Testnet Setup
This guide walks you through setting up a node on the Monolythium Testnet. Choose between the recommended Monarch CLI path or the advanced raw monod path.
Network Details
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Cosmos Chain ID | mono_6940-1 |
| EVM Chain ID | 6940 (0x1B1C) |
| Bond Denom | alyth (18 decimals) |
| Display Denom | LYTH |
| Consensus | LythiumBFT |
| Unbonding Period | 3 days |
| Max Validators | 53 |
| Inflation | 8% annual (fixed) |
| Fee Burn | 90% of transaction fees burned |
Path A: Monarch CLI (Recommended)
Monarch CLI handles genesis download, SHA256 verification, peer configuration, and process management automatically.
1. Install Monarch
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/monolythium/monarch-cli/prod/scripts/install.sh | bash
Verify the installation:
monarch version
2. Join the Testnet
For a validator node:
monarch join --network Testnet --validator --moniker my-node
For a full node (non-validating):
monarch join --network Testnet --moniker my-node
For a seed node:
monarch join --network Testnet --seed --moniker my-seed
This command automatically:
- Downloads the official genesis file and verifies its SHA256 checksum
- Initializes the node home directory at
~/.mono - Configures seeds and persistent peers from the Monolythium peer registry
- Sets the minimum gas price
- Starts the node via OxidePM with auto-restart and health checks
3. Check Status
monarch status
Wait for the node to sync. The catching_up field will show false when sync is complete.
4. Run Health Audit
monarch doctor
This checks 13 categories including binaries, genesis, config, P2P, ports, sync, disk, and security. Fix any warnings with:
monarch repair
5. Become a Validator (Optional)
After your node is fully synced, follow the Validator Operations guide to register as a validator.
Path B: Raw monod (Advanced)
For operators who prefer manual control over every configuration step.
1. Prerequisites
- OS: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or later
- Go: 1.24.2+ (download)
- Hardware: 4 CPU, 8 GB RAM, 200 GB SSD (minimum)
2. Build from Source
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/monolythium/mono-chain.git && cd mono-chain
# Checkout the latest release tag
git checkout <release-tag>
# Build and install
make install
sudo mv $(go env GOPATH)/bin/monod /usr/local/bin/
# Verify
monod version
3. Initialize the Node
monod init my-node --chain-id mono_6940-1
4. Download Genesis
curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/monolythium/networks/prod/testnet/genesis.json \
-o ~/.mono/config/genesis.json
5. Configure Peers
SEEDS="561c4313fa36aa568ce51d13c66f326192c48b41@159.69.176.32:26656"
PEERS="057a448a58b045617d57a255fca177d4b7a023ef@78.47.141.58:26656,899fa0c4f25c760356d0e6666ee13f56d52a78ae@159.69.89.111:26656,b8b0caf66fb7268b5e7bacd897fc95980188980b@46.62.197.55:26656,b112a77286bc33ca233c3c24e8d9abf99568debc@178.104.87.244:26656,8010a82ebce1cb52475f5b2ee6e08c5b7b76ad12@46.62.206.153:26656,2209c1f9eac0f4fb0fd11ba25ecf1c56571136cc@91.99.217.26:26656,3bb59a080a026bd53afbd6c7d202c074cc321045@46.62.206.194:26656"
sed -i "s/^seeds = .*/seeds = \"$SEEDS\"/" ~/.mono/config/config.toml
sed -i "s/^persistent_peers = .*/persistent_peers = \"$PEERS\"/" ~/.mono/config/config.toml
6. Set Minimum Gas Price and EVM Chain ID
sed -i 's/^minimum-gas-prices = .*/minimum-gas-prices = "10000000000alyth"/' ~/.mono/config/app.toml
# Critical: monod defaults to evm-chain-id 262144 — must be set to 6940 for Testnet
sed -i 's/^evm-chain-id = .*/evm-chain-id = 6940/' ~/.mono/config/app.toml
Skipping this step causes an AppHash mismatch at the first EVM transaction. The node will stall and refuse to advance. The default evm-chain-id (262144) is a generic Ethermint value — Testnet requires 6940.
7. Enable EVM JSON-RPC (Optional)
If you plan to serve EVM RPC traffic or develop DApps:
sed -i '/\[json-rpc\]/,/\[/ s/^enable = false/enable = true/' ~/.mono/config/app.toml
8. Start the Node
monod start
Your node will sync from genesis. Consider setting up a systemd service for production use -- see Installation for systemd configuration.
Syncing from genesis may take several hours depending on the current chain height. For faster sync, use Monarch CLI with --sync-mode snapshot or see State Sync.
Public Endpoints
| Service | URL |
|---|---|
| Cosmos RPC | https://rpc.testnet.mononodes.xyz |
| Cosmos REST | https://api.testnet.mononodes.xyz |
| EVM JSON-RPC | https://evm.testnet.mononodes.xyz |
| Block Explorer | testnet.monoscan.xyz |
Add Testnet to MetaMask
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Network Name | Monolythium Testnet |
| RPC URL | https://evm.testnet.mononodes.xyz |
| Chain ID | 6940 |
| Currency Symbol | LYTH |
| Block Explorer | https://testnet.monoscan.xyz |
Get Testnet LYTH
Visit the faucet to receive testnet LYTH tokens, or see Get LYTH for more options.
Verify Your Node
After the node finishes syncing, verify it is healthy:
# Using Monarch
monarch status
monarch doctor
# Using monod directly
curl -s localhost:26657/status | jq '.result.sync_info'
curl -s localhost:26657/net_info | jq '.result.n_peers'
Your node should show:
catching_up: false(fully synced)- At least 3--5 connected peers
- Block height increasing
Next Steps
- Validator Operations -- Register as a validator
- Monarch CLI -- Full CLI reference
- Monitoring -- Set up monitoring
- Security Guide -- Secure your node