4 created keypairs are needed to run a validator. id can be used at withdrawer.
To switch between keypairs:
```sh
solana config set -k id.json
```
## 6. Fund wallet
Make sure you have XNT in your wallet before you continue.
Check balance:
```sh
solana balance
```
## 7. Create a validator startup script & start node
In your ubuntu home directory (e.g. `/home/ubuntu/`), create a folder called `bin`. Inside that folder create a file called `validator.sh` and make it executable:
```sh
mkdir -p $HOME/bin
touch $HOME/bin/validator.sh
```
Next, open the `validator.sh` file for editing:
```sh
nano $HOME/bin/validator.sh
```
Copy and paste the following contents into `validator.sh` then save the file:
```sh
#!/bin/bash
export RUST_LOG=solana_metrics=warn,info
exec tachyon-validator \
--identity $HOME/.config/solana/identity.json \
--vote-account $HOME/.config/solana/vote.json \
--entrypoint entrypoint0.mainnet.x1.xyz:8001 \
--entrypoint entrypoint1.mainnet.x1.xyz:8001 \
--entrypoint entrypoint2.mainnet.x1.xyz:8001 \
--entrypoint entrypoint3.mainnet.x1.xyz:8001 \
--entrypoint entrypoint4.mainnet.x1.xyz:8001 \
--known-validator 2skZy1HiefFby6a8raendfWGKGRmpcDiwvuPj1v7atch \
--known-validator 9zkHekQ7TS1JddcGMgMsZYDUc3xvGzUnXCAfKERvuwUR \
--known-validator ErccS37ii8NbPjsDdGso93vGj7rkF8WhuCV7GhoWmqsS \
--known-validator 8MUdMKKnod3zD1errE1jjeswLtuZ7jNiTvN2EC5cqbCG \
--known-validator 3ka4FFFTm3YgTJ17598ApHuzxELd7PcHnHQsY8uqbDsu \
--known-validator wwcXJz47MTnZacxJ4WSxbhtKuiZvHVqDrBbNCCpjVp1 \
--only-known-rpc \
--log $HOME/validator.log \
--ledger $HOME/ledger \
--rpc-port 8899 \
--full-rpc-api \
--dynamic-port-range 8000-8020 \
--wal-recovery-mode skip_any_corrupted_record \
--limit-ledger-size 50000000 \
--enable-rpc-transaction-history \
--enable-extended-tx-metadata-storage \
--rpc-pubsub-enable-block-subscription \
--full-snapshot-interval-slots 5000 \
--maximum-incremental-snapshots-to-retain 10 \
--maximum-full-snapshots-to-retain 50
```
Make validator startup script executable:
```sh
chmod +x $HOME/bin/validator.sh
```
Make sure you're in the home directory:
```sh
cd $HOME
```
Start validator with nohup:
```sh
nohup $HOME/bin/validator.sh &
```
Check validator logs to see if it's running:
```sh
tail -f $HOME/validator.log
```
Check catch up status:
```
solana catchup --our-localhost
```
Use monitor command to check validator operations:
```sh
tachyon-validator --ledger ./ledger monitor
```
See all nodes connected to network, whether they are staked or not. Your identity.json should show up there.
```sh
solana gossip
```
Check validator process:
```sh
ps aux | grep validator
```
Kill validator process:
```sh
tachyon-validator exit -f
```
# Create a validator node
First create a read-only node and then continue with below steps. To turn the read-only node into a validator node you need to fund your identity account and create vote and stake accounts.
### Fund identity account