This post will show you how to fix a huge sync gap of Bobcat Miner 300 in detail and explain why Bobcat Miner 300 take so long to sync.
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How to Fix a Huge Sync Gap of Bobcat Miner 300
Many of you have likely recently experienced a significant lack of activity and rewards due to a large sync gap between the Bobcat Miner 300 and the blockchain. The current sync status can be viewed from the diagnoser web interface, or by using your favorite data transfer tool. Curl will be used in this example. Let’s first examine the information that the status endpoint provides.
$ curl 192.168.1.70/status.json
{
"status": "synced",
"gap": "1",
"miner_height": "1001004",
"blockchain_height": "1001005",
"epoch": "25829"
}
The status shows that we are completely in sync with the block chain. Our current position in the blockchain is one block behind the head, according to the gap. The hotspot’s most recent synced block is indicated by the miner height, and the blockchain’s current head is indicated by the blockchain’s height. This is directly verifiable using the helium API.
$ curl https://api.helium.io/v1/blocks/height
{"data":{"height":1001005}}
Blockchain snapshots appear to be created and uploaded multiple times per day, and a newly introduced fastsync utility can be used to download and load the most recent snapshot without having to update the firmware. The Helium firmware updates include an updated blockchain snapshot and are pushed out at regular intervals. The fastsync utility can help you avoid spending hours, days, or even weeks syncing if you’re stuck with a sync gap that’s bigger than 400 blocks. At the moment, the Helium network is expanding greatly, and sync speeds appear to be suffering as a result. As a result, a large number of Helium hotspots are currently way off sync and end up being stuck for days or weeks waiting to catch up the blockchain. The reason hotspots suddenly find themselves several thousand blocks behind the chain seems to stem from a bug in the Helium firmware where the local blockchain database gets deleted, forcing a resync. The problem has been reported to Helium, who is hopefully developing a solution.
UPDATE 10.09.2021: Bobcat has released an OTA that adds the fastsync command to the Bobcat diagnoser web interface. By clicking the fastsync button there, you can now initiate fastsync. Personally, I still advise using the command line to read the rest of this guide. You can better understand what’s going on and it’s more dependable. But at least you have options now.
Before you proceed, the following requirements need to be fufilled
- A computer with Windows 10, Linux or MacOS installed
- Network connectivity with your hotspot
- Hotspot must be synced and connected to the internet. Verify this through the diagnoser
- A strong network connection is necessary for the hotspot. Weak WiFi connections may cause the snapshot download to time out and fail.
Once you’re ready, open up a terminal/command line prompt and issue the following command.
curl -i -H "Authorization:Basic Ym9iY2F0Om1pbmVy" --request POST http://192.168.1.20/admin/fastsync
Make sure to change the IP and set it to the hotspot’s local IP.
The credentials, base64-encoded as bobcat: miner, are contained in the Authorization header, which is a typical basic auth formatted header. In order to bring your Bobcat Miner 300 back into sync, the command will send a request to the fastsync endpoint, which will download and load the most recent helium snapshot.
While the hotspot downloads the snapshot from AWS, the command will hang for approximately one and a half minutes. You will receive a confirmation message when the download is finished, and then the hotspot will reboot twice to load the snapshot data. It usually takes ten minutes to complete this. Have some patience, sip some coffee, and avoid touching the diagnoser or your Bobcat Miner 300.
This is how it should look like once the command is done running:
curl -i -H "Authorization:Basic Ym9iY2F0Om1pbmVy" --request POST http://192.168.1.150/admin/fastsync
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset=UTF-8
X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff
X-Frame-Options: SAMEORIGIN
Keep the power on while you sync your miner.
When the LED turns green, check the sync status again to see if you’re back in sync with the blockchain and prepared to cover the people’s network (and possibly make some HNT in the process).
After being formally added to the diagnoser, I anticipate that the fastsync feature will gain more notoriety over the next few days and weeks. I’m hoping this guide will help you save some time and pick up a few new skills.
How Long Does It Take for a Bobcat Miner 300 to Sync?
24-48 hours
The blockchain sync process generally takes 24-48 hours for You’ll be prepared to begin mining $HNT once you have installed Bobcat Miner 300 Hotspots.
Why is synchronization in Bobcat Miner 300 so slow?
This happens pretty often in my experience, and usually the cause is either the wifi got disconnected or there was a firmware update. When my hotspot needs repair, I unplug it, give it some time to cool off, and then plug it back in (classic IT practice). Just be careful not to do it too frequently.
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