How to Connect the Alby Browser Extension to Your Own Lightning Node

Running your own Lightning node gives you full control over your Bitcoin payments. Connecting it to the Alby browser extension lets you make those payments seamlessly from any website, without copying invoices or scanning QR codes. The setup requires some technical comfort, but the result is genuine self-custody with the convenience of one-click web payments.

This guide walks through connecting Alby Hub to three popular Lightning backends: LND, Core Lightning (CLN), and Phoenixd.

What You're Actually Connecting

The Alby ecosystem has two main components working together. The browser extension handles the user interface, implementing the WebLN standard that lets websites request payments and signatures. Alby Hub acts as the backend wallet that actually controls your funds and communicates with your Lightning node.

When you connect to your own node, Alby Hub becomes a bridge between the browser extension and your Lightning implementation. You maintain full custody of your funds since your node holds the keys and manages the channels.

Requirements Before You Start

You'll need a few things in place:

• A running Lightning node (LND, Core Lightning, or Phoenixd) with 24/7 uptime
• The Alby browser extension installed (available for Firefox and Chromium-based browsers)
• Alby Hub installed, either self-hosted or via Alby Cloud
• Network access between Alby Hub and your node (Tor works for remote connections)
• At least one funded Lightning channel with receiving capacity

For receiving payments, documentation from early 2026 recommends having at least 1 million satoshis in inbound liquidity, though your needs may vary based on typical transaction sizes.

Connecting to an LND Node

LND is the most common Lightning implementation, and Alby Hub supports it natively.

Step 1: Gather Your LND Credentials

You need three pieces of information from your LND node:

• REST Host: The address where LND's REST API is accessible (typically `https://localhost:8080` for local connections, or your Tor onion address for remote access)
• Macaroon: The admin.macaroon file that authorizes Alby Hub to control your node
• TLS Certificate: The tls.cert file that verifies your node's identity

On most LND installations, these files live in the `.lnd` directory. You can convert the macaroon and certificate to hex or base64 for easier input.

Step 2: Configure Alby Hub

Open Alby Hub and select "Connect to existing node" during setup. Choose LND as your backend. Enter your REST host address, paste the macaroon (in hex format), and provide the TLS certificate.

If you're connecting remotely through Tor, you'll need the alby-companion-rs application installed on the machine running your node. This creates a secure tunnel for the connection.

Step 3: Verify the Connection

Once configured, Alby Hub should display your node's alias and current balance. Test by creating a small invoice through the browser extension and paying it from another wallet.

Connecting to Core Lightning

Core Lightning (formerly c-lightning) uses a different authentication model based on runes rather than macaroons.

Step 1: Generate a Rune

Connect to your Core Lightning node via command line and generate an authentication rune:

```

lightning-cli commando-rune

```

This creates a token that grants specific permissions. For Alby Hub, you'll need a rune with sufficient privileges to create invoices, make payments, and check balances.

Step 2: Gather Connection Details

You need three parameters:

• Host/Peer Interface: Your node's network address
• Public Key (Node ID): Your node's 33-byte public identifier
• Rune: The authentication token you generated

Step 3: Configure in Alby Hub

Select Core Lightning as your backend in Alby Hub. Enter the host interface, node ID, and rune. For nodes behind Tor, Firefox handles the connection more reliably due to its native messaging support.

Direct CLN connections require the companion app for Tor connectivity, enabling access from any location without exposing your node to the public internet.

Connecting to Phoenixd

Phoenixd is ACINQ's headless Lightning daemon, offering a simpler setup than full node implementations. It handles channel management automatically, which reduces maintenance burden.

Step 1: Get Your Phoenixd Credentials

Phoenixd generates an HTTP password on first run. Find it in your phoenixd configuration directory. You'll also need the API endpoint address (default is `http://localhost:9740`).

Step 2: Configure Alby Hub

Choose Phoenixd as your backend in Alby Hub. Enter the API endpoint and HTTP password. The connection is more straightforward than LND or CLN since Phoenixd was designed with this kind of integration in mind.

Note that Phoenixd manages its own liquidity through ACINQ's Lightning Service Provider. You don't control channel peers or capacity allocation, which is either a feature or limitation depending on your priorities.

After Connection: Using the Browser Extension

With Alby Hub connected to your node, the browser extension becomes your interface for web payments. When you visit a site that supports WebLN (Stacker News, Wavlake, various Nostr clients), the extension can:

• Pay invoices with one click
• Generate receiving invoices on demand
• Sign messages for authentication
• Stream sats to content creators

Your node handles all the actual Lightning operations. The extension just provides the interface and passes requests through Alby Hub.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Connection timeouts: Usually a network issue. For Tor connections, ensure the companion app is running and your .onion address is current.

Authentication failures: Double-check that macaroons or runes have sufficient permissions. LND's admin macaroon should work; for CLN, ensure the rune grants the necessary capabilities.

Missing channels or balance: Alby Hub only sees what your node reports. If channels aren't appearing, verify they're confirmed and active on your node directly.

Payments failing: This is typically a routing or liquidity issue with your node, not Alby-specific. Check that you have outbound capacity for sending and inbound capacity for receiving.

The Tradeoffs of Self-Hosting

Connecting Alby to your own node gives you genuine self-custody. Your keys, your channels, your Bitcoin. No custodian can freeze your funds or disappear with them.

But this comes with responsibilities. Your node needs constant internet connectivity and 24/7 compute availability. Channel management requires attention: you need to open channels with reliable peers, maintain balanced liquidity, and occasionally close problematic channels.

For users who want the browser extension's convenience without running infrastructure, Alby Hub's default configuration uses an embedded LDK-based node that handles these details automatically. You can also use Alby Cloud for hosted Hub management while retaining key custody.

The choice depends on how much control you want versus how much maintenance you're willing to perform. Both approaches keep the same seamless web payment experience; they differ in who manages the underlying infrastructure.