Moonlander 2 Setup on Linux (Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS or higher)

Moonlander 2 Setup Linux

Preparation, Package Dependencies, Installation of Moonlander 2 for Linux (Example: Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS or higher)

Preparation

This installation guide describes setup, configuration, package dependencies and the installation of mining software build based on a freshly Linux distribution (Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS for example). You will need sudo rights. It’s not necessary to use root.

First steps: update and upgrade of system and reqired packages:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade -y

The following packages are mandatory to run BFGMiner for Moonlander 2:

libcurl4-gnutls-dev: URL transfer library für BFGMiner
libjansson-dev: JSON Library for BFGMiner

sudo apt-get install -y libcurl4-gnutls-dev libjansson-dev

Pre-compiled binaries for Mac, Linux 64bit, Linux ARM, Windows 32bit und Windows 64bit as well as software sources will be available for download in the following public GIT repository:

https://github.com/jstefanop/bfgminer/releases

First download BFGMiner for Linux 64bit from GIThub:

mkdir -p mining/moonlander2; cd mining/moonlander2
wget https://github.com/jstefanop/bfgminer/releases/download/bfgminer-5.4.2-futurebit2/bfgminer_5.4.2-futurebit2_linux_x86_64.tar.gz
tar -xzf bfgminer_5.4.2-futurebit2_linux_x86_64.tar.gz
cd bfgminer_5.4.2-futurebit2_linux_x86_64

Test if the Binary can be executed (show commandline options):

./bfgminer --help

Accessories

This USB Stick Miner requires a actively powered USB Hub which can independently provide 2 A for each USB port. We have achieved good results with several USB 2.0 Hubs from Anker or Orico while Users reported several compatibility issues with USB 3.0 Hubs with Intel chipsets. For more details please check the following link on bitcointalk.org.

This miner can operate with clock rates from 384 MHz to maximum 954 MHz. It computes between 2.5 und 5.5 MH/s and consumes between 2 and 10 Watt.

Setup

The following command will start up the BFGMiner Software for Moonlander 2 (example):

cd ~/mining/moonlander2/bfgminer_5.4.2-futurebit2_linux_x86_64
./bfgminer --scrypt -o stratum+tcp://us.litecoinpool.org:3333 -u jstefanop.1 -p 1,d=128 -S ALL --set MLD:clock=600

Alternatively you can run the enclosed Shell-Script:

./start_moonlander2.sh

The Pool configuration which is used in the example above should be replaced by your own pool configuration data. Please contact your pool operator or check the pool setup guide for more details. The example above shows a configuration for one of the best-known Litecoin Mining Pools.

The Clock Rate can be set with the following commandline parameter: –set MLD:clock=xxx.

Please note that this version of the miner has a fixed list of frequencies available to use below: 384, 450, 480, 540, 576, 600, 612, 625, 636, 648, 660, 672, 684, 700, 720, 744, 756, 768, 796, 832, 852, 876, 900, 924, 954.

The mining performance depends on your Clock Rate and Core Voltage setup. You can calculate the average hash rate using the following formula:

Performance in MH = 5.66 * MHz
Example MH = 5.66 * 832 => Hash power of approx. 4.7 MH/s (+-5%).
The higher the hashrate, the bigger is the deviation from this average, caused by ASIC manufacturing tolerances.

Fine tuning

Please note: Voltage regulation should be done carefully and in very small steps. Never set a votage wich is outside the below mentioned range. This would most likely damage the ASIC if you run at high voltages and high clocks for prolonged periods of time. We do not replace miners which are damaged by inadequate clock rate and voltage settings.

If the miner does not start with high Clock Rates or produces HW error rates of 100% it may be necessary to adjust the (core-)voltage.

The miner is equipped with two small trimpods for voltage adjustment (one for core voltage, one for memory voltage)

Core voltage can be set between 0.625 V and 0.91 V and memory voltage between 0.65 and 1.05 V.

To turn the voltage up turn the pot clockwise, to turn it down, counterclockwise.

Make sure you have placed the stick horizontal and the USB end is facing left (you can read “FutureBit Moonlander” normally on the board).

Setup of core- and memory voltage (see images below): Moonlander 2 Voltage

Moonlander Voltage

Optimisation of clock rate and voltage

Basically, you can set anything between the following scenarios:

Maximum hash performance with high clock rate and accordingly adjusted core-voltage at cost of a low power efficiency
Maximum power efficiency with low clock rate and accordingly adjusted low voltage at cost of a low hash performance

A combination of both scenarios will lead to the following “sweet spot”:

with a clock rate of 756 MHz and 0.725 V core voltage the ASIC operates close to the effciency maximum still showing a good hash performance. At “sweet spot” the miner can still be cooled adequately with the mounted heat sink and fan.

For enhanced support please visit the public support forum on bitcointalk.org or write us a e-mail.