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Installing MetaMask

Connecting to Networks​

For the workshop, we'll need to connect to various networks:

Ethereum Testnets​

  1. Click the menu in the top-right corner and select Networks
  2. Scroll down and toggle Show test networks at the bottom of the network list
  3. To keep a specific testnet (like Sepolia) easily accessible, click the 3 vertical dots next to the network's name, select Edit, and then click Save.

For more detailed instructions, you can access the How to view testnets in MetaMask.

After you've completed these steps, your wallet should look like the example below:

img

Adding Other Networks​

For Arbitrum or Base networks:

  1. Click the menu in the top-right corner and select Networks
  2. Choose from popular networks.

Let's add Arbitrum and Base. If you click on Edit, you will see its charactheristics.

For Arbitrum Network you will see:

For Base Network you will see:

You can also add a custom network by clicking "Add a custom network" button at the bottom center. Let's add manually the next networks with the following details:

Arbitrum Sepolia (Testnet)​

Base Sepolia (Testnet)​

Getting Test Funds​

A faucet is an application that dispenses free tokens on a testnet. These tokens allow you to experiment with the testnet.

Many testnet environments require your wallet address to hold some real funds on the Mainnet before you can use their faucets. However, by using the Google Cloud Web3 Faucet, you can bypass this requirement and claim test tokens even with an empty wallet.

note

Not all testnet networks are integreated in the Google Cloud Web3 Faucet service.

info

The faucet functionality is limited to one use per network, per Google account, every 24 hours. If you claim tokens and then try to use the same Google account to fund a different wallet address within that 24-hour window, it will not work.

For workshop exercises, you'll need test ETH for Sepolia:

  1. Navigate to the Google Cloud Web3 Faucet portal.
  2. Select the network: Ethereum Sepolia.
  3. Enter your Ethereum wallet address from MetaMask (the string of characters copied from your wallet that starts with 0x...).
  4. Complete the process to request the funds.

To verify the transaction, click the Transaction Hash link. You will be redirected to the single transfer transaction showing an amount of 0.05 ETH.

Now, Metamask will have the next output:

img

Security Best Practices​

  • Never share your seed phrase or private keys
  • Consider using a hardware wallet for significant funds
  • Always verify website URLs before connecting your wallet
  • Review all transaction details before signing
  • Disconnect your wallet from websites when not in use
  • Keep your browser and MetaMask extension updated

Troubleshooting​

Common issues and solutions:

  1. Transaction Stuck Pending

    • Click on the pending transaction
    • Select "Speed Up" (increases gas fee) or "Cancel"

  2. Can't Connect to a Website

    • Ensure the website is legitimate
    • Try refreshing the page
    • Disconnect and reconnect MetaMask

  3. Network Connection Issues

    • Switch to a different network and back
    • Check your internet connection
    • Try a different RPC URL for the network

Resources​