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Zeus

BETA TESTING Zeus. Currently I'm running 0.8.2 in testflight (iOS), and as a previous Blixt user (sorry Hampus), I LOVE IT! I've had very few, almost no, failed payments. And @evankaloudis has even helped me personally (fangirl moment) in my DMs.
Here's the announcement for their stable 0.8.1 version.
This release features a new standalone Point of Sale, support for importing Nostr contacts, persistent LND for Android users, and more.
REVIEW There are so many small touches that make using Zeus superior to anything else out there. Little animations, the ability to choose your channel partners, the @zeuspay.com LNURL (mine is "expatriotic@zeuspay.com", Evan's is "evan@zeuspay.com"), the extra steps taken to make privacy a default, and how infrequent payment failures occur. It's even what I use to sign into SN. Even waiting for the node to load is pleasurable due to the insanely cool graphics. And when you pay a lightning strikes. Even connecting to a node there's a really cool ring of electricity. I love how even waiting for something to happen is Zeus isn't painful because the animations are so creative and aesthetic.
Loading into the app animation
Animation when payment is complete
NODES AND CHANNEL MANAGEMENT In using Zeus I sent UTXOs to the wallet which I then used to open some channels. Now, this is where things got tricky, at first I had some small channels, I had redundant channels. E.g., one small Olympus channel that got opened when I sent some LN sats to Zeus and was awarded some inbound liquidity. I later opened a larger taproot channel with them and closed the incredibly small channel that I initially made. I went on to open channels to NERV (Kevin Cai's node) & Blixt Wallet, but Blixt was never chosen for outgoing payments as it has worse channel management than NERV. I then opened some 1 mil channels to ACINQ & deezy.io, and tried to open a bigger 3 mil channel to Voltage FLOW 2.0 but that was a disappointment because it never went live for some reason, always saying it was offline.
I was debating what other nodes to connect to, WoS, Boltz, Kraken etc, but decided that instead of having lots of 1 mil channels, I'd rather have 3 channels of the following sizes: 1 mil, 5 mil, 10 mil. I reasoned that this would mean less individual points of failure, and for most payments, one of the channels would be sufficient without needing to pull from >1 channel (unless it's a rather big purchase). This was all inspired by @DarthCoin who made me realize that rather than using coinjoin and trying to buy things using onchain transactions, I should be making better use of the LN. Zeus isn't my only LN wallet of course, I have sats with Phoenix (splicing is AMAZING) and Alby.
TIPS
  1. Use the following to find good nodes: a. Amboss b. Mempool
  2. Scan their QR and make sure to NOT choose a TOR node.
  3. You can select one UTXO to open a channel or combine UTXOs to make a larger channel (Using single UTXOs when possible is better for privacy, but you don't want a lot of small channels)
  4. Toggle on taproot and see if it works, if it doesn't, no worries, toggle off and proceed (Opening channels with taproot confers a privacy bonus)
  5. Using on Android let's you keep your phone node running persistently, iOS doesn't have this ability
PRIVACY Here's how Zeus stacks up: source
BACKGROUND I'd always wanted to use Zeus by dev @evankaloudis, but never ran a lightning node. As a consumer of copious amounts of podcasts, I especially loved the ones that Evan was on. I admired his story. He seemed intrepid. He was a fellow self-sovereign individual as I sought to be. He eschewed lesser versions of lightning that made compromises and blazed his own path. Here's his Stacker News AMA. meme credit @DarthCoin
How did you choose nodes for your Zeus embedded node?
EXCELLENT REVIEW!
Indeed Zeus is an amazing LN mobile app, is one of the most complex and complete app we have nowadays.
The option of having multiple accounts and nodes in the same app is amazing. User can switch easily from remote public node to a private embedded node. And even can use multiple lndhub accounts.
I love this app too, Zeus is Zeus, this is gentlemen !
How did you choose nodes for your Zeus embedded node?
As I explained in this guide about managing nodes liquidity is very important to choose wisely your peers.
Some aspects I take in consideration when I use a mobile node like Zeus:
  • use only big good LSPs, with good liquidity pool and good policies. Policies are very important in this case.
  • do not use Tor only pleb nodes, that could fail a lot, shut down, not having good routes, force close the channels on you etc
  • there's no need to open more 3-4 channels in such a mobile node. Few good sized channels will offer you enough paths for your payments and also the use of MPP (multi-part payment) that Zeus is fully support it.
  • I will not open channels bigger than 5-10M sats. Seize your channels according to your personal use in payments. Remember that using MPP will not drain quickly a channel.
  • once you see channels almost dried, refill, using an external swap, from onchain to LN Zeus. try not to close your existing channels. Remember: through a LN channel you can move infinite sats, over and over, without leaving any trace onchain.
  • try to open channels with nodes you know are using LND backend, for more compatibility. I am not saying that others do not work. But to avoid issues and debug better, I suggest to choose wisely.
  • You can use your home node if you want, as Neutrino provider. Sometimes the public neutrino servers could have high latency and your mobile node will not sync well. This is the most common mistake noobs are ignoring. They use Zeus in quite remote locations with bad ping, far away from neutrino servers. So using a closest one will help a lot.
  • Try to use "persistent mode" if you are using it a lot. That will make your mobile node a 24/7 node. Once is synced, it will consume quite few data.
  • every week or so, check the app data used. Then if you see that is mroe than 1GB occupied, go to embedded node settings - advanced and select compact database. Also if you have issues syncing, there's the option to delete LND files and resync. That will help a lot for Zeus performance and battery use.
For the moment I think these are enough tricks. Ask me anything if you want to know about Zeus.
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One more quick hack, using it to login SN! ⚡️
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That's in the article! :D
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Thanks Darth. I am recent convert to Zeus. This is helpful.
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Don't drop all your other wallet apps. Add Zeus for your use as the "Zeus" of your wallets. Because when you pass through all those low steps apps, and find Zeus, that means you are ready for the "Rock'n'Roll"... I always recommend to use 2-3 wallet apps, not just one.
And this image, speak for itself, I put each app logo in a very specific location, based on their power and functionalities. Are not random.
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I have many wallets. WoS, ZBD, Alby, Muun, Green, Phoenix, Zeus. So I definitely see what you mean about the progression. I don't keep many sats in most of them but I still keep them as I move up to the next step.
It was actually this meme you posted the other day that convinced me to try Zeus. Only a few days now I have been using it.
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I may suggest to replace Muun with Phoenix. Then you are good to go. I still do not understand why Muun still exist. In a interview, even the developer says that LN is not in his "vision" ... that means they have no idea what is going on.
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I do have Phoenix and haven't used muun in a long time so good idea to just retire it.
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It's hard for my node... but I understand "NOT choose a TOR node", good article!
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No one brought up the Zeus PoS that’s a complete game changer. If you’re running a business the easy lift is Zeus PoS it’s compatible with every wallet.
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Indeed that PoS is really good for merchants. Zeus in "persistent mode", with the POS configured, on a tablet, in a small shop... as you said, is game changer.
Unfortunately not so many merchants here on SN, interested in such things.
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Unfortunately I'm not a merchant so while I know what it is I haven't tested it
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How much I wish that I could understand all these technical things, nodes, mempool etc. 😔
Please tell me if I can run a lightening node with Zeus implemented on Android phone?
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Absolutely!! Just go to here and find the download link https://blog.zeusln.com/new-release-zeus-v0-8-1/
I recommend joining their telegram too because they help people in real time.
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Thank you so much. It's really helpful.
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Absolutely! I have many guides already on my blog https://expatriotic.bearblog.dev or just subscribe to me here on SN as I post about various things. I plan to put up all my personal guides and articles here over time. Not to mention all new writings are here.
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I've already subscribed you here.
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Thank you sir, I appreciate it
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lightening node
I think you should start by understanding the difference between lightening and lightning. Is not the first time you say that. If you don't know the difference at least just say LN.
I wish that I could understand all these technical things, nodes, mempool etc.
Did you read ALL my guides? I wrote over 60+ guides about BTC and LN https://darth-coin.github.io/
If you will spend more time reading and not shitcoining, you will know a lot.
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Yes, I will read them.
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Here you once again prove that you're obsessed with your knowledge. I know the difference. It's the Android keyboard that changes words on its own.
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I am watching you very closely... It is not the first time. That means you are not paying attention to words. This is a very common mistake shitcoiners do.
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Yes that's a common mistake but I don't think it matters. And I don't think I need to take English lessons anymore. I know I am not a native English speaker, so there may be some discrepancy.
As a second language and literature teacher for the last 15 years, I've made it a point that language is no barrier and it should not be so much complicated.
Your use of shitcoiner or shitcoin for example, English language does not recognise both of these words. Why do you use them?
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English is not my language too, but when I talk about Bitcoin and LN I choose wisely the words. Yes, my grammar is trash, I know, but at least I do not make these important mistakes, confusing the terms. This is not about writing a perfect English, is about using the correct words to describe it. If you feel offended, it is your problem, but you shouldn't. I just want to put you on the right track.
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Thanks you just want me put on the right track! Thank you so much my Bitcoin guardian angel!
And I just want to tell you that you're wrong, so damn wrong, while using the words 'shitcoin' and 'shitcoiner'.
If you really care about writing perfect words, for Bitcoin's sake, don't use 'shitcoin and shitcoiner' ever again.
Great review & tips. I had similar experience with Zeus, it’s really great software. Thanks for sharing!
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Great write up and report. I'm personally sad that you dropped blixtwallet, but get your reasoning.
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Problem is I maybe was using it wrong... I only wanted to use it to receive bitcoin purchased on Robosats... Like, huge amounts... And I always had issues with the deposits, invoices, paths, payments...
If I was trying to use it for small payments, maybe it would have been better. I was really trying to push it to the max. I was having to get support for EVERY tx. And most times I ended up having to use something custodial... Zeus hasn't failed me touch wood
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I get it. I have the same issues and generally have to route a larger (100,000 Sats, plus) transaction through a custodial service, and then chop it into smaller amounts. I assume it is my channel sizes and management that needs improvement, but the wallet is beta, so we know Hampus is working through issues and bugs.
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Crazy thing is, Hampus launched the embedded node long before @evankaloudis, but Zeus' implementation is flawless... Before that Zeus was a remote controller for your home node..
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Thanks for posting.
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Aqua is a relative new lighting wallet
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Aqua is trash. Shitcoin app. Don't even consider it LN.
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Because of liquid?
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