Why a public IP matters — and what to do once you have one. This guide explains the benefits of a public IP for your node. Once you have one, head to the Port Forwarding & DDNS guide to make your node reachable. Can't get a public IP? The SSH Tunnel guide gives you another path.

• What is a Public (White) IP and Why Does It Matter?
• Why a Public IP is Important for a Node
• Impact on Node Pool Performance
• How to Get a Public IP Address
• Is a Public IP Required?
• Setting Up Your Node with Public IP

A public IP address is a unique, globally accessible identifier for a device on the internet. Think of it as your home's street address: it allows others to find and communicate with you directly.

Most users operate behind a private (gray) IP, shielded by Network Address Translation (NAT). This is like living in an apartment building without a public mailbox—your device can send data out, but incoming connections rely on intermediaries like routers to forward traffic.

With a public IP, your node (server) becomes directly reachable, bypassing the need for middlemen.

• ✅ Enables direct, peer-to-peer connections with other nodes
• ✅ Ensures faster, more reliable data transfers
• ✅ Eliminates dependency on relays or tunnels
• 🚀 When traffic payments are introduced, nodes with public IPs will earn higher rewards, as they handle traffic

⬇️ We'll soon share how a public IP impacts a Node Pool and guide you on how to get one.

In our network, each pool consists of 32 nodes working together. For a node to fully participate — receiving files from businesses or users and sending them back — it needs to be reachable from the outside.

Here's how it works:

✅ With a public IP → the node can accept connections directly. This means faster response times, fewer failures, and smoother data flow.

⚪ With a private (gray) IP → the node cannot be reached directly. Instead, it must connect through another node that has a public IP. That node acts as a gateway, creating a tunnel to forward the data back and forth.

This setup works, but it introduces extra steps and can reduce efficiency.

One of the most common and reliable ways to obtain a public IP address is directly from your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Many Internet service providers around the world offer this option as an addition to your data plan.

Contact customer support (by phone, live chat, or email).

Ask if they provide a static public IP address or a dedicated IP address.

In many countries, this is a standard service, sometimes a small monthly fee is charged for it.

As soon as your Internet service provider turns on the public IP, this new address will be used on your internet connection.

You can confirm this by visiting whatismyip.com or ipinfo.io.

With a public IP, you still need to open a port on your router so incoming connections reach your node. The full walkthrough — finding your local IP, reserving it, opening the port, configuring your firewall, checking from outside, and keeping a permanent address with DDNS — is in the Port Forwarding & DDNS guide.

💡 Can't forward a port (CGNAT, provider blocking, no router access)? If your provider can't give you a public IP — or forwarding still doesn't work — use the SSH Tunnel guide to make your node reachable through a remote server instead.

The more nodes with public IPs in a pool, the more effective and resilient that pool becomes. In other words: a pool with many public nodes is faster, more reliable, and better prepared for handling real-world traffic.

No, having a public IP is not mandatory for participating in our network. While nodes with public IPs offer significant advantages in terms of performance and reward potential, we are actively developing a mechanism that will allow nodes without public IPs to still participate effectively.

Under the current system, nodes without public IPs are able to copy data from public nodes and earn rewards for contributing to the network's functionality. This ensures that all participants can contribute to and benefit from the network, regardless of their IP configuration.

Once you have a public IP address, you'll need to configure your node to use it properly. This involves setting up the correct IP address and port in your node configuration.

If you already have a node configured and want to update it to use a public IP address, you can use the interactive configuration tool:

1. Run the command: ./denode config set
2. Navigate through the interactive menu to find the network configuration options
3. Update the IP address field with your new public IP address and Port
4. Ensure the port number is correctly set (default is usually 55050)
5. Save your changes and restart your node for the new configuration to take effect

1. Click Edit button
2. Click Next
3. Paste your IP Address in the special section