# Authentication & Certificates

To run a Gateway, you’ll need to authenticate using a certificate package and an authorization header. These credentials allow your Gateway to connect securely to the BDN and access bloXroute services.

#### **Steps to Retrieve Authentication Files**

1. Register and purchase a paid service
2. Log in to the bloXroute Customer Portal → <https://portal.bloxroute.com>
3. Navigate to the "Account" section. On this page, you’ll find:
   * Your authorization header (for API calls)
   * A “Download” button to obtain your certificate package
   * **Please follow the setup instructions shown on the page.**
4. Download and extract the certificate ZIP package
   * Do not rename the extracted folder
   * Save the contents in a known location (e.g., `/usr/local/bloxroute-certificate`)
5. Your certificate package includes:
   * `gateway.crt` – Your public cert
   * `gateway.key` – Your private key
   * `secret_hash` – Used for Gateway authentication