What is the difference between rx/0 and rx/wow in XMRig?
rx/0 is XMRig’s name for the RandomX mining algorithm used by Monero (XMR). rx/wow is its name for RandomWOW, the RandomX variant used by Wownero (WOW), so these settings are not interchangeable.
What the two names mean
XMRig is mining software that runs directly on your computer. It supports several mining algorithms—the sets of rules your computer follows when doing mining work.
The rx part of both names points to the RandomX family:
rx/0: Standard RandomX, which Monero has used since November 30, 2019. The ending is the number zero.rx/wow: RandomWOW, Wownero’s version of RandomX, with different settings inside the algorithm.
Wownero is a separate cryptocurrency, not another name for Monero. Choosing rx/wow does not give you an alternative way to mine XMR on the Monero network.
Why the setting matters
Both algorithms ask your processor, or CPU, to run changing programs and work with memory. This design makes ordinary processors useful for mining rather than giving all the advantage to specialized mining hardware.
But belonging to the same family does not make their results compatible. Differences in their internal settings change the mining calculations and the results they produce.
A mining pool—a service that combines work from many miners—expects results from the correct algorithm. If you submit RandomWOW work for a Monero RandomX job, that work is not valid for the job.
In practice, a mismatch may cause XMRig to reject a job, report an algorithm error, or have your submitted work rejected. It is not simply a slower or faster Monero setting.
How to choose in XMRig
For a normal Monero mining setup, use rx/0 when you need to specify the algorithm yourself. A pool entry in XMRig’s JSON configuration—a text file containing its settings—can include:
"algo": "rx/0"
For a compatible Wownero mining setup, the corresponding choice is:
"algo": "rx/wow"
These are individual settings, not complete configuration files.
Depending on your XMRig version and the pool’s connection method, the pool may tell XMRig which algorithm to use. You may also see "coin": "monero" in a Monero configuration. Follow the pool’s current XMRig instructions rather than adding conflicting settings.
Check XMRig’s startup messages and incoming job messages to confirm which algorithm is actually running. Do not rely only on the label you gave your configuration file.
What performance numbers do—and do not—tell you
Your hashrate is the number of mining calculations your computer performs per second. A hashrate measured with rx/wow is not a reliable estimate of your rx/0 performance.
For Monero’s rx/0, fast mode uses a 2,080 MB dataset, a large prepared block of data held in memory. A useful sizing rule is about 2 MB of L3 cache—fast memory inside your processor—per mining thread, or worker.
RandomWOW uses different parameters, so do not assume identical memory needs or speeds. Compare benchmarks using the same algorithm. A higher rx/wow number alone does not mean higher earnings; check a live calculator for the coin you actually intend to mine.
The bottom line
If you want to mine Monero with XMRig, choose rx/0, or let a correctly configured Monero pool select it. rx/wow is for Wownero’s RandomWOW algorithm, not a Monero speed tweak.
