Mining helium over a helium hotspot requires a good helium miner. Miners like the Bobcat 300, MNTD Blackspot, and Rak V2 come to mind. The HNTs (Helium tokens) are the rewards for network miners and are usually shared with wallets assigned to the hotspot device.
A helium miner is one such device that helps miners tap into Helium as a whole. Without a proper setup of helium miners, network miners may be unable to earn large amounts of HNT. Thankfully, it is pretty easy to set up your miner, and you can guarantee long-term profit for the future.
What To Do Before You Setup Your Helium Miner
There are a few things you’d need before you set up your miner. These include:
- a good Internet connection
- an available hotspot in your area. (You can check
- a feeder cable
- an outdoor antenna (which should be properly grounded) and other mounting accessories.
- finally, of course, have a mobile phone or laptop.
There are a few add-ons that come with the miner, but you’ll need these things to prep the groundwork for your miner.
The Process for Setting up an HNT Miner
Your helium miner has been purchased, and it’s time to set it up and get the Helium tokens rolling in. Before your Helium miner gets there, here are the steps required to set up.
1. Download the Helium App
You can get it for your mobile for either iOS from the apple store or android from the Google play store. There is also a desktop app named Helium-Flick, which is a new addition. Now, you can observe your hotspot via mobile and desktop.
The app covers everything necessary for tracking and maintenance of your Hotspot as well as observation of its activities. This app also serves as your helium wallet, which you can use to transfer and collect helium tokens (HNT)
2. Account ID or Hotspot Address
Once you’ve downloaded and installed your app, proceed to the settings. From this page, you could either input your hotspot address or add your account ID. Your account ID would be easier for those who already have many hotspots they are connected to. The app would immediately get your hotspots once you input your Account ID.
The hotspot address is a combination of alphanumeric characters. The Helium Explorer website would be helpful if you don’t know what it is. When you’ve successfully logged in, return to the homepage to see all hotspots, your status, HNT balance and location.
3. New Account Creation
Your helium miner needs a new account. You can create a new account and use the app to generate a seed phrase that ideally has twelve words. Write these words down and try not to lose the seed phrase. Cross-check or double-check that the words match what you’ve written. You’d need to create a 6-digit pin code for the helium app, and voila, the account is created.
4. Add A HNT Miner To The App
An HNT Miner can be a validator or a hotspot. It depends on the type. Usually, most people buy hotspot miners like the Bobcat 300, Syncrob.It, Rak V2, Bobber 200, etc. You would need to add the miner to the app. There are tutorials on how to proceed with HNT Miner addition, and you should read through them carefully.
The miner should be plugged in and connected to the antenna (unless it comes with an in-built one). Once it is powered on, you should connect your HNT Miner to your internet router. The next thing is pairing. Press the button related to pairing on the miner and click scan on your phone or laptop. Choose the appropriate WiFi network for your application and pair the hotspot miner to your app.
5. Setup Complete!
Finally, you’re done with setting up your miner, and it will be automatically linked to your wallet within the Helium App. It really is a simple and straightforward process.
What Next?: Optimization
You’ve successfully set up your miner, but it doesn’t end there. You need to maximize your rewards by optimizing your helium mining system.
Your performance is usually determined by your location, height of miner placement, proximity to helium hotspots and your antenna coverage. HNT miners usually perform best in less competitive locations; however, with accurate placement, you can still earn well in crowded areas. Here are a few tips to consider to boost your helium mining and earning ability.
- Use a miner eligible for Proof-of-Coverage (POC).
- Take your miner to the highest possible location to remove all obstructions.
- Locate your miner close enough to your hotspot but far (over 300 metres) from other miners to boost your earnings.
- Use an antenna with appropriate gain dBi, wide coverage and strength.
Cashing Out Your Helium Tokens (HNT)
If you’ve been able to set up and optimize your HNT Miner, there’s only one thing left: how do you cash out?
Many people are not yet aware of how to collect and convert their Helium tokens into cash or other digital currencies. Unfortunately, the Helium App housing your HNT wallet does not allow you to cash out directly from there. Rather, you would need to transfer your tokens to an HNT-compatible exchange. Some include Binance.us, Bybit, Uphold, Crypto.com, etc.
There aren’t many of these exchange platforms that support HNT trading pairs because of the laws and rules regarding HNT for different locations. There is no best exchange platform as the prices often vary depending on the time. Smaller exchanges tend to offer incentives to draw in HNT traders. All you need to do is transfer your HNT to these exchanges and turn them into whatever currency you desire.
While Helium miners are still new, they have opened up the helium network to everyone. They have also simplified helium mining so that those involved can earn and make passive income. While the helium hotspots and miners are not perfect, improvements are being made daily. In most cases, earning depends on the antenna chosen, the location of the miner and the budget. However, you cannot tap into the benefits that Helium offers if you do not properly set up your helium miner.