WLFI Lockbox “Unknown Error” — Fix + Why It Works
Hey everyone! After days of troubleshooting this issue, I was able to finally figure out the root cause and successfully connect my Base Smart Wallet.
I hit the “Unknown Error” when connecting my Base Smart Wallet to the WLFI Lockbox. I finally solved it, and here’s the full story with the why behind each step so you can repeat it confidently.
The short version (what fixed it)
My smart wallet needed an on-chain resync (because of passkey/ownership changes since creation). Triggering a normal ETH (Ethereum mainnet) send made Coinbase prompt a “wallet resync” transaction. After approving it, the old wallet connected to WLFI Lockbox instantly.
Step-by-step (with the WHY)
- Send regular ETH (Ethereum mainnet) from your Base Smart Wallet to another wallet you own.
Why: This “poke” forces Coinbase to check your smart wallet’s on-chain state. If your wallet had a passkey change, owner change, or was never fully deployed/upgraded, Coinbase will require a resync before allowing the send.
Important: Send ETH on Ethereum (L1), not “Base ETH.” (The resync check/contract lives on Ethereum mainnet.)
- You should see a “Resync your wallet” prompt with a gas estimate (mine was ~$10). Accept it.
Why: The resync writes the current owner/passkey and wallet config to chain (think “bring the smart account up to date”). Many dApps (including WLFI Lockbox) rely on this fresh on-chain state & signature validation to complete connections.
- After approving the resync, the app will also complete your ETH send.
Why: Coinbase batches your intent: first resync (state update), then your actual transfer. When the destination wallet receives the ETH, you know the resync is done.
- Return to the WLFI Lockbox and connect again.
Why: Now your smart wallet’s validation/signature module is fresh, so the Lockbox should recognize it and proceed to the agreement/sign flow.
How I discovered it (so it clicks)
I created a new Base Smart Wallet and it connected to WLFI Lockbox fine—so the issue wasn’t “smart wallets in general.” While funding that new wallet, Coinbase forced a resync on my old wallet (the one with WLFI). After paying the resync gas and finishing the ETH send, I retried the old wallet on the Lockbox and it connected immediately. That confirmed the root cause was a stale/unsynced on-chain state on the old wallet.
Verify it worked
You’ll see your ETH in the destination wallet.
Back on WLFI Lockbox, your old wallet should now connect and let you sign the agreement.
If you don’t get a resync prompt
Double-check you’re sending ETH on Ethereum (L1), not Base.
Try a tiny amount (e.g., $5–$15 worth) to trigger the check.
If still no prompt, try another simple on-chain action from the old wallet that requires a state write (e.g., registering a Basename or similar low-cost action), then retry the ETH send.
Notes & FAQs
“Why not Base ETH?” The resync logic for Coinbase Smart Wallets is anchored on Ethereum mainnet, so an L1 transaction is what reliably triggers the state update.
Is the Basename the problem? In my case, no. The Basename surfaced the issue but wasn’t the root cause—the resync was.
How much ETH do I need? A small amount to cover the resync gas + the tiny send (varies with L1
gas; $5–$20 usually covers it).