diff --git a/EduNetworkBuilder/IPAddress.cs b/EduNetworkBuilder/IPAddress.cs
index 9d0b1b7..26fe044 100644
--- a/EduNetworkBuilder/IPAddress.cs
+++ b/EduNetworkBuilder/IPAddress.cs
@@ -341,7 +341,8 @@ namespace EduNetworkBuilder
         public bool IsBroadcast() 
         { 
             uint BA = BroadcastAddress;
-            if (_ip == BA) return true;
+            if (_ip == BA) return true; //the actual broadcast for the network
+            if (GetIPString == NB.BroadcastIPString) return true; //The special broadcast 255.255.255.255
             return false;
         }
 
diff --git a/EduNetworkBuilder/NetworkCard.cs b/EduNetworkBuilder/NetworkCard.cs
index 0f32875..8e7183a 100644
--- a/EduNetworkBuilder/NetworkCard.cs
+++ b/EduNetworkBuilder/NetworkCard.cs
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ namespace EduNetworkBuilder
             myID = new HostNicID(HostID, UniqueIdentifier, hostname, _nic_name);
             NetworkInterface nInterface = new NetworkInterface(NicName(), NB.ZeroIPString, NB.ZeroIPString, myID);
             if(theType == NicType.lo)
-                nInterface = new NetworkInterface(NicName(), "127.0.0.1", "255.0.0.0", myID);
+                nInterface = new NetworkInterface(NicName(), NB.LoopbackIPString, "255.0.0.0", myID);
             interfaces.Add(nInterface);
             ApplyNicRules();
             SetIPForDHCP();
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ namespace EduNetworkBuilder
                 if (iface.myIP.BroadcastAddress == 0) continue; //a netmask of 0.0.0.0 causes grief
                 if (iface.myIP.BroadcastAddress == dest.GetIP)
                     return true;//If they are pinging the broadcast IP
-                if (iface.myIP.GetIPString == NB.BroadcastIPString)
+                if (iface.myIP.IsBroadcast())
                     return true;
             }
             return false;
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ namespace EduNetworkBuilder
             if (UsesDHCP && CanUseDHCP)
             {
                 bool doIt = true;
-                if (interfaces.Count > 0 && interfaces[0].myIP.GetIPString == NB.ZeroIPString)
+                if (interfaces.Count > 0 && interfaces[0].myIP.IsZeroString())
                 {
                     doIt = true;
                 }
@@ -568,15 +568,15 @@ namespace EduNetworkBuilder
                         nf.ProcessOutboundPacket(nPacket);
                         if (nPacket.MyStatus == PacketStatus.finished || nPacket.MyStatus == PacketStatus.finished_failed || nPacket.MyStatus == PacketStatus.finished_ok)
                             continue; //If the packet cannot be sent out (VLAN stuff)
-                        if (tPacket.OutboundIP == null || (nf.isLocal(tPacket.OutboundIP) || (tPacket.OutboundIP.GetIPString == NB.BroadcastIPString && tPacket.isFresh)))
+                        if (tPacket.OutboundIP == null || (nf.isLocal(tPacket.OutboundIP) || (tPacket.OutboundIP.IsBroadcast() && tPacket.isFresh)))
                         {
-                            if ((nf != null && nf.myIP.GetIPString != NB.ZeroIPString) || nPacket.MyType == PacketType.dhcp_request)
+                            if ((nf != null && !nf.myIP.IsZeroString()) || nPacket.MyType == PacketType.dhcp_request)
                             {
                                 //this means we have a local interface to send it out of
                                 //if(nPacket.sourceMAC == null || nPacket.sourceMAC == "" || nPacket.isFresh)
                                 nPacket.sourceMAC = MAC;
                                 //If the source IP is empty then it is a new packet.  We set the source to be us
-                                if (nPacket.sourceIP == null || nPacket.sourceIP.GetIPString == NB.ZeroIPString)
+                                if (nPacket.sourceIP == null || nPacket.sourceIP.IsZeroString())
                                     nPacket.sourceIP = nf.myIP;
                                 nPacket.TsourceIP = nf.myIP;
                                 if (nPacket.destMAC == null || nPacket.destMAC == "")
@@ -627,14 +627,14 @@ namespace EduNetworkBuilder
                         if (nPacket.MyStatus == PacketStatus.finished || nPacket.MyStatus == PacketStatus.finished_failed || nPacket.MyStatus == PacketStatus.finished_ok)
                             continue; //If the packet cannot be sent out (VLAN stuff)
 
-                        if (tPacket.OutboundIP != null && (nf.isLocal(tPacket.OutboundIP) || tPacket.OutboundIP.GetIPString == NB.BroadcastIPString))
+                        if (tPacket.OutboundIP != null && (nf.isLocal(tPacket.OutboundIP) || tPacket.OutboundIP.IsBroadcast()))
                         {
-                            if ((nf != null && nf.myIP != null && nf.myIP.GetIPString != NB.ZeroIPString) || nPacket.MyType == PacketType.dhcp_request)
+                            if ((nf != null && nf.myIP != null && !nf.myIP.IsZeroString()) || nPacket.MyType == PacketType.dhcp_request)
                             {
                                 //this means we have a local interface to send it out of
                                 nPacket.sourceMAC = MAC;
                                 //If the source IP is empty then it originated from here.  We set the source to be us
-                                if (nPacket.sourceIP == null || nPacket.sourceIP.GetIPString == NB.ZeroIPString)
+                                if (nPacket.sourceIP == null || nPacket.sourceIP.IsZeroString())
                                 {
                                     nPacket.sourceIP = nf.myIP;
                                     WhereFrom.StoreOutgoingPacketInfo(nPacket); //the packet is not masqueraded, just accepted
@@ -701,10 +701,10 @@ namespace EduNetworkBuilder
                                 }
                             }
                         }
-                        if (nf != null && nf.myIP != null && nf.myIP.GetIPString != NB.ZeroIPString)
+                        if (nf != null && nf.myIP != null && !nf.myIP.IsZeroString())
                         {
                             //If the source IP is empty then it originated from here.   We set the source to be us
-                            if (tPacket.sourceIP == null || tPacket.sourceIP.GetIPString == NB.ZeroIPString)
+                            if (tPacket.sourceIP == null || tPacket.sourceIP.IsZeroString())
                             {
                                 tPacket.sourceIP = nf.myIP;
                                 WhereFrom.StoreOutgoingPacketInfo(tPacket); //the packet is not yet tunneled
@@ -785,7 +785,7 @@ namespace EduNetworkBuilder
                             //Need to find the managament interface MAC
                             nPacket.sourceMAC = WhereFrom.HubManagementMAC();
                         }
-                        if ((nPacket.sourceIP == null || nPacket.sourceIP.GetIPString == NB.ZeroIPString) && nPacket.MyType != PacketType.dhcp_request)
+                        if ((nPacket.sourceIP == null || nPacket.sourceIP.IsZeroString()) && nPacket.MyType != PacketType.dhcp_request)
                         {
                             //set it to be the ip of management interface
                             nPacket.sourceIP = WhereFrom.HubManagementIP();
@@ -800,7 +800,7 @@ namespace EduNetworkBuilder
                         nl = myNet.GetLinkFromID(ConnectedLink);
                         if (nl == null)
                             break;
-                        if ((nPacket.sourceIP == null || nPacket.sourceIP.GetIPString == NB.ZeroIPString) && tPacket.MyType != PacketType.dhcp_request) return false; //We still have no IP.  Do not send the packet out.
+                        if ((nPacket.sourceIP == null || nPacket.sourceIP.IsZeroString()) && tPacket.MyType != PacketType.dhcp_request) return false; //We still have no IP.  Do not send the packet out.
                         nPacket.StartOnLink(nl, WhereFrom); //This sends the packet down the link.
                         myNet.addPacket(nPacket);
                         if (tPacket.isFresh)