Ethereum mining question

[TubsAlwaysWins]

Does ethereum mining give individual tasks to each GPU you have, or are they able to work together in any capacity? (If I had a 6GB card could I use a 2GB?) I know the answer is probably no, just figured id check. I know its not really profitable to mine on GPUs, especially ones with that low of VRAM.

Just curious.

Thanks!

[Aaron_T]

The GPUs do NOT work together when running the Ethereum hashing algorithm. Which is why a mining rig functions just fine using any number of GPUs all connected via PCIe 1x to USB risers. As long as you can get your OS to recognize multiple different GPUs in your system, they can all work on mining, and will be given individual tasks. Note: Getting the OS to recognize all the different cards is the hardest part.

A side note since you mentioned it. Last I checked, maybe a year back or so, the minimum VRAM required to run the Ether hashing algorithm was 4GB. Maybe it's changed, but at the time, that VRAM requirement was only increasing.

 

I'd suggest finding the Ether mining software you want to use first, then find it's requirements. Then secondly, see if your OS will even recognize, at once, all the GPUs you want to use. Windows, and even off the shelf linux is annoying at best to get multiple different GPUs mining at the same time. May want to look into eth OS http://ethosdistro.com/

Another side note, if you want to run more than 6 GPUs off the same system, you likely need a special motherboard to do so. You could be lucky and the mobo you have has enough PCIe slots and just the right switches in the BIOS to make it work, but I doubt it, unless you have a mining board already.

 

ADDED INFO EDIT:
If your two GPUs are the ones listed in your profile, then you are correct. Those are not new enough or power efficient enough to turn a profit anymore, unless you get free electricity.

[TubsAlwaysWins]

5 hours ago, AaronThomas said:

The GPUs do NOT work together when running the Ethereum hashing algorithm. Which is why a mining rig functions just fine using any number of GPUs all connected via PCIe 1x to USB risers. As long as you can get your OS to recognize multiple different GPUs in your system, they can all work on mining, and will be given individual tasks. Note: Getting the OS to recognize all the different cards is the hardest part.

A side note since you mentioned it. Last I checked, maybe a year back or so, the minimum VRAM required to run the Ether hashing algorithm was 4GB. Maybe it's changed, but at the time, that VRAM requirement was only increasing.

 

I'd suggest finding the Ether mining software you want to use first, then find it's requirements. Then secondly, see if your OS will even recognize, at once, all the GPUs you want to use. Windows, and even off the shelf linux is annoying at best to get multiple different GPUs mining at the same time. May want to look into eth OS http://ethosdistro.com/

Another side note, if you want to run more than 6 GPUs off the same system, you likely need a special motherboard to do so. You could be lucky and the mobo you have has enough PCIe slots and just the right switches in the BIOS to make it work, but I doubt it, unless you have a mining board already.

 

ADDED INFO EDIT:
If your two GPUs are the ones listed in your profile, then you are correct. Those are not new enough or power efficient enough to turn a profit anymore, unless you get free electricity.

So I figured id try it just to see how its done. My 270X will not mine it. Doesnt have enough VRAM. My 1060 on the other hand will. I havent really looked into power vs reward yet as its still just me dinking around. I know im doing shy of 24MH/s at ~90W which obviously isnt great. VRAM minimums dont matter a ton in my case as its either a 270x that cant mine or a 1060 that can. 

I have been using Claymore Dual Eth miner and so far no complaints. Dont know how long ill keep it going. I also dont know how common it is (and ill have to do some more research) but it says I found part of something every now and then (again not a full coin but more than it normally mining I think? )

Dont really have plans to run 6GPUs unless it was profitable to run on a Quadro K600 (which it isnt and its also not possible lol).

 

Thanks for the info!

[Aaron_T]

@TubsAlwaysWinsThat's a hash rate I'd expect from a 1060, not great nowadays, but like you said, still fun to play around with it.

 

If you're running in a pool, then the work you're doing will be rewarded slowly over time as you're contributing to a collective all mining for the gain of everyone associated. This guarantees some return, but obviously it will be small amounts. This is the scenario where your electricity cost can more easily be compared to your return over time.

 

If you're running independently then you're essentially buying a lotto ticket for every block your GPU processes. There is no guarantee you'll ever get anything, but there is a tiny tiny tiny ... tiny tiny tiny tiny chance you'll decode a block that will give you 5 ETH, at least I think it's 5. When I was running a few 1070s a while back I think the math came out to something like 5-6 years I'd be likely to get one block... but of course it gets harder and harder over time

[TubsAlwaysWins]

14 hours ago, AaronThomas said:

@TubsAlwaysWinsThat's a hash rate I'd expect from a 1060, not great nowadays, but like you said, still fun to play around with it.

 

If you're running in a pool, then the work you're doing will be rewarded slowly over time as you're contributing to a collective all mining for the gain of everyone associated. This guarantees some return, but obviously it will be small amounts. This is the scenario where your electricity cost can more easily be compared to your return over time.

 

If you're running independently then you're essentially buying a lotto ticket for every block your GPU processes. There is no guarantee you'll ever get anything, but there is a tiny tiny tiny ... tiny tiny tiny tiny chance you'll decode a block that will give you 5 ETH, at least I think it's 5. When I was running a few 1070s a while back I think the math came out to something like 5-6 years I'd be likely to get one block... but of course it gets harder and harder over time

Interesting. Thanks!

[TubsAlwaysWins]

@AaronThomas

So I've got my miner going to the 2miners pool and then my wallet address is one from coinbase. Will it matter that every time you hit receive to get a wallet ID it changes? I know why they do it, my concern is if it will stop going to that wallet. 

 

From what I can find I should be good but want to ask someone else who might know 

[tikker]

17 hours ago, TubsAlwaysWins said:

@AaronThomas

So I've got my miner going to the 2miners pool and then my wallet address is one from coinbase. Will it matter that every time you hit receive to get a wallet ID it changes? I know why they do it, my concern is if it will stop going to that wallet. 

 

From what I can find I should be good but want to ask someone else who might know 

According to CoinBase it should be good (emphasis mine):

https://help.coinbase.com/en/coinbase/privacy-and-security/data-privacy/why-did-my-crypto-address-change

Quote

We automatically generate a new address for you after every transaction you make or when funds are moved between your wallet and our storage system. This is done to protect your privacy, so that a third-party cannot view all other transactions associated with your account simply by using a blockchain explorer.

All addresses that have been generated for your account will remain associated with your account forever. They are safe to re-use to receive future payments, but for the prior stated reasons, we recommend using a unique address for all transactions. You can view your complete list of crypto addresses at any time here. 

 

[Mick Naughty]

I only use hiveos or nh. Can monitor it all from the same app and send it to Coinbase on the same address. 
 

As far as cards go, they each build their own dag. And certain vram cards can’t even do the same algorithms based on size and type. 
 

 

[Aaron_T]

On 2/7/2021 at 4:28 PM, TubsAlwaysWins said:

@AaronThomas

So I've got my miner going to the 2miners pool and then my wallet address is one from coinbase. Will it matter that every time you hit receive to get a wallet ID it changes? I know why they do it, my concern is if it will stop going to that wallet. 

 

From what I can find I should be good but want to ask someone else who might know 

I never used coinbase directly with my mining rig, just didn't like keeping my coin on an exchange. I used Exodus https://www.exodus.com/

 

Sent everything to Exodus then to coinbase if I wanted to trade.

 

But it looks like @tikkeris right, it shouldn't be a problem.

[5terky]

I recommend trying to mine UBQ if you wanna learn about ETH mining, a lot more stable and only requires 2GB of VRAM. ETC requires 3-4GB and ETH requires >4GB VRAM

All the knowledge is transferrable so good to play with, not trying to shill you just point out something that can be educational. 

[TubsAlwaysWins]

On 2/15/2021 at 3:59 PM, AaronThomas said:

I never used coinbase directly with my mining rig, just didn't like keeping my coin on an exchange. I used Exodus https://www.exodus.com/

 

Sent everything to Exodus then to coinbase if I wanted to trade.

 

But it looks like @tikkeris right, it shouldn't be a problem.

Ill have to check that out. Also this is a stupid question, Do wallets need to be online when sending/receiving crypto? (IE do I need it on a machine with 24/7 uptime?)

[tikker]

1 hour ago, TubsAlwaysWins said:

Ill have to check that out. Also this is a stupid question, Do wallets need to be online when sending/receiving crypto? (IE do I need it on a machine with 24/7 uptime?)

No. The transaction is recorded on the blockchain. The wallet will need to synchronize at some point, however, to know it has the funds, but you/it can do that whenever you/it feels like.