This is a question asked pretty often.
Expectation
After staking the node, a continuous flow of earning starts. All nodes are lined up and take a turn earning. That is what people expect, but that is not how the network, the Incognito system, has been designed.
Reality
- After staking the node, all Nodes are grouped in a pool of Nodes waiting to be selected.
- On selection, the Node is moved to another pool, the pool of Nodes waiting to earn.
- When the new cycle of earning starts, the Nodes in this last pool will be attached to a shard and earn for the next 4 hours (1 Epoch).
- After one Epoch the Node is either selected for another earning round or moved back to the pool of Nodes waiting to be selected.
Random Selection
The selection takes place every 4 hours. This selection is random. Completely random. This means there will be periods of earning and periods of not earning. Sometimes short periods sometimes longer periods. This doesn’t mean there is something wrong with your Node.
With every Node that gets added to the network, the competition to be selected increases. This results in earnings varying greatly between Nodes short term. Long term, all Nodes will earn more or less equal.
Whether you leave your earnings on the Node or withdraw them to your account doesn’t affect your chances on being selected, and with that for earning.