Troubleshooting Geth Node Connections on Zedboard

Описание: Discover why your `Geth node` on a Zedboard isn't connecting with peers and how to resolve the issue effectively.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/71062760/ asked by the user 'Gonzalo Vera Rodríguez' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/13057529/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/71125257/ provided by the user 'Gonzalo Vera Rodríguez' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/13057529/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Troubleshooting Geth Node Connections on Zedboard

Building a blockchain node on a Zedboard might seem like a daunting task, particularly when it comes to connectivity issues. One user encountered a common blocker: their Geth node was unable to find peers within a local area network (LAN) setup. In this post, we'll dive into the problem, the steps taken to set up the node, and ultimately, we'll explore the solution to this frustrating issue.

Understanding the Problem

The user attempted to set up an Ethereum node using Geth on a Zedboard running Arch Linux ARM. After configuring the bootnode on a separate PC and executing the Geth command on the Zedboard, they found that it could not establish a connection to the bootnode. Instead, the terminal log displayed errors indicating "unknown node," leading to confusion about the cause of the disconnection.

Key Details from the Setup

Let’s break down what the user executed to see why the Geth node wasn’t able to find peers:

Bootnode Command:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Geth Command on Zedboard:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Log Output: The logs included multiple instances of PING and FINDNODE messages returning "unknown node," indicating a failure to connect.

The Solution

After troubleshooting the connection issue, it was discovered that the key culprit was system clock synchronization. For all nodes on a network to communicate effectively, it is vital that they share the same NTP server or at least maintain synchronized system clocks.

Steps to Resolve the Issue

Enable NTP (Network Time Protocol): Ensure that all devices (the Zedboard and the other nodes) are configured to use the same NTP server. This maintains clock accuracy across your network, which is crucial for peer discovery in a blockchain context.

Check System Clock:

Verify that the system time on both the Zedboard and other nodes is accurate.

Use the date command to check the current time on each device.

Synchronizing Clocks:

If they are out of sync, you can use NTP services (like ntpd or chrony) to synchronize time immediately. For example:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Restart Nodes: After making sure all nodes share the same time, restart the Geth nodes and bootnodes. This action will facilitate the reconnection process.

Conclusion

By ensuring that all machines in your network use the same NTP server, you can alleviate connectivity issues between your Geth node and the bootnode on your Zedboard. Following these steps not only resolves the "unknown node" error but also contributes to a more stable and efficient blockchain network overall.

Feel free to share your experiences or ask any further questions below! Your journey in setting up Ethereum nodes can become easier with shared knowledge and collaboration.