Setting Up Monero GUI with an Umbrel Node:

A Complete Guide

Privacy is a fundamental right in the digital age, and Monero stands out as one of the leading privacy-focused cryptocurrencies. In this guide, I'll walk you through the process of setting up the official Monero GUI wallet on a Linux Mint machine and connecting it to a Monero node running on Umbrel on a Raspberry Pi within your local network.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have:

• A Raspberry Pi running Umbrel OS with the Monero app installed and synchronized

• A computer running Linux Mint (this guide uses Linux Mint, but the steps are similar for other Linux distributions)

• Both devices connected to the same local network

• The official Monero GUI wallet downloaded on your Linux Mint machine

Step 1: Fresh Start on Linux Mint

First, let's ensure we have a completely fresh start with the Monero GUI wallet:

1. Close the Monero GUI if it's currently running

2. Open a terminal and remove any existing configuration:

rm -rf ~/.config/monero-project
rm -rf ~/.bitmonero

This will remove any existing wallet configurations and cached blockchain data, giving us a truly fresh start.

Step 2: Configure Your Umbrel Monero Node

1. Access your Umbrel dashboard through a web browser using your Raspberry Pi's local IP address

2. Navigate to the Monero app in your Umbrel dashboard

3. Go to the app settings

4. For connection mode, select RPC Full (this provides full access to the node's RPC interface)

5. Note your Raspberry Pi's IP address and the Monero RPC port (default is 18081)

Step 3: Launch Monero GUI and Choose Connection Mode

1. Launch the Monero GUI application on your Linux Mint machine

2. When the setup wizard appears, select "Use Monero"

3. When prompted to choose a mode, select "Advanced" mode

   • Simple mode runs a local node which isn't what we want

   • Simple bootstrap mode downloads blockchain data locally which is unnecessary

   • Advanced mode lets us connect to our existing Umbrel node

Step 4: Set Up Remote Node Connection

1. On the next screen, select "Connect to a remote node"

2. Enter your connection details:

   • Address: Your Raspberry Pi's IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.143)

   • Port: 18081 (the default Monero RPC port)

   • Check the box for "Mark as trusted daemon" (since this is your own node)

Step 5: Create or Restore Your Wallet

1. Choose to create a new wallet or restore from seed/keys

2. If creating a new wallet:

   • Follow the prompts to set up your wallet

   • Choose a strong password

   • Write down your seed phrase and keep it in a secure location

3. If restoring a wallet:

   • Enter your seed phrase or keys

   • Specify a restore height if known (to speed up the synchronization process)

Step 6: Complete Setup and Verify Connection

1. Once your wallet is created or restored, the Monero GUI will connect to your Umbrel node

2. Verify the connection status at the bottom of the GUI:

   • It should show "Connected" with a green indicator

   • The network status should show that it's synchronized

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Connection Issues

If you can't connect to your Umbrel node:

1. Verify the IP address of your Raspberry Pi is correct

2. Confirm the Monero service is running on Umbrel

3. Check that port 18081 is open on your Raspberry Pi

Tor Connection Issues

If you see logs like:

monero_tor_1 | Apr 08 01:19:29.000 [notice] Closed 1 streams for service [scrubbed].onion for reason resolve failed. Fetch status: No more HSDir available to query.

This indicates Tor connection issues. For local network usage, stick with direct IP connection rather than attempting to use Tor.

DNS Resolution Issues

If you're unable to connect using "umbrel.local" hostname, use the direct IP address instead (e.g., 192.168.1.143).

Benefits of This Setup

This configuration offers several advantages:

1. Resource Efficiency: Your Linux Mint machine doesn't need to download or store the entire blockchain

2. Power Savings: The resource-intensive node runs on the energy-efficient Raspberry Pi

3. Continuous Availability: Your Umbrel node can run 24/7, keeping the blockchain synchronized

4. Enhanced Privacy: Your wallet connects to your own node rather than a public one

Conclusion

By following these steps, you've successfully set up the official Monero GUI wallet on your Linux Mint machine and connected it to your Umbrel Monero node. This configuration provides an excellent balance of convenience, resource efficiency, and privacy.

Remember to keep your seed phrase secure and to regularly back up your wallet files. Happy transacting with the privacy and security that Monero provides!

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Did you find this guide helpful? Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or suggestions for future tutorials.

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