The need for usage of Airgapped devices

[joniboini]

I do call Linux as an OS running on Kernel  so I pretty  much love to call it Kernel .
Although  I haven't tried it  but I believe  it a much more better OS than Windows 

Oh I see, I thought you were referring to something else. I do believe Linux is much better especially if you care about privacy and security in general, including crypto asset management. If you were using it for something else then you can face some compatibility issues depending on what software you need to use.

why do they have to call it airgapped? what does air have to do with it? 
but i would assume this is for long term like you having an airgapped wallet will not sell the coins even in the bear market?

I believe it was used to refer to how a device is isolated from the network. So they don't have a connection whether it is physical or wireless. I think it is a good term for what it is trying to refer to. I do believe the main usage is for cold storage purposes, but you can also use it to manage your funds regularly with Electrum as linked above. It is good practice even if you regularly send money from one wallet to another IMO. CMIIW.

[Findingnemo]

How?

Just get an old mobile phone that you intend not using any more, connect to the internet and install electrum, or any other open source non custodial wallet, create a new wallet, write down your seed phrase and keep it somewhere really safe, move as much of your crypto you intend holding for a very long time into the new wallet, after confirming receipt of the crypto, now disconnect the old device from the internet, delete all network access settings, remove the Sim card from the device, turn the device off and remove the battery, congratulations,

It is one of the most convenient ways to create airgapped wallet but keep in mind you are just one touch away from compromising the security of the wallet. We humans are tend to make errors so better not to trust us with our money.

As others pointed out to mitigate the compromise we need to remove the hardware of the device which let us connect to the internet but removing that hardware from smartphones is close to impossible so it's always a fresh laptop or used desktop is best device for used as cold storage.

[tranthidung]

Just get an old mobile phone that you intend not using any more, connect to the internet and install electrum, or any other open source non custodial wallet

Get if from an official website.

create a new wallet, write down your seed phrase and keep it somewhere really safe, move as much of your crypto you intend holding for a very long time into the new wallet, after confirming receipt of the crypto, now disconnect the old device from the internet, delete all network access settings

After downloading a wallet software, install it on your mobile phone, you must immediately disconnect your phone to Internet.

After that, create your wallet, get it receiving address.
Funding that wallet.

All of these steps must be done offline!

[Aanuoluwatofunmi]

Air gapped device is to make us avoid any means of possible attack that may come through the online interactions we have with any website, downloads or link that is malicious, so when you're using this, you will highly get secured from any form of attack in likes manners, there are other means as well as precautions we must also take note of in using an air gaped device, we shouldn't make our device vulnerable by allowing anyone have access to it.

[Rruchi man]

there are other means as well as precautions we must also take note of in using an air gaped device, we shouldn't make our device vulnerable by allowing anyone have access to it.

In the most simple terms, be conscious about your security offline as you are conscious of it online. Do not develop security consciousness alone against possible theft online, develop your security consciousness offline too.
- Be careful with freinds.
- Be careful with family.
- Be careful with strangers and the people who you feel you just felt an instant chemistry or connection with.

[Charles-Tim]

In the most simple terms, be conscious about your security offline as you are conscious of it online. Do not develop security consciousness alone against possible theft online, develop your security consciousness offline too.
- Be careful with freinds.
- Be careful with family.
- Be careful with strangers and the people who you feel you just felt an instant chemistry or connection with.

You can for seed phrase encryption which should be done with an offline tool. Or you can encrypt the seed phrase on a flashdrive or memory card using an adapter, plug it directly to the airgapped device. Or go for passphrase which is simple but which is the one that I prefer.

[dkbit98]

Be careful when calling something airgapped device, especially newbies should learn more before making any mistakes.
I have seen people who claim to use airgapped laptops, but at the same time they periodically connect that same laptop to the internet.
Best airgapped devices don't have any cable connection to other device or network, and they use QR code for sending and receiving information.

[Agbe]

Snip

Wow! What an amazing explanation of airgapped. People have been saying offline wallets and cold Wallets here and there yet I don't know how it works and I don't how to use it. Many people have explained it for me or asked me to use it but I have no knowledge about it so I have not used it. Last year I thought someone how to invest in Bitcoin and the person was willing to invest in bitcoin and a bitcoin technical user asked me to use a phone that I am not using but I didn't have any idea so I left the idea of using that. But this your explanation has made everything clear even more than the Op himself. Oh this explanation is very good to me.

[Faisal2202]

Welcome back op, I hope you will find many new things about  BTC soon, talking about airgapped wallets, they are good way of storing funds for longer period of time. As they are best for holding purposes, they are not best to use as hot wallets because in hot wallets we have to make transaction more frequently while in cold wallet we don't have to. As you have already mentioned two best way to setup airgapped wallets.

So, using a airgapped wallet is not an easy way, a non technical person might find it difficult to setup one. Proper tutorial video might help them but still managing it a hard task. Small mistake can make your airgapped wallets a non airgape one.

[joniboini]

So, using a airgapped wallet is not an easy way, a non technical person might find it difficult to setup one. Proper tutorial video might help them but still managing it a hard task. Small mistake can make your airgapped wallets a non airgape one.

I think it is a bit exaggerated to assume that you need to be a "technical person" to use airgapped wallet properly. At the very least, the term "technical person" can be a bit misleading. We don't need to know how mining works to understand that connecting an airgapped device to the internet should not be done. I also found that this term can discourage the average joe from learning how to securely manage their wallets, even if they don't intend to use airgapped devices in the future. I believe a simple commitment to follow tutorials provided by credible sources like Electrum is good enough to start and develop a habit to do this.

[Faisal2202]

I think it is a bit exaggerated to assume that you need to be a "technical person" to use airgapped wallet properly. At the very least, the term "technical person" can be a bit misleading. We don't need to know how mining works to understand that connecting an airgapped device to the internet should not be done. I also found that this term can discourage the average joe from learning how to securely manage their wallets, even if they don't intend to use airgapped devices in the future. I believe a simple commitment to follow tutorials provided by credible sources like Electrum is good enough to start and develop a habit to do this.

I did not meant to exaggerate here, as I was simply trying to indicate that a person who does't even know how to use a smartphone, what is blockchain, what the is the internet, how smartphones are considered connected to internet, and how they are not, what is network, etc., etc. Like these simple definition are necessary for a person to know. Otherwise they won't be aware that there airgapped wallet is no more a airgapped wallet. Which they have made by themselves.

Well, if they buy a pre-made and follow the manuals comes with them and stick to them then a normal joe can also use it easily. Overall you are 100% that if me saying you have to be technical person without defining it more like to which extent then a normal joe might hesitat to even give it a try. Thanks for adding your words here.