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Merged Mining LTC and DOGE: How It Works

Merged mining means that one and the same computation is accepted by two blockchains at once. Litecoin and Dogecoin both use the Scrypt algorithm, so a Scrypt ASIC mining Litecoin also mines Dogecoin at the same time — with no extra hardware and no extra electricity. That is how it works at RuPool: you connect to the LTC stratum, and DOGE is credited as a separate coin in addition to LTC.

What merged mining is

Normally each coin needs its own work: hashes computed for Bitcoin are useless for Litecoin. Merged mining is the exception, made possible by a mechanism called AuxPoW (Auxiliary Proof of Work). One network acts as the parent chain and the other as the auxiliary chain. Proof of work done for the parent chain is accepted by the auxiliary chain too.

For Litecoin and Dogecoin, Litecoin is the parent. Dogecoin switched to AuxPoW in 2014, and since then its blocks can be secured by work done for Litecoin. The main condition is a shared hashing algorithm: both coins use Scrypt.

How AuxPoW works

Simplified and without the math, the mechanics look like this.

  1. The pool receives a block template for Litecoin and, at the same time, one for Dogecoin.
  2. The hash of the Dogecoin block header is inserted into a dedicated field of the Litecoin candidate block (the coinbase transaction).
  3. Miners iterate nonce values and compute Scrypt hashes for the Litecoin header.
  4. If a hash meets Litecoin's difficulty, the block is submitted to the Litecoin network.
  5. If the same hash meets Dogecoin's difficulty (which is lower than Litecoin's), the pool submits an AuxPoW proof to the Dogecoin network: the Litecoin header showing that the Dogecoin block hash was committed inside it.

Because Dogecoin's difficulty is lower, its blocks are found more often: the Dogecoin network produces a block roughly every minute, Litecoin roughly every two and a half. A single hash may satisfy both networks, only one, or neither. No extra computation is added for the second coin; you simply get a chance to use the result twice.

Why DOGE is "free", and the caveats

Dogecoin is often said to come "for free" in merged mining. Technically that is true: no additional hardware is required, consumption stays the same, and your hashrate works for both networks. But the word "free" needs two clarifications.

  • It is not guaranteed income. The DOGE price fluctuates like any other coin, and difficulty and reward on the Dogecoin network change independently of Litecoin.
  • Costs do not disappear. Electricity, cooling, equipment depreciation and taxes are paid regardless of how many coins you receive. You simply receive two coins instead of one.

A more accurate statement is that the second coin arrives without additional computational cost. A decision to buy Scrypt hardware still has to rest on total profitability, not on one of the two coins. You can estimate combined LTC and DOGE revenue in the profit calculator.

How it is organised at RuPool

At RuPool a Scrypt ASIC connects to the LTC stratum. There is no separate DOGE stratum, and you do not configure a separate connection for Dogecoin. The payout scheme is FPPS for both coins, the pool fee is 1%, and the pool covers network fees for payouts.

  • Stratum address: stratum+tcp://enter.rupool.pro:3334; backup TCP ports 8889, 444, 26; SSL — stratum+ssl://enter.rupool.pro:998. For a specific region you can use, for example, msk2-ru.enter.rupool.pro (Moscow), nsk-ru.enter.rupool.pro (Novosibirsk), hel-fi.enter.rupool.pro (Helsinki) or ala-kz.enter.rupool.pro (Almaty).
  • Worker: in the username field enter subaccount_name.worker_name; the password can be anything, for example x.
  • Wallets: LTC and DOGE are paid to separate addresses that you set in the subaccount settings in your account.
  • Payout threshold: set separately for each coin; the minimum values are 0.001 LTC and 10 DOGE.

Earnings in both coins are visible in the subaccount statistics. Payouts are automatic once a day: balances accumulated up to 03:00 Moscow time are sent between 05:00 and 12:00 Moscow time if the payout threshold is reached. Pool pages: Litecoin mining pool and Dogecoin mining pool.

What you see in statistics and payouts

In your account, LTC and DOGE earnings appear as two separate coins with their own balances. This is convenient: the coins have different prices, thresholds and withdrawal addresses. When evaluating a Scrypt device, count both coins and convert each to your currency at its own rate, rather than treating one as a replacement for the other.

It helps to keep the proportions in mind. Litecoin blocks are less frequent, while Dogecoin blocks arrive more often at a lower difficulty. For your calculation this does not matter in practice: the pool credits you for accepted shares under FPPS, so you receive an averaged amount and not the outcome of a particular block found. This smooths the variance (the scheme itself is covered in "PPS, FPPS and PPLNS explained").

If you use several subaccounts (for different sites or clients, say), each has its own LTC and DOGE wallets and its own statistics. That keeps bookkeeping clean: payouts and earnings are not mixed between projects.

Practical notes

  • DOGE earnings appear on a separate line. Do not expect DOGE to dissolve into LTC: it is an independent coin with its own balance, threshold and address.
  • Payout threshold and accumulation time. A low DOGE threshold (minimum 10) can lead to frequent small payouts. Decide whether you prefer to be paid more often or accumulate, and set the threshold accordingly.
  • Real hashrate matters more than nominal. Both coins are credited for accepted shares, so rejected shares and downtime hit both parts of the income at once.
  • Do not add a second stratum for DOGE. Extra connections gain nothing and only complicate accounting and worker naming.

Step-by-step setup for specific models (Antminer L7, L9 and similar) is described in setting up Antminer L7 and L9 for LTC and DOGE.

How to check that everything works

  1. Connect the device to the LTC stratum and wait for the first accepted shares in the worker statistics.
  2. Make sure both LTC and DOGE addresses are set in the subaccount settings — otherwise you cannot receive a payout in a coin without an address.
  3. After a day or two, look at earnings: there should be lines for both coins. If neither coin is being credited, check that you are connected to the Scrypt port 3334 (or the backups 8889, 444, 26) and not to a SHA-256 port. If LTC is credited but DOGE is not, check the DOGE address in the subaccount settings and contact support.
  4. Set a payout threshold for each coin according to your goals, not below the minimum.
  5. Compare expected revenue from the calculator with the actual figure over several days. Small discrepancies are normal: variance is unavoidable over short periods and evens out over long ones.

If the result still looks wrong, check the worker for rejected shares, temperature and network stability, and contact the support chat.

Limits of merged mining

Merged mining works only when the algorithms match and the auxiliary network supports AuxPoW. That is why Bitcoin (SHA-256) cannot be "merged" with Litecoin: they use different hash functions and different hardware. Bitcoin has its own auxiliary networks, but RuPool does not offer them; within the pool only LTC and DOGE are mined together.

Also, the parent chain defines the task: if you are connected to LTC, you work for Litecoin and Dogecoin is an add-on. You cannot mine only DOGE this way.

Finally, keep the general risks in mind: Scrypt hardware draws power around the clock, while LTC and DOGE prices and the difficulty of both networks change independently. Merged mining makes better use of your hashrate, but it does not remove the need to calculate costs in advance and account for tax on the income.

FAQ

Do I need a separate stratum for Dogecoin?

No. A Scrypt ASIC connects to the pool's LTC stratum, and DOGE is credited automatically. RuPool has no separate DOGE stratum.

Does merged mining reduce hashrate?

No. One computation is used for two networks, so hashrate and power consumption stay the same.

Can I receive only DOGE without LTC?

Both coins are credited through the shared stratum. Payouts are independent and you can set a threshold and wallet for each, but you cannot choose "DOGE only".

Does merged mining guarantee income?

No. Merged mining only adds a second coin to the same work. The final result depends on LTC and DOGE prices, network difficulty, electricity cost and stable device operation.