Step-by-step guide to setting up a mining pool for Bitcoin in 2026

Correct setting of the mining pool affects the stability of payments and the level of rejected shares (stale shares). This guide will take you from choosing a pool to making your first payout.POOL BTCwill help you compare the conditions of the pools before connecting.

Short:registering in the pool + setting up a stratum address in the ASIC takes 10-15 minutes. Main parameters: stratum pool URL, worker name, payout address. Optimal pool: FPPS, commission 0-1%, ping to server less than 50 ms.

What is a pool and why is it needed?

The pool combines the hashrate of thousands of miners. When the pool finds a block, the reward is divided in proportion to the contribution of each participant. Without a pool, a single ASIC would wait for a block for years. With a hashrate of 212 TH/s and a network of 745 EH/s, the expected time of a solo block is ~14,000 years.

How to select a pool before connecting?

Selection criteria:

• Commission:0-1% (FPPS) - optimal
• Payment scheme:FPPS includes transaction fees, PPLNS depends on pool luck
• Minimum payout:0.001-0.005 BTC for home miners
• Ping:select a server in the nearest region
• Uptime:check the history atPOOL BTC

Step 1: Register in the pool

1. Open the website of the selected pool (Foundry, AntPool, F2Pool, ViaBTC, etc.)
2. Create an account (email + password). KYC is usually not required on large pools
3. Go to Workers or Dashboard section
4. Create a worker: give it a name (for example, asic01) and set a password (usually just x)
5. Copy the stratum pool address and port (for example: stratum+tcp://btc.foundryusapool.com:3333)

Step 2: ASIC setup

1. Connect the ASIC to the local network (Ethernet cable to the router)
2. Find out the ASIC IP address: check the list of devices in the router or use a network scanner
3. Open the IP in the browser - the ASIC web interface will load
4. Go to Miner Configuration or Pool Settings
5. Fill in three fields:
   - Pool URL: stratum+tcp://pool_address:port
   - Worker: your_pool_login.worker_name
   - Password: x
6. Click Save - ASIC will reboot and start sending balls to the pool

Step 3: Set up your payout address

In your pool account:

1. Go to Settings or Payment
2. Enter the Bitcoin address of your wallet (starts with bc1, 1 or 3)
3. Set the minimum payout amount (I recommend 0.001-0.005 BTC)
4. Save and confirm via email

Use a personal non-custodial wallet address, not an exchange address. About choosing a wallet - in the articlecrypto wallets: types and selection.

Step 4: Check and Monitor

5-15 minutes after saving the settings:

• Your worker will appear in the pool's personal account with the status "Online"
• The worker’s Hashrate must correspond to the ASIC passport data (±5%)
• Stale shares (rejected) should be less than 1% - if higher, change the pool server to the closest one geographically

How to set up a backup pool?

ASIC supports 2-3 pools simultaneously. If the main ASIC is unavailable, it automatically switches to the backup one. Set up a backup with another pool or another region of the same pool:

• Pool 1 (main): the nearest main pool server
• Pool 2 (backup): another region of the same pool or a backup pool
• Pool 3 (emergency): solo pool (ckpool) or another pool with FPPS

Frequently asked questions about setting up a pool

Why is the ASIC connected, but does not show the hashrate in the pool?

Please wait 5-15 minutes - data is updated with a delay. If there is no hashrate after 30 minutes: check the stratum URL, port and worker name. Make sure your firewall is not blocking outgoing connections on port 3333.

How often should ASIC be paid?

Depends on your hashrate and minimum payout amount. With S21 Pro (212 TH/s) and a minimum of 0.001 BTC, payments come approximately once every 1-2 days. At a minimum of 0.01 BTC - once every 2-3 weeks.

Is it possible to mine in two pools at once?

No - ASIC operates only in one pool at a time. The second and third pools in the settings are backup, not parallel.

Which pool port is better: 3333 or 443?

Port 443 (SSL) is preferred on firewalled networks. Port 3333 is faster due to lack of encryption. For home networks without restrictions - 3333.

Bottom line: how to launch the first ASIC in a pool in one day

Setting up an ASIC and connecting to a pool is a one-day task even for a beginner. The main steps: select a pool with FPPS and a low payout threshold, create an account and copy the stratum address, enter it in the ASIC web interface (device IP address in the browser), add the Bitcoin address as the worker name. The first shares will appear in 5-15 minutes. The first payment is when the minimum is reached (usually 0.001-0.005 BTC). Current stratum addresses and conditions of leading pools are atPOOL BTC.