Custom Network Connection

Guide for connecting ASI Wallet to custom networks, including DevNet, local nodes, and private shards.

Overview

ASI Wallet supports connecting to different networks:

• DevNet - Official development network
• Local Network - Your local validator/observer node
• Custom Networks - Private shards or other networks

Accessing Network Settings

1. Open ASI Wallet
2. Navigate to Settings page
3. View current network configurations
4. Edit or add new networks

DevNet Configuration

DevNet is the default network for testing and development.

DevNet Endpoints

Validator 1 (handles all wallet HTTP/gRPC operations):

• Host: 34.196.119.4
• gRPC Port: 40401
• HTTP Port: 40403
• HTTP URL: http://34.196.119.4:40403

WARNING

The standalone observer node (mettacycle-devnet-5) is currently unstable. Validator 1 (34.196.119.4) is used for both write (deploys, transfers) and read (balance, queries) operations.

Bootstrap node

The bootstrap node (54.152.57.201) is the network's peer-discovery entry point — used in the rnode://...@54.152.57.201?protocol=40400&discovery=40404 URI when starting your own node. The wallet does not connect to it directly.

How It Works

The wallet sends both write (deploys, transfers) and read (balance, queries) operations to Validator 1 (34.196.119.4:40403) via HTTP/gRPC.

Editing DevNet Configuration

1. Go to Settings page
2. Find Devnet Configuration section
3. Click Edit Configuration button
4. Update endpoint URLs if needed
5. Save changes

Note: DevNet configuration is pre-configured and usually doesn't need changes.

Local Network Configuration

Connect to your own local validator or observer node.

Setup Local Node First

Before configuring the wallet, ensure you have a running node:

For Validator:

cd asi-chain/chain
sudo docker compose -f validator.yml up -d

For Observer:

cd asi-chain/chain  
sudo docker compose -f observer.yml up -d

Local Network Settings

Configuration:

• Validator URL: http://localhost:40403
• Observer URL: http://localhost:40403 (or your observer's host:port)
• Admin URL: http://localhost:40405

How to Configure

1. Go to Settings page in wallet
2. Find Local Network section
3. Click Edit Network button
4. Verify URLs:

   Validator: http://localhost:40403
   Observer: http://localhost:40403
   Admin: http://localhost:40405

5. Save configuration

Switch to Local Network

To use your local node:

1. Select Local Network from network dropdown
2. Wallet will now connect to localhost
3. All operations use your local node

Custom Network Configuration

Connect to a private shard or custom deployment.

Requirements

Before connecting to a custom network, you need:

• IP address or domain of the network
• HTTP port for validator node
• HTTP port for observer node (if available)
• Confirmation that network is accessible

Adding Custom Network

1. Go to Settings page
2. Look for option to add custom network (if available)
3. Provide network details:
   • Network Name: Friendly name
   • Validator URL: http://<ip>:<port>
   • Observer URL: http://<ip>:<port> (optional)

Example Custom Network

For a private shard with one validator and one observer on separate hosts (each node on its own VM uses the standard 40400-40405 range):

Network Name: Private Test
Validator URL: http://192.168.1.100:40403
Observer URL: http://192.168.1.101:40403

If your private shard runs everything on a single VM, the nodes use the 404XY pattern (X=0 bootstrap, X=1 validator1, X=5 observer) — for example http://192.168.1.100:40413 for validator and http://192.168.1.100:40453 for observer.

Network Selection

Switching Networks

The wallet allows switching between configured networks:

1. Find network selector (typically in header or settings)
2. Click current network name
3. Select desired network from dropdown
4. Wallet reconnects to selected network

Important: Switching networks changes:

• Which blockchain you're connected to
• Available accounts (different networks = different balances)
• Transaction history shown

Active Network Indicator

The wallet shows which network is currently active:

• Look for network name in header or status bar
• Connection indicator (green = connected)
• Real-time updates when switched

Troubleshooting Network Connections

Cannot Connect to DevNet

Symptoms:

• "Connection failed" error
• Transactions timing out
• Balance not loading

Solutions:

1. Check internet connection
2. Verify firewall isn't blocking requests
3. Try refreshing the page
4. Check if DevNet is operational at explorer.dev.asichain.io

Cannot Connect to Local Network

Symptoms:

• Wallet can't reach localhost
• "Network unreachable" error

Solutions:

1. Verify node is running:

   docker ps | grep validator

2. Check node logs:

   docker logs validator -f

3. Test endpoint manually:

   curl http://localhost:40403/status

4. Verify ports are correct:

   • Validator HTTP: 40403
   • Observer HTTP: 40403 (typically same port, different host/VM)

5. Check if ports are listening:

   netstat -an | grep 40403

Cannot Connect to Custom Network

Symptoms:

• "Cannot reach network" error
• Timeout errors

Solutions:

1. Verify IP and ports are correct

   • Double-check IP address
   • Confirm port numbers
   • Test with curl: curl http://<ip>:<port>/status

2. Check firewall rules

   • Ensure ports are open
   • Verify network security groups (if cloud)

3. Test network connectivity

   ping <ip>
   telnet <ip> <port>

4. Verify node is running

   • Check if target node is operational
   • Review node logs for errors

CORS Issues

If you see CORS errors:

Problem: Browser security blocks cross-origin requests

Solution for local development:

• Run wallet locally, not from hosted site
• Configure node to allow CORS
• Use browser extension to bypass CORS (development only)

For production:

• Ensure nodes have proper CORS headers
• Use same domain for wallet and nodes
• Or use reverse proxy

Advanced Network Configuration

Port Forwarding

If running node on local network but accessing from outside:

1. Configure Router:

   • Forward ports 40400-40405
   • Point to local node IP

2. Update Wallet:

   • Use public IP instead of localhost
   • Example: http://<your-public-ip>:40403

3. Security:

   • Consider VPN instead of public exposure
   • Use firewall rules
   • Monitor for unauthorized access

Reverse Proxy Setup

For production deployments, use reverse proxy:

Nginx Example:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name wallet.example.com;
    
    location /api/ {
        proxy_pass http://localhost:40403/;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
    }
}

Then connect wallet to:

http://wallet.example.com/api/

SSL/TLS Configuration

For secure connections:

1. Get SSL certificate

   • Use Let's Encrypt
   • Or commercial certificate

2. Configure proxy with SSL

   server {
       listen 443 ssl;
       ssl_certificate /path/to/cert.pem;
       ssl_certificate_key /path/to/key.pem;
       ...
   }

3. Update wallet URLs

   https://secure.example.com

Network Performance

Monitoring Connection

Check connection quality:

• Latency: Response time for requests
• Reliability: Success rate of operations
• Bandwidth: Data transfer speed

Optimizing Performance

For Better Performance:

1. Use observer node for read operations
2. Connect to geographically close nodes
3. Use wired connection over WiFi
4. Close unnecessary browser tabs

Node-Side Optimization:

1. Ensure adequate server resources
2. Use SSD storage
3. Optimize network settings
4. Monitor node performance

Security Considerations

Secure Connections

Best Practices:

• Use HTTPS for public networks
• Verify SSL certificates
• Don't connect to untrusted nodes
• Monitor for unusual activity

Private Keys

Network-Independent Security:

• Private keys work across all networks
• But balances are network-specific
• Keep keys secure regardless of network
• Same key = same address on all networks

Network Trust

When Connecting to Custom Networks:

• Only connect to networks you trust
• Verify node operators
• Understand network rules
• Be aware of risks

Multi-Network Strategy

Why Use Multiple Networks?

Development Workflow:

1. DevNet: Initial testing and learning
2. Local: Development and debugging
3. Private: Staging and integration testing
4. Mainnet: Production deployment (when available)

Managing Multiple Networks

Organization Tips:

• Use descriptive network names
• Document network configurations
• Keep endpoint lists updated
• Test connections regularly

Support

For network connection issues:

• DevNet Problems: Check explorer status
• Local Issues: Review validator setup guide
• Custom Networks: Contact network administrator
• General Help: See FAQ

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Network configurations are saved locally in your browser and persist across sessions.