From 051b030a8c454be556420d168412050547a2a76c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: dolled-possum <35582014+dolled-possum@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2025 11:53:06 -0400
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Add --rpc-config format to login.md

---
 src/getting_started/login.md | 23 ++++++++++++++++++++++-
 1 file changed, 22 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/src/getting_started/login.md b/src/getting_started/login.md
index 11e46b5..54eed2e 100644
--- a/src/getting_started/login.md
+++ b/src/getting_started/login.md
@@ -58,11 +58,32 @@ Options:
 ```
 
 A home directory must be supplied — where the node will store its files.
-The `--rpc` flag is an optional `wss://` WebSocket link to an Ethereum RPC, allowing Hyperdrive to send and receive Ethereum transactions — used in the [identity system](../getting_started/hypermap.md#hns-hyperware-name-system) as mentioned [above](#creating-an-alchemy-account).
+The `--rpc` flag is an optional `wss://` WebSocket link to an Ethereum RPC, allowing Hyperdrive to send and receive Ethereum transactions — used in the [identity system](../getting_started/hypermap.md#hns-hyperware-name-system) as mentioned [below](#creating-an-alchemy-account).
 If this is not supplied, the node will use a set of default RPC providers served by other nodes on the network.
+Alternatively, use the `--rpc-config` flag to specify more than one `wss://` provider and/or to include authentication credentials -- see the description below.
 If the `--port` flag is supplied, Hyperdrive will attempt to bind that port for serving HTTP and will exit if that port is already taken.
 If no `--port` flag is supplied, Hyperdrive will bind to `8080` if it is available, or the first port above `8080` if not.
 
+<details><summary>OPTIONAL: The --rpc-config File Format</summary>
+
+If you wish to designate more than one Ethereum RPC providers, or if your provider requires authentication headers, you can replace the `--rpc <url>` flag with `--rpc-config <rpc_config_file_path>` instead, where `<rpc_config_file_path>` is a file structured as follows:
+```
+[
+  {
+    "url": "wss://mytoppriority.eth-provider.net",
+    "auth": {
+      "Bearer": "7f94d4799c13"
+    }
+  },
+  {
+    "url": "wss://wss://mysecondpriority.unauthenticated-eth.org"
+  }
+]
+```
+Your node will attempt to use the Ethereum RPC providers in the order you have listed them.  Possible "auth" types are Basic, Bearer, and Raw.
+Additionally, you may view, add, and remove RPC providers from a running node at the terminal prompt using the `get-providers`, `add-rpcurl-provider`, and `remove-provider` commands.
+
+</details>
 <details><summary>OPTIONAL: Acquiring an RPC API Key</summary>
 
 ### Acquiring an RPC API Key

From 60c4294ca4628f84e8314fb2ba0a35e601bcc2bf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Johnathan Reale <johnathanreale@icloud.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2025 14:30:10 -0400
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] additional info about the possible auth choices

---
 src/getting_started/login.md | 4 ++++
 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+)

diff --git a/src/getting_started/login.md b/src/getting_started/login.md
index 54eed2e..d1629d6 100644
--- a/src/getting_started/login.md
+++ b/src/getting_started/login.md
@@ -81,6 +81,10 @@ If you wish to designate more than one Ethereum RPC providers, or if your provid
 ]
 ```
 Your node will attempt to use the Ethereum RPC providers in the order you have listed them.  Possible "auth" types are Basic, Bearer, and Raw.
+* `Basic` will base64 encode the string value in the form of `user:password` and generate a header of `Authorization: Basic <the base64 encoding of user:password>`
+* `Bearer` will use the value as a bearer token and generate a header of `Authorization: Bearer <value>`
+* `Raw` will use the value directly and generate a header of `Authorization: <values>`
+
 Additionally, you may view, add, and remove RPC providers from a running node at the terminal prompt using the `get-providers`, `add-rpcurl-provider`, and `remove-provider` commands.
 
 </details>