diff --git a/src/network.c b/src/network.c
index c33068bc5..0f0b9d3e8 100644
--- a/src/network.c
+++ b/src/network.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  *  Hamlib Interface - network communication low-level support
  *  Copyright (c) 2000-2008 by Stephane Fillod
  *
- *	$Id: network.c,v 1.5 2008-11-02 12:42:45 fillods Exp $
+ *	$Id: network.c,v 1.6 2008-11-05 23:02:00 fillods Exp $
  *
  *   This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  *   it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public License as
@@ -134,6 +134,10 @@ static const char *gai_strerror(int errcode)
 #endif /* !HAVE_GAI_STRERROR */
 
 
+#ifdef __MINGW32__
+static int wsstarted;
+#endif
+
 /**
  * \brief Open network port using rig.state data
  *
@@ -149,9 +153,17 @@ int network_open(hamlib_port_t *rp, int default_port)
 	int status;
 	struct addrinfo hints, *res;
 	char *portstr;
-	char hostname[FILPATHLEN] = "localhost";
+	char hostname[FILPATHLEN] = "127.0.0.1";
 	char defaultportstr[8];
 
+#ifdef __MINGW32__
+	WSADATA wsadata;
+	if (!(wsstarted++) && WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(1,1), &wsadata) == SOCKET_ERROR) {
+		rig_debug(RIG_DEBUG_ERR, "Error creating socket\n");
+		return -RIG_EIO;
+	}
+#endif
+
 	if (!rp)
 		return -RIG_EINVAL;
 
@@ -204,4 +216,17 @@ int network_open(hamlib_port_t *rp, int default_port)
 	return RIG_OK;
 }
 
+int network_close(hamlib_port_t *rp)
+{
+	int ret;
+#ifdef __MINGW32__
+	ret = closesocket(rp->fd);
+	if (--wsstarted)
+		WSACleanup();
+#else
+	ret = close(rp->fd);
+#endif
+	return ret;
+}
+
 /** @} */
diff --git a/src/network.h b/src/network.h
index 2637f83cd..9dedd9347 100644
--- a/src/network.h
+++ b/src/network.h
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  *  Hamlib Interface - network communication header
  *  Copyright (c) 2000-2008 by Stephane Fillod
  *
- *	$Id: network.h,v 1.2 2008-09-23 22:02:39 fillods Exp $
+ *	$Id: network.h,v 1.3 2008-11-05 23:02:00 fillods Exp $
  *
  *   This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  *   it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public License as
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ __BEGIN_DECLS
 
 /* Hamlib internal use, see rig.c */
 int network_open(hamlib_port_t *p, int default_port);
+int network_close(hamlib_port_t *rp);
 
 __END_DECLS
 
diff --git a/src/rig.c b/src/rig.c
index 7ce3ee1c9..b6eec7cb0 100644
--- a/src/rig.c
+++ b/src/rig.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  *  Hamlib Interface - main file
  *  Copyright (c) 2000-2008 by Stephane Fillod and Frank Singleton
  *
- *	$Id: rig.c,v 1.100 2008-10-31 23:08:59 fillods Exp $
+ *	$Id: rig.c,v 1.101 2008-11-05 23:02:00 fillods Exp $
  *
  *   This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  *   it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public License as
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ RIG * HAMLIB_API rig_init(rig_model_t rig_model)
 	break;
 
 	case RIG_PORT_NETWORK:
-	strncpy(rs->rigport.pathname, "localhost:4532", FILPATHLEN);
+	strncpy(rs->rigport.pathname, "127.0.0.1:4532", FILPATHLEN);
 	break;
 
 	default:
@@ -669,6 +669,9 @@ int HAMLIB_API rig_close(RIG *rig)
 		case RIG_PORT_USB:
 			usb_port_close(&rs->rigport);
 			break;
+		case RIG_PORT_NETWORK:
+			network_close(&rs->rigport);
+			break;
 
 		default:
 			close(rs->rigport.fd);
diff --git a/src/rotator.c b/src/rotator.c
index 882d4580c..c6597bc5b 100644
--- a/src/rotator.c
+++ b/src/rotator.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  *  Hamlib Interface - main file
  *  Copyright (c) 2000-2008 by Stephane Fillod and Frank Singleton
  *
- *	$Id: rotator.c,v 1.24 2008-09-23 22:02:39 fillods Exp $
+ *	$Id: rotator.c,v 1.25 2008-11-05 23:02:00 fillods Exp $
  *
  *   This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  *   it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public License as
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ ROT * HAMLIB_API rot_init(rot_model_t rot_model)
 	break;
 
 	case RIG_PORT_NETWORK:
-	strncpy(rs->rotport.pathname, "localhost:4533", FILPATHLEN);
+	strncpy(rs->rotport.pathname, "127.0.0.1:4533", FILPATHLEN);
 	break;
 
 	default:
@@ -410,6 +410,9 @@ int HAMLIB_API rot_close(ROT *rot)
 		case RIG_PORT_USB:
 			usb_port_close(&rs->rotport);
 			break;
+		case RIG_PORT_NETWORK:
+			network_close(&rs->rotport);
+			break;
 		default:
 			close(rs->rotport.fd);
 		}