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Registering in the Hippius Blockchain

Registering in the Hippius Blockchain

After setting up your validator or storage miner node, you need to register it in the Hippius blockchain to start participating in the network and earning rewards. This guide walks you through the updated registration process using the new Hippius CLI Python tool, which is now the primary method for node registration. The old Polkadot.js Apps method is still available but has been deprecated in favor of this streamlined CLI approach.

Prerequisites​

Before registering, ensure you have:

  • A running validator or storage miner node
  • Node keys properly configured (see Installing Validator or Storage Miner guides)
  • Python 3.7+ installed on your system
  • Access to the Hippius CLI Python package (hippius version 0.2.49 or later)
  • Alpha tokens for registration fees and staking
  • IPFS node set up and configured (if applicable)

Updated Registration Process Using Hippius CLI (Python)​

1: Create and Activate Python Virtual Environment​

It is recommended to create a clean Python environment for the Hippius CLI tool.

python3 -m venv hippius-env
source hippius-env/bin/activate # Linux/macOS

On Windows use:

hippius-env\Scripts\activate

2: Install and login to Hippius CLI​

pip install hippius

# Give your account a name, have your seed phrase handy, encrypt it and don't forget the password
hippius account login

# You should now be able to see your newly added account by doing
hippius account list

3: Preparing Node Information​

Choose based on your situation:

If you already have a running node (most common):​

# Use existing keys - get your current node ID
/opt/hippius/bin/hippius key inspect-node-key --file /opt/hippius/data/chains/hippius_mainnet/network/secret_ed25519

If you're setting up fresh OR need to replace corrupted keys:​

# Generate new keys (⚠️ This creates a NEW identity)
/opt/hippius/bin/hippius key generate-node-key --file /opt/hippius/data/chains/hippius_mainnet/network/secret_ed25519

⚠️ Warning: Generating new keys on an existing validator will change your node identity and break your current registration.

The output will show your node's peer ID and private key in hex format. Save both values - you'll need them for registration.

  • Obtain IPFS node ID and private key in base64 format from your IPFS config:
sudo cat ~/.ipfs/config

4: Register Coldkey Node​

Use the following command to register your coldkey node (coldkeys control staking and governance keys):

hippius miner register-coldkey \
--node-id <substrate-node-id> \
--node-priv-hex <substrate-node-private-hex> \
--node-type StorageMiner \
--ipfs-peer-id <ipfs-node-id> \
--ipfs-priv-b64 "<ipfs-private-key-base64>" \
--block-width <u64>

Replace the parameters accordingly:

  • --node-id: Your substrate node ID from step 3 (peer ID format, not hex)
  • --node-priv-hex: Your substrate private key in hex format from step 3
  • --node-type: One of StorageMiner, Validator, ComputeMiner
  • --ipfs-peer-id: Your IPFS node ID as string
  • --ipfs-priv-b64: Your IPFS private key in base64
  • --block-width: Block width parameter (u64 integer)

5: Register Hotkey Node​

The hotkey is used for operational actions like block signing. Register it with:

hippius miner register-hotkey \
--node-id <substrate-node-id> \
--node-priv-hex <substrate-node-private-hex> \
--node-type <node-type> \
--ipfs-peer-id <ipfs-node-id> \
--ipfs-priv-b64 "<ipfs-private-key-base64>" \
--block-width <u64> \
--coldkey <coldkey-address>
  • Include the --coldkey parameter with the coldkey address registered as Coldkey.

6: Verify Registered Hotkey Node​

Verify your hotkey node registration by running:

hippius miner verify-node \
--node-id <node-id> \
--node-priv-hex <node-private-hex> \
--ipfs-peer-id <ipfs-node-id> \
--ipfs-priv-b64 "<ipfs-private-key-base64>" \
--block-width <u64>

7: Verify Registered Coldkey Node​

Similarly, verify the coldkey node registration:

hippius miner verify-coldkey-node \
--node-id <node-id> \
--node-priv-hex <node-private-hex> \
--ipfs-peer-id <ipfs-node-id> \
--ipfs-priv-b64 "<ipfs-private-key-base64>" \
--block-width <u64>

Optional: Previous Registration Method Using Polkadot.js Apps​

The previous Polkadot.js Apps method is still available but deprecated. For reference:

  1. Visit Polkadot.js Apps
  2. Connect to wss://rpc.hippius.network
  3. Navigate to Developer → Extrinsics
  4. Select the extrinsic: registration → registerNodeWithColdKey(nodeType, nodeId, payInCredits, ipfsNodeId)
  5. Enter parameters accordingly
  6. Submit and sign the transaction
  7. Verify registration on chain explorer

Node Type Descriptions​

  • Validator: For block production and validation
  • StorageMiner: For decentralized IPFS or S3 storage
  • ComputeMiner: For compute resource nodes (future functionality)

Verifying Registration on Chain​

After registration, confirm your node is recognized:

  1. In Polkadot.js Apps, go to Developer → Chain state
  2. Query the registration pallet for your node ID

Next Steps​

  • Continuously monitor your node's health and status.
  • Set up monitoring tools for uptime and performance.
  • Optimize configuration to maximize rewards.
  • Stay updated with Hippius network upgrades and documentation.

Note: Your node must remain online and in good standing to keep earning rewards and maintain registration status.