Nym Node Families

Node Families let operators who run multiple nodes declare those nodes as belonging to the same group on-chain. The concept is borrowed from the Tor network: nodes in the same family are treated as related, and the routing policy prevents an Entry gateway and an Exit gateway from the same family from being paired together.

This separation matters because NymVPN security depends on Entry and Exit gateways being genuinely independent, operated by different people on different network subnets. Declaring your nodes as a family raises the bar against traffic correlation attacks, whether from an operator silently running multiple nodes or from an adversary seizing infrastructure within a single jurisdiction.

Who needs this

Node Families are optional and most relevant for operators running multiple nodes, especially gateways. Single mixnode operators are not required to create a family.

Example

See our live family on the SpectreDAO Explorer for a real-world reference of how a family looks on-chain.

1. Requirements

Before creating or joining a family, ensure you have:

Nyx Wallet Account: Families are account-based, not node-based, so you manage them from your wallet
Balance: At least 101 NYM, which is a 100 NYM refundable deposit (spam prevention, same logic as bonding) plus a small amount for network fees
Bonded Nodes: Any node you invite must already be bonded and operational

Management Tools

You can manage families through the Nym Wallet UI (used in this guide) or through nym-cli. Family membership can be previewed on the SpectreDAO Explorer.

2. Install the Nym Wallet

The family management menu was introduced in Nym Wallet v1.2.23. Make sure you are running this version or newer, otherwise the Family menu will not be available.

Download the wallet for your platform from the official releases page:

Nym Wallet v1.2.23: https://github.com/nymtech/nym/releases/tag/nym-wallet-v1.2.23

After installing, open the wallet and sign in with the Nyx account that holds your bonded nodes.

3. Create a family

In the Nym Wallet, navigate to Family → Manage node families.

b. Fill in family details

In the My Family tab, enter a Family Name and Description. Describe your family in a concise, clear way and avoid offensive language.

c. Confirm creation

Click Create family - 100 NYM and confirm the transaction. The 100 NYM deposit is refundable when the family is dissolved.

Automatic Association

The node bonded to the creating wallet is automatically associated with the newly created family.

4. Invite a node

Navigate to Family → Manage node families.

b. Enter the node ID

Fill the Invite a Node field with the NODE-ID, which is the numeric ID of the node, not its identity key. Only invite nodes you control that are already bonded and operational.

c. Send the invite

Click Send invite and confirm the transaction.

5. Accept a family invitation

a. Check for the notification

Navigate to Family → Manage node families. A notification appears when your node has been invited.

b. Review the invitation

Open the Invites tab and review the invitation carefully. Anyone can invite your node to their family, so verify the authenticity of the inviting account before proceeding.

c. Accept

Click Accept, then Accept invite to confirm.

6. Manage a family

a. Leave a family

Navigate to Family → Manage node families, open the My Family tab, then click Leave <FAMILY_NAME> and confirm.

b. Edit or dissolve

The family management section also lets you edit the family name and description or dissolve the family entirely. Dissolving the family refunds the 100 NYM deposit.

7. Resources

Node Families Docs: Official Nym Documentation
Family Explorer: SpectreDAO Explorer
Explorer: Nym Explorer
Community: Nym Discord