How to acquire and use Monero

Wallet Setup

GUI Wallet Setup

Now on whonix there can be some issues with syncing to the monero nodes over the CLI monero wallet, due to the slow tor network and connection timeouts, So we'll first cover how to install the GUI monero wallet:

First let's download the monero GUI wallet from https://getmonero.org: (.onion address: http://monerotoruzizulg5ttgat2emf4d6fbmiea25detrmmy7erypseyteyd.onion )

Then we unpack it on the desktop and run the appimage:


[ Whonix ] [ /dev/pts/5 ] [~]
→ mv /home/user/.tb/tor-browser/Browser/Downloads/monero-gui-linux-x64-v0.18.3.3.tar.bz2 ~/Desktop/

[ Whonix ] [ /dev/pts/5 ] [~/Desktop]
→ cd Desktop


[ Whonix ] [ /dev/pts/5 ] [~/Desktop]
→ tar -xvf monero-gui-linux-x64-v0.18.3.3.tar.bz2                                                                                                                                                                                                                            (2)
monero-gui-v0.18.3.3/
monero-gui-v0.18.3.3/LICENSE
monero-gui-v0.18.3.3/extras/
monero-gui-v0.18.3.3/extras/monero-blockchain-ancestry

[...]

monero-gui-v0.18.3.3/monero-wallet-gui
monero-gui-v0.18.3.3/monero-wallet-gui.AppImage
monero-gui-v0.18.3.3/monerod

[ Whonix ] [ /dev/pts/5 ] [~/Desktop]
→ cd monero-gui-v0.18.3.3

[ Whonix ] [ /dev/pts/5 ] [~/Desktop/monero-gui-v0.18.3.3]
→ ls
LICENSE  extras  monero-gui-wallet-guide.pdf  monero-wallet-gui  monero-wallet-gui.AppImage  monerod

[ Whonix ] [ /dev/pts/5 ] [~/Desktop/monero-gui-v0.18.3.3]
→ ./monero-wallet-gui.AppImage                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             (130)
2024-04-27 09:57:47.456 W Qt:5.15.13 GUI:- | screen: 3840x2160 - available: QSize(3840, 2129) - dpi: 96 - ratio:2.22803
2024-04-27 09:57:49.847 W qrc:/qt-project.org/imports/QtQuick/Dialogs/DefaultFileDialog.qml:413:17: QML ToolButton: Binding loop detected for property "implicitHeight"
2024-04-27 09:57:49.850 W qrc:/qt-project.org/imports/QtQuick/Dialogs/DefaultFileDialog.qml:309:21: QML Button: Binding loop detected for property "implicitHeight"

Now that the archive is extracted, make sure that the monero wallet gets added to the list of software of your OS:

Here we use advanced mode as we want to choose our node:

Here very important, make sure you save your monero mnemonic phrase (recovery phrase) into your keepass, along with the recovery height, :

Then have a wallet password (local password) to open your wallet locally::

Here we pick a clearnet monero node (if you don't want to, scroll down to know how to setup a .onion monero node)

Here just wait for the monero wallet to finish synchronizing with the monero node:

Now here you can use the monero wallet like that without going through tor (but here we're in whonix so it goes through tor anyway), if you want to use .onion monero nodes you will need to enable the SOCKS5 proxy option inside the wallet:

Now with this setup we can use .onion monero nodes as follows (pick one you trust from https://monero.fail/ for example my .onion monero node at this URL: http://daturab6drmkhyeia4ch5gvfc2f3wgo6bhjrv3pz6n7kxmvoznlkq4yd.onion:18081

Here again, wait for the monero wallet to finish synchronizing to be able to receive and send monero:

Now that we're setup let's get some monero somewhere:

Sidenote: if you want to get your first monero and you don't have any crypto / fiat to start with, check out the "earn XMR" section in xmrbazaar.com. For example, i offer monero to whoever contributes new blogposts to the OPSEC section of my blog in this offer here.

AS OF 7TH OF MAY 2024 LOCALMONERO HAS STOPPED OPERATING, THEY WERE THE ONLY DIRECT FIAT -> XMR OPTION WITHOUT ANY KYC. this means you're now forced to use Haveno DEX!!!!

For archiving purposes, here's how localmonero used to function:

Now we want to buy monero for euros, for speed i recommend just buying some using SEPA instant transfer if your bank accepts it. However if you don't mind waiting weeks, the preferred method on localmonero.co is cash-by-mail, as cash can't be traced. But still, it shouldn't matter even if you buy monero with your credit card to a random vendor, your bank will see that you sent money to someone, and if the vendor is malicious they may log that you bought some monero, but still they will be unable to know what you do with your monero. it's like retrieving cash from the bank, the bank knows you bought some cash but they can't know what you do with it.

So here we want to find a vendor that offers monero for SEPA instant transfers, preferably someone who doesn't do KYC.

The trade should go like this:

0) you send the monero address
1) they send you the IBAN to send the bank transfer to,
2) you send them the money,
3) and then you declare that you have paid on monero,
4) and then you wait 30 minutes approximately to receive the monero.

if trade is completed smoothly, always rate vendors as trustworthy, as this is how localmonero works, always on trust.

Now that you received some monero, you can send them to whoever has a XMR address like i do:

for example if you want to donate a few leftovers moneros like this feel free to do so:

Keep in mind that services that ask you to pay monero, they will ask you to send an EXACT monero amount for purchases (ex: 0.763011 XMR), that is intentional, do not send more than requested as it is used to know from which customer the monero comes from.

BONUS: CLI Wallet Setup

If you want to get the full Haxx0r vibes, you can install the monero CLI wallet aswell:


[ mainpc ] [ /dev/pts/2 ] [~/Desktop]
→ apt install monero -y

[ mainpc ] [ /dev/pts/2 ] [~/Desktop]
→ monero-wallet-cli --version
Monero 'Fluorine Fermi' (v0.18.0.0-unknown)

Once it finishes installing, create your monero wallet:

If you're doing it from a whonix VM, then say no to mining and use an onion-based monero daemon (if not on a whonix VM, then use a clearnet monero node), like the one i'm hosting, you can find a full list of other ones on monero.fail or on xmr.nowhere.moe :

Wait for it to finish synchronizing, then you can go get some monero from a vendor on localmonero.co (by giving them a wallet address you'd have created:


apt install monero -y

monero-wallet-cli
#follow the instructions to create your wallet
#synchronize it with this command:
set_daemon http://uyjehlovjudh2wlvkp5a2seme5vgqc4o463atkv2ulsovloqrqw2icyd.onion:18081 trusted
#then wait for the daemon to finish synchronizing, and type "refresh" regularly to make sure that it synchronizes with the node, expect to type that command a few times as tor connections are unstable at times.

#OR you can use a clearnet monero node, but this is not recommended because you may be spied on!

[wallet 49vq93 (no daemon)]: set_daemon  http://nowhere.moe:18081
Error: This is not Tor/I2P address, and is not a trusted daemon.
Error: Either use your own trusted node, connect via Tor or I2P, or pass this-is-probably-a-spy-node and be spied on.

[wallet 49vq93 (no daemon)]: set_daemon http://nowhere.moe:18081 this-is-probably-a-spy-node
Warning: connecting to a non-local daemon without SSL, passive adversaries will be able to spy on you.
Daemon set to http://nowhere.moe:18081, untrusted
[wallet 49vq93 (out of sync)]: refresh
Starting refresh...

[wallet 49vq93 (out of sync)]: refresh
Starting refresh...
Refresh done, blocks received: 19388
Currently selected account: [0] Primary account
Tag: (No tag assigned)
Balance: 0.000000000000, unlocked balance: 0.000000000000

Once that's done, you can order monero from a non-KYC exchange here (out of which i recommend using Haveno DEX.

You're going to need to create a monero address first like so:


[wallet 49vq93]: help

Important commands:

"welcome" - Show welcome message.
"help all" - Show the list of all available commands.
"help <command>" - Show a command's documentation.
"apropos <keyword>" - Show commands related to a keyword.

"wallet_info" - Show wallet main address and other info.
"balance" - Show balance.
"address all" - Show all addresses.
"address new" - Create new subaddress.
"transfer <address> " - Send XMR to an address.
"show_transfers [in|out|pending|failed|pool]" - Show transactions.
"sweep_all <address>" - Send whole balance to another wallet.
"seed" - Show secret 25 words that can be used to recover this wallet.
"refresh" - Synchronize wallet with the Monero network.
"status" - Check current status of wallet.
"version" - Check software version.
"exit" - Exit wallet.

"donate <amount>" - Donate XMR to the development team.

[wallet 49vq93 (out of sync)]: address new
1  85j1rw64XoMhrXc55kwdCdFAmXaiU23MHYf1VBSLExTve5WM1NeFfw13wXrDeUumj48h5G4nuw3tuAxqpw5WyXniE8pE8uK  (Untitled address)
[wallet 49vq93 (out of sync)]: address new localmonero
2  89uyMGJunXfSC375iEptD2WLCb5uidKJSEuUYL3n5fRMg6ccM7L5prSUi9YGgGFPS5T8Z95BJh93HKykUYWECmNfJhNFb9z  localmonero

in this case, we'll use the 89uyMGJunXfSC375iEptD2WLCb5uidKJSEuUYL3n5fRMg6ccM7L5prSUi9YGgGFPS5T8Z95BJh93HKykUYWECmNfJhNFb9z address for all trades on haveno DEX. DO NOT USE IT ELSEWHERE! just like passwords, you want to have one per service. If you want to receive monero from another place, create a new address.

Check out my other tutorials on Decentralised Finances below:

How to acquire and use Monero

OPSEC Recommendations:

Wallet Setup

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