diff --git a/kernel/mars_net.c b/kernel/mars_net.c
index 93736c06..ec5ad961 100644
--- a/kernel/mars_net.c
+++ b/kernel/mars_net.c
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ void _check(int status)
 int mars_create_sockaddr(struct sockaddr_storage *addr, const char *spec)
 {
 	struct sockaddr_in *sockaddr = (void*)addr;
-	char *new_spec;
-	char *tmp_spec;
+	const char *new_spec;
+	const char *tmp_spec;
 	int status = 0;
 
 	memset(addr, 0, sizeof(*addr));
@@ -83,20 +83,26 @@ int mars_create_sockaddr(struct sockaddr_storage *addr, const char *spec)
 		unsigned char u0 = 0, u1 = 0, u2 = 0, u3 = 0;
 		status = sscanf(tmp_spec, "%hhu.%hhu.%hhu.%hhu", &u0, &u1, &u2, &u3);
 		if (status != 4) {
+			MARS_ERR("invalid sockaddr IP syntax '%s', status = %d\n", tmp_spec, status);
 			status = -EINVAL;
 			goto done;
 		}
+		MARS_DBG("decoded IP = %u.%u.%u.%u\n", u0, u1, u2, u3);
 		sockaddr->sin_addr.s_addr = (__be32)u0 | (__be32)u1 << 8 | (__be32)u2 << 16 | (__be32)u3 << 24;
 	}
+	// deocde port number (when present)
+	tmp_spec = spec;
 	while (*tmp_spec && *tmp_spec++ != ':')
 		/*empty*/;
 	if (*tmp_spec) {
 		int port = 0;
 		status = sscanf(tmp_spec, "%d", &port);
 		if (status != 1) {
+			MARS_ERR("invalid sockaddr PORT syntax '%s', status = %d\n", tmp_spec, status);
 			status = -EINVAL;
 			goto done;
 		}
+		MARS_DBG("decoded PORT = %d\n", port);
 		sockaddr->sin_port = htons(port);
 	}
 	status = 0;
diff --git a/kernel/sy_old/sy_net.c b/kernel/sy_old/sy_net.c
index dbd1824e..1c5f440a 100644
--- a/kernel/sy_old/sy_net.c
+++ b/kernel/sy_old/sy_net.c
@@ -15,14 +15,22 @@ static
 char *_mars_translate_hostname(const char *name)
 {
 	struct mars_global *global = mars_global;
-	const char *res = name;
+	char *res = brick_strdup(name);
 	struct mars_dent *test;
 	char *tmp;
 
 	if (unlikely(!global)) {
 		goto done;
 	}
-	tmp = path_make("/mars/ips/ip-%s", name);
+
+	for (tmp = res; *tmp; tmp++) {
+		if (*tmp == ':') {
+			*tmp = '\0';
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	tmp = path_make("/mars/ips/ip-%s", res);
 	if (unlikely(!tmp)) {
 		goto done;
 	}
@@ -30,12 +38,15 @@ char *_mars_translate_hostname(const char *name)
 	test = mars_find_dent(global, tmp);
 	if (test && test->new_link) {
 		MARS_DBG("'%s' => '%s'\n", tmp, test->new_link);
-		res = test->new_link;
+		brick_string_free(res);
+		res = brick_strdup(test->new_link);
+	} else {
+		MARS_DBG("no translation for '%s'\n", tmp);
 	}
 	brick_string_free(tmp);
 
 done:
-	return brick_strdup(res);
+	return res;
 }
 
 int mars_send_dent_list(struct mars_socket *sock, struct list_head *anchor)