net_listening

The net_listening method returns a boolean indicating whether the client is actively listening for network connections. This simple check helps verify the network connectivity status of an Ethereum node and is useful for basic node monitoring.

Use Cases

• Node health monitoring in blockchain infrastructure
• Network status verification for dApps
• Connection troubleshooting when transactions fail
• Automated monitoring systems and alerting
• Client availability checks before critical operations
• Node synchronization diagnosis during setup

Method Details

This method requires no parameters and returns a simple boolean response.

Response Example

{
	"jsonrpc": "2.0",
	"id": 67,
	"result": true
}

Response Values

• true: The client is actively listening for network connections
• false: The client is not currently listening for network connections

Important Notes

• A value of true indicates the client is accepting incoming P2P connections
• A value of false might indicate network connectivity issues or specific node configuration
• This method only checks if the client is listening, not if it has active connections
• For checking active connections, use net_peerCount
• The listening status might be affected by network configuration, such as firewalls
• Some private or specifically configured nodes might show false but still function properly for RPC requests

See also

• net_peerCount - Returns the number of connected peers
• net_version - Returns the current network ID