Since its inception, bitcoin has come a long way. The leading cryptocurrency dominates the cryptocurrency market at the moment, and it is safe to say that it will continue to do so for a long time. Unlike fiat currencies, bitcoin is not controlled by a centralized body, and instead, they are mined by individuals and groups. In return, miners get bitcoins in reward.
As cryptocurrencies become more mainstream day by day, USB powered mining devices are becoming popular as well.
Reasons why USB-powered mining devices are becoming more popular in the crypto industry:
- Easy of use
- Seamless connectivity
- Low power consumption
What is USB Bitcoin Miner?
Bitcoin mining is a way to validate and release new cryptocurrency into circulation. And miners get some amount of bitcoins in reward. USB Bitcoin miners are used to increase mining power in a computer. When connected, a USB bitcoin miner performs the mining function at a certain speed of hashing. Several USB miners can be plugged in together at the same time to enhance the hashing output.
Note: The bitcoin mining process involves the validation of transactions and their addition to the bitcoin blockchain network.
How does a USB miner work?
As mentioned above, multiple USB miners are plugged in with suitable software to perform mining and to enhance the hashing output. For example, connecting six miners that offer 335 mega hashes per second can generate a cumulative two gigahashes of mining power.
A USB hub is used to plug in multiple miners.
A standard computer only has 2 to 4 USB ports, so a USB hub is used to plug in multiple USB miners. The USB hub assembly is then connected to a computer that is installed with the software suitable for controlling the USB miners and their mining operations. The software also allows real-time monitoring of the performance of the USB miners.
Some of the Software used are:
- MacMiner
- Asteroid
- MinePeon
- BFGMiner
Note: A USB bitcoin miner setup can also be connected to smaller, low-cost computer devices such as Raspberry Pi.
USB Bitcoin miners
1. ASIC Bitcoin Miner USB
ASIC bitcoin miner USB generates a power of 25 gigahash per second. To get started with this bitcoin miner USB, you need to insert the device into the computer and download drivers and the mining software CG miner. You also need to fill your BTC address, where the software will send the payment.
Note: A user also has the option to mine bitcoins solo or join a mining pool.
2. Gekkoscience Compac USB stick
Gekkoscience Compac USB bitcoin miner weighs about 0.8 ounces with a power efficiency of 0.33 W/Gh. The mining capacity of this USB bitcoin miner is 9.5Gh/s. It is a silent device with a single USB port.
Note: Compac USB bitcoin miner can perform up to 15 GH/s, and its performance can increase if it was to be overclocked.
3. Avalon Nano 3
Avalon Nano 3 bitcoin USB miner is not sufficient to earn profits and probably not even enough to pay the electricity costs. It performs at 3.6GH/s. In comparison to Gekkoscience and ASIC, it does not heat up as much, and the use of a fan is not required.
Conclusion
Using a USB bitcoin miner to mine bitcoin is not a bad idea if you want to learn about the nuisance of cryptocurrency mining. You can not expect to make noticeable profits mining bitcoins using a USB bitcoin miner. Setting up a USB miner is very low cost and does not require a complicated process.
