Step-by-Step Guide to Building an ETH Node with Geth and Lighthouse

Introduction to Ethereum Node Setup

Ethereum's transition from Proof-of-Work (PoW) to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) requires running two client types: an execution client (formerly "Eth1") and a consensus client (formerly "Eth2"). This tutorial focuses on setting up a non-staking node using Geth (execution) and Lighthouse (consensus).

Key Components

Execution Clients

Consensus Clients

👉 Why choose Geth + Lighthouse?

Hardware Requirements

Minimum Specifications

• OS: Linux/macOS/Windows
• CPU: 4+ cores
• RAM: 16GB+
• Bandwidth: 25+ MB/sec
• Storage: 1TB+ SSD (NVMe recommended)

Recommended Setup (Used in This Guide)

• OS: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
• CPU: 16 cores
• RAM: 128GB DDR5
• Bandwidth: 1 Gbit/sec
• Storage: 2×1.92TB NVMe SSDs

Server Configuration

1. Update System Packages

sudo apt update && sudo apt dist-upgrade -y

2. Install Essential Tools

sudo apt install wget git screen liblz4-tool vim unzip -y

Installing Execution Client (Geth)

Steps:

1. Navigate to /eth directory:

   mkdir /eth && cd /eth

2. Download and install Geth:

   wget https://gethstore.blob.core.windows.net/builds/geth-linux-amd64-1.12.0-e501b3b0.tar.gz
   tar -zxvf geth-linux-amd64-1.12.0-e501b3b0.tar.gz
   mv geth-linux-amd64-1.12.0-e501b3b0 geth
   rm *.tar.gz

3. Verify installation:

   /eth/geth/geth version

👉 Optimizing Geth for speed

Installing Consensus Client (Lighthouse)

Steps:

1. Download Lighthouse:

   wget https://github.com/sigp/lighthouse/releases/download/v4.2.0/lighthouse-v4.2.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz
   tar -zxvf lighthouse-v4.2.0-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.tar.gz
   rm *.tar.gz

2. Add to PATH:

   echo 'export PATH=/eth:/eth/geth:$PATH' >> /etc/profile
   source /etc/profile

3. Verify installation:

   lighthouse --version

Launching the Node

1. Generate JWT Secret

sudo mkdir -p /secrets
openssl rand -hex 32 | tr -d "\n" | sudo tee /secrets/jwt.hex

2. Start Geth (Execution Client)

nohup geth --cache 32768 --datadir /data/ethereum \
--http --http.addr 0.0.0.0 --http.api "eth,net,engine,web3" \
--authrpc.jwtsecret /secrets/jwt.hex --maxpeers 2000 &

3. Start Lighthouse (Consensus Client)

nohup lighthouse bn --network mainnet \
--execution-endpoint http://127.0.0.1:8551 \
--execution-jwt /secrets/jwt.hex \
--checkpoint-sync-url https://sync-mainnet.beaconcha.in \
--http &

Monitoring Node Sync

Check Sync Status

geth attach http://127.0.0.1:8545
> eth.syncing  # Returns false when synced
> eth.blockNumber  # Current block height
> net.peerCount  # Connected peers

FAQ

Q1: How long does syncing take?

A: Typically 3-4 hours with fast SSD storage.

Q2: Why choose Geth + Lighthouse?

A: Geth is the most battle-tested execution client, while Lighthouse offers Rust-based efficiency.

Q3: Can I run this on a Raspberry Pi?

A: Not recommended—requires x86_64 architecture and significant resources.

Q4: How to reduce storage usage?

A: Use --prune flag in Geth (prunes historical state data).

👉 Troubleshooting common issues