Connect a Bitaxe to your own node: Public Pool on Umbrel

A Bitaxe is quickly set up. You connect it to Wi-Fi, enter a pool and after a few minutes the small Bitcoin miner is working away. For many users that is entirely enough at the start. A Bitaxe gets really interesting, though, when you run it not just as a finished device on your network but tie it into your own Bitcoin infrastructure.

This is exactly where the combination of Bitaxe, your own Bitcoin node, Umbrel and Public Pool comes in. Instead of simply connecting your miner to an external pool, you can host your solo mining setup yourself. Your Bitcoin node holds and verifies the blockchain, Public Pool provides the stratum service and your Bitaxe delivers the hash rate.

One thing matters here: your own node does not suddenly make your Bitaxe more profitable. It does not change the probability of finding a Bitcoin block with a small home miner. The real advantage lies elsewhere: you run more of the infrastructure yourself, understand better what your miner is doing and depend less on other people’s services.

For many bitcoiners that is exactly the appeal. Your own node means verifying Bitcoin yourself. Your own Bitaxe means bringing hash rate into the network yourself. And Public Pool on Umbrel connects those two worlds into a setup that suits home mining, self-hosting and real Bitcoin sovereignty particularly well.

In this article I show you step by step how to connect your Bitaxe to your own Bitcoin node, how to set up Public Pool on Umbrel, which details you have to enter in AxeOS and which mistakes to avoid. We also clarify who this setup is really worth it for and when a classic public pool is the simpler choice.

If you first want to understand the basics of hardware, setup and use, read our Bitaxe miner guide alongside this one.

Why connect your Bitaxe to your own Bitcoin node?

A Bitaxe can perfectly well be run with a public pool. For getting started that is convenient, quick to set up and technically entirely fine. You enter the pool details in AxeOS, the miner connects and starts working.

Your own Bitcoin node changes the role of your setup, though. You no longer rely on some external service somewhere delivering the right data but run an important part of the Bitcoin infrastructure yourself. Your node checks the blockchain independently, Public Pool provides the mining interface locally and your Bitaxe connects to that environment of your own.

So the decisive point is not „more profit“ but more control.

With your own node and Public Pool on Umbrel you get a setup where you can follow what happens far better:

Your Bitcoin node validates the blockchain itself.
Public Pool runs in your own environment.
Your Bitaxe connects to your own stratum endpoint.
Your hash rate works not against some external interface but against your own setup.
You can watch several miners centrally in your own Public Pool interface.

Public Pool is interesting for exactly this purpose, because it is designed as an open-source solo mining application that can be run with your own node. Umbrel accordingly describes Public Pool as an app that lets mining hardware submit work to your own setup instead of depending entirely on central pool infrastructure.

That idea fits a Bitaxe very well. A Bitaxe is not an industrial ASIC for data centres but an open, compact Bitcoin miner for home mining, learning, experimenting and running your own infrastructure. If you already run a node or are heading towards self-hosting anyway, Public Pool on Umbrel gives you a clean connection between node and miner.

An honest assessment matters too, though: solo mining remains solo mining. Your own node does not automatically make your Bitaxe more profitable and does not magically raise your chance of a block. Every hash is still just one attempt to find a valid block. With a small home miner that is extremely unlikely.

Even so the setup can make sense, because home mining is not always about predictable earnings. For many Bitaxe users it is about something else: understanding Bitcoin better, running their own infrastructure, controlling their own hash rate and making a small but real contribution to the decentralisation of the network.

That is exactly why the combination of Bitaxe, your own Bitcoin node and Public Pool on Umbrel is so interesting. It turns a simple Wi-Fi miner into a more complete Bitcoin setup: verify, mine, observe and learn – all in your own environment.

If you want to understand why your own node matters so much in this context, also read our article on why you should run your own Bitcoin node.

What Public Pool on Umbrel actually does

To keep the setup comprehensible, it is worth first looking at the roles of the individual components. A Bitcoin node, Public Pool and your Bitaxe do not all do the same thing.

Your Bitcoin node holds the blockchain, checks blocks and transactions against the Bitcoin rules and ensures your setup does not depend blindly on someone else’s data.

Public Pool sits between your node and your miner. The app provides a stratum service your Bitaxe can connect to. Public Pool receives your miner’s work, shows your hash rate and connects your solo mining setup to your own node.

Your Bitaxe is the miner itself. It produces hashes, submits shares and tries to find valid work. So the actual mining performance still comes from the Bitaxe. Public Pool does not replace a miner, and your node produces no additional hash rate.

Simplified, the setup looks like this:

Bitcoin node on Umbrel → Public Pool → Bitaxe

Or from the miner’s point of view:

Bitaxe → stratum connection to Public Pool → your own Bitcoin node

That matters because it makes clear what Public Pool can and cannot do. Public Pool does not automatically make your setup more profitable. Nor is it a classic pool where many users bundle their hash rate and receive regular proportional payouts. Instead it is about solo mining through your own infrastructure.

If your Bitaxe ever found a valid block in this setup, that would be a solo mining success. At the same time solo mining means there are no regular small pool payouts. Either you find a block or you do not. That is exactly why you should not run a Bitaxe with the wrong expectations but see it as an open home miner for learning, experimenting, sovereignty and decentralised hash rate.

The big advantage of Public Pool on Umbrel therefore lies in the structure of the setup. You get a local interface for your mining, can watch your Bitaxe or several Bitaxes centrally and run the stratum layer yourself. Especially if you already use an Umbrel node, Public Pool is the logical next step to tie your miner cleanly into your own Bitcoin environment.

Requirements: what you need before the setup

Before connecting your Bitaxe to Public Pool on Umbrel, a few basics should be cleanly prepared. Many problems later arise not from the miner itself but from missing prerequisites on the network, a node that is not ready yet or connection details copied incorrectly.

For a stable setup you need:

A Bitaxe set up with AxeOS

Your Bitaxe should already be connected to your Wi-Fi and reachable in the browser. You will need the AxeOS interface later to enter the pool details. If your miner is brand new, set it up first through the Bitaxe hotspot or the local setup portal.

A Bitcoin node on Umbrel

Bitcoin Core, or the Bitcoin node app, should be running on your Umbrel. The node is the basis of the setup, because Public Pool accesses that node environment later. Without a working node the local solo mining setup makes little sense.

If you are still missing the infrastructure for this setup, the LiquidBox V5 and the Sovereign Stack V1 are the obvious options on bitaxe.de for making the step from a single miner to your own node setup cleanly.

A synchronised Bitcoin node

The node should be fully, or at least practically, synchronised. During the initial synchronisation your node downloads and checks the blockchain. In that phase Public Pool may not work reliably, or your miner may build a connection but not be able to mine sensibly.

The Public Pool app on Umbrel

You install Public Pool later through the Umbrel app store. What matters is that you use the connection details from your own Public Pool interface. That is where you find the relevant values for your Bitaxe, in particular the host or stratum address and the port.

A Bitcoin address for your solo mining setup

In setups like this your Bitcoin address is often used as the username. That address is the destination if your solo mining setup really does find a block. Copy it cleanly from your wallet and avoid typing it out by hand.

A stable local network

Your Bitaxe, your Umbrel and your router have to be able to talk to each other cleanly. Both devices should be reachable on the same home network. If host names do not work reliably on your local network, the local IP address of your Umbrel is often the better choice.

If you are still missing the node infrastructure for this setup, this is exactly the point where a ready-made Bitcoin node setup becomes worthwhile. For Bitaxe users the LiquidBox V5 and the Sovereign Stack V1 on bitaxe.de are the natural starting points, because they make the step from a single miner to your own Bitcoin infrastructure considerably easier.

So before changing anything in AxeOS, check this base first: Bitaxe reachable, Umbrel reachable, node synchronised, Public Pool installed or installable, Bitcoin address ready. If those points are in place, building the connection itself is usually much easier.

Installing and preparing Public Pool on Umbrel

Once your Bitcoin node is running on Umbrel and is cleanly synchronised, you can set up Public Pool. The great advantage of Umbrel is that you do not have to set up your own pool server manually. Public Pool can be installed directly from the Umbrel app store and fits into your existing node setup.

To do that, open your Umbrel dashboard and go to the app store. Search for Public Pool there and install the app. After the installation, open the Public Pool interface directly from Umbrel.

Before connecting your Bitaxe, take a brief look at the interface. What matters most are the details Public Pool provides for miners. You will need that data in AxeOS later.

Typically these values are involved:

Host or stratum address
This is the address at which your Public Pool is reachable on the local network. Depending on your setup that can be a local host name or the local IP address of your Umbrel.

Port
The port is as important as the address. If the host is right but the port is wrong, your Bitaxe cannot build a clean connection.

Username
In many solo mining setups your Bitcoin address goes here. That address matters because it would be the destination for a block if you found one.

Password
Often no real password is needed. Some setups simply use x as a placeholder or leave the field empty. What counts is what your Public Pool interface, or your AxeOS version, expects.

The most important point is this: do not blindly copy values from forums or old guides. Use the details your own Public Pool instance shows. With ports, local host names and URL formats in particular, that is where unnecessary mistakes creep in.

Also check whether AxeOS asks for the address and the port separately or whether your version expects a particular format for the stratum URL. Some users accidentally enter the protocol, host and port twice or in the wrong field. That is exactly what leads to a miner running correctly while never reaching the pool.

In practice that means:

If Public Pool shows you a clear stratum address, use it as the basis.
If the local host name does not work, try the local IP address of your Umbrel.
If the connection does not come about, check the host, port and format before thinking about firmware or hardware.

So after installing Public Pool there is not much to configure. The most important step is copying the right connection details cleanly. Once you have them, switch to AxeOS and enter them on the Bitaxe.

Connecting the Bitaxe to Public Pool in AxeOS

As soon as Public Pool is running on Umbrel and showing you the matching stratum details, switch to the AxeOS interface of your Bitaxe. You reach AxeOS in the browser through the local IP address or the local host name of your miner.

In AxeOS, open the section for the pool or stratum configuration. There you enter the details you took from Public Pool.

For the setup you essentially need these fields:

Stratum URL or host
The address of your Public Pool goes here. Depending on your setup that can be a local host name or the local IP address of your Umbrel.

Stratum port
Here you enter the port Public Pool shows you. Take care not to write the port into the URL as well if AxeOS has a separate field for it.

Username
Your Bitcoin address usually goes here. Copy it directly from your wallet or from your Public Pool setup so that no typo creeps in.

Password
If Public Pool requires no real password, you can leave the field empty or use the placeholder your interface recommends. Mining setups often simply use x.

A simple sequence looks like this:

Open AxeOS in the browser.
Switch to the section for pool or stratum settings.
Enter the host or stratum address from Public Pool.
Enter the port Public Pool states.
Set your Bitcoin address as the username.
Fill in the password field to match what Public Pool shows, or leave it empty.
Save the settings.
Restart the miner or wait briefly until the connection is established.

After saving, your Bitaxe should try to connect to your Public Pool. In AxeOS you can check whether the miner is working, showing hash rate and submitting shares. At the same time you should see in the Public Pool interface whether your Bitaxe appears there.

If the miner does not show up straight away, that is no reason to panic. On the first setup in particular it pays to wait a few minutes and then check systematically: is the node ready? Is Public Pool running? Are the host and port right? Is the Bitcoin address entered correctly? Are the Bitaxe and Umbrel really on the same network?

It also matters not to change too many things at once. If you touch the host, port, password, Wi-Fi and firmware all at the same time during a connection problem, you will not know in the end which step solved or caused it. It is better to check cleanly from the outside in: network first, then Public Pool, then the AxeOS details.

If everything fits, you have made the decisive connection: your Bitaxe no longer works against an external stratum endpoint but against Public Pool on your own Umbrel node. That completes the basic setup.

If your miner is not yet set up on your home network at all, work through the basic Bitaxe setup first.

Running several Bitaxes on the same Public Pool instance

If you run not just one Bitaxe but several devices on your home network, you can point them all at the same Public Pool instance. That is one of the practical advantages of your own local setup: you do not have to maintain a separate interface or pool account for every miner but can watch your hash rate centrally.

The principle stays the same. Every Bitaxe gets the same Public Pool address and the same port in AxeOS. You can use the same Bitcoin address as the username on all devices if they belong to the same solo mining setup. Public Pool then shows you the miners and the total hash rate of your setup.

That is particularly practical if you extend your home mining setup step by step. A single Bitaxe is often the start. Later another Bitaxe, a NerdAxe or other open miners may join. With Public Pool on Umbrel the structure still stays clear:

One node. One Public Pool instance. Several miners. One central overview.

What matters is that your local network stays stable. Several Bitaxes do not create extreme network load, but they should be reliably connected over Wi-Fi. If miners keep disappearing, briefly submit no shares or appear irregularly in the interface, that is often down not to Public Pool itself but to Wi-Fi coverage, power supply or wrong network settings.

With several devices, pay particular attention to these points:

A stable power supply
Every Bitaxe should be run with a suitable power supply. If several miners hang off one stronger unit, the voltage, power and cabling have to fit cleanly.

A good Wi-Fi signal
Weak Wi-Fi can mean miners basically run but keep losing the connection. In continuous operation in particular, a free-standing location with good reception pays off.

Unambiguous device names
If you run several miners, it makes sense to give them clear names in AxeOS. That way you can see faster later which Bitaxe delivers which hash rate or which device has a problem.

Identical, cleanly copied pool details
With several devices, small differences creep in quickly. So check whether the host, port, username and password really are identical, or deliberately set correctly.

So a Public Pool setup of your own does not only become interesting when you run a single Bitaxe. It actually becomes clearer the more miners you bring together in your own environment. Instead of checking several external dashboards, you have one central place for your local solo mining setup.

Common mistakes when connecting a Bitaxe and Public Pool

When a Bitaxe does not work with Public Pool on Umbrel straight away, that is usually not down to a major technical defect. In practice it is almost always simple things: a wrong address, a wrong port, a node that is not ready or a problem on the home network.

So it pays to hunt faults systematically.

1. The Bitcoin node is not fully synchronised yet

A common mistake is installing Public Pool while the Bitcoin node is still busy with its initial synchronisation. The node is then still downloading and checking the blockchain. In that phase the setup is not really ready for clean solo mining.

If your Bitaxe is running but does not appear properly in Public Pool or gets no sensible work, check the status of your node first. As long as the node is not in sync, do not spend too much time on AxeOS settings.

The right order is:

First let the node synchronise. Then check Public Pool. Then connect the Bitaxe.

2. The wrong address was entered in AxeOS

The next classic is a wrong host address. Public Pool runs on your Umbrel, but your Bitaxe also has to be able to reach that instance on the local network.

If you enter a local host name in AxeOS and the miner gets no connection, that host name may not be resolved reliably on your home network. In that case the local IP address of your Umbrel is often the better choice.

So instead of puzzling for long, check:

Is the Umbrel interface reachable in the browser?
Do you know the local IP address of your Umbrel?
Are the Bitaxe and Umbrel on the same network?
Does the host name really work, or only on your laptop?

The last point in particular matters. Just because your computer can resolve a local name does not automatically mean your Bitaxe reaches the same name cleanly.

3. The port is wrong

The host and port belong together. If the address is right but the port is wrong, your Bitaxe still cannot reach Public Pool.

So take the port directly from your Public Pool interface. Do not rely on old screenshots, forum posts or some blanket value from a guide. Depending on the version and setup, the details can differ.

It also matters not to enter the port twice. If AxeOS has its own field for the port, that is exactly where it belongs. Writing it into the URL as well can cause problems depending on the format.

4. The Bitcoin address was copied incorrectly

In solo mining the Bitcoin address matters especially, because it is usually used as the username. A single missing or wrong character is enough to stop your setup working as you expect.

So do not type the address out by hand. Copy it directly from your wallet and then check the beginning and the end. Also take care not to copy any spaces.

With longer addresses in particular, mistakes are often not visible at first glance. So if you have a connection problem, the address is always one of the first things to check.

5. The password field is filled in wrongly

Many mining setups use no real secret in the password field. Often the field stays empty or a simple placeholder such as x is used.

Even so, that field can cause problems if your AxeOS version or your Public Pool instance expects a particular format. So here too, follow what your own interface recommends.

If you are unsure, do not test several things at once. Change only the password field, save, wait briefly and then check whether the miner appears in Public Pool.

6. The Bitaxe and Umbrel are not on the same network

Some home networks are more complicated than they look at first glance. Guest Wi-Fi, mesh systems, VLANs or separated 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks can mean devices are on the internet but cannot reach each other locally.

For this setup the Bitaxe and Umbrel have to be able to talk to each other locally. If your Bitaxe is on the guest network and Umbrel on the main network, the connection can be blocked.

So check:

Your Bitaxe should be on the normal home network.
Umbrel should be reachable from the same network.
Guest networks should be avoided for this setup.
Router features such as client isolation can prevent local connections.

7. Too many changes at once

An underestimated mistake is frantic troubleshooting. You change the URL, then the port, then the password, then the Wi-Fi, then restart everything and no longer know which change did what.

A calm order is better:

First check that Umbrel and Public Pool are running.
Then check that the node is in sync.
Then check the host and port.
Then check the username and password.
Then reconnect or restart the Bitaxe.

That way you find the cause faster and avoid accidentally breaking an almost correct setup.

Security at home: do not open Public Pool to the internet unnecessarily

A Public Pool setup of your own is meant above all for your local home network. Your Bitaxe is at your place, your Umbrel is at your place and both devices communicate within your network. In most cases the setup should stay exactly that way.

So the most important security principle is:

Do not open Public Pool to the internet unnecessarily.

For normal operation you need no public port forwarding on your router. Your Bitaxe has to reach Public Pool locally, but devices from the internet do not. If you forward ports without a clear reason, you make your setup unnecessarily vulnerable and more complicated.

For a clean home network setup this is normally enough:

Your Bitaxe is connected to your normal Wi-Fi.
Your Umbrel runs on the same local network.
Public Pool is reachable locally.
AxeOS points at the local address of your Umbrel.
The router blocks access from outside as usual.

Be particularly careful with guest networks, port forwarding and external access. A guest Wi-Fi is often configured so that devices on it may not talk to other local devices. That makes sense for guests but is bad for your Bitaxe setup. The miner would be online but unable to reach your Umbrel.

Port forwarding on the router is generally not necessary for this setup either. If some guide tells you to open ports, check very carefully whether that really applies to your local setup. Many problems arise because users mix guides written for different scenarios.

If you want to access your Umbrel dashboard remotely, use the secure access options provided for that instead of simply exposing mining ports publicly. For the Bitaxe itself: it should work reliably on your home network, not hang on the internet as a publicly reachable device.

Another point is the power supply. Security is not only about the network but also about stable continuous operation. A Bitaxe often runs for many hours or permanently. So the power supply, the cables and the location should suit the setup. The supplied standard power supply is generally enough for normal operation. If you run several Bitaxes or experiment with overclocking, look for a high-quality upgrade unit and plan enough headroom.

The location deserves some care too. The miner should stand free, get enough air and not be run right against a wall, in a closed box or next to other heat sources. Especially if you use several devices in one room, airflow and ambient temperature become more important.

In short: a good Public Pool setup is not only configured correctly but also run cleanly. Reachable locally, not needlessly open to the internet, with a stable power supply, good Wi-Fi and sensible cooling. Then the Bitaxe runs not only technically correctly but also more calmly in the long run.

Your own Public Pool or a public pool: what is the difference?

A Bitaxe can be run in two very different ways. You can connect it to a public pool, or you can hang it off your own Bitcoin node through Public Pool. Both work, but the idea behind them is not the same.

With a public pool you use the infrastructure of an external provider. The pool provides the stratum server, distributes work to the miners, collects shares and shows you your hash rate in its interface. For getting started that is convenient, because you only have to enter the pool address, your user and possibly a password in AxeOS.

With Public Pool on your own Umbrel node you run that layer yourself. Your Bitaxe connects not to an external stratum endpoint but to your own Public Pool instance on your home network. Your node checks the Bitcoin blockchain itself and Public Pool provides the mining interface for your miner.

So the difference lies above all in control.

A public pool is simpler.
Your own Public Pool is more sovereign.

A public pool is often quicker to set up for beginners.
Your own Public Pool suits users who want to run their Bitcoin infrastructure themselves.

A public pool takes technical detail off your hands.
Your own Public Pool makes that detail visible and comprehensible.

One thing matters here: Public Pool on Umbrel is not a classic pool in the sense of regular proportional payouts. It is about solo mining. That means you do not collect predictable small rewards together with many other miners. Your Bitaxe works in your own setup. If your setup finds no block, there is no payout. If it finds a valid block, that would be a real solo mining hit.

For most Bitaxe users the main reason is therefore not the return but the structure of the setup. Your own Public Pool suits you particularly well if you want not only to use Bitcoin but to understand it better. You see how miner, stratum, node and network work together, and you run a larger part of your infrastructure yourself.

That is what makes the difference from a public pool: not necessarily simpler, not automatically more profitable, but considerably closer to the idea of Bitcoin sovereignty.

If you are still unsure whether to mine solo locally or start with a classic pool first, also read our post on solo mining.

Who this setup is worth it for

A Bitaxe with your own Bitcoin node and Public Pool on Umbrel is not the right first step for every user. The setup is very interesting, but it assumes you want to engage deliberately with Bitcoin infrastructure.

If you have only just unpacked your first Bitaxe and simply want to see the miner running, a public pool is often the easier way in. You have fewer variables, fewer network questions and a quicker sense of success in AxeOS.

If you already run your own node, or want to build one anyway, it looks different. Then Public Pool on Umbrel is a very sensible extension. You use your node not only to verify but also tie your own hash rate into your setup.

The setup suits these groups particularly well:

Bitaxe users who want to understand Bitcoin better

A Bitaxe is not only a miner but also a learning tool. With Public Pool and your own node you see far more directly how mining, stratum, node and blockchain fit together.

Home miners with their own Umbrel node

If your Umbrel is running anyway, Public Pool is the logical next step. You do not have to build a separate pool server but can use your existing node infrastructure.

Users with several Bitaxe miners

As soon as several devices run on your home network, a central Public Pool interface becomes practical. You can watch your miners together and see your local hash rate more clearly.

Bitcoiners focused on sovereignty

If you want not only to hold Bitcoin but also to verify it yourself and run your own hash rate, this setup gives you a very rounded combination: your own node, your own miner, your own stratum environment.

Technically curious buyers

For users who like to understand what happens in the background, this setup is considerably more interesting than a simple external pool entry. It makes visible which building blocks work together in mining.

The setup is less suitable if you want to configure as little as possible or if local networks, IP addresses and node synchronisation quickly annoy you. Then it is better to start with a classic pool and move to Public Pool later.

The good news is: you do not have to decide immediately. Many users start with a public pool, get to know their Bitaxe and later switch to their own node setup. That is often the most sensible route: understand the miner first, then extend the infrastructure.

How to tell whether your setup is running correctly

After the setup the most important question arises: is your Bitaxe now really working cleanly through Public Pool on your own Umbrel node?

The good news is you do not have to guess. Both AxeOS and Public Pool give you indications of whether the connection works.

In AxeOS you should check whether your Bitaxe is working normally. The hash rate should be shown, the miner should not keep reconnecting and no conspicuous error messages should appear. Shortly after saving the new pool details it can take a moment for everything to stabilise. But if there is still no connection after a few minutes, something is usually wrong with the host, port, username or network.

In Public Pool you should see whether your miner appears. Depending on the interface your Bitaxe is shown there with its hash rate, its submitted shares or as an active worker. If you have connected several Bitaxes, you should also be able to see whether the total hash rate is plausible for the number of devices.

You recognise a healthy setup above all by these points:

Your Bitaxe stays reachable in AxeOS.
The hash rate is plausible and stable.
Public Pool shows your miner as connected.
Shares are being submitted.
The node is synchronised.
There are no constant disconnects.
The temperature of the miner stays in the normal range.

It is important to judge the values realistically. A Bitaxe will not show spectacular new results every second. What matters is not that something dramatic keeps happening but that the system runs calmly and stably.

If your miner shows hash rate in AxeOS but does not appear in Public Pool, the fault usually lies with the pool connection. If Public Pool runs cleanly but your node is not ready yet, the problem is more on the node side. If the Bitaxe itself is unstable, restarts or drops off the Wi-Fi, check the power supply, the Wi-Fi signal and the temperature first.

After the first setup in particular it pays to let things run for a while rather than making changes after every small readout. You recognise a good Bitaxe setup by it working calmly over hours: a stable connection, a plausible hash rate, no frantic restarts and a cleanly reachable Public Pool.

If those points fit, you have reached your goal: your Bitaxe works through your own Public Pool instance and is thereby cleanly connected to your own Bitcoin node.

Why this setup fits Bitcoin sovereignty so well

Many people start with Bitcoin quite simply: they buy Bitcoin, hold it in a wallet and later perhaps look into self-custody. The next step is often a Bitcoin node of their own. With it you check for yourself whether your coins and transactions follow the Bitcoin rules instead of relying only on other people’s servers or wallet providers.

A Bitaxe extends that idea with another building block: your own hash rate.

Of course a single Bitaxe does not replace a large mining farm. That is not the point. The point is that you run a small part of the mining infrastructure yourself. You are not only a spectator but take part in the network actively. That combination is exactly what makes the setup so interesting:

Your own wallet for self-custody.
Your own node for verification.
Your own Bitaxe for hash rate.
Public Pool on Umbrel as your own mining interface.

That creates a Bitcoin setup that does not consist only of an app on your phone. You run real infrastructure. You see what role your node plays, how your miner gets work and how your hash rate becomes visible in your own environment.

That is also why a Bitaxe suits home mining so well. It is small, open, network-capable and ideal for understanding Bitcoin mining in practice. Instead of viewing mining only as a distant industry, you bring a piece of it home.

Public Pool on Umbrel reinforces that effect. Your Bitaxe does not simply hang off some external dashboard but works against a service you run yourself. Your node verifies the blockchain, your Public Pool instance provides stratum access and your miner delivers the hash rate.

That turns a small miner into a more complete learning and infrastructure setup. Not because it makes you rich overnight, but because it shows you how Bitcoin really works under the surface.

For many bitcoiners that is the decisive point. Bitcoin sovereignty means not only owning coins. It means reducing as many central dependencies as possible: in custody, in verification and, where sensible, in mining too. A Bitaxe with your own node and Public Pool is a very tangible way in.

Conclusion: Bitaxe, your own node and Public Pool as a rounded home mining setup

Connecting a Bitaxe to your own Bitcoin node is no longer an exotic tinkering project. With Umbrel and Public Pool the setup has become considerably more accessible, because you do not have to build your own pool server from scratch. You install Public Pool on your Umbrel, take the stratum details and enter them in AxeOS.

The most important point remains the right expectation, though. Your own node does not make your Bitaxe more profitable, and solo mining stays a game with a very low hit probability even with Public Pool. If you expect regular payouts, a classic pool is usually the better place.

But if control, understanding and your own infrastructure are what you are after, this setup is extremely interesting. Your node checks Bitcoin itself, Public Pool provides your own mining interface and your Bitaxe delivers hash rate from your home network. That turns a small miner into a considerably more complete Bitcoin setup.

For bitcoiners already thinking in terms of self-custody, their own node and sovereign infrastructure, a Bitaxe with Public Pool on Umbrel fits very well. You run not only a wallet and not only a node but also bring your own hash rate into the network. That makes Bitcoin more tangible and shows very practically how the individual building blocks work together.

For beginners a public pool can be the easier first step. For everyone who wants to run their setup deliberately themselves, Public Pool on your own Umbrel node is the cleaner and, in the long run, more interesting solution.

Want to understand solo mining better and get started right away? If you want to build your own setup at home, you will find suitable node hardware and Bitaxe miners here for getting into open-source home mining.

Connecting a Bitaxe to your own Bitcoin node: setting up Public Pool on Umbrel