When you see a popup saying "The current network does not support this chain," you might instinctively want to click "Add Network" — but you are not sure if you should. Actually, you do not need to worry, because this popup is simply the wallet asking you "Do you want me to add it?" You only need to decide "Yes" or "No."
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The "chain not supported" prompt usually appears in two situations: one is when a DApp actively calls the wallet_addEthereumChain request, and the other is when you manually switch networks and find the target chain is not in your wallet's list. The first case has an auto-filled popup, while the second requires you to find the parameters yourself.
Case A: The DApp shows an "Add Network" confirmation window
This is the easiest situation. When a DApp makes a request via wallet_addEthereumChain, the wallet automatically recognizes the network parameters and shows a confirmation box. You only need to make one judgment:
Check whether the network parameters are correct. The popup will show three key pieces of information: Network Name, RPC URL, and Chain ID. Focus on whether the Chain ID matches what the DApp claims — this is the most critical verification point. If the Chain ID is wrong, your transaction will be sent to a completely unrelated chain. After confirming the Chain ID is correct, click "Approve" or "Approval," and the network will be automatically added to your wallet and switched to.
If the RPC URL shown in the popup is a domain you have never seen before, reject it directly. Malicious nodes can forge on-chain data, so you would see fake balances and fake transaction records. Only use RPC addresses that can be found in official documentation or public directories like chainlist.org.
Case B: The target chain is not in the wallet's network list, and the DApp does not show a popup
In this case, you need to add it manually. There are two ways.
Method 1: Use Chainlist to add with one click (recommended)
This is the fastest and least error-prone way.
Add the network using Chainlist's pre-configured parameters by following these steps:
Open chainlist.org in your browser
Click "Connect Wallet" to connect your wallet
Type the target chain's name in the search box (for example, "Arbitrum" or "Base")
Find the corresponding network card in the search results and click "Add to MetaMask"
Your wallet will show a confirmation box with the parameters already filled in. Click "Approve"
Completion standard: The newly added chain's name appears in your wallet's network list, and selecting it switches successfully.
Method 2: Manually fill in the parameters
Use the manual path when Chainlist does not have the network you need, or when you want to use a self-hosted node.
Manually enter the network parameters in your wallet settings by following these steps:
Using MetaMask as an example: Click the network dropdown menu at the top of the wallet → Select "Add network" → Click "Add a network manually"
Fill in the four required fields:
Network name: Any readable name (for example, "My Custom Chain")
RPC URL: The node address of the target chain (must be from a trusted source)
Chain ID: The unique number of the target chain (can be obtained from official documentation or chainlist)
Currency symbol: The native token name (for example, ETH, MATIC, BNB)
Click "Save"
Completion standard: The network is added successfully, and the wallet automatically switches to the new network. If MetaMask reports a "Chain ID mismatch" error, it means the Chain ID you entered does not match the ID actually returned by the RPC node. Go back to chainlist to double-check.
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Common failure reason: Added successfully, but the DApp still says not supported
This often happens when the wallet shows it has switched, but the DApp did not receive the switch event. MetaMask Mobile sometimes updates its interface when switching networks, but the DApp remains stuck on the old chain, causing a Chain ID mismatch when you try to send a transaction.
How to handle it: Manually refresh the DApp page (F5 or pull down to refresh). If that does not work, manually switch back to the old network in your wallet and then switch again to force a chainChanged event.
Risk reminder: After adding a network, if the coin on that chain has the same symbol as the coin you use on the mainnet (for example, both are ETH), remember that assets on different chains are independent. Do not assume that seeing an ETH balance on Arbitrum means you also have ETH on the Ethereum mainnet. They are not interchangeable. Before transferring, you must confirm which network you have selected.
How to verify completion: After selecting the newly added chain in your wallet's network list, the connection status in the top right corner of the DApp page should automatically update to "Connected," and the displayed address and balance should match the account currently selected in your wallet. If the DApp page does not respond, manually refresh it once.
