What is a custom RPC? How do I add a network to MetaMask?
Everything you need to know about RPCs!
In this article:
What is a Remote Procedure Call (RPC)?
If you've ever sent tokens on the wrong network, you'll need the original network's RPC in order to recover them.
You can't use RPCs in Exodus, but with a wallet like MetaMask, you can connect to custom networks to see your tokens in MetaMask using RPCs.
The acronym RPC stands for Remote Procedure Call. RPCs allow communications with servers remotely and provide the ability to execute programs in a separate location. In blockchain terms, an RPC allows access to a server node on the specified network and allows you to communicate and interact with that blockchain.
Please note: RPC data can often be found in the network's official development documents.
Why do we need RPCs?
In order to interact with a blockchain, we need a way to access the network servers through a suitable and generic option to perform operations like viewing a balance, creating a transaction, or interacting with a smart contract. RPCs are what give us the ability to establish that connection with the servers.
When a developer creates a decentralized application (dApp) with RPC capabilities, a user will then be able to perform requests and interact with the blockchain. For example, if you've ever used a decentralized exchange (DEX) by connecting a wallet, like MetaMask, your connection and communications are being routed through an RPC to communicate with a blockchain server.
How do I connect to an RPC using MetaMask?
To connect to a custom network using compatible RPC data, we recommend using the MetaMask wallet. You can connect to a custom network by following these steps:
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1
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Go to MetaMask's
website and download the MetaMask wallet.
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2
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After installing and securing your 12-word secret recovery phrase, a) click on
Ethereum Mainnet at the top of the MetaMask wallet screen and b) select
Add Network.
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3
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Your browser will open a new tab in which you can copy and paste the details of the custom network (we'll use the Polygon network as an example):
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4
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After successfully connecting to the Polygon mainnet, your MetaMask wallet will display both a) the new network, and b) the native asset:
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We've gathered a list of RPC network data points for your reference, should you ever need to connect to one of these nodes in the future.
List of RPCs
RPC data points you can use to connect to different networks.
Polygon (MATIC)
BNB Smart Chain
Songbird
Avalance
Fantom
Harmony
Huobi Eco Chain
Kucoin Chain
Crypto.com Cronos Chain
OKEx Chain
xDai
Energy Web Chain
Arbitrum
XinFin
Celo
