Staking Nodes
Your Vault is created but not yet operational. Your infrastructure must be ready.
Staking Nodes
Ensure your node infrastructure meets the technical requirements below for reliable operation.
Automated Node Setup Available
A new experimental feature allows the Operator Service to automatically install and manage execution and consensus clients (Reth and Lighthouse). See Automated Node Setup → for details.
Execution Client
Your execution node must be fully synced and running. Any client that supports the ETH Execution API specification ↗ can be used:
- Nethermind ↗ — (Ethereum, Gnosis)
- Besu ↗ — (Ethereum)
- Erigon ↗ — (Ethereum, Gnosis)
- Geth ↗ — (Ethereum)
- Reth ↗ — (Ethereum)
Configure execution client
Preserve event logs to ensure the Operator Service functions correctly. Some clients require specific configuration to sync event logs and prevent event log pruning:
- Nethermind
- Erigon
- Reth
Nethermind must be run in FastSync mode:
nethermind --Sync.FastSync=true
Avoid SnapSync mode as it skips historical event logs, keeping only recent ones.
# Ethereum Mainnet
erigon --prune=receipts --prune.to=18470089
# For other networks, adjust the block number to the Keeper contract creation block
These flags prevent pruning of event logs as required by the Operator Service.
Add the following option to Reth command:
# Ethereum Mainnet
--prune.receiptslogfilter=0x6B5815467da09DaA7DC83Db21c9239d98Bb487b5:before:18470089
# For other networks, adjust the block number to the Keeper contract creation block
The Keeper contract ↗ on Ethereum Mainnet is located at
0x6b5815467da09daa7dc83db21c9239d98bb487b5 (must be provided in lowercase).
Consensus Client
Your consensus node must be fully synced and running. Any client that supports the ETH Beacon Node API specification ↗ can be used:
- Lighthouse ↗ — (Ethereum, Gnosis)
- Nimbus ↗ — (Ethereum, Gnosis)
- Prysm ↗ — (Ethereum)
- Teku ↗ — (Ethereum, Gnosis)
- Lodestar ↗ — (Ethereum, Gnosis)
Validator Client
Configure the suggested-fee-recipient of your validator client with the correct fee recipient address.
This is the Block reward recipient shown in the Details section at the bottom of your Vault page.
An incorrect value will result in penalties for your Vault in the Smoothing Pool and will trigger a warning on the Vault page, alerting users to an invalid validator setup.
MEV-Boost
Set up MEV-Boost ↗ to capture execution layer rewards. MEV-Boost is open source middleware that connects your validator to a network of block builders competing to produce the most profitable block, maximizing your Vault's execution-layer revenue.
If your Vault uses the Smoothing Pool, you must use one of the StakeWise DAO-approved MEV relays (see Smoothing Pool Relays →). Learn more about MEV Strategy →.