- Steve Sokolowski
- Archived posts: 4559
- Joined: Aug 27, 2014
Algorithm-specific ports coming tonight
Tonight, we'll be issuing a new mining server release that will enable the use of algorithm-specific ports. Algorithm-specific ports allow miners to connect to the mining server without needing to use the "a=" password argument. The feature is required for ETH and XMR mining, because the stratum protocol for those two algorithms is so different than that used by the other coins.
However, algorithm-specific ports are also useful for another reason: they allow customers to connect without an initial difficulty for scrypt being sent to the miner. The stratum protocol is poorly designed in that it allows users to connect to a server and subscribe to receive work before they have even authenticated themselves. That means that pools need to send an initial difficulty and initial work to the miner before the "a=" password argument is received. Some mining software won't wait for the second difficulty to be received, and will disconnect the miner for being too easy or too difficult.
If you're having trouble connecting to the system, try using one of the algorithm-specific ports, as listed in the documentation, once they are released tonight. The release will require a two-minute restart.
However, algorithm-specific ports are also useful for another reason: they allow customers to connect without an initial difficulty for scrypt being sent to the miner. The stratum protocol is poorly designed in that it allows users to connect to a server and subscribe to receive work before they have even authenticated themselves. That means that pools need to send an initial difficulty and initial work to the miner before the "a=" password argument is received. Some mining software won't wait for the second difficulty to be received, and will disconnect the miner for being too easy or too difficult.
If you're having trouble connecting to the system, try using one of the algorithm-specific ports, as listed in the documentation, once they are released tonight. The release will require a two-minute restart.
