other Linux Debian-based distributions may work but are not officially supported.

Installation & Setup​

How do I install EthPillar?

Use the following command in your terminal:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/coincashew/EthPillar/main/install.sh)"
How do I update EthPillar?

Upon opening EthPillar,

Navigate to System Administration > Update EthPillar and then quit and relaunch.

How do I uninstall EthPillar?

Go to EthPillar > System Administration > Uninstall node

From a terminal, clean up the remaining files

rm -rf ~/git/ethpillar
sudo rm /usr/local/bin/ethpillar
Migrate or Upgrade Staking Setup: How to switch to EthPillar from a V1 Staking setup or other staking tool

To migrate from a different staking setup, find your most applicable situation:

Cleanest and most problem-free option:

  • 1) Reformat Ubuntu Operating System
  • 2) Install EthPillar
  • 3) Import validator keys

Existing V1 Staking Setup: OGs and genesis stakers :saluting_face:

  • 1) Uninstall V1 Staking Setup
  • 2) Install EthPillar
  • 3) Import validator keys

Other staking automation tools or cloud hosted setups:

  • 1) Uninstall / cancel / existing tool or service provider
  • 2) Install EthPillar
  • 3) Import validator keys

✅ To avoid slashing penalties, ensure your validator keys are deleted from existing staking setups.

Multiple Nodes: Configuring for Redundancy and Fault Tolerance

Option 1 - Dual CL/EL nodes: Requires at least 2 machines/VMs/VPS

The best practice is to run Ethpillar with one full solo staking node (consensus/execution/validator/mevboost) on one node.

On the second node, run Ethpillar with a different client combo (i.e., Lodestar/Besu) in fallback staking node mode (consensus/execution/mevboost).

Then, on your first node, additionally point your validator client to the fallback staking node's consensus port 5052.

This setup ensures redundancy and enhances the reliability of your staking operations by having a backup node ready to take over in case of any issues with the primary node. The different client combinations help mitigate the risk of both nodes failing due to the same issue, providing a more robust staking environment.

Option 2 - Dual CL/EL nodes plus VC only client: Requires at least 3 machines/VMs/VPS

Run 2 fallback staking nodes and 1 standalone validator client. This would require 3 machines/VMs. A common use case is to run the validator client on a single-board computer (SBC) such as a Raspberry Pi.

This configuration provides an additional layer of redundancy, ensuring that your staking operations remain robust even if one of the fallback nodes fails. Using an SBC like a Raspberry Pi for the validator client is a cost-effective and energy-efficient solution, ideal for environments where resource constraints are a consideration

Can I access my node's RPC remotely?

Yes, but we recommend using SSH tunneling for security.

Example command: ssh <VPS OR NODE IP> -L 8545:localhost:8545

After adding your node's RPC connection to your wallet, your can send transactions using your own node!

Change Networks: How to switch between testnet and mainnet with EthPillar ?

To switch to mainnet, there are two recommended methods.

  • Cleanest and most problem-free option: Reformat Ubuntu OS and re-install EthPillar.
  • Use EthPillar: Navigate to System Administration > Change Network
How do I configure my BIOS to auto power on after power loss?

Actual steps vary depending on your computer's BIOS. General idea here: https://www.wintips.org/setup-computer-to-auto-power-on-after-power-outage/

Staking​

What's the minimum ETH required to stake?
  • 32 ETH for solo staking
  • 2.4 ETH minimum for Lido CSM staking
Exit Validator: How do I exit a validator?

If you already have VEMs created, skip to step 2.

Step 1: Navigate to EthPillar > Validator > Generate Voluntary Exit Message

Step 2: Broadcast Voluntary Exit Message

Add Validators: I already have validators running. I want to add one more validator. How do I do that?

Navigate to,

EthPillar > Validator Client > Generate / Import Validator Keys

From there you will pick 1 of 2 options.

  • Import validator keys from offline key generation or backup
  • Add new or regenerate existing validator keys from Secret Recovery Phrase
Node Types: What is a failover staking node?

Purpose: To provide high availability, you would run TWO (or more) failover staking nodes on separate machines. Point your validator client to your two failover staking nodes.

What: A failover staking node is made up of an execution client, consensus client and mevboost.

How to: To configure for nimbus validator client, edit your validator client configuration. https://nimbus.guide/validator-client-options.html#multiple-beacon-nodes

Exposing the consensus client RPC port will also be required. You will need to adjust your firewall to allow traffic from your validator client's IP address as well.

Benefit: Running multiple failover staking nodes (or beacon nodes as nimbus refers to it) would allow you to perform maintenance or have an outage on 1 failover staking node.

Withdrawal Address: Can I have different withdraw addresses per validator or only 1 per setup?

Different withdrawal addresses per validator are possible if you run the ./deposit tool separately for each validator.

Generating Keystores: Can I generate 10 validator keystores and activate them one by one at the launchpad?

You can but it would require manual editing as you'll need to change the deposit_data json.

Security​

Is my validator key safe?

Your validator keys are stored locally and encrypted. EthPillar never transmits your keys over the network.

Do I need to open ports on my firewall?

Yes, EthPillar requires specific ports for P2P connectivity:

  • TCP/UDP port 30303 for execution client
  • TCP/UDP port 9000 for consensus client

Go to > Security & Node Checks > UFW Firewall > Enable firewall with default settings

Troubleshooting​

What should I do if my node is not syncing?

Check the following:

  1. Network connectivity
  2. System resources (CPU, RAM, disk space) using Node Checker found under Security & Node Checks
  3. Client logs using Logs and Monitoring
  4. Port accessibility using Node Checker found under Security & Node Checks

Support​

Where can I get help?

You can:

  • Open an issue on GitHub
  • Join our Discord community
  • Check the documentation
How do I report bugs?

Please file an issue on our GitHub repository with:

  • EthPillar version
  • System information
  • Error messages
  • Steps to reproduce the issue

Monitoring​

How can I monitor my node's performance?

EthPillar includes:

  • Using Node Checker found under Security & Node Checks
  • Grafana Dashboarding using Logs and Monitoring
Can I access monitoring remotely?

Yes, you can configure remote access to Grafana dashboards, but we recommend using SSH tunneling for security. Example command: ssh <VPS OR NODE IP> -L 3000:localhost:3000

How do I exit and manage the Logs dashboard?

To exit, press Ctrl+B (at the same time), then D. This is a tmux command. For different layouts, press Ctrl+B, then <space bar> 😄

Lido CSM​

Are we allowed to do both solo validator and Lido CSM on the same machine?

Yes. Install a solo staker configuration node, then use the plugin to add a Lido CSM validator.