Simplified Guide to Mining ETH with Updated ethminer Command Parameters

Introduction to ethminer

ethminer is a widely-used software for mining Ethereum (ETH) and other Ethash-based altcoins. Its key advantages include:

• No developer fees
• Pre-compiled binaries available
• Supports both OpenCL and CUDA mining

Key Changes in Version 0.14.0

The latest update consolidates multiple pool-related parameters into a single -P command, replacing these deprecated options:

-F, --farm, -FF, -SF, -FS, --farm-failover, --stratum-failover
-S, --stratum, -O, --userpass, -SP, --stratum-protocol
--stratum-ssl, -FO, --failover-userpass, -u, --user
-p, --pass, -o, --port, -fu, --failover-user
-fp, --failover-pass, -fo, --failover-port

Configuration Examples

Legacy Configuration (Deprecated)

ethminer ^
-S eth.gpumine.org:3333 ^
-FS eth2.gpumine.org:4333 ^
-O 0xFdd43923340736FfBcB31C808aC644922c1dF05d.pc1 ^
-SP 1 ^
-RH ^
--farm-recheck 200 ^
-G

Modern Configuration (Recommended)

ethminer ^
-Pstratum1+tcp://[email protected]:3333 ^
-Pstratum1+tcp://[email protected]:4333 ^
-RH ^
--farm-recheck 200 ^
-G

Note for Linux/Mac Users: Replace ^ with \ for line continuation.

Protocol Options Explained

When configuring stratum connections, you can choose from these protocol variants:

The numbering (1, 2) corresponds to the deprecated -SP parameter values.

Creating Your Mining Script

1. Save the configuration as:

   • .bat file for Windows
   • .sh file for Linux/Mac
2. Execute the file to begin mining

Core Parameters Breakdown

Essential Mining Flags

-G (OpenCL mining)
-U (CUDA mining)
-RH (Report hashrate to pool)
--farm-recheck (Work check interval in ms)

Performance Optimization

--cl-local-work (OpenCL work size)
--cuda-block-size (CUDA work size)
--cuda-streams (Parallel processing)

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between stratum and stratum1 protocols?

Stratum1 is specifically designed for compatibility with eth-proxy servers used by pools like Nanopool, while standard stratum follows the original specification.

How often should I set --farm-recheck?

For stable hashrate reporting with stratum connections, use 2000ms or higher. For getwork connections, 500ms is typically sufficient.

Can I use both OpenCL and CUDA devices simultaneously?

Yes, with the -X flag, though you may need to specify platform numbers for mixed AMD/Nvidia systems.

👉 Learn advanced GPU optimization techniques

What if my miner crashes during DAG generation?

Use -L sequential to load DAGs one GPU at a time, or -L single <n> to generate on one device first.

Additional Resources

For comprehensive parameter documentation, refer to the official ethminer GitHub repository.

👉 Troubleshooting common mining issues