A first step by step helping guide for all new members signing up on the HIVE Blockchain via Ecency:

1. Signup Process
2. Changing Password / Saving Keys
3. FAQ - IP Quality Low

## 1- Signup Process

To sign up to ecency, please go to:
https://ecency.com/signup?referral=ecency

![screenshot_1_.png](https://images.ecency.com/DQmSxx64WU6oiEA2WxAfWPF1oNnKkkW1bqMUDxeMZFSsoLA/screenshot_1_.png)



Choose a username and enter your permanent email address.
If someone referred you, you can also enter your friend's username in the "Reffered User" field, than click "Continue"

You will receive an email from Ecency with a link to confirm your new account:

![screenshot_5_.png](https://images.ecency.com/DQmacCdpyx6PzaaNFBYg5rgcMqd5yF9kqGwfxcCqUhxBqCv/screenshot_5_.png)

After you click on "Click here to confirm" in this email, a new browser window will open and you will receive a second email from Ecency!

Here you will find your username and your first password.
Before you continue, it is highly recommended to save this password secure, because it is very important. Once it gets lost, your account and your choosen username cannot be recovered.

Now you can go back to www.ecency.com and log in with your new username and the password you received.

**Welcome to Ecency!  Your registration was successful :-)**

The first step now should be to change your password and save your keys:

## 2 - Changing Password / Saving Keys

Going with the mouse to your avatar picture, you will find the menue to step into your profile:

![screenshot_2_.png](https://images.ecency.com/DQmRrtHb5f3wnxSRPmaym9iUDsxJ7RfQt2toKgsPFQguwSf/screenshot_2_.png)

In the "Settings" section you can change your description and profile pictures, but here you also find your keys!

![screenshot_3_.png](https://images.ecency.com/DQmTybcjknJDvJb1Fk9hnXxFfo6K3PUVUTs5HZA2KQ9S4W1/screenshot_3_.png)

Please go in "Settings" in your profile and there (bottom left) to **"Permissions"**:

**It is highly recommend to change the Master Password, you got from the email!**

You have to enter your old password, click to "generate new password", then a new password will be displayed.

Now you have to copy this password and paste it into the line below.
Save this new password immediately in a safe place before you continue!
After you have checked "I have securely saved my new password" you can click on "update" and the new password will be active.

![screenshot_4_.png](https://images.ecency.com/DQmUKzgDJMsJtJw2J3MxSRa9xiJGJ2vVuAFcAez5mHUUZs1/screenshot_4_.png)

The next important step, also in Settings / Permissions is to securely store your keys.
What exactly the keys are and what you need them for is explained in another chapter. Important for now is that there are 4 keys (owner, active, posting, memo) and additionally no. 5,  the master password.

**All 5 should be kept safe and printed out!**

Insert your password to the "Manage keys" setion and "click to view keys"

![screenshot_7_.png](https://images.ecency.com/DQmasE2iVinvJSqhkWxGUkhCVt4Y6dPQqPgjySHxfdzL5GU/screenshot_7_.png)

Now you get all 4 keys displayed, with the small blue copy icon you can copy them one by one and save them carefully with their name (owner, active, posting, memo).

Ecency runs on the HIVE Blockchain, where all data is stored decentralized. If for some reason you lose your keys, no one can help you to recover them.
Therefore, take good care of them and do not give them to third parties.

## 3 FAQ - IP Quality Low

"IP quality score is low" is one of the most common error messages and problems on Ecency during the signup process.

The reason for this error message is that for the first signup step the IP quality is carefully checked to avoid abuse by spam of the signup function.
To solve this problem, if it occurs, there are several ways that will work depending on the type of your Internet connection, please try:

- Restart your Internet connection
- Avoid public WiFi, VPN and proxy connections that usually has lower IP quality score.
- Use the mobile internet of your phone
- Ask a friend to enter the first step of the signup for you by choosing your username and email address, you will then receive the registration email to your email address and can proceed without your friend knowing your keys.

If the signup still doesnt work, please join us at ecency discord. That would be better! For sure somebody is there to help you. Ecency will soon add an option to purchase accounts and then there won’t be any limitations or checks.

Here you will find Ecency on discord: https://discord.gg/U3xRpjs3

I wrote this text for supporting new Ecency users and hope it will be helpful for them while making first steps in our HIVE world.