Signum Node Installation

This software downloads and validates a complete copy of the Signum blockchain.  Its back-end database is H2.  Advanced users and developers can elect to use other databases such as MariaDB.  To install using MariaDB, use the alternative installation instructions under the MariaDB tab.

• Principal Developer:  Signum Network
• GitHub link:  https://github.com/signum-network/signum-node/releases

System Requirements:

• OSX 10.10 or higher
• 64-bit version of Java (Java 8 recommended):  (https://www.java.com/en/download/help/mac_install.html)
• A 64-bit browser (e.g., Safari)  (32-bit browsers do not support Java 8 on the Mac platform)
• Sufficient disk space for the complete blockchain (~8Gb or so)
• Ability to leave a computer running for several hours while the blockchain synchronizes.

Installation Instructions:

• Download the latest version of the software.
• Extract the contents to a location of your choice.
• Open the “conf” folder.
• Create a copy of the “brs-default.properties” file
• Rename it as “brs.properties.”

• To run with the GUI (logs, percentage of blockchain synchronization, etc.), run the following:  java -jar burst.jar
• Optional:  To run without the GUI, run as  java -jar burst.jar --headless.

To verify that Signum Node is running successfully, enter the following in your browser’s URL field:  (Your wallet should appear.)

• https://localhost:8125/index.htm

After your installation is complete, click here for instructions for reserving a Signum account.

• Principal Developer:  Signum Network
• GitHub link:  https://github.com/signum-network/signum-node/releases

System requirements

• 64-bit version of Java (Java 8 recommended):  (https://java.com/en/download/help/linux_x64_install.html):
• Sufficient disk space for the full blockchain (~8Gb or so)
• Ability to leave a computer running for several hours while the blockchain synchronizes.
• A web browser that is compatible with 64-bit java.  ( Google Chrome, Edge, and the ESR version of Firefox.  )  The regular version of Firefox is not supported.

Installation Instructions

• Make sure your Java installation is up to date:   apt update && apt upgrade
• Install the latest version of Java:   apt install default-jre-headless -y
• Download the latest version of the software.
• Extract the contents to a location of your choice.
• Open the “conf” folder.
• Create a copy of the “brs-default.properties” file
• Rename it as “brs.properties.”

• To run with the GUI (logs, percentage of blockchain synchronization, etc.), run the following:
  java -jar burst.jar  (In the folder where you extracted the zip file contents)
• Optional:  To run without the GUI, run as  java -jar burst.jar --headless.

Installation Instructions with MariaDB as an alternative to the included H2 Database (Advanced users)

• Stop Signum Node from running before proceeding.
• Install MariaDB as follows: apt install mariadb-server

• You will be prompted to enter a password for the root user.  Remember this as you will need it again later.

• Create a database(brs_master) and a user (brs_user).
• Assign a password to the user by running the following command:  (This will prompt you for the password you entered for the root user when installing MariaDB)

echo "CREATE DATABASE brs_master; CREATE USER 'brs_user'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'yourpassword'; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON brs_master.* TO 'brs_user'@'localhost';" | mysql -uroot -p mysql -uroot -p < init-mysql.sql

• To configure Signum Node to use MariaDB, navigate to the “conf” subdirectory within your Signum Node directory as follows: cd BRSWallet/conf
• Create a brs.properties file inside the conf folder as follows:  nano brs.properties
• Add the following lines:  DB.Url=jdbc:mariadb://localhost:3306/brs_master DB.Username=brs_user DB.Password=yourpassword
• Run Signum Node again as follows:  java -jar burst.jar
• You will see output similar to the following:

Nov 29, 2018 4:28:33 PM brs.Signum loadProperties
INFO: Initializing Signum Node version 3.1.1
Nov 29, 2018 4:28:33 PM org.ehcache.core.EhcacheManager createCache
INFO: Cache 'account' created in EhcacheManager
[INFO] 2018-11-29 16:28:33 brs.db.sql.Db - Using mariadb Backend

• Configure to run as a service/daemon to avoid closing the software when closing the terminal or pressing Ctrl-c.  It is beneficial to run Signum Node on a Linux system using SSH.
• If systemd isn’t installed on your system, run the following command:  sudo apt install systemd
• Create a new service file for Signum Node as follows: sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/brs.service
• Add the following configuration (replace description, Exec, WorkingDirectory, and User according to your setup):

[Unit]

Description=BRS Wallet

After=network.target

Wants=network.target

[Service]

ExecStart=/usr/bin/java -jar /home/burst/burst.jar

WorkingDirectory=/home/burst/

User=brs-mariadb

Restart=always

RestartSec=90

[Install]

WantedBy=multi-user.target

• Enable the service as follows: sudo systemctl enable brs.service
• Start the service as follows: systemctl start brs.service
• Get service status as follows: systemctl status brs.service

After your installation is complete, click here for instructions for reserving a Signum account.

Update: You can now install Signum Node using Docker using the instructions and images located here:  https://github.com/signum-network/signum-node/blob/main/DOCKER.md#h2-image-via-docker-compose

As of 2/13/2022, the following information is out of date.  See above.  

This software downloads and validates a complete copy of the Signum blockchain.  It is the required software for operating a synchronized node.  Its back-end database is H2. Advanced users and developers can elect to use other databases such as MariaDB.

• Principal Developer:  Signum Network
• GitHub link:  https://github.com/signum-network/signum-node/releases

System requirements:

• Docker Installed
• Sufficient disk space for the full blockchain (~8Gb or so)
• The ability to leave your computer running for several hours to allow the full blockchain to synchronize.
• Docker CE
• Docker Compose
• Docker image for the latest version of Signum Node:

Docker is a great way to install Signum Node and keep it up-to-date with each new release.  However, it requires knowledge of how to use docker. These containers are built with a script that will automatically download the latest version of Phoenix and install it during startup. Each time you launch the container, it should have the latest Phoenix interface.

installation instructions:  (Using the included H2 database)

• Run the following command:

docker run -p 8123:8123 -p 8125:8125 -v“$(pwd)”/burst_db:/etc/signum/burst_db -d pocconsortium/signum:2.2-h2

“$(pwd)”/burst_db is the path to the folder which is mounted to the H2 storage. If it does not exist, a new burst_db folder is created in the current directory.

installation instructions:  (Using the MariaDB, Optional)

• Use the following docker-compose.yml file to run Signum Node with MariaDB database in containers.  Note:  Indentation levels are 2, 4, and 5 characters.

version: '3'

services:

   burst:

   image: pocconsortium/burst:2.2-mariadb

     restart: always

    depends_on:

      - mariadb

     ports:

      - 8123:8123

      - 8125:8125

   mariadb:

     image: mariadb:10

     environment:

      - MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=burst

      - MYSQL_DATABASE=burst

     command: mysqld --character_set_server=utf8mb4

     volumes:

      - ./burst_db:/var/lib/mysql

• To save and run the file, enter the following:

docker-compose up -d

With the -d flag, both containers start as background processes.  A burst_db folder will be created in the directory of the docker-compose.yml file if it was not created before. This folder is mounted to the MariaDB storage and holds the Signum database containing the blockchain. The containers can be stopped and removed at any time via docker-compose down. With the next start, the burst_db folder will be mounted again, and your previous blockchain status will be loaded.

Custom configuration

• To use a custom configuration, mount a folder containing the brs-default.properties and the brs.properties to the /conf mount point.

After your installation is complete, click here for instructions for reserving a Signum account.

Note:  These instructions are primarily for an alternative Windows based installation of Signum Node (advanced users only), and have not yet been adapted for other operating systems.

Installation using MariaDB (try this if you experience issues with H2, are an advanced computer user, have a Linux machine with MariaDB already installed. etc.)

• MariaDB knowledge base: https://mariadb.com/kb/en/documentation/
• HeidiSQL documentation: https://www.heidisql.com/help.php

• Download and install MariaDB: https://downloads.mariadb.org/
• The MariaDB installation will ask to set up a password for the root user.  Open the brs.properties file and locate the following section:
• DB.Url=jdbc:mariadb://localhost:3306/burstdatabase DB.Username=root DB.Password=YOUR_PASSWORD
• Replace “YOUR_PASSWORD” with the password for the root user.

The MariaDB installation will install HeidiSQL, a graphical user interface (GUI) tool used for MariaDB administration.

• Use it to connect to the newly created MariaDB server and create a new DB called ‘burstwallet.’

Alternatively, use the following commands to create the database using the console to connect directly to MySQL:  If you have already created the database using HeidiSQL, skip to the final step in this section.

• mysql -u root -p
• CREATE DATABASE burstwallet;

Create a user for the wallet to access the database.  Replace with a password of your choice.

• CREATE USER 'burstwallet'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY '';       

Grant this user all privileges for the database burstwallet as follows:

• GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON burstwallet.* TO 'burstwallet'@'localhost';

Run burst.cmd in the Signum folder.

Return to the Windows Installation Guide and continue with the section titled “Start your Wallet” to finish any steps that may be applicable.

Synchronized Public Nodes

Allowing your software to run continuously as a synchronized public node is one of the most important ways that you can support the continued decentralization of the Signum network.  Additionally, you can earn SNR awards when your node operates at a qualifying standard.  Operating a synchronized node as a public node is completely optional.  Normal wallet functions are not affected by this decision.

Signum Node operates as a synchronized public node by default whenever it is running by using UPnP (universal plug and play). However, this functionality may be blocked by your internet router.

To test your connectivity:

• Visit https://ismyportopen.com with Signum Node running.
• Enter “8123” into the port field and click “check.”

If your port is open, no further action is necessary.  To earn SNR awards for operating a synchronized public node, see SNR Rewards.

If your port is closed:

• Reserve a static IP address for your computer.  This prevents the IP address from changing and negating port forwarding rules when the computer is restarted.
• Access your router settings to allow internet traffic on port 8123.

To reserve a static IP address for your computer, use the following procedure (recommended) or skip to the next section for an alternative using DCHP reservation.

• Open a “Command Prompt” by typing CMD into the Windows search field and clicking on “Command Prompt.”
• Type “ipconfig” and hit enter.
• Locate and record your “IPv4 Address, “Subnet Mask,” and “Default Gateway.”

• Open “Control Panel, “Network and Internet,”  “Network and Sharing Center,” “Change Adapter Settings.”
• Right-click your internet connection method (wi-fi or ethernet) and select “Properties.”
• Remove the checkmark located next to “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)” if present.
• Add a checkmark next to “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” if one is not there already.
• With “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” selected, click on “Properties.”
• Select “Use the following IP address.”
• In “IP address,” type your computer’s IPv4 address.
• In “Subnet Mask,” type your computer’s “Subnet Mask.”
• In “Default Gateway,” type your computer’s “Default Gateway.”
• Select “Use the following DNS server addresses.”
• In “Preferred DNS server,” type “8.8.8.8.”
• In “Alternate DNS server,” type “8.8.4.4.”
• Check “Validate settings upon exit.”
• Click “OK.”
• If you receive a warning about “Multiple default gateways,” select “Yes.”
• Click “Close.”

DHCP Reservation.  This is an alternative method for reserving a static address IP address.  If you followed the steps above to reserve a static IP address, skip this section.

• These steps would only be followed if supported by your router.
• Navigate to “Connected Devices” (terminology for your router may be different).
• Click on the device that you are using to run your node.
• Select “Edit.”
• Change configuration to “Reserved IP.”
• Verify that the IP is the same one you set in port forwarding.
• Select “Save.”

Configure port 8123 to allow port forwarding:  This is only necessary if any of the following are true:

• Your external IP address does not show port 8123 when your software is running.
• Your external IP address does not appear in the network explorer within 3 hours.
• Neither “UPnP Mapping successful” or “Port was already mapped. Aborting test” can be found in the Signum GUI.

• Open your internet router’s settings by entering your default gateway into your browser’s URL field and hitting enter.
• Enter your username and password to access your internet router’s settings.  Most ISPs have a default username and password combination.

If you do not know the login information, check for it on the side of your modem, locate it using an internet search, or contact your ISP.  If the login information for your router has been changed from the default and you cannot locate the information, you will need to contact your ISP or do a router factory reset.  Please note:  This recommendation does not contemplate the extent of your computer network setup.  Resetting your router may require you to redo your network setup.  For most users and those who do not have an extensive computer network, this should not be a problem.

Please note:  Although port forwarding is a common configuration, different modems may use different steps and terminology.  It is not possible to provide the exact steps for each modem.  It may be necessary to reconcile the precise terminology and steps to effect the transition from a closed port 8123 to an open port 8123.  If the following guidelines do not seem to make sense for your particular router, contact your internet service provider (ISP) for support.  Additional information can be found at:

https://www.hellotech.com/guide/for/how-to-port-forward

Find the “Port Forwarding” option (possibly under a “firewall” or “Advanced” tab).  “Port Forwarding” and “Port Triggering” are NOT the same.  Most modems only need the following three items to be configured, either as individual settings or combined in a “service” that is activated separately.

• IP address:  Enter your IPv4 IP address manually, or select it from a drop-down menu if one is available.
• Set all of the following to “8123”:  Internal WAN Start port, External WAN End port, Internal LAN Start port, External LAN End port:  There will be either 2 or 4 such entries to make.
• For the Protocol or Service Type, use “TCP and UDP.”

Additional items that you may encounter depending on your router include:

• Enable?:  Indicate “yes” by checking a box or making a selection.
• Common Service:  Use “Other.”
• Service or Rule Name:  Use “Signum.”
• IPv6 Address field:  Ignore this item.

To finish, close network settings.  Verify that your synchronized public node is operational by locating your external IP address in this network explorer.  As a new node, it will initially appear near the end of the list and then move up the list as time passes.  If your external IP address appears in the explorer, everything is set up correctly.

Notes:

There is no way to hide or mask your node IP without using a VPN service. Here are a few specific examples of when you might need to edit the P2P.myaddress config line.

If you have your own domain name and it points to the IP of your node (example mydomain.com points to internet IP 1.2.3.4) and you do not want your node to be advertised as 1.2.3.4:8123, you could uncomment P2P.myaddress and set it to “P2P.myaddress = mydomain.com”. This will tell the other nodes to reach you via mydomain.com rather than 1.2.3.4 directly.

An Advanced example: You manually use two different ports in your router, the internet router IP is port forwarded to a local node