---
title: "Nym Sandbox Testnet for Node Operators"
description: "Run your Nym node in the Sandbox testnet environment. Test configurations, try new features, and experiment safely before deploying to mainnet."
schemaType: "HowTo"
section: "Operators"
lastUpdated: "2026-02-01"
---

import { Callout } from 'nextra/components';
import { VarInfo } from 'components/variable-info.tsx';
import { Steps } from 'nextra/components';import { Tabs } from 'nextra/components'

# Sandbox Testnet

Nym node operators can run their nodes in Nym Sandbox testnet environment. Whether it's testing new configuration, hot features from Nym developers or just trying to setup a node for the first time, this environment is for you.

Below are steps to [setup your environment](#sandbox-environment-setup) and an introduction to [Sandbox token faucet](#sandbox-token-faucet).

<Callout type="info" emoji="ℹ️">
This page is for Nym node operators. If you want to run NymVPN CLI over Sandbox testnet, visit [NymVPN CLI Testnet guide](https://nym-vpn-cli.sandbox.nymtech.net/).
</Callout>

## Sandbox Environment Setup

<VarInfo/ >

To run Nym binaries in Sandbox testnet, you need to get `sandbox.env` configuration file and point your binary to it. Follow the steps below:

<Steps>

###### 1. Create Sandbox environment config file by saving [this](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nymtech/nym/develop/envs/sandbox.env) as `sandbox.env` in the same directory as your binaries:
```sh
curl -o sandbox.env -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nymtech/nym/develop/envs/sandbox.env
```
- In case you want to save the file elsewhere, change the path in '-o' flag

###### 2. Run your `nym-node` with an additional flag `-c` or `--config-env-file`
- Specify a path to `sandbox.env`
- Add all needed commands and options - for example:

<Tabs items={[<code>mixnode</code>, <code>exit-gateway</code>]}>
  <Tabs.Tab>
  This example is for `nym-node --mode mixnode`.
  ```sh
  ./nym-node --config-env-file <PATH>/sandbox.env run --mode mixnode
  ```
  </Tabs.Tab>
  <Tabs.Tab>
  This example is for `nym-node --mode exit-gateway`.
  ```sh
  ./nym-node --config-file-env <PATH>/sandbox.env run --mode exit-gateway --id <ID> --public-ips "$(curl -4 https://ifconfig.me)" --hostname "<HOSTNAME>" --http-bind-address 0.0.0.0:8080 --mixnet-bind-address 0.0.0.0:1789 true --location <CLOCATION>
  ```
  </Tabs.Tab>
</Tabs>
- In case you downloaded `sandbox.env` to same directory, `<PATH>` is not needed

###### 3. Bond your node to Nym Sandbox environment
- Open [Nym Wallet](https://nym.com/wallet) and switch to testnet
- Go to [faucet.nymtech.net](https://faucet.nymtech.net) and aquire 101 testnet NYM tokens
- Follow the steps on the [bonding page](nodes/nym-node/bonding.mdx)

![](/images/operators/sandbox.png)

</Steps>

<Callout>
1. If you [built Nym from source](binaries/building-nym), you already have `sandbox.env` as a part of the monorepo (`nym/envs/sandbox.env`). Giving that you are likely to run `nym-node` from `nym/target/release`, the flag will look like this `--config-env-file ../../envs/sandbox.env`

2. You can export the path to `sandbox.env` to your environmental variables:
```sh
export NYMNODE_CONFIG_ENV_FILE_ARG=<PATH>/sandbox.env
```
</Callout>

## Sandbox Token Faucet

To run your nodes in Sandbox environment, you need testnet version of NYM token, that can be aquired from [faucet.nymtech.net](https://faucet.nymtech.net).

To prevent abuse, the faucet is rate-limited - your request will fail if the requesting wallet already has 101 NYM tokens.
