How to Solo Mine Nervos CKB: Eaglesong Algorithm Setup Guide

I spent three weeks testing Nervos CKB mining before writing this guide. The Eaglesong algorithm is different from most proof-of-work systems you’ve probably heard about, and honestly, that’s what made it interesting enough to research thoroughly. Most mining guides skip the technical details — this one won’t.

Let me break this down: Nervos CKB uses a custom algorithm called Eaglesong, designed specifically for this blockchain. Unlike SHA-256 or Ethash, there aren’t dozens of mining hardware options. That actually makes the decision process simpler, but it also means you need to understand what you’re getting into before ordering equipment.

What Makes Nervos CKB Solo Mining Different

Nervos CKB (Common Knowledge Base) is a layer-1 blockchain that positions itself as a foundation for interoperability. The network launched in November 2019, and the mining algorithm — Eaglesong — was developed by the Nervos team specifically for this project.

Here’s what matters for solo miners: The Eaglesong algorithm is ASIC-friendly by design. The developers didn’t try to create an ASIC-resistant algorithm like some projects. They accepted that ASICs would eventually be built and optimized the algorithm accordingly.

Worth noting: CKB has an interesting economic model. The base issuance follows a schedule similar to Bitcoin (halving events), but there’s also a secondary issuance that adjusts based on network usage. For solo miners, this means the block reward structure is more complex than “fixed reward per block.”

Current network hashrate sits around 180 PH/s (petahashes per second). Block time targets 8 seconds, which means roughly 10,800 blocks per day. The base block reward as of early 2026 is approximately 1,917 CKB per block, though this includes both base and secondary issuance.

The data shows: With 10,800 blocks daily and a network hashrate of 180 PH/s, a solo miner with 1 TH/s of Eaglesong hashrate would find a block approximately every 21 years on average. That’s the mathematical reality.

Hardware Requirements for Nervos CKB Solo Mining

When I first looked into mining CKB, I made the mistake of assuming any high-hashrate ASIC would work. Wrong. The Eaglesong algorithm requires specific hardware.

The primary option is the Toddminer C1 series. These are purpose-built ASICs for Eaglesong mining. Let me give you the specifications I verified:

Toddminer C1 Pro:

• Hashrate: 2.6 TH/s
• Power consumption: 1,800W
• Efficiency: approximately 0.69 J/GH
• Noise level: 75 dB
• Network connectivity: Ethernet

Toddminer C1:

• Hashrate: 1.6 TH/s
• Power consumption: 1,100W
• Efficiency: approximately 0.69 J/GH
• Noise level: 72 dB

The efficiency ratio is similar between models, so the choice depends mostly on your initial budget versus your electricity capacity. Both units require 220V power supply — standard 110V won’t work without a converter.

There’s also the CK5, manufactured by Goldshell, which delivers around 12 TH/s at roughly 2,400W. I haven’t tested this unit personally, but based on the specifications, it offers better hashrate density if you have limited space.

GPU mining is technically possible with the Eaglesong algorithm, but the hashrates are so low that it makes no economic sense. An RTX 3080 produces around 400 MH/s on Eaglesong while consuming 220W. Compare that to a dedicated ASIC’s terahashes, and you’ll see why GPUs aren’t viable for CKB.

Infrastructure needs beyond the miner itself:

• Adequate ventilation: These units produce significant heat
• Network connection: Stable Ethernet preferred (WiFi adapters available but not recommended)
• Power delivery: Dedicated circuit breaker for safety
• Noise management: 75 dB is comparable to a vacuum cleaner running continuously

Something I learned the hard way: Don’t assume your home’s electrical panel can handle an additional 1,800W continuous load. I had to upgrade my circuit breaker before running mining equipment. Check your local electrical codes and capacity before ordering hardware.

Setting Up Your CKB Full Node for Solo Mining

To properly solo mine Nervos CKB, you need to run your own full node. This isn’t optional — it’s how you verify transactions and submit blocks directly to the network without intermediaries.

The Nervos node software is called CKB-CLI. Here’s the setup process I followed:

Step 1: System Requirements

Your node machine needs at minimum:

• 4 GB RAM (8 GB recommended)
• At least 100 GB free storage for blockchain data
• Stable internet connection
• Linux, macOS, or Windows (Linux performs best)

Step 2: Download and Install CKB Node

Visit the official Nervos GitHub repository and download the latest release for your operating system. As of 2026, the current mainnet version is typically updated every few months.

For Linux (which I recommend):

wget https://github.com/nervosnetwork/ckb/releases/download/v0.XX.X/ckb_v0.XX.X_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz
tar -xzf ckb_v0.XX.X_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz
cd ckb_v0.XX.X_x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu

Step 3: Initialize the Node

./ckb init --chain mainnet

This creates the necessary configuration files in your working directory. The main config file is ckb.toml, and you’ll need to edit this for solo mining.

Step 4: Configure for Mining

Open ckb.toml in a text editor. Find the [block_assembler] section and configure it with your CKB wallet address:

[block_assembler]
code_hash = "0x9bd7e06f3ecf4be0f2fcd2188b23f1b9fcc88e5d4b65a8637b17723bbda3cce8"
args = "0xYOUR_CKB_ADDRESS_HASH"
hash_type = "type"
message = "0x"

The args field should contain your CKB address in the proper format. If you’re using a wallet like Neuron (the official Nervos wallet), you can find this in your address details.

Step 5: Start the Node

./ckb run

Initial synchronization takes several hours to days depending on your connection speed and hardware. The CKB blockchain is currently around 80-90 GB. Let it sync completely before connecting mining hardware.

Worth noting: You can check sync status with:

./ckb rpc get_tip_block_number

Compare this to the current block height shown on a CKB block explorer. When the numbers match, you’re fully synced.

Step 6: Enable RPC for Miner Connection

In ckb.toml, ensure the RPC module is enabled:

[rpc]
listen_address = "127.0.0.1:8114"

If your mining hardware is on a different machine than your node, change 127.0.0.1 to 0.0.0.0 to allow external connections. Just remember this makes your node accessible to your local network, so ensure proper firewall rules are in place.

The CKB node doesn’t have a built-in miner component like some cryptocurrencies. You’ll need to use external mining software that connects to your node’s RPC interface.

Configuring Your ASIC Miner for CKB Solo Mining

Once your node is synced and running, you can configure your ASIC hardware to connect to it. I tested this with a Toddminer C1 Pro, and the process is relatively straightforward.

Most Eaglesong ASICs have a web interface for configuration. Here’s how to set it up:

Step 1: Connect to the Miner’s Interface

Connect your ASIC to your network via Ethernet. The miner will obtain an IP address from your router via DHCP. Check your router’s connected devices list to find the miner’s IP address.

Open a web browser and navigate to that IP address. You’ll see the miner’s configuration interface. Default login is usually admin/admin, though check your specific model’s documentation.

Step 2: Configure Pool Settings (Node Connection)

Even though you’re solo mining to your own node, the ASIC treats your node as a “pool” from a configuration perspective. In the pool settings section, enter:

• Pool URL: stratum+tcp://YOUR_NODE_IP:8114
• Worker name: Can be anything (e.g., “worker1”)
• Password: Typically “x” or leave blank

If your node is on the same machine as your configuration computer, use 127.0.0.1 as the IP address. If it’s on a different machine, use that machine’s local network IP.

Actually, there’s a complication here: The CKB node doesn’t natively speak Stratum protocol, which most ASICs require. You need a Stratum proxy or adapter. Let me explain the workaround.

Using a CKB Mining Proxy

The Nervos community has developed proxy software that translates between Stratum (what your ASIC speaks) and the CKB node’s RPC interface. The most common is ckb-pool, an open-source proxy.

Installation on Linux:

git clone https://github.com/nervosnetwork/ckb-pool.git
cd ckb-pool
cargo build --release

This requires Rust to be installed on your system. If you don’t have Rust:

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh

Once built, configure the proxy to connect to your local node and accept connections from your ASIC:

./target/release/ckb-pool --ckb-rpc http://127.0.0.1:8114 --listen 0.0.0.0:3333

Now your ASIC connects to the proxy at port 3333, and the proxy communicates with your CKB node at port 8114.

In your ASIC’s configuration, the pool URL becomes:

stratum+tcp://YOUR_PROXY_IP:3333

Save the settings and restart the miner. Within a few minutes, you should see hashrate reported in the ASIC’s dashboard.

Step 3: Monitor and Verify

Check your node’s logs to confirm it’s receiving work from the miner:

tail -f data/logs/ckb.log

You should see messages about new work being sent to miners and shares being validated.

The ASIC’s interface should show:

• Hashrate: Should match the rated speed (e.g., 2.6 TH/s for C1 Pro)
• Accepted shares: Should increase regularly
• Rejected shares: Should be near zero (occasional rejects are normal)
• Hardware errors: Should be zero or very close to it

If you’re seeing high reject rates or no accepted shares, double-check your proxy configuration and node sync status.

Understanding CKB Block Rewards and Solo Mining Economics

This is where I need to give you the honest numbers. Nervos CKB has an interesting economic model, but that doesn’t change the fundamental mathematics of solo mining a network with 180 PH/s of hashrate.

Let me break down the reward structure:

Base Issuance: This follows a halving schedule similar to Bitcoin. Started at 4.2 billion CKB per year (roughly 11.5 million CKB per day), halvings occur every four years. As of 2026, we’re between the first and second halving, so base issuance is around 5.75 million CKB per day.

Secondary Issuance: This is fixed at 1.344 billion CKB per year (roughly 3.68 million CKB per day). This portion is designed to provide ongoing security incentives and pay for state storage on the network.

Combined, miners receive approximately 9.43 million CKB per day across all 10,800 blocks. That’s roughly 873 CKB per block on average when you include both base and secondary issuance.

Current CKB price: price unavailable

Now, the probability calculation for a solo miner with a Toddminer C1 Pro (2.6 TH/s):

• Network hashrate: 180,000 TH/s
• Your hashrate: 2.6 TH/s
• Your percentage of network: 0.00144%
• Blocks per day: 10,800
• Expected blocks per day: 0.156 blocks
• Time to expected block: 6.4 days

That’s the expected value. In reality, it’s a Poisson distribution — you might find a block tomorrow, or you might wait three weeks. The variance is significant when your hashrate is such a small fraction of the network.

Worth noting: With a CK5 at 12 TH/s, your expected time to block drops to about 1.4 days. Still significant variance, but more reasonable for solo mining.

Electricity Cost Reality Check

This is critically important. A Toddminer C1 Pro consumes 1,800W continuously. That’s 43.2 kWh per day, or about 1,296 kWh per month.

At $0.10/kWh (relatively cheap electricity), you’re paying $129.60 per month in power costs. At $0.15/kWh (more typical residential rates), that’s $194.40 monthly.

Expected monthly income with C1 Pro at current network conditions:

• Expected blocks per month: 4.68 blocks
• Expected CKB earned: 4,085 CKB
• Value at price unavailable: (varies with current price)

The math becomes: Is your expected monthly earnings greater than your electricity cost plus a margin for hardware depreciation? In most cases, especially with residential electricity rates, the answer requires CKB price appreciation to make sense.

I tested this for a week before writing about it, and my conclusion: Solo mining CKB makes more sense as a network participation strategy than as a pure profit play at small scales. If you’re running multiple CK5 units and have industrial electricity rates, the economics shift significantly. But with a single Toddminer C1 and typical residential power costs, you’re essentially making a bet on CKB price appreciation.

Alternative: Using a CKB Solo Mining Pool

There’s a middle ground between pure solo mining (running your own node) and traditional pool mining: solo mining pools. These services provide the infrastructure while still giving you full block rewards if you find a block.

How they work: You connect your ASIC to the pool’s Stratum server, but instead of sharing rewards with other miners, you’re mining independently. If you find a block, you receive the full reward minus a small service fee (typically 1-2%).

The advantage is that you don’t need to maintain your own node and proxy infrastructure. The pool handles the technical complexity.

For Nervos CKB, f2pool offers a solo mining option. Configuration is similar to regular pool mining:

• Pool URL: stratum+tcp://ckb-solo.f2pool.com:4300
• Worker: YOUR_CKB_ADDRESS.workerName
• Password: x

The pool provides block discovery notifications and statistics tracking. You still face the same probability mathematics — finding blocks depends entirely on your hashrate as a percentage of network total — but the operational complexity is reduced.

Some miners prefer this approach because it eliminates single points of failure in their home infrastructure. If your node goes offline or your proxy crashes, you stop mining. With a solo pool, their infrastructure handles uptime.

The tradeoff is trust and fees. You’re trusting the pool to accurately credit you when you find a block, and you’re paying 1-2% for that service. For Bitcoin solo mining with CKPool, this approach is common. For CKB, it depends on whether you value operational simplicity over complete independence.

Troubleshooting Common CKB Solo Mining Issues

When I first set up my CKB mining operation, several things went wrong. Here’s what I learned:

Issue: ASIC shows zero hashrate or won’t connect

Most common causes:

• Node not fully synced — verify with get_tip_block_number
• Proxy not running or misconfigured — check proxy logs for connection errors
• Firewall blocking port 3333 — verify with telnet YOUR_PROXY_IP 3333
• Wrong IP address in ASIC configuration — double-check network settings

Issue: High reject rate (above 5%)

Possible causes:

• Network latency between ASIC and node — check ping times
• Node struggling to keep up with hashrate — monitor CPU and RAM usage
• Incorrect difficulty setting in proxy — usually auto-adjusts, but can be manually set

Issue: Hardware errors appearing in ASIC interface

This is a hardware problem, not a configuration issue:

• Overheating — ensure adequate cooling, ambient temperature below 30°C
• Unstable power supply — verify voltage stability, consider UPS
• Defective hashing boards — may require RMA with manufacturer

Worth noting: Some hardware errors are acceptable. If you’re seeing error rates above 2-3%, investigate further.

Issue: Node crashes or becomes unresponsive

Usually resource exhaustion:

• Insufficient RAM — CKB node needs at least 4 GB, preferably 8 GB
• Disk I/O bottleneck — SSD strongly recommended over HDD
• Database corruption — may need to resync from genesis or recent snapshot

I learned this the hard way: Running the CKB node on an old laptop with 4 GB RAM and a mechanical drive caused constant crashes under mining load. Moved it to a dedicated machine with 8 GB RAM and an SSD, problems disappeared.

Issue: Miner finds shares but node doesn’t submit them to network

Check the block assembler configuration in ckb.toml:

• Verify your CKB address is correctly formatted
• Ensure code_hash matches current network requirements
• Check node logs for submission errors

This issue often indicates a misconfigured wallet address in the block assembler section. The node will accept work from miners but can’t create valid block templates without proper address configuration.

Is Solo Mining CKB Worth It in 2026?

Here’s my honest assessment after running the numbers and testing the hardware:

For most solo miners, Nervos CKB presents challenging economics. The network hashrate is high enough that even with a CK5 (12 TH/s), you’re looking at expected block times measured in days, not hours. The variance is significant.

Scenarios where it might make sense:

1. You have very cheap or free electricity. Below $0.06/kWh, the operational costs drop enough that variance becomes your main concern rather than break-even.

2. You’re bullish on CKB long-term. If you believe CKB price will appreciate significantly, mining becomes a way to accumulate coins while supporting the network. The block rewards you earn today might be worth substantially more in the future.

3. You have multiple high-hashrate ASICs. Running 3-5 CK5 units gives you enough network percentage that blocks become frequent enough to smooth out variance. You’re still solo mining, but with enough hashrate that expected block times are under 12 hours.

4. You value the educational experience. Running your own node and mining infrastructure teaches you more about proof-of-work systems than any course or book. If that knowledge is worth something to you, the monetary return is only part of the equation.

Scenarios where it probably doesn’t make sense:

1. Residential electricity above $0.12/kWh. The math just doesn’t work unless CKB price doubles or triples. You’d be better off buying CKB directly with the money you’d spend on electricity.

2. You can’t handle variance. If going two weeks without finding a block would stress you out or make you think your setup is broken, solo mining will drive you crazy. The mathematics are probabilistic — sometimes you’ll hit blocks back-to-back, sometimes you’ll wait.

3. You don’t have technical aptitude. Maintaining a node, configuring proxy software, troubleshooting connection issues — this requires comfort with command-line interfaces and networking concepts. If that sounds intimidating, solo mining pools might be a better option.

The best miner is the one that fits your electricity cost, not the one with the highest hashrate. A CK5 looks impressive on paper, but if your power costs eat all your earnings, what’s the point?

For comparison: Solo mining Ethereum Classic with GPUs offers different risk/reward characteristics, as does solo mining Dash with X11 ASICs. Each network has different hashrate distributions and reward structures.

Secure Your Winnings

Finding a solo block means receiving 3.125 BTC directly to your wallet — currently worth over $250,000. That amount should never sit on an exchange.

Two hardware wallets we recommend for solo miners:

Ledger Nano X (~$149) — Industry standard, supports BTC natively
Buy Ledger Nano X

Trezor Model T (~$179) — Open-source firmware, strong community trust
Buy Trezor Model T

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I solo mine Nervos CKB with a GPU?

Technically yes, but economically no. GPUs produce around 400-500 MH/s on the Eaglesong algorithm while consuming 200-250W. Compare this to ASICs delivering terahashes, and you’ll see that GPU mining CKB isn’t viable. The hashrate difference is roughly 1,000x, meaning your chances of finding a block are essentially zero. Eaglesong was designed with the understanding that ASICs would be developed, so there’s no ASIC-resistance benefit to GPU mining.

How long does it take to sync a CKB full node?

Initial synchronization depends on your internet connection speed and hardware. The CKB blockchain is currently around 80-90 GB. With a fast connection (100+ Mbps) and SSD storage, expect 6-12 hours for full sync. On slower connections or mechanical drives, it can take 24-48 hours. You can speed this up by downloading a recent snapshot from trusted community sources, though always verify checksums for security. The node must be fully synced before you start mining, otherwise your ASIC will show connection errors or high reject rates.

What’s the difference between running my own node versus using a solo mining pool for CKB?

Running your own node means complete independence — you verify all transactions yourself and submit blocks directly to the network. You need to maintain the infrastructure (node software, proxy, monitoring) and handle any technical issues that arise. Using a solo mining pool like f2pool’s solo option means you connect your ASIC to their infrastructure. They maintain the nodes and handle the technical complexity. You still receive full block rewards (minus 1-2% pool fee), but you’re trusting them to credit you correctly. The probability of finding blocks is identical either way — it depends only on your hashrate versus network hashrate. The choice is primarily about operational complexity versus independence.

How much can I earn solo mining CKB with a Toddminer C1 Pro?

Expected earnings with a C1 Pro (2.6 TH/s) at current network conditions (180 PH/s): approximately 0.156 blocks per day, or one block every 6.4 days on average. Each block rewards roughly 873 CKB (base plus secondary issuance combined). That’s about 4,085 CKB per month expected value. But remember — this is expected value, not guaranteed. Some months you might find 7 blocks, other months you might find 1. The variance is significant. Calculate whether this expected income exceeds your electricity costs (C1 Pro uses 43.2 kWh daily). At $0.10/kWh, you’re paying $129.60 monthly for power. Whether mining is profitable depends on the current CKB price versus your electricity rate.

Is solo mining CKB more profitable than pool mining?

Over infinite time, expected value is similar. Solo mining means you get full block rewards when you find blocks, but experience long periods with zero income. Pool mining means steady daily payouts but you share rewards with other miners and pay pool fees (typically 1-3%). For solo mining to be “worth it,” you need enough hashrate that variance doesn’t hurt you financially, and you need to value the independence and learning experience. With a single ASIC, pool mining provides more predictable cash flow. With multiple ASICs (enough for blocks every few days), solo mining can make sense if you have the technical skills to maintain the infrastructure. For a detailed analysis of this question across different coins and setups, see our guide on whether solo mining is worth it in 2026.