Server Setup Guide¶

This guide is aimed at people not familiar with Linux servers or hosting services.

Running a delegate node does require some technical knowledge, but this guide walks step-by-step through preparing a secure server.

If you get stuck, the community can help you.

Prerequisites¶

Generate an SSH Key¶

We strongly recommend using SSH key authentication.

Windows¶

Use PuTTYgen to create a key pair.

Linux / macOS¶

ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096

This creates:

• ~/.ssh/id_rsa (private key)
• ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub (public key)

Server Requirements¶

Delegate nodes should be run on a VPS or dedicated server in a data center. Home PCs and residential connections often have higher latency, lower uptime, and bandwidth limits, which can reduce reliability and block production. A server-grade environment helps ensure stable participation in the network.

Choose a Server Provider¶

Any provider works:

• Hostinger
• OVH
• AWS
• DigitalOcean
• Google Cloud

Choose what you're comfortable with.

Install Linux¶

Install Ubuntu 24.04 LTS from your provider dashboard.

Once installed, note your server IP.

Connect to Your Server¶

First Login¶

ssh root@SERVER_IP

Enter the password provided by your host.

Add Your SSH Key¶

On the server (some providers let you add the key when creating the server):

nano ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

Paste your public key inside.

Set permissions:

chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
chmod 700 ~/.ssh

Restart SSH:

systemctl restart ssh

Now login using key:

ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa root@SERVER_IP

Create a Delegate User¶

Running everything as root is discouraged.

adduser xcash
usermod -aG sudo xcash
su - xcash

Update System¶

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install curl git build-essential -y

Time Sync (Important)¶

timedatectl

If not synced:

sudo timedatectl set-ntp true
sudo systemctl restart systemd-timesyncd

Optional: Disable Root Login¶

Once SSH keys work:

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Set:

PermitRootLogin no
PasswordAuthentication no

Restart SSH:

sudo systemctl restart ssh

Optional: Domain Name¶

Buy a domain and point an A record:

delegate.yourdomain.com → SERVER_IP

Recommended for public delegates.

Final Checklist¶

• SSH key login works
• Logged in as xcash
• System updated
• Time synced