2021-12-25 Update#
Now Binance and Huobi have both stopped withdrawals, and it is also impossible to cash out. It is recommended to switch to OKEX for C2C operations, and the link below has also been updated. Moreover, most exchanges require a VPN to access, and now links to mining pools also require it, so a VPN is essential. I will not share the setup method; some services I use will be displayed on the AFF page. This update includes my latest thoughts on the method.
Currently, my method is to connect to the NiceHash mining pool using GMiner software to provide computing power (see Section 4), and control the GPU's frequency and temperature using nhmq (Section 1). The connections are all routed through a proxy (Section 0).
0. Using Netch Proxy Software#
Netch is a game acceleration software that allows programs to go through a proxy channel. With it, we can route all mining software through a proxy to connect to the mining pool.
Official download link: https://github.com/netchx/netch
First, we need to add a route, which I won't write about, and then set the software to use the proxy.
Click to select the folder where the mining software is located. It is best to put all the software together, for example, D:\miner, so that with one setup, all software in the miner folder can use the proxy, and there can be subfolders under the miner folder.
After clicking start, Netch will open another SOCKS5 service, for example, on port 2801. If using Gminer, use "--proxy 127.0.0.1:2801" to route Gminer connections through the proxy. This feature is built into Gminer, so if you have other proxy software and know its external port, you can connect directly to the proxy software using Gminer commands without using Netch. General proxy software can usually be found.
Recently, with the rise in coin prices, my personal mining method has also changed. Initially, I used the NiceHash method mainly for situations where the returns on different coins fluctuated greatly. Recently, ETH has skyrocketed, and the returns have significantly outpaced other coins, so it's better to mine ETH directly. Future methods may change, and I will update them at the top of the article. Important positions will be marked in red.
Title 1 introduces controlling temperature through NHQM, Gminer as the mining tool, connecting to the exchange's mining pool, which is daily settlement, meaning whatever is mined that day is paid out, suitable for friends with lower single-card computing power.
Title 2 introduces connecting to the mining pool, where the withdrawal threshold for ETH from the pool to the wallet is 0.1 ETH, which is relatively high and suitable for friends with multiple cards or high computing power.
Title 3 introduces my earliest method of mining in NiceHash.
1. Controlling Temperature through NHQM, Connecting to the Exchange's Mining Pool for Mining#
Previously, I was providing computing power through NiceHash to exchange for BTC. Now, the trend of BTC is clearly not as strong as ETH, so it's better to mine ETH directly. However, NHQM's frequency and temperature control is quite good, so I want to continue using this software. I couldn't lower the core frequency as low as NHQM with "MSI Afterburner," so I gave up on that software. Using NHQM to control temperature does not require registration, but to obtain the optimized frequency parameters provided by NiceHash, registration is required to enter the backend and select the status, or refer to its official parameters.
1.1 Download and Use NHQM#
NiceHash QuickMiner GitHub Release Link
After running, click OCTune to enter the frequency management console.
1.2 Adjust Frequency, Control Temperature#
With updates, the numbers after data will also be updated.
ID 1 corresponds to "low" in NiceHash's console for adjusting frequency. dmc is the increased memory frequency, mcc corresponds to the core frequency, which is not increased. ftg is the maximum core temperature, and ftr is the maximum memory temperature. In the figure below, I set the core frequency to 930 and the memory frequency to 7401, so the increase in memory frequency cannot be found from the official documents, so I still recommend registering for NiceHash to try adjusting in the backend of the website.
1.3 Register an Account in the Exchange's Mining Pool#
Mining pool selection: Recommended Binance and HuobiOKEX. The advantage of these two is that the returns are daily settlement, meaning whatever is mined is paid out directly to the exchange wallet for immediate operation.
Fee rates: Binance 0.5%, Huobi 2.5% (some users say it is now 4%)
If the link doesn't work, log in to the official website or APP and fill in the referrer as: 47678597 Thank you.
If the link doesn't work, log in to the official website or APP and fill in the referrer as: 7nqx4 Thank you.
There is a general process: first, create an account on the exchange, then enter the exchange's mining pool. If you can't find it, replace "www" in the domain with "pool," for example: pool.huobi.com.
Then create a mining account for the pool, where the mining account name is the username. When mining with the username, fill in the corresponding username.
1.4 Set Up Mining Software for Mining#
The mining software I use is Gminer, with a fee of 0.65%, which is relatively low. I have also used NBminer, which has over 1%.
After downloading and extracting, you will find many .bat files. We find mine_eth, which has the settings for mining ETH. Right-click to edit and replace the link inside with the link provided by the exchange.
Then fill in the mining account name you just registered after user. The miner name can be anything, as long as it distinguishes the machines. The api is followed by the port number; enter "127.0.0.1 number" in the browser to open the local monitoring page to check speed and other information.
Example for Binance settings:
miner.exe --algo ethash --server ethash.poolbinance.com:1800 --user tomhome.home --api 5566
Example for Huobi settings:
miner.exe --algo ethash --server en.huobipool.com:1800 --user tomhome.home --api 5566
After starting, wait a moment, and you will be able to see the mining machine information in the pool statistics.
Finally, a reminder, when closing the software, pay attention to share, because the share (submission) time is relatively long, possibly submitting once every ten minutes. To avoid losses, it is recommended to wait for one submission before closing the software.
2. Mining in F2Pool#
You need to change the mining software settings. The user position can be followed by the F2Pool login account or directly filled with the exchange's ETH wallet address. Pay attention to the minimum payment amount:
miner.exe --algo ethash --server eth.f2pool.com:6688 --user 0xF6F8Ba8a2A243dd50D07ebfAfB62eA8086f208c9.guest
3. Mining with NiceHash#
Personal mining has several pain points: not knowing which coin to mine, long withdrawal cycles for coins mined to the pool, repeatedly registering multiple websites to get multiple wallets, and high costs for frequent transfers.
These issues were also problems I encountered in my early mining days, and later I accidentally switched to this method of selling computing power, which I have been using ever since.
Before starting: Before operating, you need to master some knowledge of using the Windows system, such as using antivirus software, some hardware knowledge, such as knowing your GPU model, and some mathematical ability to calculate returns and costs. Understand the risks; risks refer to using resources that do not belong to you. For example, the recent trend of mining in coffee shops is okay, but for friends planning to mine at work, think ahead about the responsibilities you would bear if discovered and how to avoid being found out. Some company network administrators may monitor connections to mining pools, and if detected, it is easy to trace back through the network cable. Therefore, friends with such ideas should analyze their computer knowledge in advance.
By the way, before starting, use a profitability calculator to see if you will lose money; however, most people won't lose money now. Profitability Calculator Link
3.1 Register for NiceHash#
Registration link: nicehash.com
NiceHash is a computing power trading platform where miners can earn cryptocurrency by selling computing power, and buyers can place orders to purchase miners' computing power. Miners provide computing power through the website's software, which automatically switches the coin to mine based on hardware computing power and market orders.
During the login process, you may use Google verification. If you encounter a login issue, it is likely due to the verification code not loading, so think of a solution.
After logging in, find the BTC wallet on the wallet tab, click in, and then click "Deposit" to obtain the BTC wallet address. Remember to fill it in the software settings.
3.2 Download Software#
Download the software from the download center: https://www.nicehash.com/download-center
The software integrates many mining programs as plugins, known as "NiceHash Miner."
3.3 Use the Software#
The first run will automatically download plugins, just wait.
After entering the software, click the gear icon in the upper right corner and fill in the wallet address in "Wallet Address." It can be the NiceHash wallet obtained during registration or an external wallet, such as an exchange wallet, but the website does not recommend it. For details, refer to the official help document page.
Fill in the wallet and check the remaining settings if interested, then select devices in the "Devices" tab. It is not recommended to use CPU, as the output is too low and affects the temperature inside the case.
Return to the "Dashboard" and click the largest button to start. The first run will conduct a benchmark test, just wait, and the test results can also be found in the "Benchmark" tab.
It is recommended to use the control tools released by the GPU manufacturer to control the temperature. Too high frequencies can lead to very high temperatures, damaging the hardware. My tests show that after exceeding 64 degrees, the increase in computing power is not significant, but power consumption increases a lot. Therefore, I keep it controlled at 64 degrees. If there are no tools, you can also try using NiceHash's adjustment tool. This is also officially recommended: Article Page.
The following image shows my 2070's earnings. In fact, the amount of BTC earned over the years has not changed much, meaning the fluctuations in coins are not significant; it is the increase in BTC's own price that has raised the earnings. Initially, the earnings were also this amount of BTC, with a daily earning of five bucks considered high.
3.4 Trading#
BTC prices are unstable, so you can exchange them for stable USDT through trading. The website I choose is Binance. Registration link: www.binance.com.
Also, in the wallet, click on BTC's deposit to get the exchange wallet address.
Then return to the NiceHash BTC wallet page, click "Withdraw," enter the exchange wallet address, fill in the amount, and submit. The minimum withdrawal amount is 0.001 BTC, and miner fees can be checked on the official website: Official Document Page.
BTC can be traded on the exchange for other coins, and the rest is for you to explore.
4. Connecting to NiceHash Mining Pool through GMiner#
First, we need a NICEHASH account (refer to Section 3) and Gminer software (refer to Section 1.4), as well as a proxy connection (Section 0).
The address of the NiceHash mining pool is "daggerhashimoto.usa-east.nicehash.com:3353," which is the address for ETH. We paste it into the Gminer bat file, resulting in:
miner.exe --proxy 127.0.0.1:2801 --algo ethash --server daggerhashimoto.usa-east.nicehash.com:3353 --user NiceHash account's BTC wallet address --proto stratum
pause
Where proxy is the local SOCKS5 proxy port, and -user is followed by the NiceHash BTC wallet address. Just set it up.
The reason for using this method is that I found the rejection rate of using Netch to proxy the NHQM software was a bit high, so I switched to this. It is also possible to use NBminer, but the fee for NBminer is higher.