How to Use chainslist to Choose and Add an EVM Network

To use chainslist, compare five network details before adding an EVM chain to your wallet: its name, chain ID, RPC URL, native currency and block explorer. First match the network required by your app or recipient, then choose an RPC endpoint you trust. Adding network settings is separate from moving funds or approving a transaction.

What Does a Network Listing Tell You?

A network listing gives your wallet the identity and connection details it needs to communicate with an EVM chain. EVM means Ethereum Virtual Machine; many networks use it so they can work with Ethereum-style wallets such as MetaMask. An RPC endpoint is the server your wallet asks for balances and transaction data and uses to submit transactions. Check these fields in a listing:

• Network name: The label, including “Mainnet” or “Testnet” where relevant.
• Chain ID: The number identifying the chain for wallet connections and transaction signing.
• RPC URL: The address of a server that answers requests for that chain.
• Native currency: The token used to pay the chain’s gas fees.
• Block explorer: A site for checking addresses and transactions on that chain.

Once you know the network named by the app or recipient, use a chain list to compare its chain ID and RPC endpoints. For that lookup and the wallet connection, use chainslist: it lists EVM networks with their chain IDs and RPC endpoints, and can add your chosen network to MetaMask or another compatible wallet in one click. Read the details in your wallet’s approval prompt before accepting them.

How Do You Identify the Right Network?

Identify the network by its full name, mainnet or testnet status, and chain ID rather than by a familiar token symbol. Say you want to use an app on OP Mainnet: its chain ID is 10, while OP Sepolia is a separate testnet with chain ID 11155420. Both are associated with Optimism, but switching networks does not turn testnet coins into spendable mainnet coins.

Check the app, exchange, or bridge instructions for the destination network’s exact name. Compare its chain ID with the network operator’s published details before approving a chainslist entry, especially when names look alike. Your wallet might show chain ID 10 in decimal or 0xa in hexadecimal; those are the same number.

If someone is sending you funds, confirm that their withdrawal network matches the chain you intend to use. An EVM address can look identical on several chains, so an address match alone does not settle where the funds will arrive. If a transfer seems missing, check the explorer for the chain it was sent on; selecting another network in your wallet does not move it.

Which RPC Endpoint Should You Choose?

Choose an RPC endpoint based on who runs it, how reliably it responds, and its access rules. The endpoint can see requests that include your public address and IP address, and it supplies the balance and transaction view in your wallet. An endpoint that stops responding can therefore make a working network appear unavailable.

• Public endpoint: Often sufficient for occasional wallet use, though shared traffic can lead to slow responses or rate limits.
• Provider endpoint: A service such as Alchemy may offer an account-specific URL and usage allowance; check its current terms if you rely on it.
• Own node: Gives you direct control over the RPC but requires server resources and maintenance.

For a first connection, look for an HTTPS endpoint published by the network operator or an established provider. If it fails, try another endpoint for the same chain ID; a different ID means a different network, even if the name in a chain list looks similar. A provider URL tied to your account may also contain a key, so keep that URL private.

How Do You Add the Network and Verify It?

Add the network through a wallet connection request or your wallet’s custom network settings, then select it and check the result. A one-click request proposes settings for your wallet to review and approve; adding the network may not automatically switch your active network. Manual entry uses the same chain ID and RPC URL, plus the name, currency symbol and any requested explorer address.

1. Approve the network request from chainslist or open your wallet’s custom network settings. Compare the proposed name and chain ID with your intended destination.
2. If entering details manually, copy the RPC URL and remaining fields, then save the network.
3. Select the added network and check its displayed chain ID and native currency.
4. Look up your public address in that chain’s block explorer to check a received transfer.

Adding network settings makes no on-chain transaction, so it requires no gas fee. A later transfer or bridge does incur fees that vary by chain and activity; to send funds on the destination chain, you need its native gas token. If your wallet shows zero after switching, check the correct explorer first. Some tokens must also be added to the wallet using their verified contract address before they appear.

Get the exact destination network name, confirm its chain ID, choose an RPC endpoint, and review your wallet’s network prompt. Your recovery phrase has no role in adding a network; keep it out of the process.