diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index abc99a7..46df2db 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ url = "2.5.0"
 cli-tables = "0.2.1"
 rand = "0.8.5"
 arrayvec = "0.7.4"
+rtnetlink = "0.14.1"
+futures = "0.3.30"
+ipnetwork = "0.20.0"
+smoltcp = "0.11.0"
 
 [workspace.dependencies.uuid]
 version = "1.6.1"
@@ -55,3 +59,7 @@ default-features = false
 [workspace.dependencies.clap]
 version = "4.4.18"
 features = ["derive"]
+
+[workspace.dependencies.tokio]
+version = "1.35.1"
+features = ["macros", "rt", "rt-multi-thread"]
diff --git a/hypha/Cargo.toml b/hypha/Cargo.toml
index 70b51d4..acba865 100644
--- a/hypha/Cargo.toml
+++ b/hypha/Cargo.toml
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@ sys-mount = { workspace = true }
 oci-spec = { workspace = true }
 backhand = { workspace = true }
 uuid = { workspace = true }
+rtnetlink = { workspace = true }
+tokio = { workspace = true }
+futures = { workspace = true }
+ipnetwork = { workspace = true }
+smoltcp = { workspace = true }
 
 [dependencies.nix]
 workspace = true
@@ -53,3 +58,7 @@ path = "bin/controller.rs"
 [[bin]]
 name = "hyphactr"
 path = "bin/container.rs"
+
+[[bin]]
+name = "hyphanet"
+path = "bin/network.rs"
diff --git a/hypha/bin/container.rs b/hypha/bin/container.rs
index 7f41c0c..a56de53 100644
--- a/hypha/bin/container.rs
+++ b/hypha/bin/container.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@ use env_logger::Env;
 use hypha::container::init::ContainerInit;
 use std::env;
 
-fn main() -> Result<()> {
+#[tokio::main]
+async fn main() -> Result<()> {
     env::set_var("RUST_BACKTRACE", "1");
     env_logger::Builder::from_env(Env::default().default_filter_or("warn")).init();
     if env::var("HYPHA_UNSAFE_ALWAYS_ALLOW_INIT").unwrap_or("0".to_string()) != "1" {
@@ -18,6 +19,6 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
         }
     }
     let mut container = ContainerInit::new();
-    container.init()?;
+    container.init().await?;
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/hypha/bin/controller.rs b/hypha/bin/controller.rs
index 9b91e2d..b8e1268 100644
--- a/hypha/bin/controller.rs
+++ b/hypha/bin/controller.rs
@@ -110,12 +110,13 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
         Commands::List { .. } => {
             let containers = controller.list()?;
             let mut table = cli_tables::Table::new();
-            let header = vec!["domain", "uuid", "image"];
+            let header = vec!["domain", "uuid", "ipv4", "image"];
             table.push_row(&header)?;
             for container in containers {
                 let row = vec![
                     container.domid.to_string(),
                     container.uuid.to_string(),
+                    container.ipv4,
                     container.image,
                 ];
                 table.push_row_string(&row)?;
diff --git a/hypha/bin/network.rs b/hypha/bin/network.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b70f61e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hypha/bin/network.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+use anyhow::Result;
+use clap::Parser;
+use env_logger::Env;
+use hypha::network::HyphaNetwork;
+
+#[derive(Parser, Debug)]
+struct NetworkArgs {
+    #[arg(short, long)]
+    interface: String,
+    #[arg(short, long, default_value = "192.168.42.1/24")]
+    network: String,
+}
+
+fn main() -> Result<()> {
+    env_logger::Builder::from_env(Env::default().default_filter_or("warn")).init();
+    let args = NetworkArgs::parse();
+    let mut network = HyphaNetwork::new(&args.interface, &[&args.network])?;
+    network.run()?;
+    Ok(())
+}
diff --git a/hypha/src/container/init.rs b/hypha/src/container/init.rs
index e78e3b9..0568533 100644
--- a/hypha/src/container/init.rs
+++ b/hypha/src/container/init.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
-use crate::shared::LaunchInfo;
+use crate::shared::{LaunchInfo, LaunchNetwork};
 use anyhow::{anyhow, Result};
+use futures::stream::TryStreamExt;
+use ipnetwork::IpNetwork;
 use log::{trace, warn};
 use nix::libc::{c_int, dup2, wait};
 use nix::unistd::{execve, fork, ForkResult, Pid};
@@ -53,7 +55,7 @@ impl ContainerInit {
         ContainerInit {}
     }
 
-    pub fn init(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+    pub async fn init(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
         self.early_init()?;
 
         trace!("opening console descriptor");
@@ -72,6 +74,13 @@ impl ContainerInit {
         self.mount_new_root()?;
         self.nuke_initrd()?;
         self.bind_new_root()?;
+
+        if let Some(network) = &launch.network {
+            if let Err(error) = self.network_setup(network).await {
+                warn!("failed to initialize network: {}", error);
+            }
+        }
+
         if let Some(cfg) = config.config() {
             self.run(cfg, &launch)?;
         } else {
@@ -271,6 +280,38 @@ impl ContainerInit {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    async fn network_setup(&mut self, network: &LaunchNetwork) -> Result<()> {
+        trace!(
+            "setting up network with link {} and ipv4 {}",
+            network.link,
+            network.ipv4
+        );
+
+        let (connection, handle, _) = rtnetlink::new_connection()?;
+        tokio::spawn(connection);
+
+        let ip: IpNetwork = network.ipv4.parse()?;
+
+        let mut links = handle
+            .link()
+            .get()
+            .match_name(network.link.clone())
+            .execute();
+        if let Some(link) = links.try_next().await? {
+            handle
+                .address()
+                .add(link.header.index, ip.ip(), ip.prefix())
+                .execute()
+                .await?;
+
+            handle.link().set(link.header.index).up().execute().await?;
+        } else {
+            warn!("unable to find link named {}", network.link);
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     fn run(&mut self, config: &Config, launch: &LaunchInfo) -> Result<()> {
         let mut cmd = match config.cmd() {
             None => vec![],
diff --git a/hypha/src/ctl/mod.rs b/hypha/src/ctl/mod.rs
index c819b0a..7d26719 100644
--- a/hypha/src/ctl/mod.rs
+++ b/hypha/src/ctl/mod.rs
@@ -5,11 +5,13 @@ use crate::ctl::cfgblk::ConfigBlock;
 use crate::image::cache::ImageCache;
 use crate::image::name::ImageName;
 use crate::image::{ImageCompiler, ImageInfo};
-use crate::shared::LaunchInfo;
+use crate::shared::{LaunchInfo, LaunchNetwork};
 use advmac::MacAddr6;
 use anyhow::{anyhow, Result};
+use ipnetwork::Ipv4Network;
 use loopdev::LoopControl;
 use std::io::{Read, Write};
+use std::net::Ipv4Addr;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::process::exit;
 use std::str::FromStr;
@@ -36,6 +38,7 @@ pub struct ContainerInfo {
     pub domid: u32,
     pub image: String,
     pub loops: Vec<ContainerLoopInfo>,
+    pub ipv4: String,
 }
 
 impl Controller {
@@ -77,7 +80,16 @@ impl Controller {
         let uuid = Uuid::new_v4();
         let name = format!("hypha-{uuid}");
         let image_info = self.compile(image)?;
-        let launch_config = LaunchInfo { env, run };
+
+        let ipv4 = self.allocate_ipv4()?;
+        let launch_config = LaunchInfo {
+            network: Some(LaunchNetwork {
+                link: "eth0".to_string(),
+                ipv4: format!("{}/24", ipv4),
+            }),
+            env,
+            run,
+        };
 
         let cfgblk = ConfigBlock::new(&uuid, &image_info, config_bundle_path)?;
         cfgblk.build(&launch_config)?;
@@ -102,7 +114,10 @@ impl Controller {
         let cmdline_options = [if debug { "debug" } else { "quiet" }, "elevator=noop"];
         let cmdline = cmdline_options.join(" ");
 
-        let mac = MacAddr6::random().to_string().replace('-', ":");
+        let mac = MacAddr6::random()
+            .to_string()
+            .replace('-', ":")
+            .to_lowercase();
         let config = DomainConfig {
             backend_domid: 0,
             name: &name,
@@ -126,8 +141,8 @@ impl Controller {
             vifs: vec![DomainNetworkInterface {
                 mac: &mac,
                 mtu: 1500,
-                bridge: "xenbr0",
-                script: "/etc/xen/scripts/vif-bridge",
+                bridge: None,
+                script: None,
             }],
             filesystems: vec![],
             extra_keys: vec![
@@ -144,6 +159,7 @@ impl Controller {
                     ),
                 ),
                 ("hypha/image".to_string(), image.to_string()),
+                ("hypha/ipv4".to_string(), ipv4.to_string()),
             ],
         };
         match self.client.create(&config) {
@@ -267,12 +283,18 @@ impl Controller {
                 .store
                 .read_string_optional(&format!("{}/hypha/loops", &dom_path))?
                 .unwrap_or("".to_string());
+            let ipv4 = self
+                .client
+                .store
+                .read_string_optional(&format!("{}/hypha/ipv4", &dom_path))?
+                .unwrap_or("unknown".to_string());
             let loops = Controller::parse_loop_set(&loops);
             containers.push(ContainerInfo {
                 uuid,
                 domid,
                 image,
                 loops,
+                ipv4,
             });
         }
         Ok(containers)
@@ -308,4 +330,37 @@ impl Controller {
             })
             .collect::<Vec<ContainerLoopInfo>>()
     }
+
+    fn allocate_ipv4(&mut self) -> Result<Ipv4Addr> {
+        let network = Ipv4Network::new(Ipv4Addr::new(192, 168, 42, 0), 24)?;
+        let mut used: Vec<Ipv4Addr> = vec![
+            Ipv4Addr::new(192, 168, 42, 0),
+            Ipv4Addr::new(192, 168, 42, 1),
+            Ipv4Addr::new(192, 168, 42, 255),
+        ];
+        for domid_candidate in self.client.store.list_any("/local/domain")? {
+            let dom_path = format!("/local/domain/{}", domid_candidate);
+            let ip_path = format!("{}/hypha/ipv4", dom_path);
+            let existing_ip = self.client.store.read_string_optional(&ip_path)?;
+            if let Some(existing_ip) = existing_ip {
+                used.push(Ipv4Addr::from_str(&existing_ip)?);
+            }
+        }
+
+        let mut found: Option<Ipv4Addr> = None;
+        for ip in network.iter() {
+            if !used.contains(&ip) {
+                found = Some(ip);
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+
+        if found.is_none() {
+            return Err(anyhow!(
+                "unable to find ipv4 to allocate to container, ipv4 addresses are exhausted"
+            ));
+        }
+
+        Ok(found.unwrap())
+    }
 }
diff --git a/hypha/src/lib.rs b/hypha/src/lib.rs
index 5d1be80..a2878fb 100644
--- a/hypha/src/lib.rs
+++ b/hypha/src/lib.rs
@@ -2,4 +2,5 @@ pub mod autoloop;
 pub mod container;
 pub mod ctl;
 pub mod image;
+pub mod network;
 pub mod shared;
diff --git a/hypha/src/network/mod.rs b/hypha/src/network/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fae2020
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hypha/src/network/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+use std::os::fd::AsRawFd;
+use std::str::FromStr;
+
+use advmac::MacAddr6;
+use anyhow::{anyhow, Result};
+use smoltcp::iface::{Config, Interface, SocketSet};
+use smoltcp::phy::{self, RawSocket};
+use smoltcp::time::Instant;
+use smoltcp::wire::{EthernetAddress, HardwareAddress, IpCidr};
+
+pub struct HyphaNetwork {
+    pub device: RawSocket,
+    pub addresses: Vec<IpCidr>,
+}
+
+impl HyphaNetwork {
+    pub fn new(iface: &str, cidrs: &[&str]) -> Result<HyphaNetwork> {
+        let device = RawSocket::new(iface, smoltcp::phy::Medium::Ethernet)?;
+        let mut addresses: Vec<IpCidr> = Vec::new();
+        for cidr in cidrs {
+            let address =
+                IpCidr::from_str(cidr).map_err(|_| anyhow!("failed to parse cidr: {}", *cidr))?;
+            addresses.push(address);
+        }
+        Ok(HyphaNetwork { device, addresses })
+    }
+
+    pub fn run(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        let mac = MacAddr6::random();
+        let mac = HardwareAddress::Ethernet(EthernetAddress(mac.to_array()));
+        let config = Config::new(mac);
+        let mut iface = Interface::new(config, &mut self.device, Instant::now());
+        iface.update_ip_addrs(|addrs| {
+            addrs
+                .extend_from_slice(&self.addresses)
+                .expect("failed to set ip addresses");
+        });
+
+        let mut sockets = SocketSet::new(vec![]);
+        let fd = self.device.as_raw_fd();
+        loop {
+            let timestamp = Instant::now();
+            iface.poll(timestamp, &mut self.device, &mut sockets);
+            phy::wait(fd, iface.poll_delay(timestamp, &sockets))?;
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/hypha/src/shared/mod.rs b/hypha/src/shared/mod.rs
index 44ac6b5..1281840 100644
--- a/hypha/src/shared/mod.rs
+++ b/hypha/src/shared/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,14 @@
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
+pub struct LaunchNetwork {
+    pub link: String,
+    pub ipv4: String,
+}
+
 #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
 pub struct LaunchInfo {
+    pub network: Option<LaunchNetwork>,
     pub env: Option<Vec<String>>,
     pub run: Option<Vec<String>>,
 }
diff --git a/initrd/build.sh b/initrd/build.sh
index cb01d6e..7e8b553 100755
--- a/initrd/build.sh
+++ b/initrd/build.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -e
 
-TARGET="x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu"
+TARGET="x86_64-unknown-linux-musl"
 
 export RUSTFLAGS="-Ctarget-feature=+crt-static"
 cd "$(dirname "${0}")/.."
diff --git a/libs/xen/xenclient/src/lib.rs b/libs/xen/xenclient/src/lib.rs
index d15483a..a12343e 100644
--- a/libs/xen/xenclient/src/lib.rs
+++ b/libs/xen/xenclient/src/lib.rs
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ pub struct DomainFilesystem<'a> {
 pub struct DomainNetworkInterface<'a> {
     pub mac: &'a str,
     pub mtu: u32,
-    pub bridge: &'a str,
-    pub script: &'a str,
+    pub bridge: Option<&'a str>,
+    pub script: Option<&'a str>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
@@ -524,24 +524,38 @@ impl XenClient {
         vif: &DomainNetworkInterface,
     ) -> Result<()> {
         let id = 20 + index as u64;
-        let backend_items: Vec<(&str, String)> = vec![
+        let mut backend_items: Vec<(&str, String)> = vec![
             ("frontend-id", domid.to_string()),
             ("online", "1".to_string()),
             ("state", "1".to_string()),
             ("mac", vif.mac.to_string()),
             ("mtu", vif.mtu.to_string()),
             ("type", "vif".to_string()),
-            ("bridge", vif.bridge.to_string()),
             ("handle", id.to_string()),
-            ("script", vif.script.to_string()),
-            ("hotplug-status", "".to_string()),
         ];
 
+        if vif.bridge.is_some() {
+            backend_items.extend_from_slice(&[("bridge", vif.bridge.unwrap().to_string())]);
+        }
+
+        if vif.script.is_some() {
+            backend_items.extend_from_slice(&[
+                ("script", vif.script.unwrap().to_string()),
+                ("hotplug-status", "".to_string()),
+            ]);
+        } else {
+            backend_items.extend_from_slice(&[
+                ("script", "".to_string()),
+                ("hotplug-status", "connected".to_string()),
+            ]);
+        }
+
         let frontend_items: Vec<(&str, String)> = vec![
             ("backend-id", backend_domid.to_string()),
             ("state", "1".to_string()),
             ("mac", vif.mac.to_string()),
             ("trusted", "1".to_string()),
+            ("mtu", vif.mtu.to_string()),
         ];
 
         self.device_add(
diff --git a/scripts/fix.sh b/scripts/fix.sh
index 0e56133..e8a73d2 100755
--- a/scripts/fix.sh
+++ b/scripts/fix.sh
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@
 set -e
 
 cd "$(dirname "${0}")/.."
-cargo fmt --all
 cargo clippy --target x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu --fix --allow-dirty --allow-staged
+cargo fmt --all
diff --git a/scripts/hyphanet-debug.sh b/scripts/hyphanet-debug.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..2f5e56c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/hyphanet-debug.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+if [ -z "${RUST_LOG}" ]
+then
+  RUST_LOG="INFO"
+fi
+
+cd "$(dirname "${0}")/.."
+cargo build --target x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu --bin hyphanet
+exec sudo RUST_LOG="${RUST_LOG}" target/x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu/debug/hyphanet "${@}"