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In the past I used almost all nodes UI (umbrel, raspiblitz, start9, mynode etc). For Umbrel I wrote extensive guides and troubleshooting guides (see here all my posts on Umbrel community forum) and also on my Substack. Also this guide, Lightning Node Maintenance
I used them more to test these bundle software integrating a LN node. IMHO are not the way to run a BTC LN node. A LN node must be run separately from other apps. Compartmentalize your apps for specific use case.
For example:
  • run a central bitcoin core node ONLY that is always online and serving multiple purposes. You can add at the most just an Electrum server to it, if you really need it. Activate neutrino on it so you could serve all your other LN nodes from it and also for friends and family. Run this node on a strong machine, with good drives and optional a backup on another dormant machine.
  • run LN nodes on separate machines, in the same LAN, connected / served by that BTC core node. You could use full blocks sync or neutrino sync, as you wish. You could even use your central core node for your initial block sync if you really want to run a LN node with full blocks. Through LAN you can do that sync or simply copy the whole data folder. In the Umbrel documentation I wrote guides about how to do that.
  • on these separate LN nodes you can install additional LN apps that you need: RTL, Thunderhub, LNbits, BTCpay and other apps related to LN).
  • run any other non-bitcoin app ON A SEPARATE machine ! Mixing with BTC apps is a the stupid thing. Nowadays you can have a simple NAS machine with all those apps and running smoothly without interfering with your BTC nodes.
Right now I will not use any of these bundle node software. Are creating more trouble than fixing it. I prefer to keep all separate and debug on separate ways and manage the access on separate ways as I need it.