FAQ
What is Root Network?
Root Network is a network of people who are paid for sharing the internet bandwidth they do not use. AI labs and research teams route traffic to public websites through contributor connections, and the network verifies every delivery and pays contributors in dollars.
How does Root Network work?
You sign in, install the extension, and choose how much of your connection to make available. When a lab needs residential access to a public web page, a router forwards an encrypted request through your connection, your node relays the encrypted answer back, and a validator confirms the delivery and credits your account. See How it works for the full path.
How do I get paid?
In dollars. Earnings accrue continuously to your dashboard balance as deliveries are verified. You withdraw to any EVM address, as USDC on Base or USDG on Robinhood Chain, whichever you prefer. Details are in Payouts.
Is there a token?
No. Root Network does not have a token, a points system or an airdrop. Contributors are paid in USD for verified bandwidth, and the network keeps a flat 30% of what labs pay.
Can Root Network see what I do online?
No. The network only routes sealed traffic through your IP address. It has no access to your browsing history, your tabs, your files or anything on your device. Your node cannot read the traffic it relays either, because it is encrypted end-to-end between the lab and the destination site. See Privacy & security.
What kind of traffic goes through my connection?
Requests to publicly accessible web pages and APIs, made by verified AI labs and research teams, for building datasets and evaluating models. Labs are identity-verified and bound by the acceptable use policy, which is enforced at the router.
Will it slow down my internet?
Only up to the allocation you set. If you allocate 30%, the network never uses more than 30% of your measured capacity, and it backs off automatically when you are actively using your connection. You can pause with one tap.
How much can I earn?
It depends on how much bandwidth you allocate, how long your node stays online, and how much demand there is in your region. Contributors receive $0.875 per verified GB at the current blended rate (70% of the $1.25 labs pay). Today a node that stays online most of the day typically relays 2–4 GB, so $2–3 a day is normal; at the default 25% allocation expect closer to $1.50–2.50.
Be aware that this is unusually high for idle-bandwidth products, and it is high for a reason: the network is young and lab demand currently exceeds contributor supply. As more contributors join, the same demand is spread across more nodes and per-node earnings will come down. Your dashboard shows a live estimate and a history of what you have earned. There is no cap.
Which devices are supported?
Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Brave, Edge, Arc) on Windows, macOS and Linux via the Root extension, published on the Chrome Web Store. Desktop and mobile nodes are in development.
Who can join?
Anyone with a residential internet connection in a supported jurisdiction. Root Network is not available where sanctions or local regulation prevent us from paying contributors.
What does Root Network do with the 30%?
It runs the network: routers, validators, verification infrastructure, payments, support, and the compliance work required to onboard labs. See How Root Network makes money.