Ethereum: How to configure Bitcoin Core to always connect to a specific node?

Configuring Bitcoin Core for Seamless Node Connection

As a full node participant, establishing a continuous connection to a specific node is crucial to maintaining the integrity and security of a P2P network. In this article, we will walk you through the process of configuring Bitcoin Core (BC) to always connect to a specific node.

Understanding Node Configuration

In Bitcoin, nodes are responsible for validating transactions and broadcasting them to the network. When setting up BC, you need to configure your node to connect to specific nodes on a regular basis. This is done using the httpd configuration file, which controls the Bitcoin Core web interface.

Setting Up a DMZ Zone

To prevent your main node from being exposed to the public internet, we will set up a DMZ (demilitarized zone) for our full node X. This will allow us to control incoming connections and ensure that only essential traffic reaches our node.

Create a new file in the etc directory called x.conf. Open this file in your favorite text editor:

sudo nano /etc/x.conf

To enable DMZ mode, add the following configuration:


Enable DMZ mode

[httpd]

zone = xdmz


Set incoming connections (allow only necessary traffic)

incoming_connections =

Replace “” with the public IP address or hostname of your node. You can obtain this information by checking the node logs or viewing the configuration file.

Configuring Incoming Connections

Ethereum: How do I configure Bitcoin Core to connect always to a particular node?

When DMZ mode is enabled, BC will only respond to incoming connections that are directed to the xdmz zone. To specify a specific node, you need to add the IP address to the incoming_connections list.

For example, if your node is running on the IP address 192.168.1.100, you would add:

incoming_connections = 192.168.1.100

Starting Bitcoin Core in DMZ Mode

Once the configuration is complete, start Bitcoin Core using the default command:

sudo systemctl start bitcoin-core

You can also use a service manager like systemctl to manage the startup and shutdown of your node:

sudo systemctl enable bitcoin-core

Testing Your Configuration

To verify that your setup is working properly, you can test your connection using the httpd web interface. Open a web browser and navigate to (replace` with the public IP address of your node).

If everything is configured correctly, you should see the Bitcoin Core dashboard.

Best Practices

When setting up a full node, keep in mind:

  • Make sure your DMZ is properly configured and secured.
  • Update your node regularly to ensure you have the latest security patches.
  • Consider implementing additional security measures, such as encryption rules or firewalls, to protect your node from unauthorized access.

By following these steps, you will be able to configure Bitcoin Core to always connect to a specific node, ensuring seamless communication with the P2P network. Happy node-ing!

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