diff --git a/network/default.go b/network/default.go
index b1dfd8d9..6952aaa2 100644
--- a/network/default.go
+++ b/network/default.go
@@ -175,9 +175,6 @@ func (n *network) Name() string {
 func (n *network) resolveNodes() ([]string, error) {
 	// resolve the network address to network nodes
 	records, err := n.options.Resolver.Resolve(n.options.Name)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
 
 	nodeMap := make(map[string]bool)
 
@@ -209,6 +206,7 @@ func (n *network) resolveNodes() ([]string, error) {
 		// resolve anything that looks like a host name
 		records, err := dns.Resolve(node)
 		if err != nil {
+			log.Debugf("Failed to resolve %v %v", node, err)
 			continue
 		}
 
@@ -220,7 +218,7 @@ func (n *network) resolveNodes() ([]string, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	return nodes, nil
+	return nodes, err
 }
 
 // resolve continuously resolves network nodes and initializes network tunnel with resolved addresses
@@ -347,7 +345,7 @@ func (n *network) processNetChan(client transport.Client, listener tunnel.Listen
 				if pbNetPeer.Node.Id == n.options.Id {
 					continue
 				}
-				log.Debugf("Network received peer message from: %s", pbNetPeer.Node.Id)
+				log.Debugf("Network received peer message from: %s %s", pbNetPeer.Node.Id, pbNetPeer.Node.Address)
 				peer := &node{
 					id:       pbNetPeer.Node.Id,
 					address:  pbNetPeer.Node.Address,
@@ -771,14 +769,25 @@ func (n *network) advertise(client transport.Client, advertChan <-chan *router.A
 	}
 }
 
+func (n *network) sendConnect() {
+	// send connect message to NetworkChannel
+	// NOTE: in theory we could do this as soon as
+	// Dial to NetworkChannel succeeds, but instead
+	// we initialize all other node resources first
+	msg := &pbNet.Connect{
+		Node: &pbNet.Node{
+			Id:      n.node.id,
+			Address: n.node.address,
+		},
+	}
+	if err := n.sendMsg("connect", msg, NetworkChannel); err != nil {
+		log.Debugf("Network failed to send connect message: %s", err)
+	}
+}
+
 // Connect connects the network
 func (n *network) Connect() error {
 	n.Lock()
-	// return if already connected
-	if n.connected {
-		n.Unlock()
-		return nil
-	}
 
 	// try to resolve network nodes
 	nodes, err := n.resolveNodes()
@@ -797,6 +806,15 @@ func (n *network) Connect() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// return if already connected
+	if n.connected {
+		// unlock first
+		n.Unlock()
+		// send the connect message
+		n.sendConnect()
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	// set our internal node address
 	// if advertise address is not set
 	if len(n.options.Advertise) == 0 {
@@ -858,19 +876,8 @@ func (n *network) Connect() error {
 	}
 	n.Unlock()
 
-	// send connect message to NetworkChannel
-	// NOTE: in theory we could do this as soon as
-	// Dial to NetworkChannel succeeds, but instead
-	// we initialize all other node resources first
-	msg := &pbNet.Connect{
-		Node: &pbNet.Node{
-			Id:      n.node.id,
-			Address: n.node.address,
-		},
-	}
-	if err := n.sendMsg("connect", msg, NetworkChannel); err != nil {
-		log.Debugf("Network failed to send connect message: %s", err)
-	}
+	// send the connect message
+	n.sendConnect()
 
 	// go resolving network nodes
 	go n.resolve()
diff --git a/network/resolver/dns/dns.go b/network/resolver/dns/dns.go
index fe022d93..4cd99bf8 100644
--- a/network/resolver/dns/dns.go
+++ b/network/resolver/dns/dns.go
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ func (r *Resolver) Resolve(name string) ([]*resolver.Record, error) {
 		port = "8085"
 	}
 
+	if len(host) == 0 {
+		host = "localhost"
+	}
+
 	addrs, err := net.LookupHost(host)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/network/service/handler/handler.go b/network/service/handler/handler.go
index a4858308..54f449f9 100644
--- a/network/service/handler/handler.go
+++ b/network/service/handler/handler.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	pbNet "github.com/micro/go-micro/network/proto"
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/router"
 	pbRtr "github.com/micro/go-micro/router/proto"
+	"github.com/micro/go-micro/util/log"
 )
 
 // Network implements network handler
@@ -78,11 +79,16 @@ func (n *Network) Connect(ctx context.Context, req *pbNet.ConnectRequest, resp *
 		nodes = append(nodes, node.Address)
 	}
 
+	log.Infof("Network.Connect setting peers: %v", nodes)
+
 	// reinitialise the peers
 	n.Network.Init(
 		network.Peers(nodes...),
 	)
 
+	// call the connect method
+	n.Network.Connect()
+
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/tunnel/default.go b/tunnel/default.go
index c65829b1..16ca339e 100644
--- a/tunnel/default.go
+++ b/tunnel/default.go
@@ -777,6 +777,30 @@ func (t *tun) setupLink(node string) (*link, error) {
 	return link, nil
 }
 
+func (t *tun) setupLinks() {
+	for _, node := range t.options.Nodes {
+		// skip zero length nodes
+		if len(node) == 0 {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// link already exists
+		if _, ok := t.links[node]; ok {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// connect to node and return link
+		link, err := t.setupLink(node)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Debugf("Tunnel failed to establish node link to %s: %v", node, err)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// save the link
+		t.links[node] = link
+	}
+}
+
 // connect the tunnel to all the nodes and listen for incoming tunnel connections
 func (t *tun) connect() error {
 	l, err := t.options.Transport.Listen(t.options.Address)
@@ -816,22 +840,8 @@ func (t *tun) connect() error {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	for _, node := range t.options.Nodes {
-		// skip zero length nodes
-		if len(node) == 0 {
-			continue
-		}
-
-		// connect to node and return link
-		link, err := t.setupLink(node)
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Debugf("Tunnel failed to establish node link to %s: %v", node, err)
-			continue
-		}
-
-		// save the link
-		t.links[node] = link
-	}
+	// setup links
+	t.setupLinks()
 
 	// process outbound messages to be sent
 	// process sends to all links
@@ -850,6 +860,8 @@ func (t *tun) Connect() error {
 
 	// already connected
 	if t.connected {
+		// setup links
+		t.setupLinks()
 		return nil
 	}