Fixing Bitaxe problems: the most common errors and their fixes

Your Bitaxe or NerdQaxe is acting up? The vast majority of problems are quickly solved and have harmless causes. Here are the most common cases – from top to bottom in the order in which you should check them.

No WLAN / no access to the dashboard

AxeOS works exclusively on the 2.4 GHz network, not on 5 GHz. This is by far the most common cause. Check the following:

• Is 2.4 GHz active on your router (not just 5 GHz)? With combined networks a separate 2.4 GHz SSID sometimes helps.
• Are the WLAN name and password exactly correct? Special characters are a typical source of error.
• Are you on the same network as the miner (not on the guest WLAN)?
• In an emergency: reset the miner and reconnect to the setup hotspot (see setup guide).

No accepted shares

The miner runs but the “Accepted” counter stays at zero? This is almost always a pool problem:

• Stratum URL or port written incorrectly – check typos carefully.
• Bitcoin address mistyped or in the wrong format – best to copy it fresh from the wallet.
• Pool currently offline – test another pool as a check.
• Details in Setting up a mining pool.

Hashrate too low

The hashrate is well below the expected value? Possible causes: too high a temperature (the chip throttles), too conservative or faulty tuning values, or rejected shares due to too low voltage. First reset the values to default, ensure good cooling and observe again. How to optimize cleanly afterwards is in AxeOS tuning.

Too hot / throttling

High temperatures lower hashrate and lifespan and can lead to crashes. Provide fresh air, do not place the miner in a closed cabinet and check that the fan spins cleanly. If that is not enough, upgrade the cooling – e.g. with the ICE Tower Low Profile Kit or the AXP60 Copperzilla. Removing dust regularly also helps.

Constant reboots

If the device keeps rebooting, the two most common causes are: too aggressive tuning or a too weak/low-quality power supply.

• Reset frequency and voltage to the default values (see AxeOS tuning).
• Use a sufficiently sized, stable power supply – ideally the included original.
• Check plugs and cables for a firm fit.

Display stays dark or freezes

A frozen display does not necessarily mean mining has stopped – first check in the dashboard whether shares are counting up. If a reboot does not help, a clean reinstall of the current AxeOS version can fix it. Current firmware also fixes many known small issues.

Keep the firmware up to date

Many sporadic problems disappear with a firmware update. AxeOS can be updated directly in the dashboard. Read the release notes briefly beforehand and back up your pool settings in case a reset is needed.

Stuck? Write to us via the contact page – we help, usually within 24 hours. And if you want to dive deeper, our big home-mining guide is worth it.