# Remove IPv4 from pure background apps (no service definition)

**URL:** <https://community.fly.io/t/remove-ipv4-from-pure-background-apps-no-service-definition/3123>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [November 12, 2021, 5:11am UTC](https://community.fly.io/t/remove-ipv4-from-pure-background-apps-no-service-definition/3123 "2021-11-12T05:11:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![diwu1989](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/fly1/user_avatar/community.fly.io/diwu1989/32/1614_2.png) [@diwu1989](https://community.fly.io/u/diwu1989)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 5:11am UTC](https://community.fly.io/t/remove-ipv4-from-pure-background-apps-no-service-definition/3123/1 "2021-11-12T05:11:20Z")

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I’m running simple background workers that do not have web facing HTTP/TCP service definition.

The worker itself only needs IPv4 and IPv6 outbound traffic, it doesn’t need a reserved full-fledged IPv4 inbound.

I noticed that an IPv4 is nonetheless provided, which would cost $ for Fly platform.  
Having only inbound IPv6 for worker is good enough, and a NAT capable outbound IPv4 internal address is good enough.

Please give a way for the fly toml config to stop allocating external IPv4 for worker only apps.

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**Author:** ![ignoramous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a9adbd/32.png) [@ignoramous](https://community.fly.io/u/ignoramous)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2021, 9:01am UTC](https://community.fly.io/t/remove-ipv4-from-pure-background-apps-no-service-definition/3123/2 "2021-11-12T09:01:42Z")

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One anycast IPv4 is _free_ per fly app. Only additional ones cost $2/mo.

Unlimited anycast IPv6 are free, but fly does not support inbound UDP over IPv6 yet.

Reg connectivity: Ingress is free, so as long as the worker drops all external inbound traffic on the floor, that should _do_ it for now. See also: [Long running background tasks](https://community.fly.io/t/long-running-background-tasks/1153)

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**Author:** ![nagisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@nagisa](https://community.fly.io/u/nagisa)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2021, 9:12pm UTC](https://community.fly.io/t/remove-ipv4-from-pure-background-apps-no-service-definition/3123/3 "2021-11-13T21:12:07Z")

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> [@ignoramous](#):
>
> One anycast IPv4 is _free_ per fly app. Only additional ones cost $2/mo.

I think the point @diwu1989 is trying to make is that the IP addresses likely aren’t free to [fly.io](http://fly.io) itself, rather than themselves, and so not assigning an IP address to apps that don’t need one would be ideal.

The thread you linked seems to suggest that it is indeed already possible, though. Specifically this comment:

> [@Long running background tasks](https://community.fly.io/t/long-running-background-tasks/1153/2):
>
> Not setting any service on your app shouldn’t assign it an IP.