Clone the dockerised electrum personal server repo.
git clone https://github.com/BitLaunchIO/docker-electrum-personal-server.gitInstall docker and docker-compose:
apt update -y && apt install docker docker-compose -yIf you are running this on a different machine to Electrum, it’s recommended to download Tor, otherwise skip to Configuration. Connecting via Tor will ensure your IP address won’t be linked to your BTC addresses.
Install Tor on both machines:
apt update -y && apt install tor -yNote: If you are not using the root user, you will need to add your user to the debian-tor or tor group then logout/login.
sudo usermod -aG debian-tor MyUserdocker-eps host machine
The torrc file set up with a hidden service will allow you to connect to the EPS over Tor. Copy this config file to /etc/tor/torrc and restart the Tor service.
cp docker-eps/torrc /etc/tor/torrc
systemctl restart torelectrum client machine
Likewise with the docker-eps host machine, the electrum client machine needs a torrc file.
sudo nano /etc/tor/torrcAdd the following lines to the newly created torrc file. Or replace any existing lines with the following.
User tor
ControlPort 9051
CookieAuthentication 1
CookieAuthFileGroupReadable 1
Save the changes then restart the tor service:
sudo systemctl restart torAdd your Electrum wallet public key(s) to config.ini this is so that the EPS can scan for transactions and find your addresses.
mywallet = xpubkey
myotherwallet = zpubkey
Bitcoin core will need some nodes to be able to sync to the blockchain. Add some nodes by editing the docker-eps/bitcoin/bitcoin.conf file. You can either google some bitcoin full-node onion addresses or add some from the wiki:
https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Fallback_Nodes#Tor_nodes
https://en.bitcoinwiki.org/wiki/Fallback_Nodes#Tor_nodes
addnode=btcnode1.onion
addnode=btcnode2.onion
Once you have configured everything, start the docker containers.
This might take a while the first time as bitcoin core has to sync the blockchain. The time it takes to sync depends on hardware and internet speed, it could take a couple days or weeks to fully sync as each block has to be verified. Even when running in pruned mode you still need to download the full chain, the pruning will just remove the blocks that are no longer needed.
You may also see errors in the EPS logs as it won’t be able to connect to the bitcoin core node until it has finished syncing to the blockchain.
docker-compose up --build -dOnce the bitcoind container is running, you will need to create a wallet. EPS will import all your electrum addresses this wallet and check for incoming transactions to the wallet.
docker exec -t docker-eps_bitcoind_1 bitcoin-cli createwallet electrumpersonalserverTo connect Electrum to EPS, you will need the onion address.
cat /var/lib/tor/bitcoin-service/hostnameStart Electrum with this command to make sure it only connects to your EPS and routes all traffic over your Tor proxy.
If running locally:
electrum --oneserver --server 127.0.0.1:50002:sIf running on another machine:
electrum --oneserver --server myeps.onion:57283:s -p socks5:127.0.0.1:9050- If you are installing EPS on a different machine to Electrum, such as a VPS, you will want to connect to it over Tor.
- You NEED to add Tor nodes for bitcoind to sync.
- After the initial bitcoind sync you NEED to create a wallet.
- If your wallet has historical transactions, EPS will need to rescan for them (only once). To do this pruning needs to be disabled in the
bitcoin.conffile. TheDockerfile.epsfile also needs editing. Once the rescan is complete, revert the changes back to what they were.
CMD [“electrum-personal-server”, “--rescan-date”, “<DD/MM/YYYY or block-height>”, “config.ini”]- The time it takes for bitcoind to initially sync to the blockchain depends on internet speed and hardware. It could take up-to a week.