Assembling a mining farm for the extraction of ether is not only a fun pastime, but also a good source of passive income. This guide will help you build the best Ethereum mining configuration. Assembly time is about three hours. Profitability depends on the Ethereum exchange rate, but during 2017 it ranged from $300 to $1500 per month. You can also mine other cryptocurrencies like Zcash, Monero, VertCoin, Decred (etc.).
List of hardware for building a farm: You will need the following devices:
1 power supply for 1000 W(For example, Corsair RMx Series, RM1000x, 1000W, Fully Modular Power Supply, 80+ Gold Certified) - here you need honest 1000W, and if you take it with PLUS® Gold or PLUS® Platinum certification, then in the long run you will save some expenses on electricity.
1 motherboard + cpu. What is the best motherboard for mining ether? At a minimum, it should support 6 video cards.
I advise (and many farms use MSI Pro Solution Intel Z170A LGA 1151 DDR4 USB 3.1 ATX Motherboard (Z170A SLI Plus)) . But if this is difficult to find on sale, then you can take one of these:
1 operating system- if you settled on Nvidia 1070, then Windows 10 is best for you, because. it has the best driver support for these cards.
Monitor, mouse and keyboard for the initial installation and configuration of the software.
Farm assembly order
1. Unpack everything you bought
2. Assemble the case
3. Install the processor and RAM on the motherboard
4. Connect all risers to the motherboard
5. Install the motherboard in the case, connect it to the power supply (the unit itself does not need to be connected to the network)
6. Connect a hard drive or flash drive from which you will install the OS
7. Connect the graphics cards to the raisers, place the graphics cards in the case away from each other
8. Connect all power wires
9. Connect the monitor, mouse, keyboard and wire (or usb-wifi) to connect to the network.
10. Check again all connections of all connectors
11. Launch and install the operating system and mining software (see below)
12. Make sure all coolers are working properly. Run the mining software, set the optimal settings and let it work!
Setting up the motherboard, Windows and mining software
Update the BIOS on the motherboard to the latest version. For Z170 SLI Plus, you can find the latest .
Set up the BIOS as follows:
Settings > Advanced > PCI subsystem Setting: PEG 0 and PEG 1 set to Gen1
OS settings: disable Windows 7, allow Windows 10
Save and Reload
OS, drivers, mining settings:
Boot from flash drive with Windows 10
Install Windows 10 Pro x64
In this article, I will cover topics such as:
- The principle of operation of a cryptocurrency farm in the blockchain network.
- Mining equipment.
- Cryptocurrency mining farms 2018 profitability (payback).
You can read more about the principle of Bitcoin mining, about the risks and methods in this article.
Updated article, see below.
Mining farm for cryptocurrency mining. Blockchain. Hashrate. Pools.
A farm is a collection of devices that are connected to a network. blockchain for information processing, in order to receive digital coins - income. A blockchain network is a chain of transaction blocks built according to certain rules from the generated blocks. Roughly speaking, this is a distributed database. The very first such network is used in the Bitcoin cryptocurrency.
Block of transactions - grouped transactions in the network system. Such blocks and try to find (process) the miners. The extraction of a block is a kind of roulette, it can take several minutes or several days to search for it.
For found blocks, miners are rewarded with cryptocurrency. Why such a spread? - you ask. Because there are several factors that affect the speed of finding a block:
- The power of your equipment - the larger it is, the greater the likelihood of finding a block in a short period of time.
- Network complexity - from how old any blockchain network is, its complexity (the number of miners and their power) is growing, from this the reward for the found block may decrease or it will become more and more difficult to find it.
You can mine cryptocurrency both alone - SOLO, and together with someone on mining pools. A pool is a network to which individual miners connect their farms in order to mine a block in the blockchain network with their total power, and the reward is divided among everyone, of course, not equally, depending on the share of power in the pool. So it is easier to mine cryptocurrency when you are a beginner in this business, and have not yet accumulated enough equipment to increase the hash rate. Hashrate is the mining speed. Solo mining is for those who have enough power to mine blocks, relying only on themselves. The benefit can be checked as follows: mine one week on the pool, the other week - solo. I repeat once again that SOLO mining is like roulette, but even with small capacities, many manage to overtake people who mine on pools with more power. This already applies to luck - a happy coincidence. The more successful you are in mining, the higher the profitability indicators.
Mining equipment. Bitcoin and Altcoins.
Today, there are a lot of different cryptocurrencies, each running on its own blockchain network, which uses a specific data processing algorithm. For some, the complexity of the network is still very small, for others, like BITCOIN , LiteCoin or more. Although the latter is not yet so high. Due to a certain algorithm, the extraction of a particular cryptocurrency occurs in different ways.
Bitcoin is currently mined with the help of ASICs, it used to be mined on both processors and video cards. With the increasing complexity of the blockchain network, Bitcoin mining on processors and video cards has become simply unprofitable. Energy consumption grew, and there were almost no blocks of information, due to the low hash rate by those standards. Now more than one generation of asics has already changed, differing in power and price, respectively. Now you can invest in mining purely Bitcoins if you have a large initial capital, because ASICs are expensive, the payback period is about a year, if the ASIC is up-to-date and powerful. But what to do with it if a new one comes out, which will be more powerful and less energy-intensive, in relation to its production rate? Sell? If only there is a fool. The Chinese, who have succeeded in mining Bitcoins, are constantly updating their equipment on farms, and their farms are huge ventilated hangars, with enormous power consumption, hashrate and, accordingly, revenue.
So if you can’t afford to immediately start mining bitcoin on such a scale, the only way out and the most common among all novice miners, and even hardened in the business of “digging” cryptocurrency is to mine Altcoins.
Altcoins- these are relatively young cryptocurrencies that work in their blockchains, the essence of which is: to develop new information technologies (like Ethereum - smart contracts) and, of course, it is less costly to receive bitcoin by exchanging easily mined alternative cryptocurrencies.
Modern mining is based on this principle. It is easier to buy several video cards, collect farms from them and mine a young cryptocurrency that is profitable than to spend money on a powerful ASIC. After all, if one of the video cards breaks down, you can return it to the store under warranty or replace it with a new one. And the price tag is very nice. Moreover, if some cryptocurrency falls in price or its network complexity rises, and its mining becomes unprofitable for exchange for bitcoin, then you can always switch to mining another cryptocurrency that has become profitable.
How to increase mining income and properly distribute reinvestment, read this article.
Is it profitable to mine in 2018.
It is always profitable to mine. Cryptocurrency is coming to the masses. A research center was built in Skolkovo near Moscow and a national blockchain network was launched. The largest corporations in the world have become interested in many block chain technologies. In mining, you don’t need to rack your brains like in business - there is no such thing as supply and demand, only profit and an approximate payback period. And the Bitcoin exchange rate is already approaching $ 3,000. In the summer of 2016, the cost of one Bitcoin was equal to $450.
So feel free to buy equipment, change the wiring and start mining cryptocurrency. How to build a mining farm in 2017
If it is not possible to maintain a mining farm, then read.
Due to the disappearance of video cards from the market, cloud mining services are now gaining popularity. The most reliable of them is Hashing24. They will not burst like bubbles of HYIP projects that work for several months, collect the required amount of money, and collapse, and we lose this money. During the year, I invested about 10,000 rubles in the two cloud mining services that I mentioned above, in one and the other, and now it comes out to 18,000 per year according to the calculator. It turns out that the services do not cheat on the account of 180% per annum, and a good bonus from the referral system also pleased.
If you decide to start investing in mining now, when you get video cards, and if you get it, then at hellish prices, the easiest and most effective way to benefit from investing in cryptocurrency mining is cloud mining. Agree, buying video cards at an exorbitant price is stupid. Of course, if you have extra money, and you can afford to buy rx570 or rx580 in the amount of 20 pieces for 30,000 rubles, then this is very good, but do not forget that the payback period for this equipment will be longer, not only because of the price, but also due to the difficulty of mining ETH and Zcash.
Those people who started mining even half a year ago, with tasty prices for video cards, with a relatively low complexity of the Ethereum network, without draining the cryptocurrency, have won. Now Ethereum is many times more expensive than half a year ago (December 2016 - July 2017), the complexity of the network has risen very much, that is, the profitability has fallen sharply, making it very difficult to enter mining on video cards. In May 2017, my personal ROI was 2.6. If we recalculate the profitability at current prices for video cards, then the figure will be 3 times less.
So, I advise beginners to start their journey with proven cloud mining services, and then wait for the good times when video cards appear at reasonable prices.
The rate of Bitcoin and Ethereum has jumped, check out several articles: Business plan for mining, how cryptocurrency works (how best to mine, on ASICs or video cards).
An ASIC mining farm is a construction that combines special equipment and is designed for cryptocurrency mining. Its main difference is the use of ASIC controllers, and not video cards or processors, as is the case with classic mining farms. Such farms are used to mine various virtual coins - Dasha, Litecoin, Bitcoin and others. Below we will consider what are the intricacies of creating a farm, whether it is possible to assemble it with your own hands and how much it will cost.
How does ASIC farm work?
With the growing demand for cryptocurrency, the activity of manufacturers producing specialized equipment has also increased. If at the initial stage PC power was enough for mining, then with increasing complexity, more productive devices were required. At first, farms on video cards appeared, but after the jump in the rate of the main cryptocurrencies, they also lost their relevance. It was the turn of special devices - ASIC. They work according to a certain algorithm and are “sharpened” exclusively for the extraction of cryptocurrencies.
To increase efficiency and speed up payback, miners create ASIC farms consisting of a computer and ASICs connected to it. The goal is to increase the power to mine new blocks in the cryptocurrency network of interest. Previously, processors and video cards were used to create farms, but today the best option is asics, which have high performance and relatively low energy consumption. The main disadvantage is high costs, but first things first.
The main nuances when assembling an ASIC farm
Creating an ASIC farm with your own hands means doing serious work aimed at finding and purchasing the necessary equipment. At the same time, the work is not limited to mounting elements on a rack. In some models, the heating reaches 100–120 degrees, which requires solving problems with cooling the mining farm on ASICs. To avoid overheating, it is important to properly configure the equipment, install additional fans (if required) and control the operation of the elements from the standpoint of performance and temperature.
Installation of auxiliary coolers helps to increase the circulation of air masses and timely removal of heated air from ASIC microprocessors. With this approach, the finished farm will last longer and give better performance. Without proper heat dissipation, expensive chips can be damaged, which will lead to additional costs. In such a situation, it makes no sense to build a farm with your own hands.
To avoid problems during the maintenance process and properly assemble a mining farm on asics in 2018, you need to consider the following:
- ASIC controllers are installed on a special rack. For cooling, additional fans are mounted on one or two sides to ensure the removal of hot air. As a rule, ASICs have their own coolers, but with round-the-clock work, they may not be enough.
- The number of ASIC controllers connected to the computer can be different. Much here depends on financial capabilities, cryptocurrency and goals. At home, 1-2 asic miners are used, but to create a powerful farm, you can combine from 4-5 devices.
- The more ASIC miners are used to mine cryptocurrency, the higher the noise level. In such a situation, there are two ways out - to provide good sound insulation (use special sound and vibration-absorbing boxes) or rent a separate room for creating a farm. The second option is more preferable, but additional costs will be required here (we will dwell on this in more detail).
- Connecting multiple ASIC controllers for cryptocurrency mining raises another issue regarding power consumption. One ASIC has an average power of 0.8–1.3 kW. If there are 4–5 of them, respectively, the figure increases to 6.5 kW. If we take into account that the equipment operates 24 hours a day and 30 days a month, the total consumption reaches 4680 kWh, which in money (for Moscow) is equal to 421 dollars. This is why energy costs are important to consider when writing a business plan. In addition, the electrical network and wiring must withstand such loads. For example, to power 6.5 kW, a wire capable of passing a current of 29 amperes is required. Ideally, use a copper conductor with a cross section of 4 square meters. mm. If the wiring in the apartment is laid with a wire of 2.5 square meters. mm (copper or aluminum), it may not withstand.
The mentioned components consume an additional 300-400 watts, which increases the cost of electricity. That is why creating a mining farm on ASICs with your own hands requires a detailed approach, and its use at home is almost impossible. The resulting equipment consumption is equivalent to what an office with 10-15 employees consumes. In addition, the dimensions and dimensions of the finished farm are very impressive and space is required to accommodate it.
Pros and cons of a do-it-yourself ASIC mining farm
Before drawing up a business plan and assembling a farm, it is important to determine the advantages and disadvantages of such a solution. As for the efficiency of mining virtual coins on asic miners, it is beyond doubt. The first ASICs appeared in 2012, since then they have been in great demand. From that moment on, new equipment is gradually replacing video cards, which are significantly inferior in performance to competitors.
There are dozens of ways on the Web, but they are no longer effective for mining Bitcoin or Litecoin. Such equipment is used for mining new cryptocurrencies that have not gained a foothold in the market and have an unstable exchange rate. At the same time, there is no guarantee of a quick return on investment.
- Read also how to create .
Below we consider the advantages and disadvantages of a mining farm on ASICs.
| Advantages | Flaws |
| It takes a minimum of time to set up and connect equipment. | High noise level. One ASIC miner makes 80-90 decibel noise. be with him in the same room is impossible. If there are several such devices, a separate room is required. |
| Fast payback. On average, it is possible to cover the cost of equipment for 10–12 months. | The price of ASICs is high for many and makes you think about the relevance of buying equipment. One average ASIC costs 1.5–2.5 thousand dollars. Plus the cost of buying a PC. |
| High performance (compared to GPU). | In the event of a marriage or breakdown with replacement (repair), there may be Problems. Many ASICs are made in China, so delivery takes a long time. For the miner, the loss of time is critical. |
| Reliability in operation (ASICs rarely break under normal care). | The device generates large amounts of heat, therefore, in addition to the built-in ventilation will have to provide additional airflow. It leads to increased noise levels and costs. |
| Availability of software that comes with device. | ASICs work on 1-2 algorithms. Reconfigure them if you want to go other algorithm will not work. |
| No difficulties with placement on racks and airflow. | Manufacturers regularly release new equipment that differs even further. more power. As a result, old ASICs quickly lose their relevance. This perhaps with a sharp rise in the price of cryptocurrency and an increase in the complexity of its production. |
Component parts for ASIC truss
If you have the necessary amount and decide on the relevance of creating an ASIC farm, you can start buying equipment. As a rule, an ASIC farm consists of the following elements:
- Frame. Additional construction may be required to accommodate multiple ASIC miners. For its manufacture, it is desirable to use special bars made of wood or corners (aluminum, steel).
- Motherboard- the basis of the computer to which the equipment for cryptocurrency mining will be connected. The main requirements are uninterrupted operation, reliability and build quality.
- RAM. This element does not affect the speed of production in any way, but the stability of the PC depends on it. In order to save money, you can install only one bar, but it is better that the RAM is 4 GB or more.
- CPU- an element that ensures the operation of a computer. Here, simple options are allowed due to the lack of a large load.
- HDD. There are no additional criteria here, so it can be anything, but the recommended capacity is 100 GB or more.
- Feed block. We are talking about a computer power supply, which should be taken with a power margin of 15-20%. In some cases, it is cheaper to purchase two devices and install them in parallel than to take two powerful PSUs.
- Video card. In the case of ASICs, the video card can be any, without special performance requirements.
- Canaan AvalonMiner 741 (7.3 TH/s) - $1450
- Ebit Miner E10 (18 TH / s) - $ 4,800.
- Bitmain Antminer L3+ (504 MH/sec) - $1536
- BW-L21 Litecoin ASIC Miner (550 MH/sec) - $2500.
- Innosilicon A5 DashMaster (32.4 GH/sec) - $3,300
Do-it-yourself ASIC farm assembly sequence
ASIC farm assembly takes place in several stages:
- Creating a drawing. At this stage, it is important to draw a diagram with the approximate placement of elements. To improve cooling, it is important to install the units at a distance of 10 cm or more from each other. In the case of a closer location, the devices may overheat. The dimensions of the ASIC farm depend on the number of miners, power consumption and dimensions of each of the devices.
- Case assembly. In the manufacture of this element, it is required to buy vibration-resistant materials that do not deform under the influence of high temperatures. For example, an aluminum corner is perfect for creating a farm at home. The devices are fastened using bolted or screw connections. To save money, the frame is made of wood. For fixing, the structural elements are glued together (for wood), and then fixed with self-tapping screws.
- Creation of holes for fixing devices. The quality of ASIC fixation depends on the correctness of the work. If possible, increase the distance between devices.
- Fixing ASIC miners.
- Assembling a computer, connecting power supplies and asic devices using cords (when buying, it is important to control that there is enough length).
ASIC farm business plan
The main task of the miner is to determine the costs and payback of the finished ASIC farm even before purchase. When calculating profitability, the following parameters should be taken into account:
- Hashrate of the equipment used.
- Price (total costs).
- The course and prospects of the cryptocurrency that will be mined on the ASIC farm.
- Energy consumption (total).
- Buying bars and a corner - $ 130-150.
- Motherboard -50–70 dollars. When creating a farm on video cards, specialized equipment with a large number of connectors is purchased (for example, AsRock H81 PRO BTC R2.0). If we are talking about ASIC mining, this is not necessary.
- Processor - $50–60.
- RAM 4 GB or more - $50-60.
- Hard drive with memory from 100 GB - 40-50 dollars.
- Asic miners (4 units) - 8-10 thousand dollars.
- Room rental (if required) - $80-$100 per month.
A brief calculation allows you to roughly estimate the payback of the mining farm. But it is worth considering that with a change in the market value, the profit will also change. This means that the coverage period is constantly shifting to one side or the other.
We must not forget about the risks that are associated with cryptocurrency. In the case of virtual coins, it is difficult to predict further price changes. This can be seen in the example of Bitcoin, which lost significantly in price in the first month of 2018, making many miners worry. The reason is that many countries have not decided on the status of cryptocurrency and do not know how to control it. That is why the purchase of expensive equipment and the creation of an ASIC farm is always a risk that should be taken only after detailed calculations (drawing up a business plan), if there are free financial resources and after analyzing future changes in the cryptocurrency network.
The whole world is crazy about cryptocurrencies. And it all started with the triumphant march of bitcoins, the cost of which soared from $30 to $2,500 in 5 years. Cryptocurrency is not just a new monetary unit, but a whole philosophy. Its basis is the lack of control of the currency by the state.
Any person can produce cryptocurrency with the appropriate equipment. The complex for cryptocurrency mining has a name in the IT environment - cryptocurrency mining farms(Crypto Mining Farm). Today we will try to explain in simple terms the principle of its operation and the necessary components for assembling a farm.
What is a mining farm?
The term "mining" comes from the English word "mine" ("mine"). A mining farm is a platform for mining cryptocurrency. There is a well-known analogy: the farm owner, like an underground mine worker, extracts virtual money like minerals. A farm is a collection of powerful computers needed for computing.
How does a mining farm work?
The main function of the mining farm is the extraction of cryptocurrency. Virtual money is produced as a result of the most complex calculations. To do this, a set of computing equipment is connected to the blockchain network. Blockchain is a chain of blocks of transactions that are made according to certain rules.
As a result of data processing, miners receive new blocks. Time costs for receiving cryptocurrency can be different: from 1-2 minutes to several days.
What does it depend on? Let's take Bitcoin as an example. The volume of this cryptocurrency is limited. The more units mined, the more powerful the computing power must be to obtain new blocks.
Let's take a look at the step by step process:
- Mining programs are installed on the PC.
- Programs are synchronized with the cryptocurrency wallet.
- PCs work in single mode around the clock.
Miners can work together to pool power. This is needed to increase performance. The extracted units are distributed in proportion to the invested capacities.
How to build a mining farm?
There are different ways to create a farm. The easiest for a beginner is mining with video cards. That is, the first step is to purchase a powerful video card and install it. The maximum number of video cards is 6 pieces. But that is not all. Productive devices are characterized by high heat dissipation.
It can reach 120 degrees Celsius. For this reason, proper cooling must be provided to prevent overheating. The way out is the installation of additional ventilation equipment, which allows to achieve a number of advantages:
- Overheat warning.
- Extending the life of your computer.
- Improved mining performance.
Ignoring the need for cooling leads to rapid deformation of the semiconductors on the boards. Miners are advised to install the video card on a rack and secure ventilation equipment around the perimeter.
IMPORTANT! The owner must be aware of the power consumption. Powerful equipment consumes large amounts of energy, resulting in large payments.
What to choose: self-assembly of the farm or its turnkey purchase?
Demand creates supply, and the demand for mining farms is now very high. Companies have appeared that offer to buy a turnkey complex of equipment for receiving cryptocurrency. What to choose?
Consider the benefits of a turnkey farm:
- Saving time. When assembling a farm, time will have to be spent not only on the purchase of equipment, but also on studying the fullness of information about its choice. Ignoring the need to study all the information will lead to the fact that the performance of the mining farm will be low.
- Technical support. For any questions, you can contact the consultants. A person who assembles on his own has only the help of forum participants at his disposal.
- High power guaranteed. People who have been assembling for a long time will help to maximize productivity.
This option is not without its downsides. There are many companies selling turnkey farms, but their reliability is in question. Consider the advantages of self-assembly:
- Relatively lower costs. A person does not have to pay for the services of third-party companies. The costs are only for the purchase of equipment.
- Acquisition of new experience. If a person wants to become a professional miner, he needs to know all the details of the assembly.
- Assembly according to your own wishes. You can independently assemble just such a farm that meets all the needs of the miner.
The disadvantages of independent work are obvious: spending a lot of time, the risk of low productivity.
What to choose? It all depends on the initial needs. If a person has a lot of time and a limited amount of funds, it is recommended to assemble it yourself. If there is no time at all, it is better to contact a specialized company.
What do you need to build a mining farm?
To assemble the farm, you will need the following equipment:
- Motherboard with multiple video card slots.
- Hard drive 60-160 gigabytes.
- Processor (average power allowed).
- RAM (4 GB is enough).
- Video cards at least 2 gigabytes.
- Power supply 750 W.
- Adapters (it is preferable to purchase devices with additional power).
- Button to start.
- Cooler for additional cooling.
Also, the miner will need a tool: a riveter, a drill, metal shears for cutting aluminum corners, a tape measure.
Frame and housing for mining farms
When assembling mining farms, it is not the case in the usual representation (closed box) that is used, but the frame. This need is associated with the requirement to ensure high-quality air circulation. The frame contributes to cooling, which prolongs the life of the equipment. You can make it yourself from the following materials:
- Tree. Advantages: low cost and ease of implementation.
- Aluminum. Advantages: durability and high-quality cooling.
The frame must be spacious. It can be used as a standard open stand.
You can buy a suitable frame on Avito.
IMPORTANT! A novice miner should take care of reliable wiring in the apartment, as it is under a huge load. Otherwise, it may simply melt.
Choosing a video card for a mining farm
In theory, any video card can be used for mining, but in practice it is not so simple. For good performance, you need to select modern equipment. Consider examples of video cards that can be used for mining in 2017:
- Radeon RX 470. Memory is 4-7 gigabytes. The approximate cost is 15,000 rubles. The approximate payback period is 105-125 days.
- Radeon RX 480. This is a more expensive model with similar memory. The frequency is 1320 Mhz, the hash rate is 26 Mh/s. The approximate cost is 22,000-25,000 rubles, the payback period is 105-140 days.
- Geforce GTX 1 060. The amount of memory is 3-6 GB, which negatively affects performance. The hash rate is only 20 Mh/s. The frequency is 1800 Mhz. The cost of the model starts from 15,000 rubles. The device pays for itself within 120 days.
- Geforce GTX 1 070. The memory is 8 gigabytes, the power is the highest of the listed models - 28 Mh / s. The approximate cost is 27,000-30,000 rubles. The model pays off within 150 days.
When choosing, you need to focus on the ratio of power and cost.
How much can you earn on a mining farm?
Earnings from a mining farm depend on the following factors:
- Graphics card chip manufacturer. Various video cards are tailored for the extraction of a particular cryptocurrency. For example, on Nvidia models it is convenient to mine Zcash, on AMD - Ethereum. Incorrect selection of a video card leads to a decrease in performance, which negatively affects the income of the miner.
- Number of video cards. The more graphics cards, the higher the power. The best option is to buy a lot of devices with average performance.
- Mined cryptocurrency. The most famous is Bitcoin, but not the only cryptocurrency. Different currencies are sold at different prices.
Earnings are determined, first of all, by the capacity of the farm.
When mining ether, for example, you can get a monthly income of 25,000-30,000 rubles.
However, the profit will be less, since considerable electricity costs must be deducted from the income.
Mining Farm Calculator
You can find mining farm calculators on the net. They display the miner's income per day, week, month. The calculation is based on the following parameters:
- Type of cryptocurrency.
- Hashrate.
- Power consumption in Wh.
- The cost of electricity.
- The complexity of the calculations (entered automatically).
The result obtained is converted into various currencies according to the current exchange rate: rubles, euros, dollars. Consider the list of the most popular calculators:
- Crypto Kurs. Allows you to analyze a wide variety of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Monero.
- 99Bitcoins. This calculator only calculates farms for the production of bitcoins. The parameters are set manually.
- Bits Media. Also analyzes only bitcoins. The calculation takes into account such indicators as the contribution to the farm, the cost of electricity, the exchange rate.
- ASICTRADE. The calculator supports the calculation of a number of cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Zcash or Monero.
Different calculators take into account a different number of parameters. The more these parameters, the more accurate the result will be.
Are mining farms relevant today?
Disputes about the profitability of cryptocurrency production do not subside even now.
It is impossible to unambiguously answer the question about the relevance of mining farms.
Focus on objective facts. The most popular cryptocurrency right now is bitcoin.
It is he who wants to be mined, with rare exceptions, by novice miners. However, as already mentioned, the number of bitcoins is limited, and the smaller they are, the more difficult it is to mine them.
Many miners who have literally plunged into the world of mining cryptocurrencies, including bitcoins, decide to make a mining farm with their own hands. Most of them see the assembly of a mining farm as something of an entertaining puzzle. But is it really so? Is it easy to set up the equipment and “force” it to mine cryptocurrency, including bitcoins? Another issue that deserves close attention is the profitability of such a process. However, it’s worth sorting everything out in order in order to build a high-quality mining farm or decide to abandon this idea.
Required accessories
So, if you decide to independently assemble a farm for mining, then it is very important to correctly select all the components of the system. In order for a do-it-yourself mining farm to be done correctly and to be able to successfully mine, you need to take care of acquiring the following structural elements:
- Motherboard. At its core, this is the "heart" of the farm. The number of modules, video cards and ASIC controllers possible for installation depends on its power. This, in turn, determines the likelihood of successful mining. That's why the motherboard must be 100% reliable.
- Farm building. Such a frame can be made with your own hands from improvised materials. It is better not to order it from various companies, since the standard options are not focused on the installation of several powerful modules, video cards and controllers. It is optimal to use steel or aluminum corners or wooden blocks to assemble the frame.
- RAM, which is responsible for the functioning of the operating system and its launch.
- CPU. When choosing it, it is very important to consider that it fits the motherboard and can smoothly ensure the functioning of the OS.
- Power unit. It is important to pay close attention to power here. It must be maximum. It is equally important to pay attention to the power margin within 20%. In addition, the power supply must match the parameters of the system in terms of power consumption.
- HDD. It should be of high volume and be very reliable.
- Devices that are focused on the process of mining cryptocurrency. These are ASIC controllers, several powerful video cards or FPGA modules. It is optimal to use versions from Radeon. As a rule, they are connected through the PCI-E ports of the motherboard. So this also needs to be foreseen in advance.
At least 4-6 video cards with maximum cooling are selected especially carefully. They will be connected to the power supply via PCI ports. If the user is familiar with the principle of assembling a conventional computer, then assembling a farm is also not difficult.
Then you need to choose a high-quality power supply with high power. You can use 2 conventional power supplies, which are synchronized with each other with a special cable (these are PCI ports on the blocks), or server equipment.
Special attention deserves the purchase of coolers for cooling the system and ventilation units. They also need to be purchased in advance. Otherwise, mining will be in jeopardy, because the computer, like the entire farm, will constantly overheat, hang and break one day completely. This is especially dangerous for video cards that are connected to the power supply via standard PCI ports.
Building a farm for mining
As a rule, assembling a farm for mining cryptocurrencies does not cause any particular difficulties. A simple step-by-step guide will help miners create a mining farm from scratch.
Now you can proceed directly to the process of assembling a block for mining with video cards and other equipment:
- To do this, you need to make a kind of frame. This design resembles a server rack. A farm for mining digital money will already be mounted on it.
- Further, the equipment is assembled and connected, like the most ordinary personal computer. That is, after creating (or installing) the frame, you need to fix the motherboard. It must be placed in the center of the lower shelf of the structure. In this case, it is recommended to make a slight elevation so that the motherboard does not come into contact with the surface. To do this, you can take small plastic pieces.
- The processor with a cooler is attached to the motherboard.
- The next step in self-assembly of a farm for mining is the installation of a power supply. It is recommended to fasten it to a metal corner with self-tapping screws or screws. Reliable fixation is the basis of security. Otherwise, there is a high risk of spark formation in the contact.
- Next, indicator elements and a power button are installed.
- Then you need to install the hard drive using the stand. It should be connected with special cables to the power supply and the motherboard.
- A video card is connected through the elements of additional power and risers. If you decide to use several of them, then you need to do the same with each of them.
- That's all! It remains to connect the farm to the power supply system and the Internet.
Note! Connecting video cards to blocks for mining is carried out through special risers. For video cards, it is optimal to use 6pin or Molex.
What remains to be done by the miner? You will need to install Windows. In this case, it is recommended to use version 10. Next, the selected program is configured. It can be an overclocking utility or a special miner software. That's all! It remains only to start the process of earning bitcoins or other cryptocurrencies.
Software
Software deserves special attention. When creating a mining farm on your own, it is very important to use high-quality and functional programs. However, it should be borne in mind that the specific list of software that a miner will need depends primarily on which video cards are used and what digital money he decided to mine. As an option - for the extraction and earnings of such a type of cryptocurrency as Ethereum, it is optimal to stop at the programs:
- ccminer-1-8-3-git-tpruvot;
- Ethminer;
- sgminer-gm-windows.
The beauty of this software lies in its simplicity. Installing the software is as easy as shelling pears, as well as adjusting the necessary program parameters. Each of these options is a great solution for mining Ethereum.
If the miner has not yet decided on a specific cryptocurrency and plans to mine various types of electronic coins, it is worth choosing other programs. For example, you can use Claymore’s Dual to mine Sia and Ethereum. The attractiveness of this program lies in its simple interface, intuitive installation and the ability to quickly set all the necessary parameters for mining digital coins.
Parts and service costs
The most difficult and sensitive issue is the costs that are needed to assemble the farm. Usually the most expensive are video cards, and the cheapest item of expenditure is the purchase of bars or corners to create a rack. If you do not hire a locksmith, but do everything yourself, then you can put in about 800 rubles.
However, all the fun begins at the time of purchasing components. So, the most inexpensive motherboard (for example, ASRock FM2A88M Extreme4+R2.0) will cost 3700 rubles. It is only worth remembering that professional mining on it is unlikely to succeed. Here you need a more powerful option, for example - AsRock H81 PRO BTC R2.0. It costs more than 6.5 thousand rubles. This solution allows you to install 6 video cards or more, which is exactly what you need.
The next important expense item is the purchase of a processor. It must match the power and parameters of the motherboard. At the same time, even the economy option from category A-4 costs about 2,800 rubles.
It is equally important to take care of spending on RAM. To mine cryptocurrency, including bitcoins, you need a device of 4 GB or more. It is expensive. You can buy 2 boards of 2 GB each, as this is considered a more budget option. Then it should be borne in mind that the cost of each board is about 1 thousand rubles.
Still need to think about upgrading the hard drive. It must be of high quality and powerful, since it is on it that the miner will store the wallet and all important programs. That is why its volume should not be less than 1 TB. With minimal investment, this is about 2500 rubles.
This does not take into account the payment of the Internet and electricity. Do not forget that periodically you will have to change certain spare parts of the farm, because with constant work, some parts quickly fail.
Profitability of major cryptocurrencies
The main issue that worries real miners and beginners in the field of cryptocurrency mining is the profitability of the main types of digital money. It is worth mentioning right away that the most expensive of them (bitcoins) are too late to mine today. That's what most experts think. The whole point is that the system has gained an excessively large number of participants. To find a hash and get a reward for it, you need surprisingly large capacities, expensive equipment, and not a farm based on a couple of video cards.
Bitcoin mining today requires an initial investment of more than just a few thousand. It will take hundreds of thousands. But the result can be disastrous. That is why today only very large companies located in countries with low electricity tariffs can afford to earn bitcoins.
It is optimal to start mining altcoins now, these are digital money alternatives to bitcoins. Among them are:
- Ripple
- Ethereum;
- dash;
- Litecoin.
Ethereum has the highest yield. The cost of 1 coin of the so-called ether is $339.
Profitability mining farm (mining farm)
Most miners who decide to start mining bitcoins or other cryptocurrencies on their own are afraid to miscalculate. And this is absolutely fair! To begin with, it is worth calculating the profitability of a mining farm. Here are a few key factors to consider:
- hash rate;
- cost of equipment;
- the current value of bitcoin or other cryptocurrency that is planned to be mined;
- power consumption and cost of 1 W.
Taking into account at least these criteria will allow you to find out the approximate time for which the initial investment will pay off. Unfortunately, as practice shows, with the increased complexity of hash calculation and the high cost of equipment, the creation of a mining farm today is an unprofitable project. Moreover, it is more likely to bring losses to its owner. If the investment to create a viable farm varies within a few thousand dollars, then you can get about a hundred.
Possible risks
The purchase of all components and self-assembly of a mining farm does not at all guarantee profitable earnings. There are certain risks here. So, before you start diving into mining, you should get acquainted with the opinions of analysts.
Morgan Stanley bank experts say that soon the growth of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies will stop. The thing is that so far in most countries digital money is considered illegal. Accordingly, they are not taxed. As soon as the authorities of the leading states deal with this issue, there will be a powerful collapse of the cryptocurrency exchange rate.
Other experts, such as CERIC Capital Management, assure that in the near future only the growth of bitcoins and other digital coins will be observed. However, this cannot happen indefinitely. That is why the main risk of arranging and creating a farm for mining is the instability of the btc exchange rate and its analogues.
Another risk, as shown above, is the lack of profitability. The thing is that assembling a farm and acquiring all the components for it is a very costly business in terms of finances. Recently, however, the level of complexity of the mining process itself has increased. That is why experts consider such investments unreasonable, which then will not be able to recoup even the cost of electricity.
Video: how to build a mining farm from scratch
If you still have not lost faith in the prospects of bitcoins and other digital money, dream of earning cryptocurrency at home and want to make a mining farm from scratch with your own hands, then you should watch a few thematic videos:
Does cryptocurrency have a future?
