1. [Start First Node as Bootnode](#6-start-first-node-as-bootnode)
1. [Start Node-2](#7-start-node-2)
1. [Start Node-3](#8-start-node-3)
1. [Confirm Private Network is Working](#9-confirm-private-network-is-working)
### 1. Create Folders
Each node requires a data directory for the blockchain data. When the node is started, the [node key](../Configuring-Pantheon/Node-Keys.md) is saved in this directory.
Create directories for your private network, each of the three nodes, and a data directory for each node:
```bash
Clique-Network/
├── Node-1
│ ├── Node-1-data-path
├── Node-2
│ ├── Node-2-data-path
└── Node-3
├── Node-3-data-path
```
### 2. Get Public Key for Node-1
To enable nodes to discover each other, a network requires one or more bootnodes.
For this private network, we will use Node-1 as the bootnode. This requires obtaining the public key for the [enode URL](../Configuring-Pantheon/Node-Keys.md#enode-url).
In the `Node-1` directory, use the [`public-key`](../Reference/Pantheon-CLI-Syntax.md#public-key) subcommand to write
the [node public key](../Configuring-Pantheon/Node-Keys.md) to the specified file (`publicKeyNode1` in this example):
The genesis file defines the genesis block of the blockchain (that is, the start of the blockchain).
The [Clique genesis file](../Consensus-Protocols/Clique.md#genesis-file) includes the address of Node-1 as the initial signer in the `extraData` field.
All nodes in a network must use the same genesis file.
Copy the following genesis definition to a file called `cliqueGenesis.json` and save it in the `Clique-Network` directory:
* No arguments for the [`--bootnodes`](../Reference/Pantheon-CLI-Syntax.md#bootnodes) option because this is your bootnode
* JSON-RPC API is enabled using the [`--rpc-http-enabled`](../Reference/Pantheon-CLI-Syntax.md#rpc-http-enabled) option
* ETH,NET, and CLIQUE APIs are enabled using the [`--rpc-http-api`](../Reference/Pantheon-CLI-Syntax.md#rpc-http-api) option
* All hosts can access the HTTP JSON-RPC API using the [`--host-whitelist`](../Reference/Pantheon-CLI-Syntax.md#host-whitelist) option
* All domains can access the node using the HTTP JSON-RPC API using the [`--rpc-http-cors-origins`](../Reference/Pantheon-CLI-Syntax.md#rpc-http-cors-origins) option
### 7. Start Node-2
You need the [enode URL](../Configuring-Pantheon/Node-Keys.md#enode-url) for Node-1 to specify Node-1 as a bootnode.
Start another terminal, change to the `Node-2` directory and start Node-2 replacing the enode URL with your bootonde:
* Different port to Node-1 and Node-2 for P2P peer discovery using the [`--p2p-port`](../Reference/Pantheon-CLI-Syntax.md#p2p-port) option.
* Different port to Node-1 and Node-2 for HTTP JSON-RPC using the [`--rpc-http-port`](../Reference/Pantheon-CLI-Syntax.md#rpc-http-port) option.
* Data directory for Node-3 using the [`--data-path`](../Reference/Pantheon-CLI-Syntax.md#data-path) option.
* Bootnode as for [Node-2](#6-start-node-2).
* Other options as for [Node-1](#5-start-first-node-as-bootnode).
### 9. Confirm Private Network is Working
Start another terminal, use curl to call the JSON-RPC API [`net_peerCount`](../Reference/JSON-RPC-API-Methods.md#net_peercount) method and confirm the nodes are functioning as peers:
```bash
curl -X POST --data '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"net_peerCount","params":[],"id":1}' 127.0.0.1:8545
```
The result confirms Node-1 has two peers (Node-2 and Node-3):
```json
{
"jsonrpc" : "2.0",
"id" : 1,
"result" : "0x2"
}
```
## Next Steps
Look at the logs displayed to confirm Node-1 is producing blocks and Node-2 and Node-3 are importing blocks.
Use the [Clique API to add](../Consensus-Protocols/Clique.md#adding-and-removing-signers) Node-2 or Node-3 as a signer.
!!! note
To add Node-2 or Node-3 as a signer you need the [node address as when specifying Node-1](#2-get-address-for-node-1) as the initial signer.
Import accounts to MetaMask and send transactions as described in the [Private Network Quickstart Tutorial](Private-Network-Quickstart.md#creating-a-transaction-using-metamask)
!!! info
Pantheon does not implement [private key management](../Using-Pantheon/Account-Management.md).
## Stop Nodes
When finished using the private network, stop all nodes using ++ctrl+c++ in each terminal window.
