Dear Pool operators!

Due to varying implementations of NexaPow stratum protocol some pools may not be compatible with NiceHash. Buyers of NexaPow algorithm on NiceHash currently cannot use all publicly available pools. Therefore you, as a pool operator, are loosing out on the potential traffic.

Below we prepared an explaination on how to upgrade pool communication in order to make your pool NiceHash compatible. The main issue is how the pool nonce is treated and how the pool and miner part of the nonce are divided. Keep in mind that NiceHash (as any other proxy) takes one or two bytes of the complete nonce for itself. Pool has to leave a byte or two of the nonce lenght for NiceHash.

Example of stratum communication between a miner toward a mining pool

To be compatible with NiceHash, the pool must check that the third parameter in the mining.submit array contains or starts with the pool nonce as set by the pool during initial subscribe. The whole value must be used when calculating the share hash (i.e. share difficulty), otherwise it will result in a share above target reject.

Example of stratum communication between a miner proxied through NiceHash toward a mining pool

Example of stratum communication (Echelon variant) between a miner toward a mining pool

For pools using the Echelon stratum variant and wishing to be compatible with NiceHash, the pool must send a pool nonce that is either 6 or 7 bytes, as to leave room for NiceHash nonce bytes. The nonce in miner submit messages will be assembled from Pool nonce + Nicehash nonce + Miner nonce, in total it will always be 16 bytes.

Example of stratum communication (Echelon variant) between a miner proxied through NiceHash toward a mining pool

If there are any uncertanities left, feel free to join our Discord server where we can assist you further.