How to mine bitcoin for under $99: Build a profitable mining rig and make money while you sleep

Bitcoin mining involves more than plugging in a machine: hardware, software, network access, a wallet, and a mining pool all have to work together. John Cook’s guide lays out those pieces as a sequence of practical setup steps, using a low-cost Raspberry Pi-based rig as its example.

Follow the setup from hardware to mining pool

The book begins with selecting the equipment, including a Raspberry Pi, a GekkoScience 2Pac USB miner, and a microSD card. From there, it walks through preparing the system, setting up the network, connecting remotely, installing mining software, and configuring the miner.

Understand the moving parts

Alongside the build process, the guide covers choosing a Bitcoin wallet and mining pool. Its sequence helps new miners see how the computer, mining device, software, and pool fit into one working setup rather than treating each component as a separate mystery.

Look beyond the hardware cost

Cook also addresses the economics of mining, including how to think about profit and loss, electricity use, and mining-pool fees. The under-$99 figure describes the book’s proposed equipment setup—not a promise of earnings. Mining profitability depends on costs and conditions that can change.

A practical guide with a date attached

Written for beginners, this 2020 publication offers a structured introduction to the process and vocabulary of setting up a small mining rig. Its named hardware, software, and operating-system instructions reflect the period in which it was written, so readers should verify current compatibility and availability before following them.

If you want a clear view of how a basic Bitcoin-mining setup is assembled and configured, Cook’s guide gives you a step-by-step place to start.