© 2026 Della Group. All Rights Reserved.
Okay, look. Most guides out there just spit out the same boring steps like robots. They skip the part where your custom network vanishes after you reinstall MetaMask or switch phones. Or they don't warn you that adding on desktop won't magically show up on mobile. That's the thing that's bitten me every time. In my experience, you end up scrambling to re add everything because you forgot the RPC details. Annoying, right? Why does this matter? Because if you're bridging assets or chasing yields on some layer-2, one wrong network and poof-your funds are stuck somewhere else. So let's fix that. We'll cover the real ways, pitfalls, and exact details you need.
Honestly, I've added like 20 networks this year alone. Ethereum mainnet is default, but stuff like Base or Arbitrum? Gotta add 'em yourself. And don't get me started on gas fees-on Polygon it's like 0.0001 MATIC, way cheaper than Ethereum's wild swings. Sound familiar? Let's jump in.
MetaMask's got your back for the big ones. No typing crap. Just scroll and tap.
That's it. Switched in seconds. I usually do this first for anything mainstream.
Similar but touchy. Tap the network dropdown at top of Tokens tab. Scroll down to Additional networks. Hit the + next to what you want. Approve the popup. Easy peasy.
But what's next if it's not listed? Like some random testnet or new L2?
So, no add button? Fine. Manual mode. This is where you enter RPC URL, Chain ID, all that jazz. Get it wrong, and transactions fail. I've fat fingered a Chain ID before-lost an hour debugging.
First, hunt the details. Official docs or Chainlist. Never trust a shady dApp popup without double checking. RPC is the server MetaMask talks to-like https://bsc dataseed.binance.org for BNB. Chain ID is unique, like 56 for BNB. Symbol's the token, BNB. Explorer for tx lookups.
| Network | RPC URL Example | Chain ID | Symbol | Explorer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BNB Smart Chain | https://bsc dataseed.binance.org/ | 56 | BNB | https://bscscan.com |
| Polygon | https://polygon rpc.com/ | 137 | MATIC | https://polygonscan.com |
| Avalanche | https://api.avax.network/ext/bc/C/rpc | 43114 | AVAX | https://snowtrace.io/ |
| Arbitrum | https://arb1.arbitrum.io/rpc | 42161 | ETH | https://arbiscan.io/ |
| Fantom | https://rpc.ftm.tools/ | 250 | FTM | https://ftmscan.com |
Copy those exactly. Fees vary-Arbitrum's gas might run 0.0001 ETH, Fantom even less.
A bit different. Tokens tab > network dropdown > Custom tab > Add a custom network. Same fields. Save. You'll see it pop up.
Pro tip: Test it. Send a tiny tx, like 0.001 of the native token. Gas on these? Polygon: ~0.000000001 MATIC. Super cheap. If it fails, wrong RPC. Switch one-MetaMask lets multiples.
Okay, this is my go to now. chainid.network. Searches everything. Connects MetaMask, one click add. No typing errors.
Why bother manually if this exists? Honestly, 90% of the time I use it. Filters by category too-EVM only, since MetaMask's core is Ethereum compatible.
Mobile? Use in app browser. Search bar bottom, type chainid.network. Same connect flow. Swap accounts if needed-tap account icon.
Thing is, Chainlist doesn't host data themselves. Verify if paranoid. But it's solid.
One network, multiple RPCs. Default slow? Add backups. I've got three for Polygon-faster ones cut load times.
Extension: Networks > pick one > three dots > Edit > Default RPC dropdown > Add RPC URL. Nickname it "Fast Polygon". Save. Toggle as needed. Trash bad ones with bin icon.
Mobile same: Tokens dropdown > three dots > Edit > Add RPC. Why? Public RPCs congest. Private ones? Fees same, but snappier.
In my experience, during bull runs, swap to less crowded. Gas savings? Tiny, like 0.1 gwei less, but adds up.
Alright, real talk. Here's where noobs trip.
Network disappears after restore? Custom ones don't backup. Re add using seed phrase recovery. Sucks, but that's wallets.
Desktop add, mobile missing? Sync issue. Add separately on each. Same account, different devices.
Tx pending forever? Wrong chain or bad RPC. Check Chain ID matches explorer. Switch RPC.
dApp asks to add network-scam? Verify on Chainlist first. Never approve blind. I skipped a phishing one last month-saved my ass.
High gas? Layer-2s fix that. Ethereum mainnet? 20-50 gwei. Base? Under 0.1.
And non EVM? Like Solana? Snaps now, but that's advanced. Stick to EVM for basics.
Some chains have shortcuts. Polygon? polygonscan.com bottom-Add Polygon Network. Popup, approve. Fantom? ftmscan.com same deal. Celo? explorer.celo.org. Lazy wins.
Aurora (NEAR)? RPC https://mainnet.aurora.dev, Chain ID 1313161554, ETH symbol. Weird ID, but works.
Palm for NFTs? Chain ID 11297108109-huge number, copy careful. RPC via Infura sometimes.
Harmony? 1666600000 Chain ID. ONE token, fees ~0.0001.
I usually test with 0.01 native send. If balance shows, good.
Networks dropdown top-click to swap. Assets filter per chain now, totals across. Nice update.
Too many? Edit > three dots > hide or delete. But delete careful-might have dust tokens.
Local node? Advanced. Networks > Add custom RPC to your own server. Devs love it.
Gas estimates? MetaMask shows before send. On Arbitrum, expect ~0.0002 ETH total sometimes.
DeFi's everywhere now. Yields on Base 5-10% APY sometimes. Arbitrum DEXes cheaper swaps. Don't stay on Ethereum-fees kill ya.
One last: Always small test tx. Bridges too-wrong net, funds gone. Stay safe.
© 2026 Della Group. All Rights Reserved.