Setup a MetaMask Ethereum Wallet and use it to Send and Receive Ether.
In this blog let’s see what MetaMask is, how to setup and use it with Rinkeby Test Network.
MetaMask is just an Ethereum Browser and Ether wallet. It interacts with Ethereum Dapps and Smart Contracts without running a full Ethereum node. MetaMask add-on can be installed on Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and the new Brave browser.
First, let’s setup a MetaMask on Chrome browser. Open up a new Chrome browser window and navigate to https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/metamask/nkbihfbeogaeaoehlefnkodbefgpgknn and then click on ‘ADD TO CHROME’ to install MetaMask plugin.
After installing, click on the MetaMask icon on the top right corner of the chrome browser. It will open up MediMask UI, scroll all the way down and click Accept to agree MetaMask’s terms of use.
Then enter password, confirm password, and then click Create for a new Ethereum account. This account allows to send and receive Ether and also allows to deploy Smart Contracts.
MetaMask will show up 12 words recovery key (Seed) as below.
These 12 words are the only way to restore MetaMask accounts if you forget the password. It should be stored in a safe location. Then click on ‘I’VE COPIED IT SOMEWHERE SAFE’. The main screen of MetaMask will open as below.
In the upper left corner, click “Main Network” Then select “Rinkeby Test Network”
The Rinkeby Test Network is used to test the code and get free Ether to test Smart Contracts.
Let’s see how to get free Ether for Rinkeby Test Network from https://faucet.rinkeby.io/. First we need to publish a new public post with Ethereum address. Open up MetaMask window, click on the 3 dots and then click on “Copy Address to clipboard” to get the Account1 address.
Open up a new browser window, navigate to https://plus.google.com/ , Sign in with your google account, click on the little red circle on the right bottom corner of the page
Let’s Create the new public post with Rinkeby Test Network’s Address. Paste the Account1 address in content area and click Post.
The created post immediately displays on top of the page, Click on the arrow on the top right corner of the post and copy the url to clipboard.
Open up a new browser window and navigate to https://faucet.rinkeby.io/ then paste the newly created post’s url on text area, and then select ‘18.75 Ethers / 3 days’. It takes some time for processing.
Open up MetaMask window and make sure that 18.750 ETH is added to Account1.
Let’s create an another account, click on Account menu and then click Create Account for another new account.
Initially Account2 has 0 ETH available balance. Let’s send 0.1 ETH to Account2 from Account1. Copy Account2 address to clipboard make sure Account2 is selected.
Choose Account1 from account menu, and then click Send.
Paste Account2 address in Recipient Address, then enter 0.1 Ether, and then click Next.
Then click Submit to confirm Transaction. It takes few seconds for processing.
Choose Account2 and make sure 0.1 Ether is added.
We will see how to create Smart Contracts and how to deploy it to Rinkeby Test Network in the next post.
