A wallet can connect to different chains, each with its own state.
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A map app can show different cities. Changing the map does not move a house from one city to another.
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Receive, check and share across independent nodesStep 1 / 4
A node receives a proposed transaction or block-related message. Receipt is not the same as accepting its claims.
A node receives a proposed transaction or block-related message. Receipt is not the same as accepting its claims.The node checks the relevant authorization and protocol rules. Popularity does not make an invalid state transition valid.Valid candidate data can propagate to peers. Connections and timing differ, so there is no perfect simultaneous worldwide view.Peers validate under the same protocol rules. This illustration is about verification and propagation, not a complete proof-of-stake consensus algorithm.
Animated local teaching model. No wallet, RPC or live blockchain data. Some labels and hashes are abbreviated for readability.
The network gives the address context
Ethereum mainnet, a testnet and a layer 2 can have separate balances and contracts. An address string alone does not tell you which chain a transaction will use. The wallet’s selected network supplies part of that context.
RPC endpoints are access points
A wallet often reads and submits data through an RPC endpoint. Changing a provider for the same chain is different from selecting a different chain. A provider’s display name is not itself proof of the network’s identity.
Chain IDs help distinguish signing context
Transaction formats use chain information to help separate authorization contexts. An interface should make the intended chain clear. A network name can be customized in software, so do not rely on a familiar label alone for important actions.
Switching is not bridging
Selecting a new network does not transfer an existing balance there. Moving value between networks uses an additional mechanism with its own assumptions. Read the layer 2 lesson before interpreting a missing balance as lost funds.
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Does switching the wallet’s selected network move your ETH automatically?
The interface changes which state it reads; a cross-network transfer is a separate operation.