Updating a node

Overview

This guide walks you through updating an existing node on the Hedera network using the Transaction Tool. The node update process modifies node configuration details such as service endpoints, gossip endpoints, description, or administrative key. Once updated, the changes take effect immediately across the network.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, you should have completed the following:

• Transaction Tool Setup: Follow the New User Installation Guide or Install: Existing Users.

• User Account Configuration: Complete the Account Setup process to create user account.

You should also have:

• Node Operator Admin Key: The current administrative private key that controls the node.

• Fee Payer Account: A Hedera account with sufficient HBAR balance to pay transaction fees.

• Updated Configuration Details: The new values you want to set (e.g., endpoints, description, admin key).

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Transaction Properties

Transaction Property	Description	Required	Example
Payer ID	All transactions submitted to the Hedera network require a Payer ID. This is the Hedera account ID that will pay the transaction fees associated with the NodeUpdateTransaction. The account must have enough HBAR to cover the fee. Transaction Fee Table	Yes	00.0.12345- View examples on HashScan
Valid Start	The date and time the transaction should be submitted to the network.	Yes	2025-04-05T10:00:00Z
Max Transaction Fee	The maximum amount of HBARs you're willing to pay for the transaction. If the required fee exceeds this value, the transaction will fail. Helps avoid accidentally overspending.	Yes	2 HBAR (Default)
Transaction Memo	Optional text description for the node update transaction	No	Updating node endpoints
Node ID	The ID of the node to be updated (automatically populated or selectable from dropdown)	Yes	0
Node Account ID	The Hedera account ID assigned to the node used for fee collection.	No	0.0.455 – View examples on HashScan
Node Description	A brief human-readable description of the node's purpose or setup. Useful for documentation and operational context. Note: This is publicly visible on the network explorer.	No	Hosted by Google | Helsinki, Finland
Node Admin Key	A new public key is used to control administrative permissions for the node. This corresponding private key will be required to sign updates or delete the node in the future.	No	0x03a5f… (A 0x03a5f…(public key format) - View examples on HashScan
Decline Reward	Whether the node declines staking rewards.	No	true
Gossip Endpoints	IP addresses and ports are used for internal gossip protocol communication between nodes. Required for consensus participation.	No	192.0.2.1:5000
Service Endpoints	A list of IP addresses and ports that the node uses to serve public API traffic. These endpoints allow SDK clients and applications to interact with the node.	No	35.237.200.180:50211 and 35.237.200.180:50212– View examples on HashScan
Gossip CA Certificate	An RSA public certificate used for signing gossip events.new	No	A valid PEM-encoded certificate block
gRPC Web Proxy Endpoint	The IP address and port for the gRPC web proxy. Browser based applications use this for submitting transactions to the Hedera network.	No	www.example.com - View examples on HashScan

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Transaction Signing Requirements

When updating a node, the following signatures are required before the transaction can be executed:

• Node Operator Admin Key

  • The node’s current admin key must sign the transaction.

• New Node Operator Admin Key (if applicable)

  • If you are rotating or reassigning the node admin key, both the existing admin key and the new admin key must sign the transaction.

• Transaction Fee Payer Account

  • The designated fee payer account must sign the transaction.

  • Ensure this account has sufficient HBAR balance to cover transaction costs.

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Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Start Node Update

• Select Create New from the main menu then choose Transaction.

• Choose Node and then select Node Update.

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Step 2: Configure Node Properties

Fill in the node parameters you want to update in the form. Refer to the Transaction Properties table above for descriptions and examples.

Note: You only need to specify the fields you want to change. Unmodified fields will retain their current values.

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Step 3: Submit the Transaction

• Select Create and Share to prepare the transaction for signing. The transaction will not be submitted until the Valid Start time is reached.

• Review all node configuration changes carefully before confirming.

• Verify that any new endpoints are correctly formatted and accessible.

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Step 4: Sign and Execute

Personal mode:

• The transaction requires two signatures:

  1. Node Operator Admin Key signature (current admin key).

  2. Fee Payer Account signature.

  3. New Admin Key (If applicable)

• Select Sign & Execute to sign with your local key(s) and submit to the network.

Organization mode:

• Select Create & Share to route for approvals and signatures. Both required signatures must be collected before execution.

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Step 5: Verify Node Update

Upon successful execution, the transaction receipt will confirm the node update.

To confirm the node update:

1. Check Transaction History

   • Navigate to the History tab in Transactions.

   • Locate the Node Update Transaction.

   • If successful, the transaction status will display Success.

   • Review the transaction details to confirm applied changes.

2. Network Integration (Optional)

   • Check network explorer tools to confirm the updated node configuration is visible.

   • Verify that any new endpoints are accessible from other network nodes.

   • Monitor node performance after configuration changes.

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