Monetarium Linux Installation Guide

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for installing and running a Monetarium node and wallet on Linux (Ubuntu).

Introduction
System Requirements
Download Binaries
Installation
Running the Node
Running the Wallet
Using ctl
Router/NAT/Firewall Configuration
Running as Background Service
Connecting to Seed Nodes
Wallet Backup & Recovery
CPU Mining Configuration
Staking & Ticket Auto-Purchase
Verification & Troubleshooting

Introduction

Monetarium is a multi-coin blockchain system featuring VAR (Varta) and SKA (Skarb) coins. This guide covers:

Installing the Monetarium node (node) to participate in the network
Setting up the wallet (wallet) to manage your coins
Configuring your network for optimal connectivity

System Requirements

Requirement	Minimum
Linux Version	Ubuntu 20.04 LTS or later (Debian-based)
Disk Space	50 GB free (for blockchain data)
RAM	4 GB
Internet	Stable broadband connection
Architecture	x86_64 (amd64)

Download Binaries

Step 1: Download from GitHub

Visit the release pages:

Download the following files:

monetarium-node-linux-amd64
monetarium-wallet-linux-amd64
monetarium-ctl-linux-amd64

Step 2: Verify Downloads (Optional)

If SHA256 checksums are provided, verify your downloads:

Compare checksums on the releases page with downloaded files.

Installation

Step 1: Create Installation Directory

mkdir -p ~/monetarium
cd ~/monetarium

Step 2: Move Downloaded Binaries

Move the downloaded files to your installation directory:

mv ~/Downloads/monetarium-node-linux-* ~/monetarium/monetarium-node
mv ~/Downloads/monetarium-wallet-linux-* ~/monetarium/monetarium-wallet
mv ~/Downloads/monetarium-ctl-linux-* ~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl

Step 3: Make Binaries Executable

chmod +x ~/monetarium/monetarium-node
chmod +x ~/monetarium/monetarium-wallet
chmod +x ~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl

Step 4: Add to PATH (Optional)

To run commands from any directory, add to your shell profile:

echo 'export PATH="$HOME/monetarium:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
source ~/.bashrc

For Zsh users, use ~/.zshrc instead.

Running the Node (monetarium-node)

The node (monetarium-node) connects to the Monetarium network and maintains a copy of the blockchain.

First Run

~/monetarium/monetarium-node --addpeer=176.113.164.216:9508

On first run, monetarium-node will:

Create configuration directory at ~/.monetarium/
Generate RPC credentials in ~/.monetarium/monetarium.conf
Create TLS certificates for secure RPC communication
Begin syncing the blockchain

Configuration File

The main configuration file is located at ~/.monetarium/monetarium.conf. Key options:

; RPC credentials (auto-generated on first run)
rpcuser=your_rpc_user
rpcpass=your_rpc_password

; Add persistent peers
addpeer=176.113.164.216:9508

; External IP (if behind NAT, set your public IP)
; externalip=your.public.ip.address

Data Directories

Path	Contents
`~/.monetarium/monetarium.conf`	Configuration file
`~/.monetarium/data/mainnet/`	Blockchain database
`~/.monetarium/logs/mainnet/`	Log files
`~/.monetarium/rpc.cert`	TLS certificate

Running the Wallet (monetarium-wallet)

The wallet (monetarium-wallet) manages your VAR and SKA coins.

Prerequisites

The node (monetarium-node) must be running ```

Step 1: Create Wallet

~/monetarium/monetarium-wallet --create

You will be prompted to:

Enter a private passphrase (encrypts your wallet - REMEMBER THIS!)
Optionally enter a public passphrase (for watching-only access)
Choose whether to add encryption for public data
IMPORTANT: Write down your 33-word seed phrase and store it securely

WARNING: Your seed phrase is the ONLY way to recover your wallet. Store it offline in a secure location. Never share it with anyone.

Step 2: Start the Wallet

~/monetarium/monetarium-wallet

Configuration File

The wallet configuration is at ~/.monetarium-wallet/monetarium-wallet.conf:

; Connect to local node
rpcconnect=127.0.0.1:9509

; Use node's RPC credentials
username=your_rpc_user
password=your_rpc_password

Data Directories

Path	Contents
`~/.monetarium-wallet/monetarium-wallet.conf`	Configuration file
`~/.monetarium-wallet/mainnet/wallet.db`	Wallet database
`~/.monetarium-wallet/logs/mainnet/`	Log files

Using monetarium-ctl

monetarium-ctl is the command-line interface for interacting with the node and wallet.

Basic Setup

Create a configuration file at ~/.monetarium-ctl/monetarium-ctl.conf:

mkdir -p ~/.monetarium-ctl

rpcuser=your_rpc_user
rpcpass=your_rpc_password

Node Commands

# Check node sync status
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl getblockcount

# Get network info
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl getnetworkinfo

# List connected peers
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl getpeerinfo

# Get blockchain info
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl getblockchaininfo

Wallet Commands

Add --wallet flag to interact with the wallet:

# Get wallet balance
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet getbalance

# Generate new address
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet getnewaddress

# List transactions
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet listtransactions

# Send coins (unlocks wallet temporarily)
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet sendtoaddress "MsAddress..." 1.0

Router/NAT/Firewall Configuration

To participate fully in the network and allow incoming connections, configure your firewall and router.

Required Ports

Port	Protocol	Direction	Purpose
9508	TCP	Inbound + Outbound	P2P node communication
9509	TCP	Localhost only	Node RPC
9510	TCP	Localhost only	Wallet JSON-RPC
9511	TCP	Localhost only	Wallet gRPC

Note: Only port 9508 needs to be opened for external access. RPC ports should remain localhost-only for security.

UFW Firewall Configuration (Ubuntu)

Check Firewall Status

sudo ufw status

Allow Monetarium P2P Port

sudo ufw allow 9508/tcp comment 'Monetarium P2P'

Enable Firewall (if not already enabled)

sudo ufw enable

Verify Rules

sudo ufw status numbered

iptables Configuration (Alternative)

If using iptables directly:

# Allow incoming connections on port 9508
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 9508 -j ACCEPT

# Save rules (Ubuntu)
sudo netfilter-persistent save

Router Port Forwarding

Note: You may need to order a static IP from your ISP to allow incoming connections.

In most cases your global IP will point to your router, which will do the port forwarding to your node’s local IP.

Step 1: Find Your Local IP

ip addr show | grep "inet " | grep -v 127.0.0.1

Or:

hostname -I

Note the IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100)

Step 2: Access Router Admin Panel

Open browser and go to your router’s admin page (typically 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1)
Log in with admin credentials

Step 3: Configure Port Forwarding

Navigate to Port Forwarding (may be under Advanced Settings, NAT, or Virtual Server):

Setting	Value
Service Name	Monetarium
External Port	9508
Internal Port	9508
Protocol	TCP
Internal IP	Your machine’s IP (e.g., 192.168.1.100)

Step 4: Set Static IP (Recommended)

To prevent your IP from changing:

In router settings, find DHCP Reservation or Address Reservation
Add your machine’s MAC address with a fixed IP
Or configure a static IP using netplan (Ubuntu 18.04+):

Edit /etc/netplan/01-netcfg.yaml:

network:
  version: 2
  ethernets:
    eth0:
      addresses:
        - 192.168.1.100/24
      gateway4: 192.168.1.1
      nameservers:
        addresses:
          - 8.8.8.8
          - 8.8.4.4

Apply changes:

sudo netplan apply

Step 5: Verify Port is Open

After configuration, verify the port is accessible:

# From another network or use online port checker
nc -zv your.public.ip 9508

Or use an online port checker at https://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/

Running as Background Service

Use systemd to run Monetarium services automatically.

monetarium-node Service

Create the service file:

sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/monetarium-node.service << 'EOF'
[Unit]
Description=Monetarium Node
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=YOUR_USERNAME
ExecStart=/home/YOUR_USERNAME/monetarium/monetarium-node --addpeer=176.113.164.216:9508
Restart=always
RestartSec=10

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
EOF

Important: Replace YOUR_USERNAME with your actual Linux username:

sudo sed -i "s/YOUR_USERNAME/$USER/g" /etc/systemd/system/monetarium-node.service

monetarium-wallet Service

Create the wallet service (starts after node):

sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/monetarium-wallet.service << 'EOF'
[Unit]
Description=Monetarium Wallet
After=network-online.target monetarium-node.service
Wants=network-online.target
Requires=monetarium-node.service

[Service]
Type=simple
User=YOUR_USERNAME
ExecStart=/home/YOUR_USERNAME/monetarium/monetarium-wallet
Restart=always
RestartSec=10

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
EOF

sudo sed -i "s/YOUR_USERNAME/$USER/g" /etc/systemd/system/monetarium-wallet.service

Important: When running the wallet as a service, it starts in a locked state and cannot sign transactions or vote on tickets. To enable full functionality, you must either:

Add pass=YourWalletPassphrase to ~/.monetarium-wallet/monetarium-wallet.conf (see Staking & Ticket Auto-Purchase section), OR

Manually unlock the wallet after the service starts using: ~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet walletpassphrase "YourPassphrase" 0

Service Management

# Reload systemd configuration
sudo systemctl daemon-reload

# Enable services to start on boot
sudo systemctl enable monetarium-node
sudo systemctl enable monetarium-wallet

# Start node
sudo systemctl start monetarium-node

# Start wallet
sudo systemctl start monetarium-wallet

# Stop node
sudo systemctl stop monetarium-node

# Stop wallet
sudo systemctl stop monetarium-wallet

# Check status
sudo systemctl status monetarium-node
sudo systemctl status monetarium-wallet

# View logs
journalctl -u monetarium-node -f
journalctl -u monetarium-wallet -f

Disable Auto-Start

To prevent services from starting at boot:

sudo systemctl disable monetarium-node
sudo systemctl disable monetarium-wallet

Advanced Setup (Production)

For production deployments requiring enhanced security hardening (sandboxing, restricted capabilities, dedicated user), see the systemd service files in the source repository:

node/contrib/services/systemd/monetarium.service

These service files include strict privilege restrictions and are designed for dedicated Monetarium server deployments.

Connecting to Seed Nodes

Since Monetarium does not use DNS seeds, you must manually connect to known peers.

Official Seed Node

176.113.164.216:9508

Connection Methods

Method 1: Command Line Flag

~/monetarium/monetarium-node --addpeer=176.113.164.216:9508

Method 2: Configuration File

Add to ~/.monetarium/monetarium.conf:

addpeer=176.113.164.216:9508

Method 3: Connect-Only Mode

To connect ONLY to specific peers (no other connections):

~/monetarium/monetarium-node --connect=176.113.164.216:9508

Adding Multiple Peers

; In monetarium.conf
addpeer=176.113.164.216:9508
addpeer=another.peer.ip:9508

Wallet Backup & Recovery

Backup Your Wallet

1. Seed Phrase (Most Important)

Your 33-word seed phrase was displayed during wallet creation. This is your primary backup.

Write it down on paper
Store in a secure, fireproof location
Never store digitally or share with anyone
Consider using a metal backup for fire/water resistance

2. Wallet File Backup

For convenience, also backup the wallet database:

# Stop wallet first
sudo systemctl stop monetarium-wallet

# Copy wallet file
cp ~/.monetarium-wallet/mainnet/wallet.db ~/backup/wallet.db.backup

# Restart wallet
sudo systemctl start monetarium-wallet

Recover From Seed Phrase

If you need to restore your wallet on a new machine:

# Create new wallet with existing seed
~/monetarium/monetarium-wallet --create

When prompted:

Enter a new private passphrase
Choose “yes” when asked to restore from seed
Enter your 33-word seed phrase
Enter the original wallet creation date (or skip to scan all blocks)

Recover From Wallet File

# Stop wallet if running
sudo systemctl stop monetarium-wallet

# Restore wallet file
cp ~/backup/wallet.db.backup ~/.monetarium-wallet/mainnet/wallet.db

# Start wallet
sudo systemctl start monetarium-wallet

CPU Mining Configuration

Monetarium uses CPU mining with the Blake3 algorithm. Here’s how to configure your node for mining.

Check Available CPU Cores

nproc

Or for detailed info:

lscpu | grep "^CPU(s):"

This shows the total number of CPU threads available.

Enable Mining in Configuration

Add these options to ~/.monetarium/monetarium.conf:

; Enable CPU mining
generate=1

; Mining address for block rewards (must be a VAR address starting with 'Ms')
miningaddr=MsYourAddressHere...

Mining Address

Generate a mining address from your wallet:

~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet getnewaddress

Copy the address (starts with Ms) and use it as your miningaddr.

Note: Mining rewards are paid in VAR coins. SKA coins cannot be mined.

Recommended Thread Settings

CPU Threads	Recommended Mining Threads	Use Case
4	2	Light mining, daily use
8	4	Balanced mining
16+	8-12	Dedicated mining node

Start Mining

After configuration, restart the node:

# If running as service
sudo systemctl restart monetarium-node

# Or manually
~/monetarium/monetarium-node --addpeer=176.113.164.216:9508

Control Mining Threads

Use setgenerate RPC command to enable mining and set thread count:

# Enable mining with 4 threads
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl setgenerate true 4

# Enable mining with 1 thread (default)
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl setgenerate true

# Disable mining
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl setgenerate false

Monitor Mining

# Check if mining is active
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl getmininginfo

# Check hashrate
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl gethashespersec

Mining Tips

Start conservative: Begin with fewer threads and increase if system remains responsive
Monitor temperature: CPU mining generates heat; ensure adequate cooling (sensors command if lm-sensors installed)
Block rewards: New blocks pay 64 VAR, split 50% to miners, 50% to stakers
Block time: Average 5 minutes per block

Staking & Ticket Auto-Purchase

Staking allows you to earn rewards by participating in Monetarium’s proof-of-stake voting system. You purchase “tickets” that vote on blocks and earn staking rewards.

Prerequisites

Synced node running
Wallet with VAR balance (minimum ~2 VAR per ticket)
Wallet passphrase configured for auto-unlock

Enable Staking in Wallet Configuration

Add these options to ~/.monetarium-wallet/monetarium-wallet.conf:

; Enable automatic voting on tickets
enablevoting=1

; Enable automatic ticket purchasing
enableticketbuyer=1

; Maximum number of tickets to maintain
; Adjust based on your VAR balance
ticketbuyer.limit=20

; Minimum balance to maintain (don't spend below this)
; Keeps reserve for fees and emergencies
ticketbuyer.balancetomaintainabsolute=1

; Gap limit for address discovery
gaplimit=20
accountgaplimit=10

Wallet Passphrase for Auto-Unlock

For automated staking, the wallet needs to unlock automatically. Add to ~/.monetarium-wallet/monetarium-wallet.conf:

; WARNING: Reduces security - only use on dedicated staking machines
; Private passphrase for automatic wallet unlock
pass=YourWalletPassphrase

Security Warning: Storing the passphrase in config reduces security. Only use this on dedicated staking machines or wallets with limited balances.

Staking Workflow

Step 1: Generate Staking Address

On your staking wallet:

~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet getnewaddress

Save this address (e.g., MsStakingAddress...)

Step 2: Send VAR from Mining Node

If mining on a separate machine, send VAR to your staking wallet:

# On mining node's wallet
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet sendtoaddress "MsStakingAddress..." 100

Step 3: Start Staking Wallet

~/monetarium/monetarium-wallet

The wallet will automatically:

Monitor your balance
Purchase tickets when funds are available
Vote on blocks when tickets are selected
Receive staking rewards

Monitor Staking

# Check ticket status
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet getstakeinfo

# List your tickets
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet gettickets true

# Check voting status
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet walletinfo

Staking Parameters

Parameter	Mainnet Value
Minimum ticket price	~2 VAR
Ticket pool size	8,192 tickets
Tickets per block	5
Ticket maturity	256 blocks
Ticket expiry	40,960 blocks (~142 days)
Vote reward	50% of block reward

Practical Tips

Start small: Buy a few tickets first to understand the process
Monitor regularly: Check getstakeinfo to ensure voting is working
Keep balance: Always maintain some VAR for fees
Ticket timing: Tickets take 256 blocks to mature before they can vote
Patience: Tickets may take time to be selected for voting (random selection)

Separate Mining and Staking

For security, consider running separate wallets:

Role	Wallet	Purpose
Mining	Hot wallet on mining node or Offline wallet (if not staking)	Receives block rewards
Staking	Dedicated staking wallet	Purchases tickets, votes
Cold storage	Offline wallet	Long-term savings

Transfer VAR periodically from mining to staking wallet to fund ticket purchases.

Verification & Troubleshooting

Verify Node is Running

# Check if process is running
pgrep -l monetarium-node

# Check sync status
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl getblockcount

# Compare with network (ask peers)
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl getblockchaininfo

Verify Peer Connections

# List connected peers
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl getpeerinfo

# Check connection count
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl getconnectioncount

Verify Wallet Connection

# Check wallet is connected to node
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet getinfo

# Check balance
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet getbalance

Common Issues

“Connection refused” when using monetarium-ctl

Cause: monetarium-node is not running or RPC is misconfigured.

Solution:

# Check if node is running
pgrep monetarium-node

# Verify RPC credentials match in:
# ~/.monetarium/monetarium.conf
# ~/.monetarium-ctl/monetarium-ctl.conf

Wallet won’t start - “unable to open database”

Cause: Wallet database is corrupted or wallet is already running.

Solution:

# Check if already running
pgrep monetarium-wallet

# Kill existing process
pkill monetarium-wallet

# Try again
~/monetarium/monetarium-wallet

No peers connecting

Cause: Firewall blocking connections or no seed nodes configured.

Solution:

# Ensure seed node is configured
~/monetarium/monetarium-node --addpeer=176.113.164.216:9508

# Check firewall
sudo ufw status

Sync is very slow

Cause: Limited peer connections or network issues.

Solution:

Ensure port 9508 is forwarded in your router
Add more peers if available
Check internet connection stability

Log File Locations

Service	Log Path
monetarium-node	`~/.monetarium/logs/mainnet/monetarium.log`
monetarium-wallet	`~/.monetarium-wallet/logs/mainnet/monetarium-wallet.log`
systemd (node)	`journalctl -u monetarium-node`
systemd (wallet)	`journalctl -u monetarium-wallet`

View Logs

# View node log (last 100 lines)
tail -100 ~/.monetarium/logs/mainnet/monetarium.log

# Follow node log in real-time
tail -f ~/.monetarium/logs/mainnet/monetarium.log

# View wallet log
tail -f ~/.monetarium-wallet/logs/mainnet/monetarium-wallet.log

# View systemd logs in real-time
journalctl -u monetarium-node -f
journalctl -u monetarium-wallet -f

Quick Reference

Essential Commands

# Start node
~/monetarium/monetarium-node --addpeer=176.113.164.216:9508

# Start wallet
~/monetarium/monetarium-wallet

# Check balance
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet getbalance

# Get new address
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet getnewaddress

# Check sync status
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl getblockcount

# List peers
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl getpeerinfo

Mining Commands

# Check mining status
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl getmininginfo

# Check hashrate
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl gethashespersec

# Check available CPU threads
nproc

Staking Commands

# Check stake info
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet getstakeinfo

# List tickets
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet gettickets true

# Check wallet info
~/monetarium/monetarium-ctl --wallet walletinfo

Service Commands

# Start services
sudo systemctl start monetarium-node
sudo systemctl start monetarium-wallet

# Stop services
sudo systemctl stop monetarium-node
sudo systemctl stop monetarium-wallet

# Restart services
sudo systemctl restart monetarium-node
sudo systemctl restart monetarium-wallet

# Check status
sudo systemctl status monetarium-node
sudo systemctl status monetarium-wallet

# Enable auto-start on boot
sudo systemctl enable monetarium-node
sudo systemctl enable monetarium-wallet

# View logs
journalctl -u monetarium-node -f
journalctl -u monetarium-wallet -f

Default Ports

Port	Service
9508	P2P Network
9509	Node RPC
9510	Wallet JSON-RPC
9511	Wallet gRPC

Important Paths

Path	Description
`~/monetarium/`	Binary installation
`~/.monetarium/`	Node data & config
`~/.monetarium-wallet/`	Wallet data & config
`~/.monetarium-ctl/`	CLI config

Support

For additional help:

GitHub Issues: https://github.com/monetarium/issues
Community Discord: [Link TBD]

Monetarium Linux Installation Guide

Table of Contents

Introduction

System Requirements

Download Binaries

Step 1: Download from GitHub

Step 2: Verify Downloads (Optional)

Installation

Step 1: Create Installation Directory

Step 2: Move Downloaded Binaries

Step 3: Make Binaries Executable

Step 4: Add to PATH (Optional)

Running the Node (monetarium-node)

First Run

Configuration File

Data Directories

Running the Wallet (monetarium-wallet)

Prerequisites

Step 1: Create Wallet

Step 2: Start the Wallet

Configuration File

Data Directories

Using monetarium-ctl

Basic Setup

Node Commands

Wallet Commands

Router/NAT/Firewall Configuration

Required Ports

UFW Firewall Configuration (Ubuntu)

Check Firewall Status

Allow Monetarium P2P Port

Enable Firewall (if not already enabled)

Verify Rules

iptables Configuration (Alternative)

Router Port Forwarding

Step 1: Find Your Local IP

Step 2: Access Router Admin Panel

Step 3: Configure Port Forwarding

Step 4: Set Static IP (Recommended)

Step 5: Verify Port is Open

Running as Background Service

monetarium-node Service

monetarium-wallet Service

Service Management

Disable Auto-Start

Advanced Setup (Production)

Connecting to Seed Nodes

Official Seed Node

Connection Methods

Method 1: Command Line Flag

Method 2: Configuration File

Method 3: Connect-Only Mode

Adding Multiple Peers

Wallet Backup & Recovery

Backup Your Wallet

1. Seed Phrase (Most Important)

2. Wallet File Backup

Recover From Seed Phrase

Recover From Wallet File

CPU Mining Configuration

Check Available CPU Cores

Enable Mining in Configuration

Mining Address

Recommended Thread Settings

Start Mining

Control Mining Threads

Monitor Mining

Mining Tips

Staking & Ticket Auto-Purchase

Prerequisites

Enable Staking in Wallet Configuration

Wallet Passphrase for Auto-Unlock

Staking Workflow

Step 1: Generate Staking Address

Step 2: Send VAR from Mining Node

Step 3: Start Staking Wallet

Monitor Staking

Staking Parameters

Practical Tips

Separate Mining and Staking