This guide will help you quickly and easily setup an Apollon Masternode on a Linux server running Ubuntu 16.04 and it will help you set up your wallet with the coins to support the masternode. Use this guide at your own risk.
This guide assumes some basic knowledge of Linux and Cryptocurrency Exchanges. You do not need to be an expert to complete this tutorial. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly on Discord and I'd be happy to help! My username is fathertime100.
Please visit this youtube video that I made of this entire process to help you set everything up. It's a good idea to watch the video through it's entirety before you take on this task, it'll bring clarity to every step explained below.
This process will take some time to complete. If you are adept at masternode setup it will take you around two hours. If you are a first-timer, expect to put in a few hours to complete this process.
It involves six steps:
-
Purchase XAP Coins - 40 to 120 minutes
-
Masternode Installation - 20 minutes
-
Wallet Installation - 20 minutes
-
Stake Coins and Start Masternode - 30 minutes
-
Network Verification - 40 to 90 minutes
-
Maintenance
You need a Apollon Masternode Reference Document to save all your masternode details as you go through this process. Download the text file that I have created here. You will use this as a source to copy and paste your private and public key information into as you go through this tutorial. You will also find links to all the resources I describe herein.
We will start by purchasing 25,100 Apollo Coins to pay for our stake in the masternode (25,000 XAP) and to pay for the transaction fees associated to buying and transferring the coins around (100 XAP).
a. Setup an exchange account. Set up an exchange account on either Graviex or CryptoBridge. These are the only two exchanges where Apollon (XAP) is currently traded.
b. Calculate how much BTC you need to transfer. Look up the current price of BTC to XAP and calculate how much BTC you'll need to transfer to the exchange in order to purchase 25,100 XAP.
For example: As of March 14th, 2018 1 XAP = ~0.00003 BTC. 25,100 x 0.00003 = 0.753 BTC. As the price of BTC and XAP can fluctuate quite a lot between the time that you begin your transfer of BTC to the time that you receive it to purchase your XAP on one of the exchanges, I recommend that you increase the amount of BTC that you transfer to the exchange by 5%. For example, 0.753 x 1.05 = 0.7905 BTC. This should ensure that you have enough BTC to pay for your XAP once it arrives at the exchange.
Here is the complete calculation.
25,100
x 0.00003 <== replace this value with the current trading price of XAPBTC on the exchange
x 1.05
----------
0.7905 BTC
c. Transfer the BTC to the exchange. Withdraw the BTC amount you calculated in step 2 from one of your BTC wallets and Deposit it to the exchange. Note that currently, BTC withdrawal/deposits take about 30-40 minutes to be fully confirmed right now. Use your source wallet to trace the withdrawal transaction as neither exchange displays incoming deposits or their confirmations.
d. Buy your XAP. Initiate a buy order and wait for the order to be filled. Depending on the market volume, this can take between 5 to 60 minutes.
Move onto step 2.
a. Setup a Linux VPS. Setup a Linux Ubuntu 16.04 virtual private server (VPS) from Vultr. This server costs $5 USD / month. If you need help setting up a VPS with Vultr, please watch this video on how to set up a Vultr VPS with Ubuntu 16.04.
When you create your VPS you will provide it a hostname / alias. Copy and paste the hostname / alias into your Apollon Masternode Reference Document under the header MASTERNODE ALIAS
b. Start an SSH Session. SSH into your server using Terminal on a Mac or Putty on Windows. If this is your first time doing this, please watch the video in step 2.a.
c. Get the installation script. Copy and paste the below command into your SSH session and hit enter. This will download the masternode installation script onto your VPS.
wget -q https://raw.githubusercontent.com/fathertime100/apollon/master/apollon_install.sh
d. Run the installation script. Copy and paste the below command into your SSH session and press enter. Note that this process will take between about 20 minutes to complete. Go and get a coffee.
bash apollon_install.sh
e. Obtain your Masternote Private Key. After the script installs a number of programs and compiles the Apollond daemon, it will ask you to "Press enter to generate your Masternode Private Key.". Press enter. It will take another few seconds to complete this task and then you'll be presented with a result that will look like this:
Installing and setting up firewall to allow ingress on port 12116
=============================================================================================
CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your Apollon Masternode is up and running listening on port 12116.
=============================================================================================
MASTERNODE SERVICE DETAILS
The server configuration file is located at: /root/.Apollon/Apollon.conf
Your server IP Address and Port are (VPS_IP:PORT): 45.32.224.15:12116
YOUR MASTERNODE PRIVATEKEY is: adfwivhw0ru340230fMZdasdfasdweav3459834u5B1kxHV2398aav93
=============================================================================================
Please copy and paste the above data into a file and store in a secure location.
You will need this information to complete your installation and to maintain your masternode.
e. Save this information. Copy and paste this information into your Apollon Masternode Reference Document under the header MASTERNODE SERVICE DETAILS.
f. Check the server status. Next we'll check the status of the server. Run the command below.
systemctl status Apollon
This will show you a result similar to this:
● Apollon.service - Apollon service
Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/Apollon.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Wed 2018-03-14 19:19:03 UTC; 9min ago
Main PID: 22843 (Apollond)
CGroup: /system.slice/Apollon.service
└─22843 /usr/local/bin/Apollond -daemon -conf=/root/.Apollon/Apollon.conf -datadir=/root/.Apollon
Mar 14 19:19:03 APOLLON-2 systemd[1]: Starting Apollon service...
Mar 14 19:19:03 APOLLON-2 systemd[1]: Started Apollon service.
As long as your server says "Active: active (running)", you're good to go.
g. Check the servers network connectivity. Next, we'll verify that the masternode service is syncing blocks with the network. Run the command below.
Apollond getinfo
You will see a result that is similiar to this:
{
"version" : "v1.0.3.0-60028",
"protocolversion" : 60028,
"walletversion" : 60000,
"balance" : 0.00000000,
"darksend_balance" : 0.00000000,
"newmint" : 0.00000000,
"stake" : 0.00000000,
"blocks" : 8293,
"timeoffset" : 0,
"moneysupply" : 20686950.00000000,
"connections" : 12,
"proxy" : "",
"ip" : "108.61.195.216",
"difficulty" : 30105.01429933,
"testnet" : false,
"keypoololdest" : 1521055109,
"keypoolsize" : 101,
"paytxfee" : 0.01000000,
"mininput" : 0.00000000,
"errors" : ""
}
Take note of the "blocks" field. It should be around 8 to 10 thousand at this point, if it's higher, don't worry, you were just slow to enter this command after the previous one and your masternode service is syncing with the network, everything is ok.
h. Check the masternode status. Now we'll check the masternode status. Run the command below.
Apollond masternode status
You will see a result that is similiar to this:
{
"vin" : "CTxIn(COutPoint(0000000000, 4294967295), coinbase )",
"service" : "108.61.195.216:12116",
"status" : 8,
"pubKeyMasternode" : "APFxbJgmgxCbWYqUAJQv3TtKERVUQY6yvz",
"notCapableReason" : "Could not find suitable coins!"
}
The "status" of your masternode will be one of the following:
1 = Your masternode has not been processed by the network yet. Please wait.
2 = Your masternode is active and synced to the network.
3 = Your masternode is inactive.
4 = Your masternode has stopped.
5 = Your masternode seed transaction hasn't reached the minimum of 16 confirmations.
6 = Your masternode port is closed.
7 = Your masternode port is open.
8 = Your masternode is syncing to the network.
9 = Your masternode is remotely enabled and active.
Your masternode should currently have a status of either 8 or 2.
If it is an 8, then run this command again:
Apollond getinfo
Your "blocks" field should have increased from the previous time you ran this command.
{
"version" : "v1.0.3.0-60028",
"protocolversion" : 60028,
"walletversion" : 60000,
"balance" : 0.00000000,
"darksend_balance" : 0.00000000,
"newmint" : 0.00000000,
"stake" : 0.00000000,
"blocks" : 19203,
"timeoffset" : 0,
"moneysupply" : 20686950.00000000,
"connections" : 12,
"proxy" : "",
"ip" : "108.61.195.216",
"difficulty" : 30105.01429933,
"testnet" : false,
"keypoololdest" : 1521055109,
"keypoolsize" : 101,
"paytxfee" : 0.01000000,
"mininput" : 0.00000000,
"errors" : ""
}
Allow your masternode service some time to continue to sync with the other masternodes on the network. To determine when it's complete, keep running this command over and over again until you notice that the "blocks" field is not incrementing rapidly any longer.
When your "status" from running the Apollond masternode status command becomes a 2, your masternode has become active and has synced to the network and now needs the 25,000 coin stake in order to become a participant masternode on the Apollon network. Once your status is 2, move onto step 3 of the tutorial.
Note: as of the date of that this document was written (14-Mar-2018), it shouldn't take the masternode service more than 10 or 15 minutes to sync with the rest of the masternodes on the network.
Some times when Apollon starts for the first time, it will not update the blockchain, meaning you won't see your blocks increasing after running the Apollon getinfo command. If this is happening to you, try running these commands in order to fix it:
Apollond getinfo
systemctl stop Apollon
rm -r /root/.Apollon/{blk0001.dat,mncache.dat,peers.dat,smsgDB,smsg.ini,txleveldb}
sleep 10
systemctl start Apollon
Apollond getinfo
After the masternode is up and running, you need to configure a desktop wallet to hold your masternode stake and to recieve your payouts.
WINDOWS USERS (Mac users see below)
a. Download the wallet from here: Apollon Windows Wallet
b. Open the Apollon Desktop Wallet.
MAC USERS
DO NOT USE THE MAC WALLET, IT DOES NOT WORK AS OF 14-03-2018
In order to keep your Masternode and your wallet seperate, you'll need to take on a little more cost, but you'll be able to use this for other masternode wallets that don't work on Mac yet as well.
a. Setup a windows VPS on Virmach
b. Choose SSD2G for 10$ per month
c. At checkout, use this coupon and it will only cost $5 USD per month: LEBBF2016G2
d. You can choose Windows 2012 or 2016 as the operating system.
e. You will soon receive an email from Virmach once your server is live.
f. After you've received your email, go into the Virmach admin page for your server and click the VNC (Desktop) link in your administration interface. Go through the windows server setup process and set your administrator password. Once the password is set, you can use Microsoft Remote Desktop to access the server.
g. Download Microsoft Remote Desktop 8.0 for Mac
h. Add your credentials to Remote Desktop and select the resolution as 1440x960 (fits most laptop screens), select colour as high 8-bit and full screen is custom.
i. Double click on the Remote Desktop profile you just created to log into Windows.
j. Go up to the WINDOWS USERS instructions above to download and open the wallet.
a. Create a address. Go to RECEIVE and create a New Address with the label: FROM EXCHANGE
b. Copy the address and go back to your exchange.
c. On the exchange, set up a withdrawal of 25,100 coins to the FROM EXCHANGE address you just created in step 3.a), not that you will have more than 25,000 coins arrive at that address even after exchange fees. Click Withdraw Now.
d. Wait for 16 confirmation to settle those coins.
e. Go back to RECEIVE in the wallet and create a new address, which will become your MASTERNODE PUBLIC ADDRESS, with the label: MN1
F. Save your MASTERNODE PUBLIC ADDRESS. Copy and paste the address you just created to your Apollon Masternode Reference Document under the header MASTERNODE PUBLIC ADDRESS.
g. Go back to your wallet and click on SEND.
h. Paste the same address into the Pay To: field and the label MN1 will automatically populate. In amount, enter 25,000 XAP.
IMPORTANT: YOU CANNOT MAKE MULTIPLE DEPOSITS TO YOUR MASTERNODE PUBLIC ADDRESS AND HAVE IT COUNT AS A STAKE. FOR EXAMPLE, MAKING TWO DEPOSITS, ONE OF 10,000 AND ANOTHER OF 15,000 WILL NOT COUNT AS YOUR MASTERNODE STAKE. IT HAS TO BE ONE SINGLE DEPOSIT OF 25,000 XAP. There is a work around if you do make this mistake, it involves making another transaction to yourself after you've made multiple deposits. Please contact me directly if you make this mistake and I can help you with this solution.
i. Wait for 16 confirmations. To check the status of your transfer, click on TRANSACTIONS. Once the deposit shows up in your list of transactions, you can double click on it and a 'Transaction details' pop-up will appear. Under here, you will see Status: and it will tell you the number of confirmations that your transaction has achieved. This pop-up does not update automatically, so close and reopen this pop-up until the number of confirmations is 16 or higher.
j. Wait for 16 confirmation to settle those coins.
k. Go to Help -> "Debug Window - Console"
l. Enter the following command: masternode outputs
The result will look something like this:
{
"b35aaf4fba02ea64c239ofasdoe8f55abc66cb26a8930656ad8020334bf871" : "1"
}
This value is your TxHash value and your Output index value that you will need in step 3.i below.
m. Copy and paste this information into your Apollon Masternode Reference Document, under the header MASTERNODE OUTPUT.
n. Go to the Masternodes tab.
o. Click Create and fill these details:
- Alias: MN1
- Address: VPS_IP:PORT from step 2.e above. Also found under in your Apollon Masternode Reference Document under the header MASTERNODE SERVICE DETAILS
- Privkey: Masternode Private Key from step 2.e above. Also found under in your Apollon Masternode Reference Document under the header MASTERNODE SERVICE DETAILS
- TxHash: First value from step 3.g above. Also found under in your Apollon Masternode Reference Document under the header MASTERNODE OUTPUT
- Output index: Second value from 3.g, either a 1 or a 0. Also found under in your Apollon Masternode Reference Document under the header MASTERNODE OUTPUT
- Reward address: leave blank
- Reward %: leave blank
p. Click OK to add the masternode
q. Click Start All
r. Go back to your SSH session and enter the following command and hit enter.
Apollond masternode status
Your status should now be 9 (Your masternode is remotely enabled and active).
{
"vin" : "CTxIn(COutPoint(0000000000, 4294967295), coinbase )",
"service" : "108.61.195.216:12116",
"status" : 9,
"pubKeyMasternode" : "APFxbJgmgxCbWYqUAJQv3TtKERVUQY6yvz",
"notCapableReason" : "Could not find suitable coins!"
}
You've just setup an Apollon masternode and it is actively participating in the network. Next we'll verify that it's communicating with the network so that you begin to receive payouts.
In order to ensure that the server is communicating with the network there are three things to check.
Linux server status
Wallet masternode status
Online list of XAP masternodes
i. Apollon masternode status
This is the most important command on the Linux server to ensure that your Masternode is running.
Apollond masternode status
This will give you a response that looks like this:
{
"vin" : "CTxIn(COutPoint(0000000000, 4294967295), coinbase )",
"service" : "108.61.195.216:12116",
"status" : 9,
"pubKeyMasternode" : "APFxbJgmgxCbWYqUAJQv3TtKERVUQY6yvz",
"notCapableReason" : "Could not find suitable coins!"
}
There is only one important field here, "status".
Ensure that your Masternode 'status' is either 8 or 9.
If your masternode's status is not 8 or 9, but is 2, the most likely culript is that it has not been remotely started from your wallet. See 5.b.ii below for details on how to start your masternode remotely from your wallet.
Here is the list of possible Masternode statuses (note this is the same list as from above).
1 = Your masternode has not been processed by the network yet. Please wait.
2 = Your masternode is active and synced to the network.
3 = Your masternode is inactive.
4 = Your masternode has stopped.
5 = Your masternode seed transaction hasn't reached the minimum of 16 confirmations.
6 = Your masternode port is closed.
7 = Your masternode port is open.
8 = Your masternode is syncing to the network.
9 = Your masternode is remotely enabled and active.
Ignore the other fields in this status.
ii. Apollon getinfo
This is less important, but it will tell you if your server is incrementing blocks which will tell you that your server is in fact verifying transactions / blocks.
Apollond getinfo
will result in a response that looks something like this:
{
"version" : "v1.0.3.0-60028",
"protocolversion" : 60028,
"walletversion" : 60000,
"balance" : 0.00000000,
"darksend_balance" : 0.00000000,
"newmint" : 0.00000000,
"stake" : 0.00000000,
"blocks" : 19827,
"timeoffset" : 0,
"moneysupply" : 19507450.00000000,
"connections" : 29,
"proxy" : "",
"ip" : "144.202.88.54",
"difficulty" : 27482.97398816,
"testnet" : false,
"keypoololdest" : 1520844901,
"keypoolsize" : 101,
"paytxfee" : 0.01000000,
"mininput" : 0.00000000,
"errors" : ""
}
If you repeat this command a few times over a 5 minute period and you see the "blocks" field incrementing, then your server is properly recording and verifying transactions.
i. My Master Nodes.
-
Open your wallet on windows
-
Click on Masternodes in the left hand menu bar.
-
Select My Master Nodes from the tabs.
-
Your masternode should show up here.
-
Click on Update.
-
Your masternode status should show as "Masternode is Running."
If it doesn't show up as running, check your status on the Linux server and report to the Discord channel.
ii. Start If your masternode is not responding with a "status" of 2 from the command Apollon masternode status described above under 5a.i, then you likely need to remote start your masternode from your wallet.
-
Select and highlight your masternode from the list
-
Click the "Start" button.
-
Go back to your ssh session and run the following command again:
Apollon masternode status
- Your status should return to 8 or 9. If it doesn't please ask on the Discord channel for help.
iii. Apollon Network
-
Select the Apollon Network tab.
-
Click on the Address header in the list to sort the address by IP Address.
-
Take note of your servers IP address under from the Apollon Masternode Reference Document under the header MASTERNODE SERVICE DETAILS
-
Find your server by scrolling through the list. If you find it, your server is operating properly on the network.
-
If you can't find it, wait 40 minutes and check again.
-
If you still can't find it, move onto the next step to check for your server.
i. Visit this link XAP List and status of masternodes.
ii. Copy your MASTERNODE PUBLIC ADDRESS from your Apollon Masternode Reference Document.
iii. Perform a search in this webpage for your MASTERNODE PUBLIC ADDRESS.
iv. If you find it, you're good, your masternode is up and operating.
v. If you can't find it, go back to the top of this section and start again to make note of all of your server status and wallet status details and then go to the Discord channel to ask for help.
If you ever find that your network status has dropped after going through the details in section 5 above, try these commands to test your linux server.
a. systemctl status Apollon
This command will tell you if the masternode system running at all. If it's not, you won't see your server on the network and the commands in section 5 won't work at all.
systemctl status Apollon
b. systemctl is-enabled Apollon
This last command will tell you if Apollon is configured to start on boot.
systemctl is-enabled Apollon
c. systemctl start Apollon
This command will start the masternode service for you if it has stopped running.
systemctl start Apollon
d. systemctl stop Apollon
This command will stop the masternode service for you if you need to take your server offline.
systemctl start Apollon
I hope this guide helped! If you have any suggestions, comments or corrections, please send them to me on Discord, my username is fathertime100.
Thanks and Best Regards,
fathertime100
All donations are highly appreciated!
XAP: AJutr9AbhkDvdRjazGZVt1w2xE4rzWqbzW
BTC: 3DWgfnbgZHrHBq2V7bfj2FeRSiWx9VE8X6
LTC: LfEMCmyEykszHXj1eLxgvH2HPRrsdajPcM
DASH: XfVFJM97zG4ckgm9aJ52PQ1Zc3NVtdAh2F
Acknowledgements This guide was adopted from Zoldur's script and developed to support my video of this process on Youtube. Thank-you Zoldur for doing most of the heavy lifting on the script. Also thank-you to the entire Apollon team on Discord who helped get through the weeds on setting this up. Specifically, iTzShowTime, Visco, zoldur, XAP_MAX and MorpheusM, thanks team!
DISCLAIMER: The references contained herein are for information purposes only. This guide is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice before investing in any masternode.