<p>Yes. </p>

<p>Usually if you would solo-mine you will need to update/download the entire blockchain, which as of right now, is 141GB.</p>

<p>If you join a pool, this isn't the case, You actually don't even need to be connected to any of the peers/nodes from the bitcoin network. </p>

<p>This could greatly decrease the money you would spend on bandwith in some countries, which could be another reason to join Pool-mining.</p>

<p>It also saves you a lot of time, depending on your internet speed.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-14T16:13:54.880Z
Only if you are mentally challenged. See, the country does not matter if you can dump the node on a cloud or other cheap VPS. Also, you do not need 141gb - you can run it in pruning mode, only keeping like the last 1000 blocks around. Bandwidth - yes, but as I said... VM. -1, non sensible argument.
TomTom
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-17T04:25:40.253Z
@TomTom [Be nice](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/help/be-nice).
Willtech
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-14T15:56:36.320Z
2017-11-14T15:56:36.320Z
Jan Janssen
<p>Apart from the hardware and programming, it is also beneficial to mine in a pool because:</p>

<ol>
<li>You probably require fewer maintenance staff. </li>
<li>If you are drawing lots of electricity, you can generally get a better cost per watt from the network by negotiating a deal.</li>
<li>You can more easily control external factors like temperature, disaster recovery, etc. </li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-14T13:36:39.460Z
3 good arguments - for FARMS. None of them apply to pools, which collect hashing power from different people.
TomTom
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-14T15:54:39.333Z
@TomTom Yes, thank you. I'm referring to strictly pool benefits, not operating benefits of farms. I edited the question to clarify.
AgonyOfVictory
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-14T16:12:44.750Z
Yes, which is why I downvoted this answer. All arguments here are about farms. Whether or not my computers are part of a mining pool or not does not change any of the 3 elements.
TomTom
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-14T09:47:50.350Z
2017-11-14T09:47:50.350Z
BlackBeltBob
<p>Besides the benefit of increased attempts, are there any other significant, measurable optimizations that mining pools provide? I'm referring to intrinsic functions such as non-duplication of failed "hashes" (assuming this is actually an implemented feature) that is a direct yield of mining hardware/software working in concert, not mining farm benefits such as economies of scale savings (i.e. group discounts on energy).</p>

<mining-pools><mining-hardware><mining-theory><miner-configuration>
Besides greater probablity of discovery, are there other **significant** optimizations a of mining pool?
AgonyOfVictory
# Besides greater probablity of discovery, are there other **significant** optimizations a of mining pool?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-11-14)

Besides the benefit of increased attempts, are there any other significant, measurable optimizations that mining pools provide? I'm referring to intrinsic functions such as non-duplication of failed "hashes" (assuming this is actually an implemented feature) that is a direct yield of mining hardware/software working in concert, not mining farm benefits such as economies of scale savings (i.e. group discounts on energy).

**Tags:** mining-pools, mining-hardware, mining-theory, miner-configuration


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-11-14. Score: 1

Yes.

Usually if you would solo-mine you will need to update/download the entire blockchain, which as of right now, is 141GB.

If you join a pool, this isn't the case, You actually don't even need to be connected to any of the peers/nodes from the bitcoin network.

This could greatly decrease the money you would spend on bandwith in some countries, which could be another reason to join Pool-mining.

It also saves you a lot of time, depending on your internet speed.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Only if you are mentally challenged. See, the country does not matter if you can dump the node on a cloud or other cheap VPS. Also, you do not need 141gb - you can run it in pruning mode, only keeping like the last 1000 blocks around. Bandwidth - yes, but as I said... VM. -1, non sensible argument.  
> **username_3**: @username_2 [Be nice](https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/help/be-nice).  

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### Answer by username_4 on 2017-11-14. Score: 0

Apart from the hardware and programming, it is also beneficial to mine in a pool because:

1. You probably require fewer maintenance staff.
2. If you are drawing lots of electricity, you can generally get a better cost per watt from the network by negotiating a deal.
3. You can more easily control external factors like temperature, disaster recovery, etc.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: 3 good arguments - for FARMS. None of them apply to pools, which collect hashing power from different people.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 Yes, thank you. I'm referring to strictly pool benefits, not operating benefits of farms. I edited the question to clarify.  
> **username_2**: Yes, which is why I downvoted this answer. All arguments here are about farms. Whether or not my computers are part of a mining pool or not does not change any of the 3 elements.  

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