Helium Ledger CLI

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Setting up a hardware wallet for the first time can seem overwhelming, but for the added security, it’s always advised to move your crypto to a cold wallet, like a Ledger. The Ledger desktop app supports a wide variety of cryptocurrencies, but has not yet integrated $HNT to the dashboard yet. Fortunately, there is a way to set up an HNT wallet via your computer’s command terminal. That may sound complicated to many users, so we’d like to help walk you through the process to ensure you maximum security of your $HNT.

A Ledger, or a hardware wallet, holds the secret keys to your cryptocurrency wallets. Combined with your PIN, the need for the wallet to be physically present to confirm transactions ensures no transactions are being made without your knowledge, and that your security is not compromised. This is the safest method for storing your cryptocurrency, and is known as "Cold Storage." You can order them online, or buy them from your local electronics store.

You’ll need a Ledger to proceed. 

Download the Ledger Desktop application, update it to the latest version, and click the settings gear in the upper right hand corner. Select “Experimental Features” and turn on “Developer Mode.”

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Search for “Helium” in the Manager tab and click install. Located where 'Installed' is below.

The Helium application will be installed to your Ledger.

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Close the Ledger application.

Download Helium Ledger CLI

Head over to the Helium Ledger CLI Github Repo and download the latest stable (not Alpha) version for your operating system. If you have any difficulty downloading, you may need to update your permissions to allow Unknown Developers. The following example is with a Macbook Pro.

Move the downloaded folder to your desired location and unzip, or decompress. For ease of access, we’ll be placing it in a folder labeled "Ledger" on the desktop.  

Connect your Ledger to your computer and enter your password.

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Select the Helium Application 

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Open a new Terminal window and enter the following commands one at a time:

cd desktop
ls
cd ledger

Note the 'ls' command simply lists the contents of the current directory, so it's not necessary but a common Terminal practice used to indicate your location. You should see 'ledger' as a response in the terminal, along with the other items on your desktop. 

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If you'd like to confirm you're in the right spot, you can enter the 'ls' command once more. You should see these contents in the directory:

            [LICENSE, README.md, helium-ledger-cli]

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Access the CLI by entering the following command:

./helium-ledger-cli 

You’ll be presented with the following menu.

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At the bottom of this menu are subcommands, each of which performs its specified function with the wallet. In order to use any of the commands, simply enter:

./helium-ledger-cli subcommand

i.e.- In order to view your balance:

 ./helium-ledger-cli balance

 

You can use up to 255 wallets on the ledger. To access the different accounts, simply add “--account” to your command along with the number of the account you wish to access.

i.e.- In order to view your balance on wallet 3: 

./helium-ledger-cli --account 3 balance

 

Scan for all your wallets with the following command. This may take some time

i.e.- In order to scan the balance of all wallets between 0 and 12:

./helium-ledger-cli --account 12 balance --scan

or for scanning the balance of all 255 wallets:

./helium-ledger-cli --account 255 balance --scan

Performing Transactions

For help on any subcommand, simply add the “--help” tag.

i.e.- For help with payments:

./helium-ledger-cli pay --help

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In the image above, USAGE: indicates the syntax for paying a wallet. 

 

i.e.- To pay the following hypothetical wallet “12wvYwMPAQbJBevDVnErV8zAat3xhf1sQ8dmmMNPNDZMf5pE6ip” an amount of .1HNT:

./helium-ledger-cli pay 12wvYwMPAQbJBevDVnErV8zAat3xhf1sQ8dmmMNPNDZMf5pE6ip 0.1

You’ll be asked to confirm the transaction details on the ledger itself. Press both buttons simultaneously to confirm. Be sure to check the wallet address, though it may seem tedious, in order to ensure the payment is not being manipulated by malicious software.

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Sign the transaction after inspection.

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Taking the extra step toward ownership of your cryptocurrencies is a highly recommended practice. Hopefully this guide was able to get your started. If you had trouble anywhere along the way, the Helium Discord and RAKStars Discord are filled with knowledgeable community members who would be happy to help. If you’re unable to find the answers you’re looking for there, simply open up a tech support ticket and we’ll help you out!

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