Pipe Network Launches SolanaCDN Validator Client for Solana
San Francisco, CA, February 26th, 2026, Chainwire
SolanaCDN delivers 3.8x faster shred propagation through a global mesh of 35,000+ nodes. It is provided as a public good for the Solana network.
Pipe Network has announced the launch of SolanaCDN. It is a free and open-source Solana validator client. It also includes a built-in CDN acceleration layer. SolanaCDN is built from Anza's Agave. It allows every Solana validator to get faster shred propagation by using Pipe’s global network of more than 35,000 PoP (Point-of-Presence) nodes.
The client and the CDN layer are both free to use. Pipe Network is offering SolanaCDN as public good infrastructure for the Solana ecosystem.
The problem SolanaCDN solves
Validator performance on Solana depends a lot on where the validator is located. Validators that are closer to block producers receive shreds earlier. This helps them vote faster and earn more rewards. Validators in far or less connected places receive data more slowly. This can lead to missed votes and lower rewards, even if they have strong hardware.
SolanaCDN helps fix this problem. It gives validators a second and faster way to receive shreds. This works alongside the normal gossip system. Shreds and vote packets are sent through Pipe’s global network. The network checks all paths and chooses the fastest one in real time.
The normal gossip system still works in the background. SolanaCDN simply adds a faster path on top of it.
Performance
SolanaCDN delivers 3.8x faster propagation than standard Turbine. It has a P50 cross-region latency of about 78ms, compared to around 300ms using normal gossip.
The client also includes extra improvements made by Pipe. These are available even before the CDN layer is turned on. These include faster shred grouping for leaders (Fast Shreds), snapshot downloads from Pipe’s global network, and restore progress with real-time time estimates during validator catchup.
Public good infrastructure
Faster propagation helps the whole network. When more validators use SolanaCDN, shred delivery improves for everyone. This leads to faster block finalization, fewer forks, and fewer missed slots across the Solana network.
“Validator performance shouldn't be determined by geography,” said David Rhodus, CEO of Pipe Network. “SolanaCDN gives every validator access to fast infrastructure. The more validators use it, the faster the network becomes for everyone.”
Technical design
SolanaCDN works as a fully compatible Agave fork. Validators can install it easily as a replacement for their current client. The CDN layer is optional and can be turned on with one setting. It does not change how the network works. It does not affect block production, consensus rules, leader selection, or voting.
All CDN features are safe and do not block normal operations. If the CDN layer stops working, the validator will keep running as usual without any issues.
The system also includes Prometheus metrics and data that compare CDN and gossip performance. This helps operators clearly see how performance changes in their setup.
Availability
SolanaCDN is now available. The source code is on GitHub, and the client is ready to use on Solana mainnet-beta.
Website: https://solanacdn.com
GitHub: https://github.com/pipenetwork/agave-solana
About Pipe Network
Pipe Network is a global edge infrastructure company built on Solana. It runs more than 35,000 PoP nodes around the world. These nodes help store data and deliver it quickly in real time.
Pipe’s network tracks speed, delays, and connection quality across all paths. It then sends data through the fastest path available.
Contact
CEO
David Rhodus
Pipe Network
david@pipe.network
