How can I open a channel to public and non-public nodes?
Choose Public or Private Channels for Your Optimal Experience!
Channels are a foundational aspect of the Lightning Network. They enable the fast, cheap off-chain transactions we want to make. Public nodes broadcast their presence and route payments for others, earning fees. Non-public nodes are private, used only for personal transactions or with trusted parties, ensuring higher privacy and control.
A Non-Public node has all their channels private
A Public node has all their channels public
It is not recommended for a node to mix private and public channels. While all channels can send and receive funds, having both public and private channels can cause private channels to struggle with receiving satoshis. This turns them into "spend-only" channels, and once emptied, they lose their receiving capacity due to conflicts with public channels, making them useless.
Choose whether between opening a public or private channel🕵️
Decide if you want your channels to be private or public tailored for your optimal experience!
1 . Go to "Liquidity" on Alby Hub
Inside "Liquidity", you have to go through the step of a normal channel opening. Either make a channel with your own funds, ready to start spending satoshis. Or you can buy a channel from an LSP and increase your receiving capacity
LSPs (Lightning Service Providers) are individuals or companies that help you increase your Receiving Capacity by allowing you to buy a channel from them. You pay a small fee, and they open a channel to your self-custodial wallet, increasing your ability to receive payments⚡.
Open a channel with Spending Balance
Or open a channel with Receiving Capacity
2 . On the channel-opening section, click on "Advanced Options"
After clicking "Advanced Options," you will see an unchecked box named "Public Channel." By default, new channels are private because Alby Hub is intended for personal use, not as a routing node. However, some activities, like keysend payments in podcasting, require public channels.
If you need public channels, check the "Public Channel" box for all the channels you open. Whether for increasing Spending Balance or Receiving Capacity, if you have one public channel, it's best to make all your channels always public.
Great! 🎉 Now you understand the difference between Public and Private channels, their uses, and why private channels are recommended as the default option.😊
🚀 Try Alby Hub on Alby Cloud Today!
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📚 Learn More About Channels and Liquidity!
Dive deeper into the world of channels and liquidity. Check out our guide section for detailed explanations and tips. Enhance your understanding and optimize your Alby Hub experience!
🤝 Discover More about private vs public channels in the Web!
Want to know more about public and private channels? Checkout this article for an in-depth look. Expand your knowledge!
Thank you for stopping by! This section was made by contributions of Jean-Paul Last updated on July 2024.
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