How to set up Conflux mining on Octopus? (CFX guide)

Understanding Conflux Network and Octopus Testnet

1. Conflux is a high-throughput public blockchain that employs a Tree-Graph consensus mechanism to achieve both scalability and security.

2. Octopus Network serves as the official testnet for Conflux, allowing developers and miners to simulate real-world conditions without risking mainnet assets.

3. Mining on Octopus requires configuring a compatible node client, syncing with the testnet chain, and registering a worker address for reward distribution.

4. The Octopus testnet uses Proof-of-Work (PoW) with the same hashing algorithm as Conflux mainnet — SHA-3 based Cuckoo Cycle variant known as Cuckoo32.

5. Unlike mainnet, Octopus rewards are denominated in test CFX tokens, which hold no monetary value but are essential for validating mining logic and infrastructure.

Prerequisites for Octopus Mining Setup

1. A Linux-based machine with at least 8GB RAM, 4 CPU cores, and 100GB of SSD storage is strongly recommended for stable node operation.

2. Installation of Rust toolchain version 1.65 or higher, as the official Conflux node software is built using Rust.

3. Docker and Docker Compose must be installed if opting for containerized deployment of the Conflux node and mining proxy.

4. Access to a wallet capable of generating and managing Conflux-compatible addresses — such as ConfluxPortal or the CLI-based conflux-cli.

5. A registered account on the Octopus faucet to obtain initial test CFX for transaction fees and contract interactions.

Node Deployment and Synchronization

1. Clone the official Conflux repository from GitHub: git clone https://github.com/Conflux-Chain/conflux-rust.git.

2. Checkout the latest stable release tag aligned with Octopus specifications, typically labeled octopus-vX.Y.Z.

3. Build the node binary using cargo build --release --features 'dev' to enable testnet-specific features.

4. Launch the node with the Octopus configuration flag: ./target/release/conflux --network octopus --rpc-http --rpc-http-addr 0.0.0.0:12537.

5. Monitor synchronization progress via logs showing block height increments and peer count stabilization above 15 active connections.

Mining Configuration and Worker Registration

1. Configure a mining proxy by running conflux-mining-proxy --node-url http://localhost:12537 --worker-address YOUR_CONFLUX_ADDRESS.

2. Ensure the worker address has sufficient test CFX balance to cover gas for submitting mining solutions — minimum 10 CFX recommended.

3. Start the miner process using a compatible GPU miner like cfx-miner-cuda or cfx-miner-opencl, pointing it to the local proxy endpoint.

4. Verify submission success by checking proxy logs for “solution submitted” messages and confirming inclusion in recent blocks via the Octopus block explorer.

5. Adjust thread count and memory intensity parameters based on GPU VRAM capacity — 4GB cards should use --mode 1, while 8GB+ can safely run --mode 2.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can I mine Octopus using CPU only?A1. Yes, CPU mining is supported via the cfx-miner-cpu binary, though hash rate remains significantly lower than GPU-based setups. Expect under 10 H/s on modern x86-64 processors.

Q2. Why does my miner show “stale solution” repeatedly?A2. This usually indicates network latency between your miner and the proxy or an out-of-sync node. Confirm your node’s block height matches the latest on https://octuscan.confluxnetwork.org.

Q3. Is there a minimum stake required to become a validator on Octopus?A3. No, Octopus operates purely under PoW. Validator roles do not exist on this testnet; all participation is permissionless and based solely on computational contribution.

Q4. How do I reset my Octopus node and start fresh?A4. Stop the node process, delete the data directory (default: ~/.conflux/octopus), clear Docker volumes if used, then restart synchronization from genesis.