GHOST Chain Startup Guide [~ 4HRS]

Introduction

Welcome to the GHOST Chain TestNet 1.0 Startup Guide. Expect to spend roughly the next 4 hours setting up the GHOST Node. Here is the TLDR for the guide.

You will have to:

1. Get a machine with Recommended Specs NOTE: Please use an older machine. It is NOT recommended to purchase a machine at this point in time.
2. Install Debian 12 or Ubuntu 24.04 OS
3. Enable SSH(Optional)
4. Install Substrate Libraries & GHOST Node Application
5. Submit the Application

Without further ado, lets begin!

1. Get Correct Hardware

The Computer Hardware

Make sure your machine meets Recommended Specifications below. We do not suggest you go below these Recommended Specs:

• CPU – ARM or AMD Architecture, 2 Cores, 64-bit Instruction set
• RAM – 6GB
• Storage – 256GB SSD
• Internet Speed – 50 Mbps Down / 50 Mbps Up
• USB USB Drive – at least 16GB

Simply google the name of your processor and find the manufacturer page. For example, lets say your processor is Intel i5 8250u. Upon further examination you can see that the chip supports both requirements: 2 Cores, and 64-Bit Instruction Set.

Intel example for Intel i5-8250u:

Computer Peripherals

It is worth mentioning that in case your node is a separate machine and not a laptop you might also have to consider acquiring:

• Monitor
• Mouse
• Keyboard
• HDMI Cable
• Ethernet Cable

Router Access

You will also need admin access to your home Network router if you are self hosting the node, meaning, you are not paying for a 3rd party service to host the node for you.

2. Install Debian or Ubuntu

Once you have acquired the correct hardware you will need correct software. We highly recommend to NOT install a virtual machine on your daily driver but to use a completely separate machine for GHOST Node. You must do a clean install of either Debian 12 or Ubuntu 24.04 LTS on your machine. Generally speaking you should install Debian if your machine is older with lower specs and/or you are bit more tech savy while you should install Ubuntu if you have a newer machine with higher specs and/or you are less tech savy.

Whatever you choose the steps will be very similar:

1. Install Balena Etcher on your daily driver.
2. Get the 16GB+ USB Drive
3. Install either Debian OS or Ubuntu OS image file.
4. Use Balena Etcher to flash the OS image onto the USB Drive
5. Install OS on the GHOST Node Machine

Below you will find detailed video guides on how to install either Debian or Ubuntu on GHOST Node.

Install Debian

Here is the link to Debian Download page.

Install Ubuntu

Here is the link to Ubuntu Download page.

3. Install SSH (Optional)

Once you have installed the proper Operating System on you machine we recommend that you enable SSH. Most people have a Daily Driver machine. GHOST requires a separate machine. Adding an extra machine to your life could be cumbersome. Chances are you had to use an external monitor to install Ubuntu on GHOST Node, the same screen regularly used by the Daily Driver machine. SSH enables you to manage your GHOST Nodes remotely from the comfort of your Daily Driver.

Open up the Terminal Application on you GHOST Node follow the commands.

Update Your System: Before installing any new software, it’s a good practice to update your system’s package list and upgrade the existing packages to their latest versions.

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade

Install OpenSSH Server: With your system updated, the next step is to install the OpenSSH server package. This package contains the necessary software to run an SSH server.

sudo apt install ssh

Enable SSH Service to Start on Boot: To ensure that the SSH service automatically starts after a reboot, you need to enable it using systemctl.

sudo systemctl enable ssh

To check the status of the SSH service, run the following command:

sudo systemctl status ssh

You should be seeing something like this:

For SSH to become active, you may need to restart your device or run the following command in the terminal:

reboot

Configure Firewall: If you are using the UFW firewall, it’s necessary to configure it to allow SSH connections. This step is crucial for remote access, especially if you’re operating in a protected network environment.

sudo apt install ufw

sudo ufw allow ssh

sudo ufw enable

sudo ufw numbered

Connect to Your Ubuntu Machine via SSH: With SSH enabled and the firewall configured, you can now connect to your Ubuntu machine from another computer using SSH. You have to know your username and your local network ip

ssh [username]@[your_server_ip_OR_hostname]

If your Daily Driver and GHOST Node are on the same network your can use localhost:

ssh [username]@localhost

CONGRATULATIONS!!! You can now control your GHOST Node remotely from you daily driver.

4. Install GHOST TestNet 1.0 Application

Allow Ports

Allow port 30333 on GHOST Node:

sudo ufw allow 30333

To ensure that the ports are allowed, run the following command:

sudo ufw numbered

Install Substrate Libraries

Click here for a detailed Rust guide if you want to dive deep into the documentation. Otherwise let’s proceed.

Install Dependencies

Check the documentation for your operating system for information about the packages that are installed and how to download and install any additional packages you might need. For example, if you use Ubuntu, you can use the Ubuntu Advanced Packaging Tool (apt) to install the build-essential package:

sudo apt install build-essential

At a minimum, you need the following packages before you install Rust:

sudo apt install clang curl git make

Rust Install

sudo apt install --assume-yes git clang curl libssl-dev protobuf-compiler

sudo apt install --assume-yes git clang curl libssl-dev llvm libudev-dev make protobuf-compiler

Download the rustup installation program and use it to install Rust by running the following command:

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

Update your current shell to include Cargo by running the following command:

source $HOME/.cargo/env

Verify your installation by running the following command:

rustc --version

Configure the Rust toolchain to default to the latest stable version by running the following commands:

rustup default stable

rustup update

Add the nightly release and the nightly WebAssembly (wasm) targets to your development environment by running the following commands:

rustup update nightly

rustup target add wasm32-unknown-unknown --toolchain nightly

rustup target add wasm32-unknown-unknown --toolchain stable-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu

IF error try

rustup target add wasm32-unknown-unknown --toolchain default

Verify the configuration of your development environment by running the following command:

rustup show

rustup +nightly show

The command displays output similar to the following:

# rustup show

active toolchain
----------------

stable-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu (default)
rustc 1.62.1 (e092d0b6b 2022-07-16)

# rustup +nightly show

active toolchain
----------------

nightly-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu (overridden by +toolchain on the command line)
rustc 1.65.0-nightly (34a6cae28 2022-08-09)

rustup component add rust-src --toolchain stable

IF error try

rustup component add rust-src --toolchain default

Install GHOST

Ubuntu should already come with preinstalled Git package. Check if Git is already installed:

git --version

Make a GHOST Directory:

mkdir -p ghost && cd ghost

Clone GHOST Git:

git clone https://git.ghostchain.io/ghostchain/ghost-node.git

Go to ghost-node directory:

cd ghost-node

Compile the node template by running the following command:

cargo build --release

The build can take up to 20 minutes depending on the specifications of your machine.

Download spec.json file:

wget -c https://ghostchain.io/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/spec.json -o ~/spec.json

CONGRATULATIONS!! You have installed GHOST Chain on your GHOST Node.

5. Join GHOST Whales

Eventually GHOST TestNet will be available to anyone who is interested in joining the GHOST project. However, at initial stages GHOST TestNet is available only to GHOST Whales, an exclusive community for GHOST members. We urge you to become GHOST TestNet Node Operator sooner than later since incentives built into being a Node Operator will put you in a more favorable position in time for GHOST MainNet.

To apply for GHOST Whales CLICK HERE.

6. Submit the Application

If you have completed previous 5 steps you can now fill out the GHOST Chain TestNet 2.0 Application for further instructions.

What is GHOST?

GHOST Ecosystem is at the forefront of decentralized cross-chain interoperability, providing the ability to transfer tokens, NFTs, and other digital assets across multiple blockchains.

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