A detailed review of the Ledger Nano S hardware wallet. Setting up and installing the Ledger Nano S hardware wallet Ledger nano hardware wallet

In our age of digital currencies, there is a need to store them in a safe place, or rather, a wallet - reliable and accessible at any time, regardless of viruses, computer health, human factor and other influences. Cryptocurrency exchanges are not bad, where there are multi-currency wallets for hundreds of currencies. Although here there is a possibility of loss of funds due to, for example, account hacking.

Therefore, an increasing number of traders and investors in crypto-currency hardware wallets. A special place in the line of these branded wallets in the form of a flash drive was occupied by an inexpensive device Ledger Nano S, which is compact, easy to use and has easy access to storage. Here we will consider it exhaustively.

The company of the same name from France has been producing this wallet for more than three years now. This device quickly replaced the former leader Trezor in the market - a product of SatoshiLabs.

An important factor in the development of the project is the company's use of the source code and the opening of its own store to sell gadgets. Cryptocurrency wallet Ledger appeared on the market in 2016 year in July, and since he was the only one who supported then, he quickly established himself among the users of this cryptocurrency. In addition to this wallet, the company also issues Elite Ledger Blue, characterized by the presence of a touch screen and a battery, and with greater functionality. Both devices can run on any computer, even Chrome OS.

Benefits and Pros

• Relatively low cost of the device;
• Small size and practical use;
• Support for almost all cryptocurrencies and ;
• Privacy - private keys are not sent over the network;
• Absolute protection against viruses and hackers;
• The presence of two chips in the architecture, ensuring the operation of applications in a closed environment.

Like all hardware wallets, Ledger to get started connects to computer via USB, after which the user can work with the gadget and its shell in protected mode.

Even if an attacker manages to control some processes on the computer, he will not overcome the special protection of the wallet, since all operations can be carried out in it only manually.

Wallet Features

In appearance, as already mentioned, a hardware wallet (also belongs to the cold type) is made in the form of a flash drive. In fact, this is a special flash drive that has increased security and its own operating system. It weighs about 16 g and has a length of almost 10 cm.

The Ledger Wallet comes complete with a USB cable, paper instructions, and a keychain with a carrying strap. The body of the flash drive is made of durable plastic and stainless steel.

On the side of the device there are two navigation buttons that act as a joystick.

Embedded STM31/STM32 chips ensure wallet protection and functionality. Required for work computer with at least Windows version 7, macOS or Linux. Integration of the device with the computer is provided by the application - Ledger Live.

Supported cryptocurrencies

Ledger wallet supports cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, NEO, Zcash and many more. For a detailed list of supported coins, please visit here. It also supports most ICO tokens as it can store ERC20 tokens.

Setting up a Ledger wallet and working with it

1. After removing the device from the package, you can connect it using the cable from the kit to the USB port. Wait for the greeting "Welcome" on the screen.
2. After that, this word will change to "Press Both buttons to begin", then to start you have to press two buttons. Then you will see the inscription "Configure as New device?", and press the right button to initialize it. If you need to restore a previously lost wallet, press the left one.
3. Next step - setting a pin code 4-8 digits long, and confirmation of the entered combination occurs here by pressing both mouse buttons simultaneously. The pin code must then be re-entered for confirmation.

The most difficult step is the next, because at the same time you will need to write down the recovery seed phrase.

To do this, click again with two keys, after which a sequence of words will appear on the screen. They must be written down on paper or a piece of paper from the kit strictly under the same numbers..

Keep the leaflet securely, otherwise if you lose this key it will be impossible to recover the private key, which means that all your savings will be lost. When the words are written, go through a small test by pressing the words one by one exactly as in the note, and confirming the suitable words with two keys. After that it should appear "Your device is now ready"-Congratulations , everything is ready to use.

Installing the Ledger Live App

The next step is to install the software shell. To do this, download and install the Ledger Live app. A link to it is available at site https://www.ledger.com/pages/ledger-live . By installing and opening the application, the user can download the crypto wallets he needs to the Ledger wallet, but this will require initial configuration.

After launching the application, select the item "Initialize a new Ledger device"

Next, select the Ledger Nano S and follow all steps step by step(total 6). Questions may arise at point 4. Here you need to confirm that you have written down the pin-code and seed phrase, and also select “Check now” in sub-item 3 and confirm the choice with the right button on the wallet.

Then we enter the password for the Ledger Live application and complete the setup.

Upon completion, we synchronize with the computer and select in the main menu manager

We fall into management manager our device. Here you can add the cryptocurrency of interest to us: in front of which you need to click Install.

To send any currency in this application, go to the tab Send. You can enter the recipient's wallet address by copying or scanning the QR code through the Ledger Wallet. Press the right button, enter the transfer amount, and before confirming the transfer, you will see it and the amount of the commission, which can be reduced, or vice versa, make an urgent transfer using the “Hich” button. To get a cryptocurrency, use the tab Receive.

Through the Ledger wallet, you can manage other desktop wallets, for example, Electrum. To do this, when installing Electrum, set the "Use a Hardware Device" parameter to be able to control it from a hardware wallet. This does not affect the amount of the commission.

To quit the Ledger, right-click until the line "Quit APP" appears. Now click both buttons and remove the flash drive from the slot.

How to restore a cold Ledger wallet

To restore it is necessary a previously recorded seed phrase is required. You need to store it in several places, and not just on a sheet. This phrase is the key that identifies the owner of the wallet. If the flash drive becomes faulty or is lost, it will be possible to order a new one and restore the old wallet with money.

When starting to restore your wallet through a new device, first press the left button. Thereafter enter pin code- the one that you entered initially in the old wallet.

After this step, you need to select the number of words in the seed phrase - there should be 24 of them, and start entering them. With the first letters, the word variant is selected automatically and it remains only to confirm it by pressing both buttons. If the wrong one is selected, right-click to delete it - "Clear word".

Where to Buy Ledger Nano S and Blue Wallet

For the sake of guaranteeing safety and no extra charge buy Ledger hardware wallets only here: https://www.ledger.com/collections/all-products. Buying at auctions and message boards is risky because, theoretically, handheld devices can contain viruses or sellers can find out the seed phrase of the wallet, which means money can be lost.

The same applies to buying used devices and various copies. Now there are indeed Chinese copies of Ledger hardware wallets. In addition, the official firmware does not support the Russian language, and if you use a third-party firmware for the sake of momentary convenience, you will be solely responsible for the safety of funds.

To buy a Ledger wallet, go to https://www.ledger.com/ and add the device to cart. After opening it, enter your data: email, first and last name, country of residence, zip code, Latin address and phone number.

Along with this, it is necessary choose a delivery method, suitable for your country from the list that appears after typing the index. Check the boxes next to the Agreements and proceed to payment by choosing your method - via Paypal, BTC or by card. The price will be equal to 8 990 RUB. Delivery is carried out within a week or two.

If you find a defective product, then the device can be replaced for free. In this case, you have to convince the site's support by sending them clear evidence of a gadget malfunction.

Conclusion and reviews

In conclusion, we want to remind you again that the Ledger Nano S cold wallet is the cheapest hardware wallet on the market. It is small and lightweight, easy to set up and use. It is also easily restored after loss or damage, and in general is not inferior to its competitors. Write your feedback about the Ledger wallet and working with it in the comments below!

The Ledger Nano S cryptocurrency wallet has become an indispensable “comrade” for every confident network user. But far from all of them can be completely trusted, and sometimes such friendship should be avoided altogether. Online wallets, hybrid options, software clients - they have a lot of advantages, but unfortunately they cannot provide the proper level of security.

These already outdated options have been replaced by new, more innovative and practical hardware wallets, the security of which is the highest possible today. I got one of these wallets called Ledger Wallet, and now I want to tell you about it in detail.

Bitcoin hardware wallet Ledger Nano S

Although the cryptocurrency originated ten years ago, today it is a young sphere, mysterious and unknown to many. The security of storing digital funds is also still in a state of constant development and improvement, so from time to time we are offered more reliable, convenient and secure wallets. And if we are already used to clients and storage services, then the physical gadgets that store our coins are a real curiosity. They are called hardware wallets and so far they are the only cryptocurrency wallets that you need to buy.

The first Trezor hardware wallet appeared in 2013 and it was he who became the prototype for all subsequent developments in this area. Although Trezor continues to be popular, it is worthy of competition from market novelties such as the Ledger Wallet.

Ledger Wallet Review

Ledger Wallet is a French company that can safely be called a headliner in hardware wallet sales. She began her activity in 2014 and quickly gained popularity among users. Today, Ledger Wallet has several developments, but the most popular and budget option is Ledger Wallet Nano S - a hardware wallet for storing cryptocurrencies in the form of a flash drive, which, despite its compactness, is safe and durable.

The USB wallet from Ledger Nano S is multi-currency, and although it is most often bought for bitcoins, it supports 9 more cryptocurrencies. It is very convenient - all your stash in one compact, and most importantly, safe place. The wallet is equipped with a small screen and two buttons - all this wealth, according to the principle of an external drive, is connected to a PC or smartphone and allows you to make transactions. Thanks to external buttons, even if your computer is compromised, no transactions will be made from the wallet without your knowledge, and using the screen, you can always check the accuracy of the sending address.

The main advantages of the Ledger Nano S wallet:

• It has a certified reliability level CC EAL5+, the smart card manufacturer guarantees the safety of recorded information for 30 years, as well as 500 thousand sessions of writing and reading data.
• Provides the ability to cold storage when disconnected from the Internet.
• High level of security - data cannot simply be read, as from a flash drive, access is protected by encryption. To access the coins, the user must enter a pin code, and in case of loss, a secret phrase.
• It can be used both in combination with special software and make transactions through popular wallets.
• It is possible to backup and restore access (even if the wallet itself is lost).

Order Ledger Nano

How to get this little miracle? The Ledger Nano S wallet can be ordered on the official website https://www.ledgerwallet.com - of course, there is an option to order from any distributors and resellers, but you can buy from the manufacturer cheaper and more reliably. Today, the cost of a wallet on this site is 58€, which at the current rate is about $70 - less than a hundred bucks for this reliable and compact hardware wallet! Buying it is not enough, you also need to deliver it, which means that you will have to pay extra for delivery, which will be a third of the cost of the wallet itself.

How to place an order for Ledger Nano:

1. We go to the official website at the link.
2. Select the "Products" section in the page header.
3. Select the Ledger Nano S among the products - click on the name of the wallet or on the "Buy online" button.
4. On the page that opens, we get acquainted with the features of the wallet, select the quantity and click "Add to cart".
5. The purchase goes to the cart, and we are asked what we want to do next: continue shopping or checkout? For the latter, we select the button with the image of a cart from the supermarket with the inscription "Checkout".
6. This is followed by a long filling in of data about yourself and the delivery address, as well as an indication of the payment method.

Please note that the demand for Ledger Wallet products has increased and the company is not yet able to cope with this volume. Therefore, it takes 20 days to wait only for the dispatch itself today - I think that in the future this period may be delayed for a longer period.

Unboxing

I don’t have to wait long, I ordered and received a wallet a long time ago, but still my hands didn’t reach the review about it. So, in a nice box, they sent me not only the Ledger Nano S itself, but also something in addition to it:

They expected me in the box: a flash drive wallet itself, a microUSB cable, rings and other lacing for fasteners, I don’t know where, probably to hang around my neck (this is how mobile phones used to be hung), instructions for connecting and working with a wallet, three cards, one of which is a “reminder "- when connected, the wallet will give you 20 random words: which must be written down in this "memo", if you forget the pin code and you need to restore access to the wallet, these words will need to be entered in the order of priority that Ledger will give you.

Connection

As I said, the principle of connecting a Ledger Nano S hardware wallet is not much different from connecting an external drive. To get started, connect the device to a PC via the appropriate cable and perform configuration, which will take no more than 15 minutes. On the wallet website, there are all links to connect applications for different coins. Follow the link and download everything:

These are not quite full-fledged applications for installation on a computer. These are Chrome applications - which only work if you have a browser of the same name. You can also download apps for Android and iOS.

Main functions and coins

In terms of functionality, the Ledger Nano S is not much different from the same bitcoin core. It is easy to use, nothing supernatural is offered to us. It is noteworthy that in order to send and receive coins, the wallet does not download or synchronize the blockchain, it only contacts the server to receive data on the latest transactions.

Today, Ledger Nano S supports more than 10 cryptocurrencies, where, along with bitcoin and popular altcoins, there was a place for its rival - bitcoin cash. In the future, the developers promise to add new coins that can be added to an existing device thanks to the “Ledger Manager” program.

• bitcoin
• bitcoin cash
• Ethereum
• Litecoin
• DogeCoin
• Zcash
• Stratis
• Ripple
• Komodo
• Ethereum Classic

Ledger Nano S is a reliable bitcoin hardware wallet that is in stable demand. It provides all the necessary functionality in order to comfortably and safely use cryptocurrencies at any time, anywhere in the world. A compact device can be taken with you anywhere and it is unlikely that anyone in our time will come to mind that some kind of flash drive can be a safe for all your savings. However, today hardware wallets are just beginning their development and formation, and their functionality will definitely be improved in the future. Perhaps, after some time, hardware wallets will acquire a useful exchange function and, like online exchangers, will provide a quick conversion of coins into fiat money. In any case, I recommend this type of wallets, as I was convinced from personal experience that this is a safe and very convenient storage for cryptocurrencies.

If you are serious about your investments in cryptocurrencies, you need to pay attention to security, because there are many different scams, phishing websites, malware, hacks and other tools that people can try to take advantage of and steal your earned funds . Thus, the amount of cryptocurrency stolen in the first half of 2018 is 3 times higher than in the whole of 2017 - $1.7 billion.

Phishing is one of the most common scams. Duplicate sites are cheap to maintain and quite profitable with the right approach. Phishing hackers managed to earn from $30,000 to $2.5 million in a week. And this is not the limit.

Therefore, so-called hardware wallets have been developed, which are designed to provide the highest level of protection currently available. Today we are going to take a look at the most popular hardware wallet on the market, the .

A hardware wallet is a device that was created to provide an additional layer of security when interacting with cryptocurrencies. Usually you use your unique key to move funds, but the problem is that if your computer is compromised by malware or a virus, these private keys can be captured and used to steal currency. With a hardware wallet, private keys are stored on the device and never transferred to the computer, which means that even if malware gets onto it, your private keys will remain safe.

When you set up your wallet, you will be prompted to write down a 24-word recovery phrase. These 24 words are generated once during initialization and are the key to the wallet. Knowing them, you can completely restore data on any other Ledger device, so even if you lose your wallet, you can “clone” it to another. Words can be written on a piece of paper, stored in an inaccessible place and NEVER lose it. Otherwise, you may lose access to your wallet.

What's in the box

The device has built-in anti-tamper software that knows for itself whether someone has used it before you. This is very useful to know as there have been cases of people selling hardware wallets with recovery phrases already installed.

In the box you will find the following:

• Ledger
• USB cable
• Trinket
• Carry strap
• instruction
• recovery sheet

The Ledger is very nicely packaged in the box - reminiscent of Apple's minimalistic approach to its devices. In the documentation envelope you will find a sheet to write down your recovery words when setting up the device.

How to set up Ledger Nano S

To start setting up the device, you will need to connect it to your computer using a USB cable, after which the Ledger will “come to life” and prompt you to install one of the wallet applications. Ledger Live is available for a range of platforms and allows you to view the total balance of all crypto assets in real time. You can monitor currencies even if the wallet is not connected to the computer.

The first step is to set up a PIN for the device. To do this, press both buttons at once. Confirmation is also carried out by simultaneously pressing two buttons, and individually they allow you to switch between menu items.

Choose a PIN and make sure you remember it, or write it down in a safe place. The PIN code is used for every operation on the device, nothing will work without it.

Once the PIN is set, you will need to write down the 24 recovery words in the order the device gives them to you. After you have written down each word, the wallet will ask you to confirm them in accordance with the established procedure.

Application installation

Ledger Live makes it easy to install or remove cryptocurrency apps to your Ledger wallet. You can customize the app to your liking, and it protects your private keys. The account remains safe even when the application is deleted. Ledger has native apps for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple and other cryptocurrencies.

Advanced features are available to manage complex transfers, such as fee setup and fee-increasing (RBF) transaction replacement.

Let's look at the Bitcoin application. Once you have downloaded and installed it, launch it - you will be prompted to enter your Wallet PIN. You can then create a Bitcoin address.

The app itself is very well designed and you will clearly see how to send and receive transactions, create new accounts, change interface settings and so on.

Use with MyEtherWallet

While you can use the Ethereum app that Ledger provides, we advise you to look into the Ledger MyEtherWallet integration.

MyEtherWallet is a great wallet that can hold Ethereum and all Ethereum ERC-20 tokens. It is quite simple to use - on the site, select the "Connect to the list of logs" option.

Then a pop-up window will appear where you need to check the box and select the wallet address. Then click "Unlock your wallet" to gain access.

Subsequently, you can send and receive Ethereum, which will be stored in the wallet. Your wallet address will be listed on the right side, and the rest of the tokens you have will be displayed at the bottom. Transactions can be confirmed by pressing two keys on the wallet.

The wallet has a security chip that protects and isolates private keys from attacks. It also checks the integrity of the firmware every time it connects to a computer.

Supported currencies

Ledger has support for a wide variety of cryptocurrencies. At the time of writing the review, their list looks like this:

• Bitcoin (BTC)
• Bitcoin Cash (BTC)
• Bitcoin Gold (BTG)
• Ethereum (ETH)
• Ethereum ERC-20
• Ethereum Classic (ETC)
• Litecoin (LTC)
• Dogecoin (DOGE)
• Zcash (ZEC)
• Ripple (XRP)
• Dash (DASH)
• Stratis (STRAT)
• Komodo (KMD)
• Ark (ARK)
• Expand (EXP)
• Ubiq (UBQ)
• Vertcoin (VTC)
• Viacoin (VIA)
• Neo (NEO)
• Stealthcoin (XST)
• Stellar (XLM)
• Hcash (HSR)
• Digibyte (DGB)
• Qtum (QTUM)
• PivX (PIVX)

Output

This is a simple and secure hardware crypto wallet that allows you to interact with various cryptocurrencies. As for the build quality of the Ledger, it is a bit more flimsy than the same Trezor, however, the Ledger has a nice metal body that also protects the screen from scratches and other damage.

Perhaps now this is the most modern device with which your personal data remains completely safe. The Ledger Nano S device is based on the principle of complete isolation of the crypto wallet itself from a computer and a smartphone (which can be hacked), which guarantees the security of storing currency and performing transactions with them. By the way, the wallet has the only official distributor in Russia -.

This hardware wallet costs quite a bit for its feature set - less than 9,000 rubles (genuine leather wallets often cost more). The price will get even better 10% discount to the Ledger Nano S crypto wallet with a promo code NANO10 site for readers. The promo code is valid until 09/30/2018.

In the storage of digital money, the main issue remains the issue of security. No matter how reliable the cryptocurrency exchange is, which allows you to store ethereums, dashes and other coins, no matter how cool the antivirus installed on your computer is, the possibility of losing money cannot be ruled out. Neither the marketplace nor your PC is 100 percent safe from being scammed, hacked, or hacked.

Understanding the risks, more and more cryptocurrency owners are choosing to store bitcoins and altcoins. They are called examples of secure vaults that are almost impossible to hack. The real bestseller among such wallets is the Ledger Nano S. It attracts users with its simplicity, but at the same time impeccable reliability, multicurrency and low price. In this review, you will learn everything about the wallet in order to decide whether to use it or look for something else.

Ledger Nano S Multi-Currency Wallet Overview

The Ledger Nano S is a product of the Ledger company from France, which was founded in 2015. It was these guys who first challenged the developers of the first hardware wallet from the Czech Republic. The French presented a novelty in the summer of 2016. And immediately won fans. First of all, thanks to the support of Ethereum.

Features Ledger Nano S

Today Ledger Nano S is the most popular in the world. This popularity is due to many factors. This is, first of all, reliability (the wallet has never been hacked since its inception), low price and support for many cryptocurrencies.

Basic characteristics

Equipment Ledger

By purchasing a wallet, you will receive not only a small gadget, but a whole box containing:

• The device itself;
• USB cable required to connect the device to a computer;
• Branded keychain with a strap (so that the wallet is always with you);
• Instructions for setting up and using;
• Sheet for recording the seed phrase that will be needed for recovery.

Ledger Nano S: what currencies does it support

Multicurrency is one of the positive characteristics of this storage. Ledger Nano S has the widest list of supported cryptocurrencies. Here you can store:

• EXPANSE;
• UBIQ;
• PIVX;
• VERTCOIN;
• VIACOIN;
• STEALTHCOIN;
• BITCOIN GOLD;
• STELLAR;
• HCASH;
• DIGIBYTE;
• QTUM.

And this list is constantly expanding. The developer continually adds new types of digital money to it. You can get acquainted with the full list of supported coins on the official website of the wallet.

Applications Ledger Wallet Nano S

The wallet has 4 applications that are available for installation on personal computers. And one that can be installed on smartphones is the Ledger Authenticator for Android and iOS.

Ledger Authenticator

This is a mobile application suitable for both iOS and Android. It can be downloaded from official stores.

The application allows you to control your money, make transfers, manage your account, view transaction history. After the extension has been synced with your phone, you will receive notifications to confirm each transaction. This is another step in protecting your funds.

The software allows you to access wallets with the following currencies:

• Bitcoin/Bitcoin Cash;
• Litecoin;
• Dogecoin;
• dash;
• Zcash;

• PoSW;
• pivx;
• viacoin;
• Stratis;
• Vertcoin.

Ledger Nano S setup: wallet guide

After studying all the characteristics of this device, it's time to talk about its settings and how it works. In general, the process of the first connection is very simple and does not take much time.

Step 1. Connect the device to the computer using the supplied USB cable. A welcome message will appear on the screen of the device.

After that, another phrase "Press Both buttons to begin" will appear, requiring you to hold down two buttons to start working. So do it.

The device will ask if you want to set it up as new. Press the right button to agree.

Step 2 Come up with a pin code and install it on your wallet.

When coming up with a combination, do not limit yourself to the standard "1, 2, 3, 4, 5". After all, a pincode is the first step in protecting a gadget from unwanted intrusion. If you lose it and an attacker can enter your code, then you risk losing all your savings.

Remember the invented password (better write it down and hide it securely), because after three unsuccessful attempts, the system will automatically reset the gadget to factory settings.

The PIN code is entered directly on the device. Press the right button to increase the number, press the left button to decrease it. Press both buttons at the same time to confirm. By the way, the password can consist of 4-8 digits.

Step 3(most responsible). Write down your seed phrase. It will be displayed directly on the screen of the device.

After this inscription, hold down two buttons. Words will appear on the screen. Write them down in the exact order in which they appear. Use the sheet that comes with the device. We also recommend taking photos of each word for reinsurance. If you lose this phrase, you will permanently lose access to your wallet. And that means you will lose all your savings.

After all the words from the phrase are shown on the screen and recorded, the system checks. The device requests individual words from seed in random order. Be careful: if the wallet suggests an incorrect word, scroll through it (press one button), if such a word is in the phrase, hold down two buttons on the device.

Step 4 Download the Ledger Manager app.

You will need it to fully use the Ledger Nano S. This is an extension for the Google Chrome browser that allows you to simultaneously work with five cryptocurrency wallets.

There are three more applications on the official website for convenient work with a hardware wallet - Ledger Wallet Ripple, Ledger Wallet Ethereum, Ledger Wallet Bitcoin. Don't be scared that there is no extension for other cryptocurrencies. To conduct transactions with Zcash or DASH, for example, you can use the Bitcoin Ledger Wallet, which supports dozens of altcoins.

Wallet security

The Ledger wallet has never been hacked. This speaks of its impeccable reliability. Thanks can be said to the two STM31 / STM32 chips and the CC EAL5 + encryption protocol. Special thanks to the thoughtful authentication system and the especially complex seed phrase.

In addition, the wallet works without an Internet connection, all manipulations are carried out inside the device itself. And this means that not even the slightest bit of data will leak into the network and hackers will not be able to infect the device with viruses and steal funds.

Recovery process

The importance of the seed phrase can be talked about forever. Let's take a closer look at the recovery process using seed.

You can recover a lost or stolen Ledger Nano S with a new device or with another hardware wallet like Mycelium or Electrum. In both cases, you need a private seed key. Nothing without it!

If you are using a hardware wallet for this, say, at the installation stage, enter the recorded 24 words:

If you have purchased a new Ledger Nano S, then the first time you connect, press the right button and the left button. Then enter the pin code. It may differ from the one on the first device. After entering the code, the recovery process will begin.

Step 1. Select the number of words in the phrase (24).

Step 2 Start typing the words themselves.

Use the buttons to spell. Yes, it is difficult and long, but there is no other way. To confirm the selected letter, simultaneously hold down the two buttons. Ledger helps at this stage: after entering two or three letters, it allows you to select the whole word.

Buy Leger: how and where?

To get an original wallet and count on all its characteristics (especially safety and reliability), buy a device exclusively on the official website of the company. Moreover, it can be delivered anywhere in the world. How to order? Simple enough, especially since the site has a Russian version.

The cost without tax is 79 euros. Add the item to your cart and follow the instructions.
The parcel will arrive to you in a couple of weeks, it all depends on the chosen delivery method. How to check the authenticity of the parcel Ledger Nano S? Pay attention to the box and the branded sticker on it. The main thing is that its integrity is not violated.

The wallet can also be bought in Moscow. Devices are offered by many marketplaces. But this is the risk of acquiring a fake. Externally, such a device is no different from the original. That's just it can be infected with viruses. Well, there is no question of security.

Alternative wallet options from Ledger: comparison

The pioneer in the cryptocurrency hardware wallet market was the device from, which today is Ledger's main competitor. In principle, they are similar to each other: compact, reliable. There are differences in the number of supported cryptocurrencies and the price. The advantages are on the Ledger side: the list of currencies is wider, and the price is slightly lower.

Comparing a Ledger machine to a Case bitcoin wallet is unethical to say the least. In terms of reliability, they, of course, are not inferior to each other. The only difference is in the supported currencies.

Another alternative to using the Ledger Nano S is Ledger Blue. This is a new development of the French, on which they spent more than two years. This is a new word in the field of hardware wallets: an even more convenient, even more secure device. True, it costs much more - about 200 euros.

Buying Ledger Nano S: pros and cons

This wallet has a lot of positive qualities: it is safe and reliable, easy to use, compact (you can always carry it with you), versatile and supports many varieties of digital money. And it is relatively inexpensive compared to analogues. Everything says "for" the use of this repository.

Only one fact can stop you from buying: the presence of a small amount of coins. If you have a couple of ripples or dashes at your disposal, there is no point in spending money on buying a hardware wallet. Such gadgets are suitable for those who have several bitcoins, dozens of ethereums, hundreds of lightcoins in their reserves and they do not sleep at night and think how not to lose their savings. Ledger Nano S can provide not only secure storage of funds, but also peace of mind to its user.

The Ledger Nano S, along with the Trezor One, is one of the most popular hardware wallets on the market. According to statement on the Twitter page, the company has sold more than a million devices in more than 160 countries. In this review, we will try to answer almost all questions that may arise when using this hardware wallet.

Packaging and equipment

Appearance

The Ledger Nano C wallet is packaged in a small rectangular box made of high quality white cardboard. The box is reminiscent of the packaging of Apple products, which also rely on white and gray colors. The front side shows the device itself, its name and description.

From time to time, the manufacturer changes some elements of the packaging design. Early versions contained special security seals. It is worth mentioning another version of the letter “g”, which was present earlier in the word Ledger.

On the reverse side there is a brief description of the device, a list of the main supported coins and features. The wallet name and company logo are printed on the sides.

The new Nano S must be wrapped in plastic wrap. Be sure to check the integrity of the packaging on all sides.

Holographic seal

In early versions, a special seal was applied to the packaging, which confirmed that the device had not been used by anyone before. Later, the need for a protective seal disappeared due to the fact that the Ledger Nano S is protected from firmware modifications on the software side, and the manufacturer abandoned it.

Device

Opening the box, we will find a device that is located on a special soft shockproof foam. The display, buttons and USB connection are protected by an aluminum cover, like some USB sticks. On the one hand, the name of the company “Ledger” is engraved, on the other hand, the sentence “vires in numeris”, which in Latin means “strength in numbers”.

Front side

back side

Accessories

Under the device is a small folder with a quick start guide and a card to write down the recovery phrase. A micro-USB cable is required to connect to a PC, and a special ring and laces allow you to wear a hardware wallet around your neck or keychain.

Please note that in order to connect to Android smartphones, you need to separately purchase an OTG cable - it is not included in the delivery.

First power on

Never use a device that is already set up and has a preset PIN. The process of activating the wallet - writing the phrase and setting the PIN-code is carried out only by the owner.

When you connect to a PC for the first time, the message Welcome will appear on the display, and in the Getting Started quick guide we will find a link where you can install the Ledger Live interface for managing crypto assets.

Installing Ledger Live

Ledger Live was released in July 2018 and is a big step forward in the cryptocurrency wallet interface industry. Our team covered this event separately in our blog. This software allows you to set up a hardware wallet and manage crypto assets in one window. Applications in the form of Ledger Manager, Wallet Bitcoin, Wallet Ethereum and Wallet Ripple extensions are a thing of the past. The interface is compatible with Mac, Windows, Linux operating systems. A mobile app for iOS and Android is also available. A more detailed overview of the program will be in the corresponding section. In the meantime, download it and install it on a PC.

After installation, the software will open automatically and you can start the installation using the “Get Started” button. There are 4 options available in the window that appears:

• Creating a new device (Initialize as new device)
• Restoring the old one using the recovery phrase (Restore device from recovery phrase)
• Use an initialized device
• Buying a new Ledger Nano C (Don’t have a Ledger device?)

The software only displays hints and tips when activating the wallet, but the installation is done only on the hardware wallet itself. In other words, you can simply connect your wallet to your PC without installing Ledger Live and activate it.

First, the creation of a new device will be demonstrated. Later in the security section will be shown. We choose the first option. The next window will ask you to select a wallet model, and then proceed to the installation process.

First power on

The first thing we need to do is connect the Ledger Nano S to the computer using the included USB cable. It is recommended to connect the device directly to the PC avoiding USB hubs and extension cables. This will prevent possible connection errors.

First, let's clarify the use of two buttons: pressing both buttons at the same time is equal to confirming actions or "OK". Scrolling through the lists is done through the left and right buttons. After pressing both keys, the activation process starts.

Now the device display will ask whether we want to create a new device or restore the old one. With the left button you can switch between these two options. We press the right button and confirm our intentions.

Setting the PIN

The first step is to set up a PIN that protects the user's cryptocurrency assets in case the wallet is stolen. The pin is requested each time the device is turned on. It must be entered twice to exclude a typo.

You can set from four to eight digits. If an incorrect number is entered, it can be deleted using the "cross" symbol that follows the number 9.

Do not set a Pin-code from a bank card, smartphone or birthday.

• Long - 8 digits;
• Complex - numbers should not be repeated;
• Messy - avoid combinations 4567, 7890.

Creating a mnemonic phrase (Seed)

We are moving on to the most important stage - backing up the wallet. This is a process in which you need to write down 24 words on a special card that comes with the kit. In another way, these words are called the recovery phrase, seed, seed, mnemonic phrase.

The mnemonic phrase is the most important key to all your cryptocurrencies and applications. It will only be displayed once. Never make a digital copy of phrases or store them online. Phrases should be stored in a place ideally protected from fire and water. So that none of the strangers have access to them, and so that your loved ones can find it in case something happens to you.

In connection with these rules, special devices for storing a mnemonic phrase were created, which can be purchased in our store -,.

Remember that if you lose the mnemonic phrase, you will lose the ability to recover your existing cryptocurrency assets. We will talk about this in the Security section.

It is important to understand that seed allows you to restore cryptocurrency to other hardware devices - as well as to hot and online wallets that have implemented the BIP39 proposal.

For maximum security, it is recommended that you write down your recovery phrase and save it in a second place, for example, at the bank, with friends or relatives. But remember that everyone who has access to this sheet also has access to your cryptocurrencies.

After writing down the last word, you should confirm the actions by pressing both keys of the wallet.

Then, with the latest firmware, all words are checked again to make sure they were spelled correctly.

Backup should be performed in a private environment at home. You should not do this in a place where strangers are present, there is a large window or CCTV cameras.

Security Checklist

After confirming the recovery phrase, we turn our attention back to the PC screen and proceed to the fourth step of the Security checklist using the Continue button located in the lower right corner of the interface.

Here we need to answer the question of whether we really chose a PIN code and wrote down the recovery phrase ourselves. Finally, the final step is to verify the authenticity of the hardware wallet. To do this, Ledger Live directly accesses the device. This step eliminates the fact that the wallet was previously hacked by scammers. Only a real device can provide the cryptographic proof required to connect to a secure Ledger server.

Setting a password for Ledger Live

The user himself determines to set a password for the application or simply skip this step. A few abstracts for understanding:

• The password prevents unauthorized persons who have gained access to your PC from entering the interface;
• Entering Ledger Live by an outsider can greatly damage your privacy, as the scammer will see the balance, transactions and user addresses;
• Losing the password to the interface means that you have to clear the application and re-add accounts to the portfolio;
• Cleaning the application will not affect the user's cryptocurrency assets.

Setting a password is especially relevant when you share a PC with colleagues or friends.

Finally, you can agree to send Ledger your anonymous data about interaction with the interface in order to further improve the software. This is the final step and you can now launch the software through the Open Ledger Live button.

Ledger Live app: user manual

Now let's start the sequential configuration of the desktop interface.

Manager - Download and Uninstall Applications

The Manager section is designed to update the firmware of the device itself and manage applications. Each application has two buttons - download and delete. The search bar allows you to quickly find the application of interest.

At this stage, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the basic principles of operation of the Basic and Dependent Applications, which were analyzed by me in the previous one. Let's move on to the next step.

Downloading and deleting applications does not affect the stored cryptocurrency. That is, you can download the LTC app, get Litecoin addresses, transfer coins to those addresses, and delete the app. Litecoin coins will not be lost, as deleting the application does not affect the stored cryptocurrency.

Adding Accounts

To successfully add an account, you need to download the application of the corresponding coin on the device.

To add an account, click on the “+” sign, select coins in the window that appears and click the Continue button.

At the stage of adding an account, the user can assign a custom account name.

In the accounts area, we have displayed the first Bitcoin 1 account. In the upper right corner, there is a wrench icon that allows you to enter the account settings. There are two main settings here:

• Account name - this allows you to navigate in the accounts if we have several accounts of the same coin;
• Unit - allows you to set the unit of the displayed cryptocurrency. Bitcoin has BTC(1.00 000 000), mBTC(0.00 100 000), µBTC(0.00 000 100), sat(0.00 000 001)

The extended key (XPUB - extended public key) is used to calculate the child keys within the account. Compromise of the extended key can severely compromise the user's privacy. If an attacker gets this key, he will not be able to steal the funds, but will be able to track all transactions that have been in the past, present and future. Therefore, you should not substitute this key into dubious interfaces or shine in front of strangers.

Send Send

Clicking on the Send button allows us to complete the transaction. In the window that opens, enter the following data:

• Account to debit - select an account from the portfolio from which coins will be spent;
• Recipient address - recipient's address;
• Amount - the amount of the transfer. Moreover, it is possible to enter the amount both in cryptocurrency and in fiat value 100, 200, etc. rubles;
• Network fees - a commission that affects the speed of payment confirmation.

Now you should connect the wallet to the PC and go to the Bitcoin application.

We confirm the amount to be sent and the recipient's address by pressing the right button.

Amount Confirmation

Consent to the commission

The transaction was successfully sent, as evidenced by a message on the computer screen.

With the Details button, we can display detailed information about the executed transaction.

• Account - the account from which we sent money;
• Date - date of dispatch;
• Fees - paid commission;
• Status - payment status. Not confirmed (0) means that it has not yet been confirmed in the blockchain. And the message Confirmed (3) indicates that the payment was confirmed three blocks earlier;
• Transaction id - an identification number that can be used in the Blockchain Explorer;
• From – sender's address.

Transactions

Being in the Portfolio section, we can scroll down the main window to the very bottom and reveal the Last operations section.

Here you can see all completed transactions sorted by time and grouped by day. In the left-most column, an arrow pointing up means sending, and down means receiving.

Hovering over the arrow displays a pop-up window with payment confirmation information.

Get Receive

To get addresses, you need to connect the device to a PC, unlock it and go to the application of the coin whose address we want to see.

Select the Receive item in the menu and the previously added BTC account. In the window that appears, there is a brief instruction on how to get the address. In the final step, we copy it using the COPY button. This address is used to receive funds.

Always check the address shown on the device and in the Ledger Live interface. This is a preventative process that protects the user from phishing and malware that can substitute the address of an attacker instead of the original address. Remember that the hardware device always shows the real information.

Portfolio

This area is for user-added accounts, similar to what we did in the Adding Accounts section.

You can add accounts within one cryptocurrency only if there is a balance on the previous one.

To add an LTC or ETH account, we first download applications to a hardware device and add them to the portfolio in the same way. You can delete an account through the wrench icon located at the top right. The red Delete button removes the account from the portfolio.

Deleting accounts will not affect the stored cryptocurrency. If the user restores the deleted account, then the coins will be displayed again at the corresponding addresses.

Buy cryptocurrency

The Buy crypto section displays a list of recommended services for buying cryptocurrencies. This includes such well-known exchanges as Changelly, Coinmama, ShapeShift, Bitpanda, Simplex and others. It is worth considering that not all of these services allow you to purchase crypto in the Russian Federation.

Settings

To fully work with the desktop application, it would not be bad to get acquainted with all the possible settings that will allow you to adapt the interface to your needs. The settings section is divided into five tabs.

General

• Countervalue - fiat currency for displaying balance and operations;
• Rate provider - setting the exchange rate of bitcoin against the US dollar, used to assess the value of crypto assets;
• Display language - selection of the interface language (so far only English is available);
• Password lock - select a password to prevent unauthorized access to Ledger Live data stored on a computer, including account names, balances, transactions and public addresses;
• Bug reports - automatically send error data to the manufacturer;
• Analytics - Enable analytics to help Ledger understand how to improve the user experience. This includes clicks, page visits, redirects, actions (sending, receiving, blocking, etc.), scrolling to the bottom of the page, installation of applications and their versions, number of accounts, crypto assets and transactions, session duration, used blockchains and device firmware;
• Developer mode - Display additional applications for universal two-factor authentication, password manager, HODL application and Recovery Check.

Currencies

Sets the number of transaction confirmations to be marked as confirmed.

Each cryptocurrency has its own meaning depending on the features of the blockchain. In bitcoin, this is from 2 to 6 confirmations.

Accounts

• Export accounts - Add accounts to the mobile version of Ledger Live. Accounts will only sync with the blockchain, and not between mobile and desktop interfaces;
• Operation history - save transaction history in SCV format on your PC.

About

• Version - The current version of the Live application. Using the Details button, you can see the changes in versions;
• Terms of use - user agreement;
• Privacy policy - privacy policy. The link takes you to a page that will let you know what personal data the company collects and how it uses it.

Help

• Ledger Support - Link to the help page for Ledger products;
• Clear cache - Clear the Ledger Live cache to force a re-sync with the blockchain. This option will be needed if the balance or transactions are displayed incorrectly;
• Save logs - Save Ledger Live logs for troubleshooting when contacting developers;
• Device setup - Installing a new device or restoring an existing one, while the accounts and application settings are saved;
• View user data - Display a folder on the hard drive with user files, including accounts, caches and settings;
• Reset Ledger Live - Remove all data from the program stored on the PC, including accounts, transaction history and settings;
• Repair your Ledger Device - A tool to repair your Ledger device if it gets stuck during a firmware update.

experimental features

This tab allows you to enable experimental features that have been developed by the Ledger community. It is important to note that Ledger may stop supporting them on its devices at any time.

developer mode

By enabling developer mode, the user will have access to testnet applications, mnemonic phrase checks (recovery check), password manager, two-factor authentication U2f and others.

Scan for invalid paths

Allows you to search for erroneously generated paths (Derivation Path).

Experimental USB

An alternative connection implementation that can help resolve USB connection issues. Enabling this feature may cause the interface to malfunction.

A small summary of Ledger Live

It is important to understand that Ledger Live can be used without a hardware wallet in monitoring mode. That is, you can view the balance of all crypto assets, transaction history, used addresses. Connecting the device makes it possible to spend funds and receive new addresses for future transactions. All interface files are stored on the PC. Deleting Ledger Live does not affect the stored cryptocurrency, as the user can re-download all accounts on another PC.

An overview of the most popular emergencies and errors will be in the section.

Ledger Live for iOS and Android

The Ledger Live app for smartphones adds mobility in terms of asset management. This means that users can monitor their assets, receive and spend funds. However, the last operation is available only for owners of smartphones based on Android. The connection is made via a special OTG cable. Read more about the new app in our

Android

iOS

How to import Ledger Live accounts to smartphone?

The principle of importing invoices is the same on both operating systems and consists of 4 steps.

• Go to the Accounts tab;
• Select the plus sign and click on Import desktop accounts;
• In the application on the PC, open Settings - Export accounts - Export;
• We bring the smartphone camera to the changing QR codes;
• We mark the necessary accounts for import in the phone and click on Import.

This procedure adds accounts with all completed transactions.

Compatibility

Ledger SAS products are available for both mobile and desktop. Many other options are also offered, such as compatibility with exchanges such as Bitstamp, or the use of devices as universal two-factor authentication U2F, which will be discussed below.

Operating Systems

According to the developer, Ledger hardware wallets are compatible with the most popular operating systems such as Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, Chrome OS.

What cryptocurrencies does it support?

The most obvious advantage of French wallets is multi-currency. New cryptocurrencies are added on a regular basis.

Users can also view and vote on future coins and features to be added on the company roadmap available in the Trello Manager - https://trello.com/b/5nQ1mdzt/ledger-roadmap

The following cryptocurrencies are currently supported: Bitcoin, Icon, Wanchain, Rootstock, FIC Network, IOTA, Factom, Ethergem, Peercoin, Ontology, Akroma, NEO, Hcash, PivX, Expanse, Dogecoin, Stratis, Bitcoin Cash, PoSW, Cardano, Stealth , Kowala, Waves, EOS, Lisk, Gamecredits, Nano, Zcoin, Hycon, Bitcoin Private, Bitcoin Gold, DigiByte, Vertcoin, Ethereum, Zcash, Ripple, Ethereum Classic, ARK, Vechain, Woleet, Particl, Rise, POA network, Musicoin , MIX, Nimiq, Tron, Pirl, ZenCash, Stellar, Qtum, Viacoin, Litecoin, Dash, Komodo, ERC-20 tokens.

Non-original applications

The Ledger Nano S supports, among others, the following third-party wallets and services:

Ledger Wallet Bitcoin, Mycelium, MyEtherWallet, FIDO/U2F, Woleet, Ledger Password Manager (Password Manager), Copay, GreenBits, Bitstamp, OpenPGP, Ledger Wallet Ethereum, Electrum, Bitgo and many others.

The only connection interface is the USB port. Thus, with the Ledger Nano S, it is not possible to transact wirelessly. However, using an OTG cable, you can make transactions using Android smartphones. The iPhone runs on the slightly more limited iOS operating system, which unfortunately doesn't support USB devices. Alternatively, you can use the watch function on your hardware wallet and install an application that monitors public addresses and cannot make any transactions.

Documentation and support

Instructions, wallet interface and Ledger live are in English only.

Russian-speaking users are limited to only English, both on the device itself and in the proposed interfaces - Ledger Live. It is hoped that soon the Russian language will be added to the application on the PC.

As already mentioned, there are no installation instructions, but only a quick setup guide. Ledger offers complete online documentation for their hardware wallets. It is constantly updated and expanded, and provides answers to almost any question. If questions remain open, you can contact Ledger support directly. This is done primarily in writing through the Zendesk support platform. Just go to the contact page of the main page and open a ticket. If you want, you can personally meet part of the team and visit the official store in Paris. Unfortunately, the response time from the developers takes quite a long time (up to 5 working days), since the demand for Ledger hardware wallets is quite high.

Documentation and support is in English. In the event of a defect or malfunction, and if the device was purchased directly from www.ledgerwallet.com and not through a reseller, the device will be replaced free of charge after requesting an RMA number from support.

Device settings

It's time to look at the available settings, basic wipe or restore operations, and the advanced features of a hardware wallet. To get started, go to the Settings app.

Display

There are three options in the display settings.

Brightness

The left and right buttons switch the brightness of the display, while double-clicking confirms the actions and exits to the previous menu.

Rotate Screen

Selecting YES will flip the screen 180 degrees. After selecting the NO value, you can return the rotation to its previous level.

Invert Colors

The YES value inverts the colors, and the return to the previous colors is done by choosing NO.

Do not forget that to exit any menu, you should press the right button until the Back message, and by double-clicking on both buttons, we go back to the settings.

Security

The “security” submenu is one of the most important, so it is worth paying special attention to studying it.

Auto-lock

Set the time after which the hardware wallet will be blocked. To unlock, you will have to re-enter the PIN code. Available options are OFF (disabling auto-lock), 1, 3, 5, 10 minutes.

Change PIN (Change PIN)

Possibility to change the current PIN to a new one. This is done in three stages:

• Selecting a new code;
• Confirmation;
• Entering the old PIN code.

How to hide wallet with passphrase?

Passphrase is an advanced protection of a user's cryptocurrency assets, which allows you to create hidden wallets based on a mnemonic phrase.

A little theory:

1. An additional phrase creates a completely new wallet;
2. You can create an unlimited number of hidden wallets;
3. The phrase can consist of all the characters in the ASCII table;
4. When entering an empty phrase, the user will be taken to the original wallet;
5. If the mnemonic phrase uses the entropy of the hardware wallet, then the passphrase allows you to add your own entropy when creating the wallet.

What does a passphrase protect against?

• From any kind of physical attacks on a hardware device;
• From compromising a mnemonic phrase;
• From physical threats and pressure on the owner of cryptocurrencies.

The storage of the passphrase is just as important as the storage of the mnemonic phrase. If the owner of the wallet forgets or loses the passphrase, then the cryptocurrency located on the addresses will be lost forever.

When is it useful?

Let's imagine a situation when the police, court or other authorities find a Ledger Nano S hardware wallet in the owner of cryptocurrencies and require disclosure of information about the stored crypto-currency assets. In this case, the user can have hidden ones in addition to the main wallet. Basically, an insignificant part of the funds will be stored, and the entire portfolio of cryptoassets will be stored on the hidden ones. Access to the first wallet can be opened to the authorities and show a small balance of funds, thereby avoiding such physical attacks on the user.

It is important to understand that the user determines which wallet balance to reveal.

Using a Passphrase on the Ledger Nano S.

In the Ledger Nano S device, there are two possibilities for using this protection. Let's consider each of them in detail. Enabling is done in the application Settings - Security - Passphrase.

Set temporary (one-time use of a phrase)

Here you can enter the hidden wallet with a one-time input of the phrase.

The next steps are to confirm the phrase we have typed and enter the PIN code.

After entering the PIN code, the wallet calculates new private and public addresses. If you go to the Bitcoin or other coin application, add a new account to Ledger Live, you will find a zero balance, since a new wallet is created in this wallet state. To return to the original wallet, just reconnect the wallet to the PC.

To better understand this material, I highly recommend watching our video guide, where I demonstrate this feature in detail.

Attach to a pin (binding a phrase to a PIN code)

The French manufacturer has also proposed a very original use of the passphrase, linking the passphrase to the Pin code.

Actions are as follows:

1. Entering a new (hidden) PIN code;
2. Confirmation;

1. Entering a phrase that will be attached to the PIN;
2. Entering the current PIN code.

Now it remains to reconnect the device to the PC and enter the second (hidden) PIN code. We will enter the wallet with the phrase we just set.

Please note that there is a limitation. You can only link one PIN to a passphrase. This was done so that it was impossible to bypass the forced clearing of the wallet with three incorrectly entered codes using an additional PIN code.

Now we have two wallets, access to which is opened by two different PIN codes. Under pressure from the authorities, we decide which wallet to open access to.

This function raises a lot of different kinds of questions from users, so I again recommend that you familiarize yourself with the video review.

Do not use this feature until you understand how it works. Otherwise, you will lose your money.

Wallet Recovery

When using a wallet, situations can often arise when you need to use the process of restoring cryptocurrency assets. For example, the user wants to change the mnemonic phrase on the wallet, or he forgot the PIN code during an unsuccessful firmware update, as a result of which the device is reset to zero.

In such cases, in the Configure as new device state, press the left key and go to the Restore configuration option. Confirm the new Pin-code and enter the mnemonic phrase.

After successfully entering the last word, the message Your device is now ready appears and the only Settings application is displayed in the wallet. Now it remains to download the necessary applications for managing coins.

To understand how to put the device in the state of create or restore wallet options, see the Help section.

Checking a mnemonic phrase

Sometimes the owner of the wallet needs to answer the question whether he wrote down the mnemonic phrase correctly. For these purposes, the Recovery Check application was developed. The application is installed through the Manager section of the Ledger Live interface.

The procedure for checking a phrase is similar to the procedure for restoring sequential input of words.

The result of the check will be displayed on the display of the Ledger Nano S. If successful, the message Recovery Phrase matches will be displayed, which means that the entered mnemonic phrase matches the current mnemonic phrase. After verification, it is recommended to remove the application from the wallet to save space.

How to install FIDO U2F (Two Factor Universal Authentication)

Using the Ledger Nano S hardware device, U2F Universal Two-Factor Authentication can be protected from unauthorized access. It can be connected to Gmail, Dropbox, Facebook, Twitter and more. A complete list can be found on the website - https://www.dongleauth.info.

To use the device as a U2F token, download the FIDO U2F application.

U2F authentication only works in the Google Chrome browser.

Password Manager

In order for the passwords app to appear in Manager, you must enable developer mode in the Ledger Live settings. This can be done in Settings - Experimental Features - Developer Mode (enable).

Now go to Manager and download the Passwords Manager application.

How the app works

It is important to understand that the password manager does not have an interface where one could sort, organize or search for the desired password from the service. The second feature is that you cannot save your passwords. You can only create passwords by pre-determining its complexity - special characters, numbers and upper or lower case letters used. Passwords are generated based on the private keys of the wallet. To create a password, you should offer a tag, for example - mail, facebook, dropbox, and then the application will generate a password using the built-in randomness generator and private key. This leads to the question - how to recover the set passwords in case the wallet is lost or broken? This will require:

• Restore the wallet using a mnemonic phrase;
• Download password manager;
• Set the same tag and the device will suggest the same password. When creating passwords, a deterministic function is used, just like when creating private keys.

Meaning

Here is the password my wallet generated - t*H1E nkl5p'KK)0fJ6V

When substituting a password, be sure to check the keyboard layout.

The application has the ability to clear all created passwords and select special keyboard layouts. I showed all this in the video review of the password manager.

Solving popular problems

In this section, I decided to collect the most common problems that users face.

How to turn off the device correctly?

The wallet is turned off by simply disconnecting the USB cable from the PC. It won't hurt your wallet in any way. Only in one case it is strongly not recommended to turn off the device - this is during the firmware update!

Does the manufacturer charge transaction fees?

The company does not charge any additional fees for transactions made by users.

How to restore a wallet after a loss?

In case of loss or theft of the device, the user can recover all crypto-assets on any hardware or software wallet that supports recovery phrases (12, 18, 24 words).

What to do if the wallet breaks?

You can purchase another Nano S model or other hardware wallet that supports BIP39 recovery phrases and recover crypto assets with 12, 18 or 24 words.

Forgot your PIN?

After three incorrect PIN entries, the device will reset to factory settings, clearing the private keys from secure storage. The wallet owner can restore the device from a recovery phrase and then set a new PIN.

Forgot the mnemonic phrase (Seed), but there is access to the device.

1. Send all crypto assets to a temporary wallet immediately. It could be an exchange or a hot wallet.
2. Wait for the minimum confirmation of transactions in the blockchain.
3. Clear your wallet;
4. Create a new wallet with a new mnemonic;
5. Transfer back crypto assets to a new wallet.

Your recovery sheet is a complete backup of the private keys that provide access to your private keys. You must keep it in a safe place. Anyone with access to your recovery sheet can retrieve your crypto assets without knowing the device PIN.

Forgot the Mnemonic phrase (Seed) and there is no access to the device.

This is the saddest case possible, which means that the funds are lost forever and irretrievably.

Forgot your passphrase?

The only way to get access to the addresses is to remember it, or if you are sure of the authenticity of a part of the phrase (more than 80%), then turn to special services that sort it out. Such companies charge from 30% commission for funds found and it is worth contacting them only in the most extreme cases.

No connection or Nano S is not recognized by the computer.

We check the checklist for fixing connection problems:

• Close conflicting cryptocurrency wallets (Electrum, MyEtherWallet, Bitcoin Core, Mist, Parity….);
• Turn off VPN and antivirus;
• Replace USB cable;
• Try different USB ports;
• Try another computer.

How to clear, reset or reset the device to factory settings?

There are two ways to clean your device:

1. Enter an incorrect PIN code three times;
2. Go to the Settings - Device - Reset All application and enter the current PIN code.

How to reset Ledger Live?

Go to Settings - Help and a red Reset button is displayed at the very bottom. We press it, and the application will clear all data on previously added accounts in the portfolio.

How to export Logs?

The desktop application saves a detailed chronology of all events in a log file. Exporting these logs can be useful for troubleshooting when contacting support. There are two ways to export logs:

1. Through the keyboard - use the key combination CTRL + E and save the file in the desired directory. (If you want to capture an error, you should do so immediately after the error occurs.) Make sure the keyboard is in English layout.
2. Through the settings - go to Settings - Help - Save logs and click on the Save button. Next, select the path where we want to save the file.

Ledger Live does not sync and displays the balance incorrectly

Portfolio account transactions are downloaded from the blockchain network and stored on the user's PC. In certain situations, the data on the PC and in the blockchain can become out of sync.

We take the following steps:

1. Let's go to the settings.
2. Select the Help tab.
3. In the Clear cache line, click on the Clear button.

When receiving an address, an error occurs "invalid parameter received (0x6b00)"

Some operations while using the Nano S may cause an error Invalid parameter received (0x6b00). To resolve this error, make sure that:

• the current firmware version of the device is installed;
• delete and re-download the applications of the used coin in the Manager section.

How to update firmware on Ledger Nano S?

Periodically, the manufacturer adds new features and coins. To use them, the user must update the firmware version.

It is currently not possible to update the Nano S firmware directly from version 1.3.1 to 1.5.5 to the latest version of Ledger Live (1.8.0). However, you can install a previous version of Ledger Live (1.7.0) to upgrade.
You can download it from the official Ledger repository on GitHub at this .

1. Open the Manager section in the application.
2. Click on the blue Update button.

1. Click "Continue" after reading the information. The device will display the message Precessing…
2. Next, the device will display the firmware update, version number and ID on the display.
   1. Make sure that the identifier in the desktop application matches the display on the device display;
   2. Confirm the action and press the right key of the wallet to start the update;
   3. Enter your current PIN. The device should reboot.
3. Disconnect the USB cable when the device displays the message "Follow device update instructions" or "Update" depending on the version you are updating from;
4. Press and hold the left button on the device while connecting the USB cable to the PC. Release the button as soon as the Bootloader message is displayed;
5. The update process will continue automatically. The interface will display multiple progress loaders, while the Nano S wallet displays Bootloader, Update, and Processing. Your device will be updated successfully after Ledger Live displays the Firmware Updated message.

After the update, you can redownload Bitcoin, Ethereum, and so on.

What should I do if my device is stuck while updating? Bootloader error.

Most likely the device has bootloader version 1.3.1 (or earlier) and you have Ledger Live 1.8.0 installed. Therefore, you should completely remove Ledger Live 1.8.0 and install version 1.7.0 from the official repository using this . Next, try updating the version through the Manager section or through Settings - Help - Repair your Ledger device.

The device is stuck and showing errors MCU firmware is not genuine and Follow device repair instructions. How to fix it?

1. Go to Settings - Help - Repair your Ledger device.
2. Connect the device to the PC, depending on the message, select the appropriate case and click the Repair button.

3. Follow the restoring instructions.

Transaction sent from Nano S wallet is unconfirmed. What to do?

There are two ways to speed up transactions in Bitcoin and similar coins: a child transaction pays for the parent (Child Pays for Parent) and replacement fees (Replace by Fee).

Do I need to update the firmware version, and what does it give the user?

No one is forcing the owner of the Ledger Nano S to update the firmware, but the manufacturer strongly recommends doing so. The new versions improve the stability of the device and add new features.

Running out of memory in Ledger Nano S?

This is one of the frequently asked questions related to the limited memory size in the microcontroller of the device. There are several ways to download more applications, which I have described in this.

How can I verify the authenticity and originality of the Ledger Nano S?

When connected to Ledger Live, the device is automatically checked for originality. Only a genuine Ledger device can use its key to provide the cryptographic proof required to connect to secure servers.

How to downgrade the firmware version?

For security reasons, this is not possible.

How to integrate Nano S model and MyEtherWallet?

Detailed integration guides were shown on our YouTube channel:
Vintage version of MyEtherWallet
New version of MyEtherWallet 5

How to send, deposit erc 20 tokens on the device?

A detailed overview of the integration was shown from the ninth minute of our review:

Why are there no EOS, Stellar (XLM), Tron (TRX), Monero (XMR), IOTA, NEO, Waves, Vechain, Ontology (ONT), Lisk (LSK), NANO, Icon (ICX), Aeternity ( AE), KOMODO (KMD), Wanchain (WAN), Zcoin (XZC) and other cryptocurrencies?

These cryptocurrencies are supported by third party interfaces. It is important to understand that their use is carried out at the same level of security as with Ledger Live. You can see the full list of coins supported by third-party interfaces on this page.

How to get Bitcoin Cash SV?

If you had Bitcoins on a hardware wallet before November 15, 2018, then you can claim the equivalent in Bitcoin Cash SV. Detailed information on how to do this was published by me in this.

Bolos Platform

The Ledger Nano C is built on the BOLOS platform. BOLOS stands for Blockchain Open Ledger Operational System and is an in-house development to enable every developer in the world to write applications for Ledger devices. You can use the secure features of a hardware wallet without the risk of losing your coins as each app runs in complete isolation. BOLOS is a way to turn hardware wallets into personal security devices. Users can install third-party applications that add new privacy features with their own general set of cryptographic features and protection methods.

About the manufacturer Ledger SAS

Ledger was launched in 2014 by eight experts in computer security, cryptocurrencies and entrepreneurship who came together around the idea of ​​creating secure solutions for blockchain applications. They now have over 130 employees in Paris, Vierzon and San Francisco.

The company has developed such products as Ledger Nano S, Ledger Blue and a new model with increased memory and support for Bluetooth connection Ledger Nano X. The Live desktop interface was seriously ahead of its time and provided the ability to keep a general balance of all cryptocurrencies in one window.

The main mission of the company is to offer users to use in a secure environment any assets, initial coin offerings (ICOs), data assets such as sensors, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and many others.

Specifications

98x18x9mm, 16g

Comparison with analogues

The closest competitor to the Nano S is the world's first hardware wallet, the Trezor One. The main differences between a Czech wallet and a French wallet are as follows:

• work through the web-interface;
• no apps to download. In Trezor, all keys are loaded into the device at once and are calculated on the fly when accessing the interface;
• support for fewer cryptocurrencies.

There are many other differences that have been described in the video.

Video reviews of the Ledger Nano S

All available settings and features of the wallet can be viewed in the playlist, which consists of 20 separate videos.

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