Congratulations, and welcome fellow Bitcoin solo miner! Your Bitaxe is the real deal — a fully functional, open-source Bitcoin ASIC you can hold in your hand. Let's get it mining.
If you have a DIY kit (heatsink and fan not pre-installed), start with our Bitaxe Assembly & First Boot guide before these steps — it covers the mounting procedure.
⚠ Before you begin — please read:
Do not hold the device by the fan or heatsink. Doing so can compromise the thermal paste bond and may require replacement (see Maintenance below).
The screen uses a friction-fit connector and can dislodge in transit. If you can't see the screen, inspect the packaging — you may need to gently splay the pins before reinserting.
Bitaxe devices only connect to 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. If you have trouble connecting, make sure you're on your router's 2.4 GHz band — most modern routers run a separate 5 GHz band as well. This is the most common setup issue.
The stock power supply, heatsink, and fan are rated for default settings. If you plan to overclock, you'll need modifications.
Bitaxes require ongoing maintenance. This is an open-source device, not a sealed consumer product — think of it as an opportunity to show your proof of work and learn the hardware.
Unbox your Bitaxe and make sure all components are present and undamaged.
What's in the box:
Bitaxe device
5 V power supply with AU plug adaptor
Standing case & mounting screws (if ordered)
If the screen appears to be missing, check inside the packaging — it may have dislodged in transit. Gently splay the header pins to improve friction before reinserting.
Step 2. Install the device in the standing case
Skip this step if you didn't order a case.
Insert your Bitaxe into the stand and secure it with the provided 3 mm screws.
Step 3. Connect the power supply
Plug the included 5 V power supply into a wall socket, then into your Bitaxe.
Step 4. First power-up
Switch on the power socket. The Bitaxe will attempt to connect to a default network, which it won't find — that's expected and is how it switches into setup mode.
Step 5. Connect to the Bitaxe Wi-Fi access point
Watch the details cycle through on the Bitaxe screen.
The Bitaxe broadcasts its own Wi-Fi network (SSID), named Bitaxe_XXXX.
Using a phone or laptop, connect to that network.
Step 6. Open the AxeOS web portal
Most devices auto-redirect to the portal once connected. If yours doesn't:
In the AxeOS portal, click Settings and enter your home Wi-Fi SSID and password.
Tip: Double-check the SSID and password before saving — a typo means manual recovery later.
Step 8. Set your pool and payout address
The factory default pool is public-pool.io:3333 — it works out of the box and lets you verify the device is hashing. You can update the pool URL, port, and username in AxeOS to point at any pool you prefer; most don't require a password.
Set the Stratum User to your own Bitcoin address — this is the on-chain address that receives your block reward if you solve a block.
Choosing a pool? Here are our walkthroughs for the three most popular:
Parasite Pool — community favourite, small fair fee, good stats.
Public Pool — the factory default, zero-fee solo mining.
Step 9. Save and restart
Click Save, then Restart to apply your changes.
Step 10. Start mining
If everything is configured correctly, your Bitaxe will begin mining.
Once it's on your home network, connect to it by entering the IP address shown on the Bitaxe screen (or try http://bitaxe.local on most home networks).
New to the AxeOS dashboard? Our Dashboard Explained article decodes every number — hashrate error, stale shares, ASIC vs VR temperatures, and the seven things most Aussie Bitaxers panic about that are actually fine.
Thinking about overclocking? Don't — not yet. Run stock settings for 24–48 hours first to confirm thermals and stability. When you're ready, our Overclocking Your Bitaxe Gamma article walks through the stepped methodology we've validated on 60+ units.
Welcome to solo mining. 🟠
Troubleshooting
No Bitaxe_XXXX network appears — the device may already be configured from a previous session. Unplug it, press and hold the RESET button on the PCB, plug power back in while still holding RESET, and continue holding for 5–10 seconds. The device clears its config and comes back up in AP mode.
Hashrate stays at zero after 10+ minutes — check that your pool URL and port are correct. Some routers with "IoT protection" or family-filter features block outbound TCP on port 3333; disable these temporarily and retry.
ASIC temperature above 75°C at stock settings — confirm the fan is spinning (check the RPM reading in AxeOS), that the heatsink is seated flat, and the Bitaxe isn't inside a sealed enclosure with no airflow path.
Wi-Fi keeps dropping — the Bitaxe radio is 2.4 GHz only. If your router serves a combined 2.4/5 GHz SSID, it may be trying to push the device onto 5 GHz. Create a dedicated 2.4 GHz SSID if you can.
For a deeper troubleshooting walkthrough — including mDNS resolution, DHCP lookup, and firmware reflash via the Bitaxe Web Flasher — see our Assembly & First Boot guide.
Maintenance
Thermal paste replacement
Frequency: every 12–18 months for stock settings, or sooner if ASIC temperatures have drifted upward over time. Overclockers should pull the interval in to every 6–9 months.
Consumables:
Thermal paste — available from Jaycar or similar electronics stores.
99% Isopropyl alcohol — available from Jaycar, Bunnings, or similar.
The full step-by-step procedure — including cleaning, reseating, torque guidance, and what to expect post-repaste — is in our Bitaxe Maintenance guide.
Still stuck?
If you've read the notices above and followed every step but your Bitaxe still isn't mining, check the resources below — the Bitaxe community is active and helpful. If you're still stuck after that, get in touch and we'll help.
