Looking to participate in the emerging Walrus ecosystem at zero cost while accumulating staking eligibility? Deploying on the testnet is an excellent entry point for beginners. No need to spend money—just follow a few key interactions step by step to build early contribution points and pave the way for the WAL airdrop after mainnet launch. Below, all steps are broken down to guide you through.

**Phase One: Basic Setup**

The wallet is the starting point. Download the official wallet from Sui's official channels, create an account, and securely back up your seed phrase (this concerns asset security and must be handled carefully). Then, this step is crucial—switch your network environment from Mainnet to "Sui Testnet." Without doing this, you won't be able to interact with the Walrus testnet.

Next, claim test tokens. Open the official faucet page for Walrus testnet and request a batch of test SUI tokens, which are used to pay for interaction fees. After the tokens arrive, confirm the balance in your wallet to ensure it’s correct.

**Phase Two: Data Preparation and Practical Operations**

Simply put, you need to prepare 1 to 3 small files to simulate real storage scenarios. Text documents, images—anything works, as long as each file is no larger than 10MB. This allows for a more realistic experience of Walrus’s storage mechanism.

Then, bookmark Walrus’s official interaction interface; all subsequent operations will be performed from there. It’s important to emphasize—only use official channels and beware of phishing links. Follow the official instructions strictly throughout the process and stay vigilant.