# Verify and Customize Your Lightning Node

## Node Verification

To verify your node and gain access to customization features, you must sign a login message using your lightning node.  This signed message will then be checked, along with you node's pubkey to cryptographically prove you are the owner.

There are many tools and options for signing a message with your node.  Two popular examples are [Thunderhub IO](https://thunderhub.io/) and [Ride The Lightning](https://www.ridethelightning.info/).  Examples can be seen below:

**Signing a Message with ThunderHub:**

![](/files/eAGz4aAKtogzpbvmyl4r)

**Signing a Message with RTL:**

![](/files/Ol4bUFCd1HNVB8oKYHwK)

<details>

<summary>Node Verification in detail</summary>

After signing and submitting your signed message, Exponential Layers receives the message via SSL/TLS to our Azure infrastructure and checks the message by sending the request to our Voltage Lightning Node infrastructure (using an LND gRPC API call).  Assuming the verification check is successful, Exponential Layers issues two secure browser cookies (your node pubkey and signed message) which are valid for 30 days.  The signed message is never stored server side.  To access your verified node from another browser, simply enter the pubkey and signed message for your node to be taken to the customization page.

</details>

![Sign the login message with your node and enter it on this page](/files/ALyUDhlMCOeVmL2n5jTu)

## Customizing Your Node

After verifying your node, enter any optional details, including:

* Node Avatar/Icon
* Banner Image
* Node/Business Category
* Website
* Twitter Handle
* Node/Business Description and Details

All details will remain private until the slider is turned on to save details as public.  This slider can be turned off at any time to hide any public details from the public explorer.

See an example node with [all details here](https://app.exponentiallayers.com/Nodes/Details/02c67b82d43f367a4fe4c071832a085b21efecfe4ca1977d59a3da2ab2b30cfeb6?filter=Active\&currentPage=1)

**Depending on your node size and business category, your node once verified with a business category will be featured in the** [**Explorer Node Directory**](https://app.exponentiallayers.com/Explore/Directory?filter=Exchange\&currentPage=1)**.**

![Feature your node and business in the explorer directory](/files/XznsaJUbUgZr3wVtL4PH)


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.exponentiallayers.com/exponential-layers-guides/verify-and-customize-your-lightning-node.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.