I’ve gotten so many questions regarding my RAK Hotspot miner. What is it? What does it do? How much is it? Can you make money off of it? Hopefully this post will explain all you need to know to get started if you want to jump in on this new technology.
A Helium hotspot miner is a device that connects to other Helium hotspot miners and provides a network of internet access for IoT devices. It utilizes LongFi Radio technology which provides wireless internet access at a farther distance than traditional WIFI routers. This network can connect to devices such as pet locators, packages trackers, tower sensors to detect wild fires, etc. As a reward for connecting and sharing, you are paid in Helium token. (HNT) This is the future!
There are many miners to choose from. I personally purchased the RAK hotspot miner. Here is a list of options if you’re thinking about buying: https://www.helium.com/mine#hotspots
I purchased my hotspot miner from CalChip Connect : https://www.calchipconnect.com/
Helium claims that it’s really easy to get up and running. You take it out of the box, connect the power (and ethernet if you want to opt out of WIFI), then pair with Bluetooth on your phone using the app to finish installation and setup. The amount of power this device uses is equivalent to a standard LED lightbulb. There are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to mine HNT…
- If you decide to purchase 2 or more, they have to be at least 300m (984ft) apart. If they are close, it will hurt your rewards.
- Check your location to see if anyone else is mining. If there are too many people around you, you may make less. https://explorer.helium.com/
- Upgrade the antenna for a farther reach. Some people install higher powered antennae on their roof for a greater range. More range = higher payout.
- Relaying is an issue and will hurt your HNT rewards. If your device is shown to be in Relay mode, then you will need to open up port 44158 on your network. You can check your port (44158) here: https://portchecker.co/
- Some troubleshooting will be required if you run into an issue. While support is available at places like Reddit and Discord, it will involve you working on it yourself.
- Do the research! Check the explorer map and see how your location looks.
The easy approach is to just set it by your window and let it do its thing.
Some take it a step further and configure a stronger antenna for longer range.
Others…. well they go all out.
So what do you think? Will you be joining us to pave the way for a better, more connected future?
