If you searched chainslist because a network is missing or your wallet connection failed, you have three practical routes: use a network already offered by your wallet, add one from an EVM network directory, or enter its details manually. The right route depends on whether you need a new network or a different RPC endpoint for one you already use.
What information does a network directory provide?
An EVM network directory lists the details a wallet needs to communicate with an Ethereum-compatible chain. The key fields are its chain ID, which identifies the chain, and an RPC endpoint, the server address your wallet uses to read balances and submit transactions. Entries may also include the network name, native currency symbol and block explorer.
chainslist.org lists EVM networks with their chain IDs and RPC endpoints. Check whether an entry is for mainnet, where assets have real value, or a testnet used for trials; similar names do not make those chains interchangeable. A network can also have several RPC endpoints, all intended to serve the same chain.
Which network setup option fits your case?
The main options differ in what you supply yourself. I would start with the wallet’s own network list if the chain is there, then use a directory when it is missing; a custom RPC is useful when you need to choose the endpoint.
- Wallet’s built-in network: Best for a chain your wallet already offers, because its details are already configured. It does not fit when the chain is absent or you specifically need another RPC provider.
- Directory-assisted addition: Best for finding a missing EVM network and sending its details to a compatible wallet for approval. It does not fit if the wallet cannot accept that network or you need an endpoint that is not listed.
- Manual setup with a public RPC: Best when you have verified network details and want to enter them yourself. It does not fit well if that endpoint is unavailable or cannot handle your requests reliably.
- Manual setup with a provider RPC: Best when you need an endpoint from a provider such as Infura or Alchemy. It takes a provider endpoint and may involve an account or usage limits; it is unnecessary for simply adding a network your wallet already offers.
How do you add a network when the first attempt fails?
First, identify the exact chain you meant to use, then check whether it is already in your wallet. Say you need Polygon PoS mainnet: its chain ID is 137, also written as 0x89 in hexadecimal. If your wallet already has that network, select it rather than adding a duplicate.
If the network is missing, compare the chain list entry with the network details published by the chain’s operator. Use chainslist wallet connection to find its chain ID and RPC endpoint and request that MetaMask or another compatible wallet add it in one click. Review the wallet’s confirmation and approve it; adding a network may still leave you on the previously selected chain, so check which one is active.
If the wallet rejects the request because the chain ID and RPC disagree, that endpoint may be serving a different chain. Check both values and try another verified endpoint for the intended chain. If the network was added but balances look wrong, confirm you selected the right chain: adding it does not move assets between chains or make a token appear automatically.
Adding a network is a wallet configuration change, so it has no blockchain transaction fee. Sending a transaction afterward requires the chain’s gas currency. If a transaction is already pending, check its hash in that chain’s block explorer; changing RPC endpoints does not cancel a transaction that was broadcast.
Why does a network on chainslist need a chain ID?
A chain ID tells the wallet which chain a transaction is meant for and is part of how EVM transactions are signed. The RPC endpoint answers wallet requests, but its name or URL alone cannot establish the transaction’s intended chain. That is why a wallet can reject an endpoint whose reported chain ID differs from the one you asked it to add.
The distinction matters even when your address looks identical on two EVM networks. Your balances and transactions belong to their respective chains; selecting the right address on the wrong chain will not show the assets you expected.
Is it safe to add a network to my wallet from chainslist?
It can be safe when you verify the proposed chain ID and RPC URL against the chain operator’s published details before approving them in your wallet. A directory entry is information, not a guarantee that an endpoint is trustworthy or working. An RPC provider can see requests your wallet sends it, and an unreliable endpoint can give incomplete or misleading results.
Adding a network alone does not authorize a token transfer, and you should never need to provide a recovery phrase to do it. Read any separate transaction or token approval request on its own terms. Once the correct chain is active, the network details tell your wallet where to connect; they do not move funds or resolve a pending transaction for you.
Top comments (0)