ephemery

Guide to getting started with the Ethereum Ephemery Testnet quickly

https://ephemery.dev is the central repository for all things Ephemery

These notes draw heavily on documentation in T-ess's guide based on geth and lodestar.

0. Notes

This guide will become outdated VERY quickly! It's meant to capture a moment in time of Ephemery development, and unless it has been updated recently will be mostly useless after a month.

Everything in this guide is free for anyone to follow, including the software and Ephemery Ether. The only things that could incur an expense are the hardware and Internet connection. Virtual Private Servers (VPS) services often provide a server that you can use for around $6 a month.

1. Test machine setup

This demonstration is being done on an Ubuntu 24.04.1 (Noble Numbat) Desktop installed on a VirtualBox Virtual machine.

• The Desktop version of Ubuntu isn't generally recommended for running a validator, but it won't hurt and I'm using it to make copy/pasting easier when I create the video.
• I installed the VirtualBox Additions before starting this guide. It isn't necessary to do this, but you can.
• In order to install VirtualBox Additions, I also installed some pre-requisites: sudo apt install gcc make perl

2. The big picture

Running an Ethereum validator requires three different pieces of software to work together, these are called the Execution client (historically called an "Eth1 client"), the Consensus client (the "Eth2 client"), and the validator client. They work in concert, with the execution client managing transactions and the consensus client managing the chain. In order to have a validator running, we'll need both of these clients up and running, then we can deposit 32 [Ephemery]Ether to be a validator.

3. Execution Client

Because of a deep desire to develop client diversity I strongly suggest that people use an execution client other than geth, but because Ephemery is still in development, I'm using what's available.

Install dependencies

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y golang-go curl git default-jre

Download the Ephemery testnet configuration files

Download the testnet-all.tar.gz file for the latest release of the Ephemery testnet to this directory using wget. Then unzip inside this folder. Note that the link in the example is likely to be outdated.

cd ~
mkdir testnet-all
cd testnet-all
wget https://github.com/ephemery-testnet/ephemery-genesis/releases/download/ephemery-139/testnet-all.tar.gz #this is likely to be an outdated resource
tar -xzf testnet-all.tar.gz
source ./nodevars_env.txt

Generate a jwt token to allow Eth1 and Eth2 clients to communicate.

The following command will generate a secret to ensure secure communication between the Execution Client and the Consensus client at /tmp/jwtsecret. Be mindful that using a jwt may require additional flags to be provided.

openssl rand -hex 32 | tr -d "\n" > "/tmp/jwtsecret"

Download geth

cd ~
wget https://gethstore.blob.core.windows.net/builds/geth-linux-amd64-1.14.11-f3c696fa.tar.gz
tar xvf geth-linux-amd64-1.14.11-f3c696fa.tar.gz
sudo mv geth-linux-amd64-1.14.11-f3c696fa/geth /usr/local/bin/
rm -rf ~/geth-linux-amd64-1.14.11-f3c696fa*

Initialize Geth with Ephemery settings

sudo mkdir /var/lib/geth

cd ~
sudo geth init --datadir "/var/lib/geth" ~/testnet-all/genesis.json

sudo chown -R $(whoami):$(whoami) /var/lib/geth

Create a system service for geth

echo "[Unit]
Description=Geth Ethereum Node
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=$(whoami)
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/geth \\
--networkid 39438139 \\
--syncmode=full \\
--port 30303 \\
--http --datadir \"/var/lib/geth\" \\
--authrpc.jwtsecret=/tmp/jwtsecret \\
--bootnodes enode://50a54ecbd2175497640bcf46a25bbe9bb4fae51d7cc2a29ef4947a7ee17496cf39a699b7fe6b703ed0feb9dbaae7e44fc3827fcb7435ca9ac6de4daa4d983b3d@137.74.203.240:30303,enode://7367578e9d211512a59e2cdd2c600b8bb71199421aac9d4b0b26050098d551575684314ca8bf226930568e29507c45de1ee00ae1ca70c544b9ba8250ce1d66e1@167.235.1.185:30343


Restart=on-failure

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target" | sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/geth.service

Enable and start the service

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable geth.service
sudo systemctl start geth.service
sudo journalctl -f -u geth.service

(Press "Ctrl + C" to stop watching the log. Type "journalctl -f -u geth" to see it again.)

4. Consensus Client

Lodestar is a powerful consensus client developed in TypeScript. I gladly encourage using Lodestar on a production validator!

Download Lodestar binary

cd ~
wget https://github.com/ChainSafe/lodestar/releases/download/v1.22.0/lodestar-v1.22.0-linux-amd64.tar.gz
tar xvf lodestar-v1.22.0-linux-amd64.tar.gz
sudo mv lodestar /usr/local/bin/
rm -f ~/lodestar-v1.22.0-linux-amd64.tar.gz

Create a system service for Lodestar

echo "[Unit]
Description=Lodestar Ethereum Consensus Client
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=$(whoami)
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/lodestar beacon \\
    --dataDir=\"/var/lib/lodestar\" \\
    --network ephemery \\
    --paramsFile=\"$HOME/testnet-all/config.yaml\" \\
    --genesisStateFile=\"$HOME/testnet-all/genesis.ssz\" \\
    --checkpointSyncUrl=https://checkpointz.bordel.wtf \\
    --eth1.depositContractDeployBlock=0 \\
    --network.connectToDiscv5Bootnodes=true \\
    --discv5=true \\
    --eth1=true \\
    --eth1.providerUrls=http://localhost:8545 \\
    --execution.urls=http://localhost:8551 \\
    --bootnodes=enr:-LK4QLV1n8wq7htt9LRYGPJUGaC2-N-2IwwgCVofozWB2wy0PEbH14k7CpPh_jTTUQSoTD44-0NUeZQNnfuY9QJ2qpAEh2F0dG5ldHOIAAAAAAAAABiEZXRoMpCAPZkNUAAQG___________gmlkgnY0gmlwhIlKy_CJc2VjcDI1NmsxoQMJg9vL7g3u33NAckB6T4F_LUS2UE4C6XmPiINl3sUx7IN0Y3CCI4yDdWRwgiOM \\
    --jwt-secret=/tmp/jwtsecret \\
    --rest=true \\
    --rest.address=0.0.0.0 \\
    --rest.port=4000

Restart=on-failure

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target" | sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/lodestar_beacon.service

Enable and start the service

Create the directory

sudo mkdir -p /var/lib/lodestar
sudo chown -R $(whoami):$(whoami) /var/lib/lodestar

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable lodestar_beacon.service
sudo systemctl start lodestar_beacon.service
sudo journalctl -f -u lodestar_beacon.service

(Press "Ctrl + C" to stop watching the log. Type "journalctl -f -u lodestar_beacon" to see it again.)

5. Set up MetaMask

Go to https://metamask.io and install metamask.

Allow it to create a new seed phrase for you. Don't lose this! Because this is a testnet there's no risk of losing value, but you'll need the seed phrase later.

Go to https://ephemery.dev and click the top center link that says "Add network to Metamask". Authorize this addition on metamask.

6. Get Ephemery Ether

There are a few Ephemery faucets listed on https://ephemery.dev, but this is my favorite. You'll only need to mine 32.2 Ephemery Ether to proceed. Paste your Ethereum wallet address from Metamask.

https://ephemery-faucet.pk910.de/

7. Creating the validator keys and deposit data

cd ~/
wget https://github.com/eth-educators/ethstaker-deposit-cli/releases/download/v0.2.1/ethstaker_deposit-cli-66054f5-linux-amd64.tar.gz
tar xvf ethstaker_deposit-cli-66054f5-linux-amd64.tar.gz
cd ethstaker_deposit-cli-66054f5-linux-amd64/
./deposit existing-mnemonic

1. Press "Enter" to select English.

2. Enter the seed phrase you used when you set up metamask. (Use different seed phrases on mainnet, but we're aiming for simplicity here!)

3. This is a new seed phrase, so you'll enter "0" here.

4. Confirm the "0".

5. How many validators do you want to run? (I suggest starting with 1)

6. You must type the network name "ephemery".

7. Enter a twelve character password, 123456789012 works.

8. I suggest using your Metamask wallet address as your withdrawal address. (Note that if you're pasting into a terminal, CTRL + SHIFT + V works)

9. Confirm the same withdrawal address.

8. Create keystores password file

echo "123456789012" > ~/password.txt

9. Create the validator service

echo "[Unit]
Description=Lodestar Ethereum Validator Client
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=$(whoami)
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/lodestar validator \\
    --network ephemery \\
    --dataDir \"/var/lib/lodestar\" \\
    --importKeystores \"$HOME/ethstaker_deposit-cli-66054f5-linux-amd64/validator_keys\" \\
    --importKeystoresPassword \"$HOME/password.txt\" \\
    --beaconNodes http://127.0.0.1:4000 \\
    --paramsFile=\"$HOME/testnet-all/config.yaml\" \\
    --graffiti=\"superphiz\" \\
    --suggestedFeeRecipient=\"0xeea9f77fdf2ef71365bd10eafe684cddb7de7d1f\"

Restart=on-failure

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target" | sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/lodestar_validator.service

Enable and start the service

sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable lodestar_validator.service
sudo systemctl start lodestar_validator.service
sudo journalctl -f -u lodestar_validator.service

(Press "Ctrl + C" to stop watching the log. Type "journalctl -f -u lodestar_validator" to see it again.)

10. Make the deposit

Make the deposit files super easy to find:

cp ~/ethstaker_deposit-cli-66054f5-linux-amd64/validator_keys/deposit_data-1729723067.json ~/
cp ~/ethstaker_deposit-cli-66054f5-linux-amd64/validator_keys/deposit_data-1729723067.json ~/Desktop/

Go to https://launchpad.ephemery.dev/

1. Click "I accept" and on a bunch of rainbow-colored buttons.

2. When you get to "Upload Deposit data"

3. Select the deposit-data.json file that should be visible in your selection window, or found in ~/ethstaker_deposit-cli-66054f5-linux-amd64/validator_keys/

4. Press "Continue"

5. Metamask will open and ask you to confirm.

11. Monitoring progress

Easiest

Follow the link from beaconchain.ephemery.dev after you do the deposit, and bookmark it

On the command line

journalctl -f (CTRL C to exit, this won't stop your services)

On a beacon chain explorer

Go to https://beaconchain.ephemery.dev/

Look for the magnifying glass in the upper toolbar

Enter your wallet address from metamask. (This will take a few hours to show up after the deposit)