system_unstable_networkState - Bittensor RPC Method
Get detailed network state diagnostics for a Bittensor node. Unstable API subject to change.
Returns detailed diagnostic information about the node's network layer, including the peer ID, listen addresses, connected peers with protocol details, and notification protocols. This method is marked as unstable, meaning its response format may change between node versions without notice.
Parameters
None.
Response
Returns a complex object with network diagnostics:
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
peerId | string | The node's libp2p peer ID. |
listenedAddresses | array | Multiaddr strings the node is listening on. |
externalAddresses | array | External addresses as seen by peers. |
connectedPeers | object | Map of peer IDs to detailed connection info (protocols, roles, best block). |
notConnectedPeers | object | Known but not currently connected peers. |
peerset | object | Peerset manager state. |
Code Examples
Use Cases
- Deep network diagnostics -- Inspect protocol-level details of peer connections, including which notification protocols are negotiated.
- NAT and firewall debugging -- Compare
listenedAddresseswithexternalAddressesto detect NAT issues or misconfigured firewalls. - Peer protocol analysis -- Determine which peers support which protocols (block announces, transactions, GRANDPA, etc.).
Notes
- This API is explicitly marked as unstable. The response format may change without deprecation warnings between Substrate/Bittensor node versions.
- The response can be very large on well-connected nodes.
- May require
--rpc-methods unsafeon some node configurations. - On public shared RPC endpoints, the response may be masked or limited.
Related Methods
system_peers-- Simpler peer list with basic infosystem_localListenAddresses-- Just the listen addressessystem_syncState-- Sync progress informationsystem_nodeRoles-- Node role information