Hashrate, Explained

Hashrate, Explained

For those familiar with mining, the word hashrate is not surprising. Newbies immediately turn to google for clarifications. After reading the article, there should be no questions left about what it is, why it is needed, how to measure and count.

What is hashrate?

Explained in simple terms, it is a unit of measurement that determines the computing power of devices that mine cryptocurrency. There are several types of mining, which are described in detail in our article. If the token supports POW mining, then you can configure the equipment that "digs" this coin. To calculate the amount of cryptocurrency that can be received, XP is needed. It is important to note that the parameter indicates the speed of performing mathematical operations by the device, be it an ASIC or a "farm" of video cards. The main task is to find the hash functions that will serve as the completion of the block in the chain. For this, a reward is given in the form of a set number of tokens. The higher the Hashrate of the system, the more chances you have to find the desired block and pick up the reward. That's why miners are joined into pools. When a miner finds a solution earlier than others, the received bonus is divided in direct proportion among all participants of the pool, depending on the involved computing power.

How is the hashrate calculated?

Without disassembling the principle into small blocks, an array of raw data enters the miner. After that, the process of selecting the correct value starts, taking into account the specified rules. It may look different depending on the hashing algorithm used. The result is a set of characters. For example, 128-bit MD5 looks like this 79054025255fb1a26e4bc422aef54eb4. Depending on the cardinality of the element, the rate of searching hashes can vary hundreds of times. The fastest are specialized ASIC miners. They are developed specifically for such tasks. Considering that modern technology can iterate over hundreds of thousands and millions of hashes per second in order not to get confused in zeros, they use various prefixes:

  • kilohash kH - 1000 h/s;
  • megahesh - MH - 1million h/s;
  • gigahesh - GH - 1 billion h/s;
  • terahesh - NH - 1,000,000,000,000 (12 zeros) h/s;
  • petahesh - PH - 1,000,000,000,000,000 (15 zeros) h/s.

What does hashrate depend on?

In addition to SHA25 hashing, which is used in bitcoin, altcoins use alternative hash functions for encryption. For this reason, search performance is different. Several cryptocurrencies can use the same algorithm, which is normal. So, in addition to Bitcoin, SHA256 is embedded in, Emercoin, Peercoin, Bitcoin Cash, and others. Ethereum runs on Ethash, and with it, the less popular Ubiq, Metaverse ETP, etc. Scrypt is implemented on the Litecoin network.

Thus, using, for example, a "farm" for the extraction of alts, with hash functions different from each other, the hash of the video card will be different.

How to find out the hashrate of Bitcoin and other cryptos?

The Internet is full of services with a convenient interface, where you can see not only the hashrate, but also the estimated profitability from "digging" a particular coin on the selected hardware. It is easy to find them by request in the search engine - mining calculator. On the site, it is enough to check the boxes next to the video cards, processors, ASICs that are available and indicate their number. For an accurate calculation of profit, you should fill in the field with the approximate electricity costs. That is how net income can be estimated. Those who have a "zero socket" do not pay for electricity - the field for the cost of electricity is left blank. In this case, the payback of the video card and the profitability of mining significantly increase. Sometimes, instead of the h / s indicator, you can see the inscription sol/s. It means a solution. When the Equihash hash function, which is used in the popular Zcash, Komodo, ZenCash, and others, is used, it is customary to consider the number of "solutions" per second that a device can iterate over. Hence the reduction. There are many assumptions on the web that sol / s is twice the h / s, but in reality, they are equivalent. They demonstrate the same thing, which has been repeatedly confirmed by authoritative sources. It just so happened that the speed of the Equihash hash function is measured and displayed in "sols," so don't be embarrassed to see something like that. The prefixes do not differ kSol, MSol, etc.

What affects hashrate?

One of the most important things that affect hashrate is the video card. The quality of it is essential for the mining process.

Here are the most common reasons for a decrease in hashrate are:

Connection method When it comes to video cards, there are different interfaces on the motherboard, the data transfer rate of which is different. The final result may depend on which slot the cards are connected to. When 6-8 graphics modules are connected to one motherboard at once, a riser is used to make them all fit. They look like extension cords: at one end interface is inserted into the connector on the motherboard, and at the other - in the PCI-express format. If such adapters are of bad quality, this will also affect the final result.

Operating system type. In addition to the script that launches the system for selecting hash functions, the OS performs several service tasks, which also consume the resources of the processor, video card, and other components. Depending on the "gluttony" of the system, at the output, we get a different final hash rate. The best OS that allows you to squeeze out the maximum for cryptocurrency mining are the UNIX family ones: Linux, Debian, Ubuntu.

Pool selection. Each POOL functions differently, uses individual scripts and resolves the issue of interaction between network participants in its way. What's more, some of your devices h/s may not be shown in the monitoring cabinet because they work as a "commission" for the pool owners. Such moments should be taken into account, and unprofitable offers should be cut off.

The temperature of graphics chips. Any computing crystal cannot deliver the same performance at different heating levels. The higher t is shown by the monitoring programs, the lower the search speed. The recommended level, above which it is not advisable to keep the schedule working - 176 °F. The typical temperature is usually up to 149 °F. In addition to the maximum speed, this approach will have a positive effect on the lifespan of the video card.

Timing. Timing is the delay required for the command to execute. Taking into account the moment that it takes an unequal amount of time to complete different tasks, having decided what kind of cryptocurrency you plan to mine, you can find optimal timings on specialized forums. They will be enough for a specific operation, and at the same time, upon its completion, there will be no downtime waiting for a new function. They look like files that are written to a USB flash drive and flashed through the BIOS. With the right timings, the hash rate of the graphics card can be increased by 20%, which is quite significant.

Understanding details about hashrate is essential not only for the ones who are making attempts to start mining but also for those who are investing in cryptocurrencies.