Firmware

Firmware is the software installed on a miner's control board. On an ASIC, it is usually a small Linux system that boots the machine, drives the hashboards and their chips, sets fan speeds, monitors temperatures and connects to the pool. It also provides the web interface where you enter the pool address and check the hashrate.

Every machine ships with the manufacturer's firmware, known as stock firmware, which the manufacturer updates to fix bugs or add features. There are also alternative firmwares that offer finer settings: power profiles, undervolting, chip-by-chip autotune or advanced fan management. Some take a small share of the hashrate as payment. Be careful: unofficial firmware can affect the manufacturer's warranty, and an interrupted update can brick the control board.

Before changing a machine's firmware, note its current version, check exact compatibility with the model and the control board type, and keep the power supply stable throughout the operation. On a product page, the firmware listed tells you which settings will be available as soon as the machine is up and running.

We install our HappyMining firmware free of charge on machines bought from us; its dedicated page explains what it offers.