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Title: How do you get an address? Post by: RealT on November 03, 2013, 04:33:34 PM Hello,
I'm trying to get started with BTC and am definitely uncertain about some things. I am planning to get some BTC from a person on localbitcoins.com. What are the steps to do this? I have no cell phone. 1. How do I get an address? 2. How do I get a passcode to buy and sell the BTC and store it securely (not online for people to hack)? 3. How do I confirm that I've received the BTC once I give the seller the cash? Thanks Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: jambola2 on November 03, 2013, 04:44:31 PM You need to make a wallet. I can suggest you visit http://www.inputs.io , it's really secure and easy to use. You'll automatically have an address after you've made a wallet. I agree with Anon. Also , there is no bitcoin shop. It can only be bought and sold from other people. I also suggest inputs.io Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: umaOuma on November 03, 2013, 04:47:23 PM Hello, I'm trying to get started with BTC and am definitely uncertain about some things. I am planning to get some BTC from a person on localbitcoins.com. What are the steps to do this? I have no cell phone. 1. How do I get an address? 2. How do I get a passcode to buy and sell the BTC and store it securely (not online for people to hack)? 3. How do I confirm that I've received the BTC once I give the seller the cash? Thanks Install Bitcoin-qt You may check if you received the BTC in Bitcoin-qt, or anywhere checking blockchain.info bitcoin address in your browser (mobile phone with internet access is enought) Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: Ledeci on November 03, 2013, 04:59:25 PM I would suggest you use blockchain.info
Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: FanEagle on November 03, 2013, 05:06:47 PM While I suggest you to use MultiBit which is simple and is small in size.
Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: mogrith on November 03, 2013, 05:12:42 PM Hello, I'm trying to get started with BTC and am definitely uncertain about some things. I am planning to get some BTC from a person on localbitcoins.com. What are the steps to do this? I have no cell phone. 1. How do I get an address? 2. How do I get a passcode to buy and sell the BTC and store it securely (not online for people to hack)? 3. How do I confirm that I've received the BTC once I give the seller the cash? Thanks 1. bitcoin.qt or for android try Mycelium https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mycelium.wallet&hl=en Both create a starting address and store the info locally. 2. you will have to go online. coinbase in USA is fairly simple. in stting it up you give them access to a bank account. Buying BTC withdraws form account. Selling BTC deposits USD. This is a lot like setting up a paypal acount. At first until you are confirmed you will wait days to get the BTC. Like paypal they can confirm you by performing test transaction of a few cents you tell them the amounts and now you can buy upto 10BTC instantly 3. the wallet does this unconfirmed entries are grey and once confirmed become black. Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: DannyHamilton on November 03, 2013, 06:04:21 PM You need to make a wallet. I can suggest you visit http://www.inputs.io. I also suggest inputs.io That's not a wallet. That's an uninsured, unregulated, un-audited bank account. Anyone who tells you otherwise is misleading you. That's not a wallet. That's a bank account. Don't let anyone tell you differently. If you don't have the private key, then you don't have the bitcoins. It's as simple as that. You have generously given away your bitcoins to a complete stranger based on a promise that they've given you that they will send those bitcoins anywhere you like anytime you like whenever you ask them to. Imagine. You're walking down the street with $1000 in your pocket. You come to a corner where someone has set up a folding table and put out a sign printed on a piece of cardboard. You're curious so you ask them what they're doing. They explain to you that they are operating a corner bank. They tell you that if you give them all the cash in your pocket, they will hold on to it for you. Then at any time in the future, you can just ask them to spend it for you and they will deliver the cash wherever you like. They are not insured by the FDIC (or anyone else). They do not go through any sort of audit or submit to any oversight. You are not allowed to know how much total cash they are holding right now. Do you hand them your $1000 and walk away, hoping that they'll still be there with their folding table tomorrow when you come back to ask for some of that cash to be sent somewhere? If not, why would you do the same with your bitcoins? I would suggest you use blockchain.info That's a wallet. That's a good suggestion for small quantities that you want easy access to from anywhere. While I suggest you to use MultiBit which is simple and is small in size. That's also a wallet. That's a good suggestion if you don't have a lot of storage space in your computer and you don't want to maintain the complete blockchain. 1. bitcoin.qt Also a wallet. That one is known as the "reference client" and acts as a full node on the bitcoin network. It uses 20 Gigabytes of space on your computer. Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: RealT on November 03, 2013, 06:05:01 PM Four different suggestions so far! How's a noob to figure this out?
Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: over1977v on November 03, 2013, 06:09:09 PM I know you planning to get some BTC from a person on localbitcoins.com, but it might be safer to buy from exchange if you dont mind uploading your ID documents
Coinbase or Bitstamp Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: RealT on November 03, 2013, 06:12:32 PM You need to make a wallet. I can suggest you visit http://www.inputs.io. I also suggest inputs.io That's not a wallet. That's an uninsured, unregulated, un-audited bank account. Anyone who tells you otherwise is misleading you. That's not a wallet. That's a bank account. Don't let anyone tell you differently. If you don't have the private key, then you don't have the bitcoins. It's as simple as that. You have generously given away your bitcoins to a complete stranger based on a promise that they've given you that they will send those bitcoins anywhere you like anytime you like whenever you ask them to. Imagine. You're walking down the street with $1000 in your pocket. You come to a corner where someone has set up a folding table and put out a sign printed on a piece of cardboard. You're curious so you ask them what they're doing. They explain to you that they are operating a corner bank. They tell you that if you give them all the cash in your pocket, they will hold on to it for you. Then at any time in the future, you can just ask them to spend it for you and they will deliver the cash wherever you like. They are not insured by the FDIC (or anyone else). They do not go through any sort of audit or submit to any oversight. You are not allowed to know how much total cash they are holding right now. Do you hand them your $1000 and walk away, hoping that they'll still be there with their folding table tomorrow when you come back to ask for some of that cash to be sent somewhere? If not, why would you do the same with your bitcoins? I would suggest you use blockchain.info That's a wallet. That's a good suggestion for small quantities that you want easy access to from anywhere. While I suggest you to use MultiBit which is simple and is small in size. That's also a wallet. That's a good suggestion if you don't have a lot of storage space in your computer and you don't want to maintain the complete blockchain. 1. bitcoin.qt Also a wallet. That one is known as the "reference client" and acts as a full node on the bitcoin network. It uses 20 Gigabytes of space on your computer. Okay, it looks like some of the recommendations weren't so good.... Thanks for the support. You mentioned that blockchain.info is good for small amounts. How small would these amounts be? What if a person wanted to store larger amounts than the small amounts you refer to? What would they do? Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: torrentheaven on November 03, 2013, 06:16:21 PM What if a person wanted to store larger amounts than the small amounts you refer to? What would they do? Save these in cold wallet like armory offline or print paper wallet if you dont plan use it for longer period of time Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: Birdy on November 03, 2013, 06:18:28 PM Four different suggestions so far! How's a noob to figure this out? All of them are fine, there were no really bad suggestions. DannyHamilton is right that inputs.io has a way higher 3rd party risk (you have to got to trust the owner Tradefortress), I think it's still a good option for smaller amounts though. Quote Okay, it looks like some of the recommendations weren't so good.... Thanks for the support. You mentioned that blockchain.info is good for small amounts. How small would these amounts be? What if a person wanted to store larger amounts than the small amounts you refer to? What would they do? Small amounts means that you wouldn't care too much if it's lost, just like the money you carry in your real physical wallet. Everything on your PC and the account logins for Onlinewallets could fall into the hands of malware. If you want secure storage, you should use a paper wallet or cold wallet. Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: erre on November 03, 2013, 06:19:11 PM You need to make a wallet. I can suggest you visit http://www.inputs.io. I also suggest inputs.io That's not a wallet. That's an uninsured, unregulated, un-audited bank account. Anyone who tells you otherwise is misleading you. quote Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: DannyHamilton on November 03, 2013, 06:26:54 PM What are the steps to do this? I have no cell phone.
1. How do I get an address? Install a bitcoin wallet on your computer. Wallets generate and keep track of addresses for you and allow you to send and receive bitcoins. Some popular wallets to look into:
2. How do I get a passcode to buy and sell the BTC and store it securely (not online for people to hack)? I don't understand your question. You can secure any of the wallets I've listed with a passphrase. 3. How do I confirm that I've received the BTC once I give the seller the cash? The seller will receive a txt message with a verify code. Compare it to the verify code that you received from localbitcoins. If it matches, then you casn trust that you have the bitcoins (as long as you trust localbitcoins.com). Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: RealT on November 03, 2013, 06:29:03 PM Okay.
Can I have an address without any info being stored online? I'm not trying to hide anything, I am very concerned about hacking. Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: DannyHamilton on November 03, 2013, 06:31:03 PM You mentioned that blockchain.info is good for small amounts. How small would these amounts be? That depends on the individual. Consider the amount that you need to have immediate access to while you are out, or the amount that wouldn't devastate you if you lost it to a hacker. Essentially, think about an actual wallet in your pocket. How much cash would you feel comfortable carrying around in that wallet while in a large crowd full of pick-pockets? What if a person wanted to store larger amounts than the small amounts you refer to? What would they do? What do you do with your cash when you go out somewhere and you aren't comfortable carrying large amounts of cash with you? You typically leave the excess cash at home? Perhaps in a safe? Consider learning about paper wallets, or at least installing a wallet on your home computer such as Armory, Bitcoin-Qt, or MultiBit. Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: tinus42 on November 03, 2013, 06:34:04 PM Okay. Can I have an address without any info being stored online? I'm not trying to hide anything, I am very concerned about hacking. These wallets listed above store the private keys on your computer: Armory Bitcoin-Qt Electrum MultiBit I prefer Electrum but look into each of them to see which one suits you best. Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: RealT on November 03, 2013, 06:43:23 PM Okay. Can I have an address without any info being stored online? I'm not trying to hide anything, I am very concerned about hacking. These wallets listed above store the private keys on your computer: Armory Bitcoin-Qt Electrum MultiBit I prefer Electrum but look into each of them to see which one suits you best. Okay, I definitely don't want "private keys" being stored on the computer. Danny Hamilton advised that I learn about paper wallets, and I think this is a good idea to avoid storing "private keys" on the computer (please correct me if I'm wrong). So what would the steps be to have an address with no private keys stored on a computer? Thanks again. Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: tinus42 on November 03, 2013, 06:47:36 PM Okay. Can I have an address without any info being stored online? I'm not trying to hide anything, I am very concerned about hacking. These wallets listed above store the private keys on your computer: Armory Bitcoin-Qt Electrum MultiBit I prefer Electrum but look into each of them to see which one suits you best. Okay, I definitely don't want "private keys" being stored on the computer. Danny Hamilton advised that I learn about paper wallets, and I think this is a good idea to avoid storing "private keys" on the computer (please correct me if I'm wrong). So what would the steps be to have an address with no private keys stored on a computer? Thanks again. The keys are generally stored on your computer in an file which you can encrypt with a passphrase. Make this as long and complex as you can remember. It's not as safe as a paper wallet but safer than an an online wallet. Of course you have to make backups and not forget your passphrase. Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: Birdy on November 03, 2013, 06:48:11 PM Okay, You are right ^^I definitely don't want "private keys" being stored on the computer. Danny Hamilton advised that I learn about paper wallets, and I think this is a good idea to avoid storing "private keys" on the computer (please correct me if I'm wrong). Quote So what would the steps be to have an address with no private keys stored on a computer? Thanks again. You could create paper wallets at https://www.bitaddress.org (It's also possible to store that website and use it offline) Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: Anillos2 on November 03, 2013, 07:48:57 PM If you use a good password you can use Electrum. It's tinny in size and very secure, since the wallet doesn't exit, It's generated everytime that you need it from the password.
But remember that the password should be strong and You should write it in paper. Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: RealT on November 03, 2013, 08:03:45 PM Okay, You are right ^^I definitely don't want "private keys" being stored on the computer. Danny Hamilton advised that I learn about paper wallets, and I think this is a good idea to avoid storing "private keys" on the computer (please correct me if I'm wrong). Quote So what would the steps be to have an address with no private keys stored on a computer? Thanks again. You could create paper wallets at https://www.bitaddress.org (It's also possible to store that website and use it offline) 1. I visited the site and it generates the private key for you. How is this secure? i thought that only the private key holder should know what it is, but here a computer is generating it for you!? 2. Can't you just write the numbers down for your private key, why do you need a paper wallet? This is crazy...... Thanks Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: Birdy on November 03, 2013, 08:08:56 PM Can't you just write the numbers for the wallet down? Yes, you can (and it would also be called paper wallet).That provides no benefit over printing them (unless you have no printer xD), but a very high chance of you making a mistake. And then in 2 years you are sitting there, was that a "5" or a an "S"? If your computer is malware infected right now that malware could capture whatever you look at. Quote 1. I visited the site and it generates the private key for you. How is this secure? i thought that only the private key holder should know what it is, but here a computer is generating it for you!? Obviously you have to choose a good source for that, the good ones are open-source, so that everybody (skilled enough) can find if there is anything wrong with it.the private keys are generated randomly. Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: RealT on November 03, 2013, 09:03:53 PM Can't you just write the numbers for the wallet down? Yes, you can (and it would also be called paper wallet).That provides no benefit over printing them (unless you have no printer xD), but a very high chance of you making a mistake. And then in 2 years you are sitting there, was that a "5" or a an "S"? If your computer is malware infected right now that malware could capture whatever you look at. Quote 1. I visited the site and it generates the private key for you. How is this secure? i thought that only the private key holder should know what it is, but here a computer is generating it for you!? Obviously you have to choose a good source for that, the good ones are open-source, so that everybody (skilled enough) can find if there is anything wrong with it.the private keys are generated randomly. Okay, is the site you recommended opensource? in short, what is the absolute most secure way to do this (get an address, get a handwritten paperwallet, get a private key). Can you make your own private key (if so, how)? Sorry for the questions, but all I want to do is get some BTC securely and I don't think this is too much to ask. Obviously this process needs to become much more accessible to the general public in order for mainstream adoption. Thanks Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: Birdy on November 03, 2013, 09:23:40 PM Okay, is the site you recommended opensource? yesQuote in short, what is the absolute most secure way to do this (get an address, get a handwritten paperwallet, get a private key). The absolute most secure one? Guess you have to ask the more paranoid (or more technical versed) ones for that ^^But using that wallet creator on a laptop that will never go online again is very secure. There are also other very secure options, like the Armory Offline Wallet and Trezor. Quote Can you make your own private key (if so, how)? I guess you could do the math yourself / write your own program that does calculate an address (ask in the tech board ^^) or try out different combinations with an import function (e.g. in bitcoin-qt client) until you have a valid address.Sorry for the questions, but all I want to do is get some BTC securely and I don't think this is too much to ask. Thanks Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: odolvlobo on November 03, 2013, 09:41:48 PM Four different suggestions so far! How's a noob to figure this out? Go to bitcoin.org and click on "Get Started With Bitcoin". It will help you choose a wallet. Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: odolvlobo on November 03, 2013, 09:48:00 PM Before you go down the paper wallet path too far, keep in mind that the private keys must be in a wallet on a computer connected to the internet in order to send or spend bitcoins (unless you are using armory, or something like it).
Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: monbux on November 03, 2013, 09:51:55 PM Four different suggestions so far! How's a noob to figure this out? It depends on how much bitcoins you are looking to hold. If it's just a small amount, using an online wallet such as blockchain is nice. Inputs.io is not exactly a wallet but I do keep some bitcoin in there too.Get a bitcoin-QT and back it up if you want to feel secure. Or cold storage ;) Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: RealT on November 03, 2013, 10:44:39 PM Four different suggestions so far! How's a noob to figure this out? It depends on how much bitcoins you are looking to hold. If it's just a small amount, using an online wallet such as blockchain is nice. Inputs.io is not exactly a wallet but I do keep some bitcoin in there too.Get a bitcoin-QT and back it up if you want to feel secure. Or cold storage ;) More BTCs than I would walk around with in my pocket if it were cash. More than I could get over easily if they were lost. Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: nahtnam on November 04, 2013, 12:10:40 AM Hello, I'm trying to get started with BTC and am definitely uncertain about some things. I am planning to get some BTC from a person on localbitcoins.com. What are the steps to do this? I have no cell phone. 1. How do I get an address? 2. How do I get a passcode to buy and sell the BTC and store it securely (not online for people to hack)? 3. How do I confirm that I've received the BTC once I give the seller the cash? Thanks 1. You can get the bitcoin-qt which downloads the whole blockchain, but I recommend http://coinbase.com (http://coinbase.com) since they are online (accessible everywhere), you can buy and sell BTC from them, and they pay the fees for you!!! Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: roflmao129 on November 04, 2013, 12:12:51 AM Four different suggestions so far! How's a noob to figure this out? Go to bitcoin.org and click on "Get Started With Bitcoin". It will help you choose a wallet. I believe that trybtc.com is also a nice site to first check out bitcoins. Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: DannyHamilton on November 04, 2013, 01:09:24 AM More than I could get over easily if they were lost. You do understand that bitcoin is still experimental and could become worthless at any time right? This is an extremely risky investment, and carries a significant opportunity of overwhelming loss. You really shouldn't be putting money into bitcoin that you can't get over if it's lost. Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: BarkinTree on November 04, 2013, 01:42:40 AM i like inputs.io -- i know, i know, get a qt client, learn about being safe and alll that stuff, but for convenience, i love it!
Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: DannyHamilton on November 04, 2013, 01:52:49 AM i like inputs.io -- i know, i know, get a qt client, learn about being safe and alll that stuff, but for convenience, i love it! That's not a wallet. That's an uninsured, unregulated, un-audited bank account. Don't let anyone tell you differently. If you don't have the private key, then you don't have the bitcoins. It's as simple as that. You have generously given away your bitcoins to a complete stranger based on a promise that they've given you that they will send those bitcoins anywhere you like anytime you like whenever you ask them to. Imagine. You're walking down the street with $1000 in your pocket. You come to a corner where someone has set up a folding table and put out a sign printed on a piece of cardboard. You're curious so you ask them what they're doing. They explain to you that they are operating a corner bank. They tell you that if you give them all the cash in your pocket, they will hold on to it for you. Then at any time in the future, you can just ask them to spend it for you and they will deliver the cash wherever you like. They are not insured by the FDIC (or anyone else). They do not go through any sort of audit or submit to any oversight. You are not allowed to know how much total cash they are holding right now. Do you hand them your $1000 and walk away, hoping that they'll still be there with their folding table tomorrow when you come back to ask for some of that cash to be sent somewhere? If not, why would you do the same with your bitcoins? Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: jason44 on November 04, 2013, 02:12:23 AM I suggest electrum. It's a really nice wallet that doesn't make you download a huge blockchain.
Title: Re: How do you get an address? Post by: RealT on November 04, 2013, 02:14:06 AM More than I could get over easily if they were lost. You do understand that bitcoin is still experimental and could become worthless at any time right? This is an extremely risky investment, and carries a significant opportunity of overwhelming loss. You really shouldn't be putting money into bitcoin that you can't get over if it's lost. If I speculate and lose to the market of natural flaws of the BTC than fine. If I lose to a hacker or a technical mistake than I will be upset (as anybody would). The subject of this thread is how to purchase and store it securely. I've read alot of contradictory info. Some of this info. actually suggests that the main websites for BTC info aren't telling you the safest way to store the "key". Again, I like the philosophy of BTC, but need to be comfortable before purchasing. |