Bitcoin Forum

What is the difference between webclient wallet and another one? Can the web account can sign for the ownership?

Thank You

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web wallet like blockchain.info gives you the ability to sign a message from your address coz you have full control over your private keys on it

some web wallets like exchanges (and xapo for example) don't have sign message feature

Web wallets do not give you full and absolute ownership over your private keys. You are entirely dependent on that service to continue running so that you can access your Bitcoin.

A desktop wallet is a wallet where you are in full and absolute control over your private keys. This also means that any losses or thefts due to poor computer security are entirely on you.

Some services allow you to sign a message with an address in your wallet, others do not. Even with the services that do allow message signing, you are still not in control as you still rely on that service continuing to operate in order to access your Bitcoin.

web wallets like blockchain.info, xapo, coinbase e.t.c is were you can store your coin online in an account you open with the above site. Most time it is more risky to store your coin in web wallet compared to the one you store in you computer system. Web wallet are prone to hankers attack,and if you really want to keep your coins save the best way is to store your coin on you computer system that only you have access to. Thanks.

Web wallets does not give you full features on your wallet while hardware and desktop wallet gives you full access on it but you are the only one who is responsible if your desktop or hardware wallet balance will be gone. I think if it is gone then your security features are weak. So better use Web Wallets.

I don't understand your logic at all. Wouldn't it be better to be sole owner of your coins than be a sheep and let your master (in this case someone responsible for Web Wallet) to hold it for you?
If you don't believe your machine is secure enough to keep BTC on it then it mi as well be hacked and your credentials stolen and used to log in to your Web Wallet. No much of a difference there.

Web wallets are wallets that can only be used online, you can't see your balance and can't use the wallet service either if you're offline and some of them required to get some personal information to have full access with that service except accessing your private key, because some web wallets don't have this feature the same the signing message or sign for the ownership of the wallet. But the desktop wallets and hardware wallets can do all this feature, can open offline, sign message and have full access with your private keys etc.

sorry sir my point is better use web wallets if you don't have any idea what is desktop or hardware wallet.

but using a desktop wallet or even a hardware wallet is not hard. they all have user friendly interfaces that makes it easy for newbies to use them with ease.

besides when you choose a web wallet over others you are sacrificing security for a little bit of ease of use. in other words learning how to use a desktop wallet and better yet a cold storage is 10 times better than using web web wallet and taking the risks.

I'm a newbie here and I need help on how to secure my bitcoins. Can you help me what bitcoin offline/desktop wallet would prefer on using it and what computer specification can run it?

Do you think installing it to a separate pc from your current pc is safer than installing it to your current pc?

What antivirus/spyware would you prefer on guarding my desktop wallet?

I would love to hear your opinion mate.

read the sticky: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1631151.0 also look at this: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1661543.0
I prefer an SPV wallet (a light wallet) because of my internet speed and my lack of storage space. for that i have chosen Electrum.

if you have a separate PC and it will "always" stay offline then it is good to install the wallet there and have a "cold storage" if you don't have that PC then use a live linux or buy a harware wallet.

for Antivirus i prefer Eset Smart Security which also has a pretty powerful firewall and i have been satisfied with it in the past 5+ years.
but it is much safer if you use Linux and generally have your wallet on an offline PC or a live linux with no internet access.

Both the online and desktop wallets almost provide the same features However, make you are safe with the private key and do not share the dat file anyone. If they know these. They can easily hack your account.

While using webclients, remember that there is someone else who has a copy of your private keys and can scam if they want so.
While using desktop wallets, you are your own bank, that is, you are in full control of your private keys without the interference of third party.

Regarding the ability to sign, this can be achieved by any of the too.

so this topic states that i should use a desktop wallet insted of webwallet as long as i can take the risk of protecting my money myself is it? that is cool

It depends on what degree of security you need. I find that you have more security with hardware wallets, like the Trezor... but you could

still manage the risk, if you fund these web wallet accounts with small quantities of bitcoins. I want to be in control of the private key for

the bitcoins I own... and these "online" options do not give me that option.  ::)

That is not entirely true.  Some web wallets (such as blockchain.info) provide you either with the ability to backup your private keys or your master key so that you can continue to access your bitcoins from other wallets if the web service stops running.  In that case, as long as your aren't running faulty or hacked website programming, your have full and absolute ownership over your private keys.

also remember that it is not only argument of web wallet VS. desktop wallet. it is also about being online and not being online. with a web wallet you always have to connect to internet and be on a high risk situation (key loggers, hacks,...) but with a desktop wallet you can technically install it on an "always offline" system and be the safest possible.

I highlighted most important part in this quote.
My advice is not hard to guess, use desktop wallet. Use paper wallet for storing vast amount of bitcoins and smartphone wallet for keeping change for quick transactions.

The only difference in a desktop wallet and web client aside from ownership on private keys is that a web wallet is more portable to use. It is more portable since it can be accessed anywhere you just need to have a smartphone with internet connection to access it. On the other hand, a desktop wallet needs you to be in front of your computer to send bitcoins to others. It is also sometimes easier to convert bitcoin into fiat on a web wallet since there are some web wallets that offers fiat exchange and they will send the money to you through money sending services. A great example for it is coins.ph here in Philippines.

The difference is a desktop wallet is a better wallet in most of the cases. I think if people are looking for portability , web wallets can be accessed in every computer with the internet so is the case with desktop wallets, for example in electrum you just have to keep your seed in a usb in a doc file and can use it pretty much from anywhere. I know it's not as easy as web wallet as here you have to install electrum in the computers you want to use it.

Also the hardware wallet like ledger is the same as electrum, you can use it from any computer with google chrome installed in it.

Webclient bitcoin adresses like blockchain.info are easier to understand and use, however, desktop wallets, from https://bitcoin.org, are more secure, since you are controlling completely controlling your own coins.
Paper wallets are good if you are going to use bitcoin as a method to spare money, but useless if you want to actively use bitcoin.
you are able to sign messages with both of the wallets, the desktop and webclient one.

The difference between a web wallet and a desktop wallet are the following. First is that web wallet is more portable since you can use it even when you are not in front of your computer. On the other hand, a desktop wallet is more secure to use since you are the one controlling your private keys, not the ones who own the web wallet. Using web wallet is ok though as long as your trust the one you use like blockchain.

I understand that web wallet for portability, and you will just need an internet access?

For the full control that you have using a desktop wallet, how can you prevent hackings of that wallet?

Simplified, with web-wallets you risk the exchange (or wallet-holder) service to remain up so yo may be able to access your Bitcoins, it also entails you extra risk, if said exchange is breached and the accounts in it are "hacked" then you will lose your coins, also if your computer is breached you are probably gonna lose your coins if they are aiming for them (weither its a wallet or a web wallet).


As you can see, using a web wallet means you risk losing your coins if the Web Wallet service messes up somehow (E.G: They get hacked), but you can also lose your coins if your computer gets hacked.

In the other hand, using a wallet in your computer means you only have to worry about your computer getting hacked, not the exchange or web wallet holder, thus less risk, more control over your money, and greater peace of mind althrough at slightly more inconvenience (backing up the wallet file) depending on which wallet you choose.

Further thing to note: 2FA can be useful, but I think some none web-wallets also probably implement it.