If you are one of the owners of specialized ASIC cryptocurrency mining equipment Aleo, you've probably noticed an annoying drop in performance or a complete stoppage of mining in recent days. Since last Friday, reports have been circulating on mining forums and community groups (Discord, Bitcointalk) about machines stopping communicating with the network.
What is behind this outage and when will the situation return to normal?
What happened?
This is not due to a hardware failure, but Aleo network protocol update. The developers have implemented changes to the algorithm Proof-of-Succinct-Work (PoSW), which is the key mechanism by which the network generates zero-knowledge proofs (ZK).
Current ASIC The machines are extremely efficient, but at the same time very narrowly focused on a specific version of the algorithm. As soon as there is a technical change in the block parameters or the structure of the proofs, the existing software (firmware) in the devices becomes incompatible.
Current status with manufacturers
According to the latest information from the forums, the situation is as follows:
- Bitmain (Antminer): Most users are reporting zero hash rate. The manufacturer is working on an update that will need to be uploaded to the machines.
- IceRiver: The first reports of beta versions of the firmware are appearing, but stability is not yet 100%.
- Mining pools: The problem doesn't just affect the machines, but also the pools themselves, which had to go into maintenance mode on Friday to adapt to the new consensus rules.
How long will it take?
Based on previous experience with similar network upgrades, it is estimated that it will take approximately 0.5–1 month. All major manufacturers should release fix packs within this range.
Recommendations for owners ASICat:
- Turn off the machines "idle": If your machine is only consuming electricity and not mining anything, it is more economical to temporarily turn it off.
- Beware of scams: Links to "unofficial fixes" may appear on forums. Never download firmware from unverified sources, there is a risk of infecting the machine or stealing performance.
- Follow the official channels: Check the manufacturers' websites and the official Aleo project Discord channel.
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