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How to use Bisq Connect (legacy)

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rodvar edited this page Feb 24, 2026 · 2 revisions

WARNING: This guide is for Bisq Connect v0.1.x and is no longer maintained.

The v0.1.x trusted node package and password-based authentication have been replaced by QR code pairing in v0.2.0+.

For the current guide, see: How to use Bisq Connect

Welcome to the Bisq Connect Guide (0.1.x)

Bisq Connect is a mobile app (Android & iOS) that lets you trade Bitcoin on the Bisq network from your phone. To use it, you need to connect to a Trusted Node - a small server that bridges your mobile app to the Bisq network.

You might want to use bisq connect because:

  1. Cross‑platform: works on both iOS and Android (Bisq Easy is Android‑only).
  2. Lower device requirements: Connect targets older devices (e.g., Android 7.0 / SDK 24+) vs Bisq Easy’s higher baseline (e.g., SDK 31+).
  3. Privacy and control: you connect to your own trusted Bisq2 node; keys, wallet, and reputation stay on your node, not on the phone.
  4. Even Safer on mobile: your profile backup is already on a computer that is not your phone.
  5. Lighter and faster: the node does the heavy work; the app is a thin client with lower CPU, battery, and data usage.
  6. Tor by default: end‑to‑end over Tor to your node; remote access without exposing ports.
  7. Remote control: you could setup your trusted node to use your same desktop profile, effectively being a remote profile control.

🎯 Two Ways to Get Started

Option 1: Use Someone Else's Trusted Node (Easiest)

If you know someone that you trust (a family member or close friend) already running a Bisq Trusted Node, ask them to setup a blank profile for you and share:

  • The new instance Tor onion address (looks like: abc123xyz.onion:PORT)
  • The password (if they set one - highly recommended)

Then skip to Connect Your Mobile App below.

Option 2: Run Your Own Trusted Node (Recommended)

Running your own node gives you full privacy and control. It's easier than you think!

🖥️ Set Up Your Own Trusted Node

What You Need

  • A computer or server (Linux, macOS, or Windows)
  • Java 22 installed (Download here)
  • 10 minutes of your time

Step 1: Download the Trusted Node Package

Download the latest release from the Bisq2 repository:

👉 Download Bisq Trusted Node scroll to the bottom assets list

Look for the file named:

  • bisq-trusted-node-X.X.X.zip (Windows)
  • bisq-trusted-node-X.X.X.tar.gz (Linux/macOS)

Extract it to a folder on your computer.

Step 2: Configure Your Node

Open the folder you've just extracted and open the trusted-node.properties file in a text editor and change these settings:

# Give your node a unique name
appName=bisq2_http_prod

# Set a strong password (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED IF YOU ARE USING OUTSIDE YOUR LAN!)
password=YOUR_STRONG_PASSWORD_HERE

# Port for connections (default is fine)
port=8090

# Keep this as false
devMode=false

# Enable both Tor (remote) and LAN (local) access
transportTypes=TOR,CLEAR

Important:

  • Change the password! Don't leave it as the default. If you don't want to use Auth, simply remove the default password leaving password=
  • IMPORTANT If you're running multiple instances for different users you want to serve, give each one a different appName and port.

Step 3: Start Your Trusted Node

Linux/macOS:

./run-trusted-node.sh

Windows:

run-trusted-node.bat

What happens next:

  1. The node starts up
  2. Tor bootstraps (takes 2-5 minutes the first time)
  3. Your Tor onion address is generated
  4. WebSocket server starts on port 8090

Keep this terminal window open - your node needs to stay running for your mobile app to connect.

Step 4: Find Your Connection Details

For Remote Access (Tor - Recommended)

Your Tor onion address is saved in a file. Find it here:

Linux:

cat ~/.local/share/bisq2_http_prod/webSocketServer_onionAddress.txt

macOS:

cat ~/Library/Application\ Support/bisq2_http_prod/webSocketServer_onionAddress.txt

Windows:

type %USERPROFILE%\.local\share\bisq2_http_prod\webSocketServer_onionAddress.txt

Example output: abc123xyz456.onion:8090

For Local Network Access (LAN - Faster but only works at home)

Find your computer's local IP address:

Linux:

hostname -I | awk '{print $1}'

macOS:

ipconfig getifaddr en0

Windows:

ipconfig

(Look for "IPv4 Address" under your active network adapter)

Example: 192.168.1.100

Step 5: Configure as a Boot Service (optional but recommended)

To ensure your Bisq Trusted Node starts automatically when your computer boots:

  • MacOS & Linux -> one option is systemctrl (smd)
  • Windows -> for example Task Scheduler

📱 Connect Your Mobile App

Step 1: Install Bisq Connect

Step 2: Configure Connection

  1. Open Bisq Connect on your phone

  2. When prompted, tap "Setup Trusted Node"

  3. Enter your connection URL:

    For Tor (works anywhere):

    ws://abc123xyz456.onion:8090

    For LAN (only works on same WiFi):

    ws://192.168.1.100:8090

  4. Tap "Advanced Options" and enter your password

  5. Tap "Test & Save"

Step 3: Start Trading!

If the connection succeeds, you're ready to trade Bitcoin on Bisq! 🎉

🔧 Troubleshooting

"Cannot connect to trusted node"

✅ Check these:

  • Is your trusted node still running? (Check the terminal window)
  • Are you using the correct URL and password?
  • For LAN connections: Is your phone on the same WiFi network?
  • For Tor connections: Did you wait for Tor to fully bootstrap? (Check the node's terminal output)

"Connection keeps dropping"

✅ Try this:

  • Restart your trusted node
  • Check your internet connection
  • If using LAN: Make sure your computer has a static local IP (or use Tor instead)

"Tor bootstrap timeout"

✅ This means:

  • Tor is taking longer than usual to connect
  • Wait a few more minutes and try again
  • Check your internet connection
  • Make sure port 9050/9051 isn't blocked by your firewall

"Port 8090 already in use"

✅ Solution:

  • Another program is using port 8090
  • Edit trusted-node.properties and change port=8090 to port=8091 (or any other number)
  • Restart your trusted node
  • Update your mobile app connection URL with the new port

🔒 Security & Privacy

Is this safe?

  • ✅ Tor connections are fully encrypted and anonymous
  • ✅ LAN connections are only accessible on your home network
  • ✅ Password protection prevents unauthorized access
  • ✅ Your keys stay on your phone - the trusted node never has access to your Bitcoin

Should I use Tor or LAN?

Connection Type Speed Privacy Works From Anywhere
Tor Slower Maximum ✅ Yes
LAN Faster Good ❌ Only at home

💡 Advanced: Running Multiple Nodes

Want to run nodes for multiple users? Easy!

  1. Copy trusted-node.properties to alice.properties and bob.properties

  2. Edit each file with different settings:

    # alice.properties
appName=bisq2_alice
password=AlicePassword123
port=8090

# bob.properties
appName=bisq2_bob
password=BobPassword456
port=8091

  3. Run each node in a separate terminal:

    PROPERTIES_FILE=alice.properties ./run-trusted-node.sh
PROPERTIES_FILE=bob.properties ./run-trusted-node.sh

Each node will have its own data directory and Tor onion address.

📞 Need Help?

Thanks for being part of Bisq! 🚀

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