Last update: 9 September 2021

onlynet is a config option in Bitcoin Core that allows you to control outbound connections based on type of network (ipv4, ipv6, onion, i2p).

Possible combinations (14):

• ipv4
• ipv6
• onion

• i2p

• ipv4, ipv6
• ipv4, onion
• ipv4, i2p
• ipv6, onion
• ipv6, i2p

• onion, i2p

• ipv4, ipv6, onion
• ipv4, ipv6, i2p
• ipv4, onion, i2p
• ipv6, onion, i2p

What are the isssues with this option?

1. Some users are not aware that onlynet is only for outbound connections

2. Outbound connections are still made to other networks in some cases which PR #22651 was trying to fix. A new PR #22834 was created to fix this issue based on suggestions by Wladimir van der Laan in a comment while reviewing another related PR.

3. More users have started experimenting and trying different combinations since i2p was added

An issues was also created to add checkboxes in GUI to select which networks to connect to: #413

Related links

https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/103402/how-can-i-use-bitcoin-core-with-the-anonymous-network-protocol-i2p

https://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/107060/tor-and-i2p-tradeoffs-in-bitcoin-core

https://github.com/BlockchainCommons/Learning-Bitcoin-from-the-Command-Line/blob/master/15_0_Using_i2p.md