Ugh! How do you send Lightning through Electrum mobile wallet?

[Xiwick]

First time using Lightning. Got some btc in my Electrum Android mobile wallet and I I need to send Lightning to make a purchase online.

In the checkout of the website I'm trying to purchase from I've selected Lightning, and then Electrum in the list of wallet options it gives me. Then it gave me an invoice sequence which I copied, headed over to Electrum mobile wallet, tapped receive, paste. But then a pop up message appears which reads  "detected valid Lightning invoice, but there are no channels". I'm guessing I have to create a channel? If so, how?

Appreciate any help!

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[1714666310]

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[1714666310]

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[Zaguru12]

Read through this guide electrum lightening network walkthrough

[Xiwick]

Read through this guide electrum lightening network walkthrough

I did, trust me. As well as spent a considerable amount of time Googling. But I'm failing to get it...hence he "ugh" in the title. I believe that guide is for desktop Electrum wallet. I'm trying to do it from the mobile version (which is significantly different).

And also, do I need a whole instructions manual just to purchase/send Lightning (considering I already got btc in an Electrum wallet)? I get the concept of Lightning and how it works so not trying to go into that. Just wanna buy this damn thing. Can't be more that 5 steps! 😕

[Churchillvv]

I did, trust me. As well as spent a considerable amount of time Googling. But I'm failing to get it...hence he "ugh" in the title. I believe that guide is for desktop Electrum wallet. I'm trying to do it from the mobile version (which is significantly different).

And also, do I need a whole instructions manual just to purchase/send Lightning (considering I already got btc in an Electrum wallet)? I get the concept of Lightning and how it works so not trying to go into that. Just wanna buy this damn thing. Can't be more that 5 steps! 😕

Maybe it was hard for you to understand the guide because images are disabled, I have repair the images for you to comprehend more

2. Creating a payment channel

Payment channels related options are available under 'Channels' tab which is hidden by default. You can enable it by going to 'View -> Show Channels'



In the 'Channels' tab there are two available options. 'Swap' allows to exchange on-chain coins for an LN incoming payment and vice-versa. 'Open Channel' allows you to create a new payment channel. Click on that option.



By default, Electrum does not download the network graph and delegates path estimation to special trampoline nodes to which only you can connect. If you want to open a channel to any Lightning node, see Disabling Trampoline routing.

As for now, there are three hard-coded trampoline nodes: ACINQ, Electrum and Hodlister which you can choose from the drop down list. The minimum funding value is 0.002 BTC.



Next, you have to select the funding transaction fee. If the transaction is not confirmed within 24 hours, the channel won't be created. It is another hard-coded value.



You might encounter these two errors when opening a channel, the former was mentioned above. The latter is other node's fault. Choose a different node if it happens.





Your payment channel will become active once your transaction reaches 3 confirmations.

I did, trust me. As well as spent a considerable amount of time Googling. But I'm failing to get it...hence he "ugh" in the title. I believe that guide is for desktop Electrum wallet. I'm trying to do it from the mobile version (which is significantly different).

For mobile you can try this

~snip~

I practically do not know how to use the lightning network. I will like your help. How will I set up a channel? Can I set up the channel on electrum wallet directly?

I never tried to set up a channel on Electrum mobile but you can try it your self.

Gossip, nodes, Channels and pending will not show any info if the LN is not yet enabled.

To enable the LN you need to click the name of your wallet and it will show something like this below.


After enabling the LN status is online

If you are going to make your own channel try this.
Tap the 3 dots then go to channels and tap the new button. If the button is not working I think you must have a minimum 0.003 to be able to make a new channel.

I believe it you add the details from the desktop description you will find it easier to create it on mobile. This will work I guess......

[Xiwick]

Love this place. You guys really helpful. Appreciate the pics!

Not seeing the same options on my end end...

https://i.postimg.cc/QCJHrnR3/image15667.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/m27GhsnB/image15657.jpg

[BitMaxz]

Love this place. You guys really helpful. Appreciate the pics!

Not seeing the same options on my end end...

https://i.postimg.cc/QCJHrnR3/image15667.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/m27GhsnB/image15657.jpg

The guide provided above is my old post and old version of Electrum mobile if you want to open channel click the channel instead of wallet details look at the image below.



And then you should be able to see this



Then click/tap the open channel.

[Xiwick]

ETA starts out at %12 to open a channel?? Wth! Doesn't that defeat the purpose of using Lightning? The reason I'm using it  is because I don't want to pay the inflated btc fees (thought that was the point of using Lightning, to save on transaction fees). At %12 I could just straight pay with btc. What am I missing?   

https://i.postimg.cc/Gtk38ch9/image1455hgg66g.jpg

[BitMaxz]

ETA starts out at %12 to open a channel?? Wth! Doesn't that defeat the purpose of using Lightning? The reason I'm using it  is because I don't want to pay the inflated btc fees (thought that was the point of using Lightning, to save on transaction fees). At %12 I could just straight pay with btc. What am I missing?   

https://i.postimg.cc/Gtk38ch9/image1455hgg66g.jpg

This is the reason why I didn't recommend users to open a channel while the network is congested because you will still pay a high transaction fee.

Even if you switch and import your wallet to another wallet software you still need to pay on-chain fees you can only save transaction fees when your funds are already on lightning.

If you want to save fees I do suggest don't make any transactions today and better wait for the network less congested before you make any transaction.
Use https://mempool.space/ to monitor the current condition of the network.

[Faisal2202]

ETA starts out at %12 to open a channel?? Wth! Doesn't that defeat the purpose of using Lightning? The reason I'm using it  is because I don't want to pay the inflated btc fees (thought that was the point of using Lightning, to save on transaction fees). At %12 I could just straight pay with btc. What am I missing?   

I know BitMaxz has already answered your query that you have to pay the fee using LN too but I think he forgot to mention that it is one time only. You have to pay that fee one time and after that your channel will remain open and you can benefit from the low fee of LN (Lightning network). I hope BitMaxz won't mind my reply. I was just making things more clear for the OP as he/she looks frustrated with the BTC system to make transactions.

And you are right OP, I also use Mobile electrum wallet, and on the internet, most of the tutorials are only of the desktop version and if there is any video of the mobile version then it is so old and is of no help. I also searched a lot to set up a Lightning network and to be honest I still did not set up one because I rarely make transactions, maybe that's why. But I will once the congestion will decrease.

[Xiwick]

ETA starts out at %12 to open a channel?? Wth! Doesn't that defeat the purpose of using Lightning? The reason I'm using it  is because I don't want to pay the inflated btc fees (thought that was the point of using Lightning, to save on transaction fees). At %12 I could just straight pay with btc. What am I missing?  

I know BitMaxz has already answered your query that you have to pay the fee using LN too but I think he forgot to mention that it is one time only. You have to pay that fee one time and after that your channel will remain open and you can benefit from the low fee of LN (Lightning network). I hope BitMaxz won't mind my reply. I was just making things more clear for the OP as he/she looks frustrated with the BTC system to make transactions.

And you are right OP, I also use Mobile electrum wallet, and on the internet, most of the tutorials are only of the desktop version and if there is any video of the mobile version then it is so old and is of no help. I also searched a lot to set up a Lightning network and to be honest I still did not set up one because I rarely make transactions, maybe that's why. But I will once the congestion will decrease.

What do you mean by one time only? So if open a channel right now by let's say $100 worth of btc and I buy something for that 100, and then later in the future I want to buy something else for $100 worth of btc using Lightning from a different merchant I don't have to open a channel? What about from the sane merchant?

[nc50lc]

-snip-

What do you mean by one time only? So if open a channel right now by let's say $100 worth of btc and I buy something for that 100, and then later in the future I want to buy something else for $100 worth of btc using Lightning from a different merchant I don't have to open a channel? What about from the sane merchant?

Yes, as long as you don't Force/Close it.
Your single channel is enough as long as it can find a route to the "different merchant".
One example if the remote-node is well-connected to other lightning nodes.

You don't even have to directly open a channel to the merchant that you want to pay, but it's preferred if you're planning to send satoshi to them frequently.
If you've opened your channel with the default electrum trampoline nodes or other famous channels,
chances that you wont have to open another channel for higher payment success rate is high.