Beginner’s Guide: How to Start Mining Monero

Monero is a top privacy-centric cryptocurrency that ranks high in market capitalization. It’s unique because its algorithm resists ASIC miners, allowing everyday users with ordinary CPUs or GPUs to mine. Monero Mining Monero could be worthwhile thanks to its resistance to ASIC miners. This feature enables anyone with a standard CPU or GPU to participate in the mining process.

This guide will provide you with the necessary software and instructions on setting it up, enabling you to start mining Monero in no time.

Monero Mining Software

Below is a summary of methods and software for mining Monero:

AMD Cards

• XMR Stak has a 2% development fee, unless you compile the software yourself.
• Wolf's Miner doesn't have a development fee, but it’s not as efficient.

nVidia Cards

• XMR Stak has a 2% development fee, unless you compile the software yourself.
• CC Miner

CPU’s (Intel/AMD)

• Monero Spelunker
• XMR Stak
• Wolfs Miner

Install Mining Software

XMR Stak’s latest update simplifies the process, offering a single installer for various hardware types. This guide turns to XMR Stak due to its reliable performance and ease of use.

XMR Stak can be downloaded at this link. Be aware that some antivirus programs may flag mining software as malware. Ensure you download from verified sources for safety.

Setting up XMR Stak is straightforward with the latest version. We’re focusing on Windows users here, but options for Linux and MacOS exist too. Just download, unzip, and run the program.

Join Mining Pool

Once installed, the application asks if you’re mining Monero or Aeon. Choose Monero and then input the pool address. Joining a quality mining pool is crucial because solo mining often offers minimal returns without high hashrates. Pools charge small fees but are a consistent income source. Consider these Monero mining pools:

MineXMR

• Servers in: France, Germany, Canada
• 1% Pool Fee
• 25,000 Connected Users
• 0.5XMR Minimum Payout

Moneropool

• 0.5XMR Minimum Payout

Nanopool

• Servers in: Europe (2), US East, US West, Asia
• 1% pool fee with a payout commission of 0.015XMR
• 5000 Connected Users
• 1XMR Minimum Payout

Dwarfpool

• Servers in: Europe, USA
• 1.5% pool fee plus a payout commission of 0.014XMR for exchange wallets, or 0.008XMR for normal wallets

We’ll be using MineXMR due to its lower fees and proximity advantages, minimizing latency. Here is a snapshot of the connection details we’ll use in MineXMR.

For configuration, I’ll use the server ‘ca.minexmr.com:5555’ with the appropriate port number.

Monero Wallet Address

Next, input your wallet address or pool login if using services like Supernova. Check this for wallet setup guidance. After getting your wallet ID, enter it in the application. Skip the password by pressing enter. Note: MineXMR pool lacks TLS/SSL support, so choose ‘n’. Avoid using NiceHash or multiple pools at this stage (though setting up extra pools for auto-switching if one fails might be beneficial). Adjust any values later in the config file. Monero Guide Now, the program runs based on your installed GPUs. Use the bottom commands to check the miner’s status: press ‘h’ for hashrate, ‘r’ for hash results, and ‘c’ for pool connection verification.

If you plan on using your CPU for mining, you’ll need to configure the CPU file first. Open the generated 'cpu' document.

Config File

In the CPU document, specify the CPU threads to deploy for mining. Using an FX-8150 AMD with 8 cores, I’ve included:

{ \"low_power_mode\" : false, \"no_prefetch\" : true, \"affine_to_cpu\" : 1 },

\"cpu_threads_conf\" :
[
{ \"low_power_mode\" : false, \"no_prefetch\" : true, \"affine_to_cpu\" : 2 },
{ \"low_power_mode\" : false, \"no_prefetch\" : true, \"affine_to_cpu\" : 4 },
{ \"low_power_mode\" : false, \"no_prefetch\" : true, \"affine_to_cpu\" : 5 },
{ \"low_power_mode\" : false, \"no_prefetch\" : true, \"affine_to_cpu\" : 6 },
{ \"low_power_mode\" : false, \"no_prefetch\" : true, \"affine_to_cpu\" : 7 },
This uses CPUs 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7, leaving some free for other tasks. Optimizing CPU usage can be tricky, but adjust prefetch to false if needed. Once set up, restart the app and observe your hashrate increase using GPU and CPU. Verify this with OpenHardwareMonitor.
],

Congratulations! Your system is now set up for Monero mining with both CPU and GPU. If you encounter issues or need to adjust settings, the configuration file is your go-to.

Cryptocurrency miner and investor from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Head of Blaze Digital Assets.