How to use Grin Wallet713 to Send and Receive Grin Coin - Step by Step Guide

Hello again! Following our previous guides on Mining Grin and Running Core Node/Wallet, we’ve tested the popular wallet713 used and loved by many Grin fans around! At the time of writing, Grin coin is traded at approximately $4.12 across more than 10 different exchanges.

Wallet713 is a fork of the official core wallet, with additional built in functionalities which allows you to do the following:-

1. Transact without running a full node
2. Have addresses instead of IP addresses (like how we are familiar with bitcoin)
3. Other additional functionalities such as a Contact List

It does this interfacing with grinbox.io - a relayer which gives you your address and simplifies the transaction process for you. However, it is worth noting that wallet713 is a 3rd party program and has never been officially endorsed by the Grin team.

This guide has been written specifically for Linux beginners like myself running on Windows 10 so it'll cover VM installation and detailed steps in Linux to get wallet713 up and running.

Enough talk and introduction now - let’s get started!

Step 1: Get your VM with Linux Mint up and running

Wallet713 requires Linux to run, and we’ve got you covered! Check out Section A, Step 1 from our previous guide to get up and running in no more than 10 minutes once you’ve downloaded all the necessary files!

Step 2: Download wallet713

Remember - only download from official Github sources! Here’s the link to the official wallet713 release page on Github.

Step 3: Running wallet713

Prior to running wallet713, there is no need to install or run any other programmes. In my new VM, I simply downloaded the .tgz file and started using it right away. Only a few simple steps:

Extract the downloaded .tgz package to the same folder (in Downloads, or move it to any folder you like)

Then, right click on an empty space to open a terminal and type:

./wallet713 

And that’s it! Your wallet713 is now up and running.

Step 4: Configuring wallet713

Before using it, you need to create your wallet and to do that, simply type:

init -p <your secure passphrase> (without the brackets!)

While it is possible to just type init without creating a passphrase, it is highly recommended that you do with one just as an additional layer of security. Don’t put a grin on the bad guy's face!

You’ll be shown your seed keys (Write it down, save it somewhere! Do it!) and your grinbox address (in green, or as some might say... in grin? :P) in the terminal and you’re done. Your wallet713 is ready to go!

Step 5: Using wallet713

Using wallet713 is simple. We’ll be covering a few most commonly used ones here - (i) unlocking, (ii) checking balance, (iii) listening, (iv) sending, (v) receiving by address, (vi) receiving by file and (vii) creating contacts.

(i) Unlocking

If you have secured your wallet with a passphrase, you need to unlock it before using. To unlock, simply type unlock -p <your passphrase> and you should see your address shown in green.

(ii) Checking Balance

Type info to see your wallet balance/funds status.

(iii) Listening

To start listening (required to send/receive), type

listen

If you see “listener started for [your address]” then you’re good to go!

(iv) Sending

Your listener must be on for sending (see error prompt in picture below). Regardless of whether your recipient’s listener is on, you can still send. They will receive it when they resume listening.

To send, type send <amount> --to <address> and you’re done!

What if I enter a wrong address?

We tested it out with an invalid address and was given the “missing a type” error. Remember to always double check before sending! If you send to a wrong address that is VALID then your funds are potentially gone! 

(v) Receiving by address

If your listener is OFF and someone sends you Grins, you will receive them when you resume listening. When you receive Grins, there’ll be a prompt describing the progress.

Do note that if you are using the Core Wallet, you are currently unable to send Grins to a wallet713 user via address. You will have to transfer via the file method instead, shown in the next section.

(vi) Receiving by file

Through file, you may receive Grins from both wallet 713 and the Core wallet. It is a similar process: (i) sender sends .tx slate file, (ii) receiver accepts and sends .response file and (iii) sender finalizes .response file.

Below is a screenshot of how it looks like when I received Grins from a core wallet (slate file name is togecko.tx) using receive --file <filename>.

(vii) Creating contacts

For example, if you know that CoinGecko's address is <some address> then you add us as a contact this way:

contacts add geckotest grinbox://<some address> (MUST be a valid address!)

The next time you wish to send CoinGecko some Grins, simply type:

send amount --to @geckotest

And that's it! You've reached the end of this guide, and you now know a few more tricks up your sleeve when it comes to wallet713. Well, using a bad pun as old as time itself - I hope I put a Grin on your face with this guide!

FAQ

We've included a few FAQs here following some feedbacks from our lovely community members.

1. Must both parties be listening to transfer Grin?

No. Only one party needs to be online to initiate the trasfer. The receipient receives the Grin when he/she resumes listening.

2. But wait, I thought Grin has no addresses?

Yes, Grin does not have addresses but wallet713 does this address generation using your seedkeys and interfaces with the grinbox relayer to allow sending/receiving via the “address”.

3. Will my receiving address change after a change of IP (eg. getting reconnected, etc.)?

No, it will be constant as it is tied to your seed keys so it will be constant regardless of where you use it. In the core wallet, if you are not using a DNS, you will have to ensure that you do not send the wrong IP to the person sending you Grins.