Introduction

A Stratum URL is the network address a mining device uses to receive work from a mining pool and to submit completed shares back to it. It is not a wallet address, and it has no direct effect on payout method, account settings, or ASIC hardware efficiency. Selecting the correct ViaBTC Stratum URL is primarily a matter of matching the coin and mining algorithm, using a currently documented endpoint, confirming the port and transport option your firmware supports, and configuring backup entries so the miner can recover automatically from a failed connection. This guide walks through each of these steps for ViaBTC's BTC mining service and explains how to evaluate the result without overinterpreting normal share-rejection variance.

What a ViaBTC Stratum URL Means

A typical Stratum connection string looks like this:

stratum+tcp://btc.viabtc.io:3333

Each part serves a distinct function. stratum+tcp is the protocol prefix that tells the mining firmware which connection method to use. btc.viabtc.io is the pool server hostname — the machine your ASIC actually connects to. 3333 is the TCP port on which that server listens for miner connections. Bitcoin's developer documentation describes Stratum as a direct, two-way TCP connection through which the pool sends the miner the information needed to build a block header, along with the share difficulty target the miner must meet to submit a valid share (Bitcoin Developer Guide: Mining). None of these three components has any bearing on where mined BTC is paid out; that is governed separately by the account's payout address and settings, not by the Stratum URL field.

Match the Coin and Algorithm First

Before comparing endpoints, confirm that the URL corresponds to the coin and algorithm your hardware actually mines. A SHA-256 Bitcoin ASIC must connect to a BTC endpoint; it cannot productively use an endpoint intended for BCH, LTC, ZEC, DASH, KAS, or any other coin ViaBTC supports, even if the hostnames follow a similar naming pattern. Because pool infrastructure can change, the safest practice is to copy the endpoint directly from ViaBTC's current ViaBTC mining URLs and ports immediately before configuring the miner, rather than reusing a URL from an older tutorial, forum post, or screenshot.

Choosing Between Global, Regional, and SSL-Labelled BTC Endpoints

ViaBTC's BTC mining documentation currently lists several endpoint options, summarized below:

For the global and Europe non-SSL endpoints, ViaBTC lists port 443 as a failover port if the primary port cannot connect. This is a connection-continuity option, not a claim about lower latency or higher earnings.

SSL-labelled endpoints exist for miners and firmware that specifically support that connection method. Selecting an SSL endpoint without confirming firmware compatibility can prevent the miner from connecting at all, so this choice should be verified against your device's documentation rather than assumed to be a universal upgrade.

A geographically closer server is not automatically the better choice. Actual routing, packet loss, and jitter along the internet path between the mining site and the pool server often matter more than physical distance. The practically useful approach is to test a relevant regional endpoint against a global endpoint under comparable conditions and compare the pool-side results rather than assuming proximity determines the outcome.

Configuring Primary and Backup Pool Entries

Most mining firmware provides multiple pool fields (commonly labeled Pool 1, Pool 2, Pool 3). Place the preferred endpoint in the first field, and use the remaining fields for additional documented endpoints for the same coin and algorithm — for example, an alternate global hostname or the same hostname on the failover port. If the primary connection drops, the miner switches to the next configured entry, which reduces downtime from a single point of failure. A backup entry improves connection continuity when the primary fails; it is not evidence that the backup endpoint will outperform the primary during normal operation, and it should not be treated as a way to increase mining output. Keep the worker credentials in every pool field consistent with the intended ViaBTC account so that shares are attributed correctly regardless of which entry the miner is using at a given time.

Entering the Worker Name Correctly

ViaBTC's BTC mining setup guide documents the worker name format as:

userID.workerID

The worker ID portion may contain lowercase letters and numbers, up to 64 characters. This naming convention exists so that shares submitted by a specific physical or virtual miner are credited to the correct sub-account within your ViaBTC user account, which is useful for tracking multiple machines separately. A password field may be present depending on the miner or firmware, but it is optional in ViaBTC's documented BTC configuration. After the miner connects and stabilizes, ViaBTC's guide suggests allowing roughly 10–15 minutes before checking worker status and initial share activity; this window is meant only to confirm that the worker has come online, not to draw a conclusive comparison between two endpoints.

Evaluating Whether a URL Change Helped

Once a miner has been running on a new endpoint long enough to stabilize, compare results using pool-side data over comparable time periods rather than a single snapshot. Relevant indicators include:

• Overall rejection rate and, where the pool's dashboard provides it, the breakdown between stale, invalid, and duplicate shares
• Connection stability, including disconnects or authorization errors
• Whether a change affects network-related (stale) shares specifically, as opposed to invalid or duplicate shares that typically point elsewhere

Rejection rate is a useful diagnostic, but it should be interpreted carefully. ViaBTC's support documentation describes a rejection rate within 3% as its normal operating range; this is service-specific guidance from ViaBTC's own troubleshooting material, not a universal mining-industry benchmark, and readers should not treat it as a fixed pass/fail threshold. A rejection rate above that range does not automatically mean the Stratum URL is at fault — network instability, ASIC temperature, and firmware version can all independently affect the share-rejection outcome, so it is worth reviewing those factors alongside any endpoint change. ViaBTC's guidance on common causes of high rejection rate separates these areas explicitly rather than attributing elevated rejections to a single cause.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Entering a BTC receiving address into the Stratum URL or worker field instead of the documented pool hostname and worker name
• Using an endpoint intended for a different coin or algorithm because the hostname pattern looks similar
• Omitting the port number when the firmware requires the full hostname:port format
• Selecting an SSL-labelled endpoint without first confirming the miner or firmware supports that connection method
• Treating a failover port as a guaranteed lower-latency option rather than a connection-continuity fallback
• Changing endpoints repeatedly without first checking rejection-reason breakdowns, local network conditions, ASIC temperature, or firmware version

Conclusion

Choosing the right ViaBTC Stratum URL is a matter of matching the coin and algorithm, confirming the endpoint against ViaBTC's current documentation, selecting a port and transport option the firmware supports, and configuring backup entries for connection continuity. Because hostnames, ports, and available regions can change over time, the endpoint should always be verified directly from ViaBTC's official Mining Pools Information page immediately before saving miner settings, rather than reused from an older guide or screenshot.

FAQ

Is a Stratum URL the same as my BTC deposit or payout address?

No. A Stratum URL is a server address that tells the miner where to receive work and submit shares; it has no connection to the wallet or payout address configured in your ViaBTC account settings.

Will a regional endpoint always lower my rejection rate?

Not necessarily. A regional endpoint may improve the network path for some mining sites, but actual routing conditions vary, so results should be confirmed by comparing pool-side data over a comparable period rather than assumed from geographic proximity alone.

Should I use the SSL-labelled endpoint if it's available?

Only if your ASIC or firmware documentation confirms support for that connection method. Using an SSL-labelled endpoint without compatible firmware can prevent the miner from connecting.

What does the failover port do?

It provides an alternate way to connect if the primary port cannot establish a connection. It is intended for connection continuity and is not documented as a way to reduce latency or increase mining output.

My rejection rate went up after I changed the URL — is the new endpoint the cause?

Not automatically. Rejection rate can also be affected by local network stability, ASIC temperature, and firmware version, so these factors are worth checking alongside the endpoint change before drawing a conclusion.

References

• Bitcoin Developer Guide: Mining. https://developer.bitcoin.org/devguide/mining.html
• ViaBTC Support, Mining Pools Information. https://support.viabtc.com/hc/en-us/articles/14367481714191-Mining-Pools-Information
• ViaBTC Support, BTC Mining. https://support.viabtc.com/hc/en-us/articles/7207401012879-BTC-Mining
• ViaBTC Support, What if the Rejection Rate is High? https://support.viabtc.com/hc/en-us/articles/7207400264591-What-if-the-Rejection-Rate-is-High