diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/DeviceId.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/DeviceId.java
index ef8c5ab..072ba28 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/DeviceId.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/DeviceId.java
@@ -1,15 +1,32 @@
 package org.onlab.onos.net;
 
 import java.net.URI;
+import java.util.Objects;
 
 /**
  * Immutable representation of a device identity.
  */
 public final class DeviceId extends ElementId {
 
+    /**
+     * Represents either no device, or an unspecified device.
+     */
+    public static final DeviceId NONE = deviceId("none:none");
+
+    private final URI uri;
+    private final String str;
+
     // Public construction is prohibited
     private DeviceId(URI uri) {
-        super(uri);
+        this.uri = uri;
+        this.str = uri.toString();
+    }
+
+
+    // Default constructor for serialization
+    protected DeviceId() {
+        this.uri = null;
+        this.str = null;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -30,4 +47,36 @@
         return deviceId(URI.create(string));
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the backing URI.
+     *
+     * @return backing URI
+     */
+    public URI uri() {
+        return uri;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int hashCode() {
+        return Objects.hash(str);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean equals(Object obj) {
+        if (this == obj) {
+            return true;
+        }
+        if (obj instanceof DeviceId) {
+            final DeviceId that = (DeviceId) obj;
+            return this.getClass() == that.getClass() &&
+                    Objects.equals(this.str, that.str);
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public String toString() {
+        return str;
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/ElementId.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/ElementId.java
index 3f9c88d..c179d00 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/ElementId.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/ElementId.java
@@ -1,62 +1,7 @@
 package org.onlab.onos.net;
 
-import java.net.URI;
-import java.util.Objects;
-
 /**
  * Immutable representation of a network element identity.
  */
 public abstract class ElementId {
-
-    private final URI uri;
-    private final String str;
-
-    // Default constructor for serialization
-    protected ElementId() {
-        this.uri = null;
-        this.str = null;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Creates an element identifier using the supplied URI.
-     *
-     * @param uri backing URI
-     */
-    protected ElementId(URI uri) {
-        this.uri = uri;
-        this.str = uri.toString();
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Returns the backing URI.
-     *
-     * @return backing URI
-     */
-    public URI uri() {
-        return uri;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public int hashCode() {
-        return Objects.hash(str);
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public boolean equals(Object obj) {
-        if (this == obj) {
-            return true;
-        }
-        if (obj instanceof ElementId) {
-            final ElementId that = (ElementId) obj;
-            return this.getClass() == that.getClass() &&
-                    Objects.equals(this.str, that.str);
-        }
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public String toString() {
-        return str;
-    }
-
 }
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostId.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostId.java
index f2c0303..ffe558f 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostId.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostId.java
@@ -3,44 +3,69 @@
 import org.onlab.packet.MacAddress;
 import org.onlab.packet.VlanId;
 
-import java.net.URI;
+import java.util.Objects;
+
+import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkArgument;
 
 /**
  * Immutable representation of a host identity.
  */
 public final class HostId extends ElementId {
 
-    private static final String NIC = "nic";
-
     /**
      * Represents either no host, or an unspecified host; used for creating
      * open ingress/egress edge links.
      */
-    public static final HostId NONE = hostId(NIC + ":none-0");
+    public static final HostId NONE = new HostId(MacAddress.ZERO, VlanId.NONE);
+
+    private static final int MAC_LENGTH = 17;
+    private static final int MIN_ID_LENGTH = 19;
+
+    private final MacAddress mac;
+    private final VlanId vlanId;
 
     // Public construction is prohibited
-    private HostId(URI uri) {
-        super(uri);
+    private HostId(MacAddress mac, VlanId vlanId) {
+        this.mac = mac;
+        this.vlanId = vlanId;
+    }
+
+    // Default constructor for serialization
+    private HostId() {
+        this.mac = null;
+        this.vlanId = null;
     }
 
     /**
-     * Creates a device id using the supplied URI.
+     * Returns the host MAC address.
      *
-     * @param uri device URI
-     * @return host identifier
+     * @return MAC address
      */
-    public static HostId hostId(URI uri) {
-        return new HostId(uri);
+    public MacAddress mac() {
+        return mac;
     }
 
     /**
-     * Creates a device id using the supplied URI string.
+     * Returns the host MAC address.
+     *
+     * @return MAC address
+     */
+    public VlanId vlanId() {
+        return vlanId;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a device id using the supplied ID string.
      *
      * @param string device URI string
      * @return host identifier
      */
     public static HostId hostId(String string) {
-        return hostId(URI.create(string));
+        checkArgument(string.length() >= MIN_ID_LENGTH,
+                      "Host ID must be at least %s characters", MIN_ID_LENGTH);
+        MacAddress mac = MacAddress.valueOf(string.substring(0, MAC_LENGTH));
+        VlanId vlanId = VlanId.vlanId(Short.parseShort(string.substring(MAC_LENGTH + 1)));
+        return new HostId(mac, vlanId);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -51,7 +76,7 @@
      * @return host identifier
      */
     public static HostId hostId(MacAddress mac, VlanId vlanId) {
-        return hostId(NIC + ":" + mac + "-" + vlanId);
+        return new HostId(mac, vlanId);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -64,4 +89,26 @@
         return hostId(mac, VlanId.vlanId(VlanId.UNTAGGED));
     }
 
+    public String toString() {
+        return mac + "/" + vlanId;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int hashCode() {
+        return Objects.hash(mac, vlanId);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean equals(Object obj) {
+        if (this == obj) {
+            return true;
+        }
+        if (obj instanceof HostId) {
+            final HostId other = (HostId) obj;
+            return Objects.equals(this.mac, other.mac) &&
+                    Objects.equals(this.vlanId, other.vlanId);
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostLocation.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostLocation.java
index 60c5945..3fc3127 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostLocation.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostLocation.java
@@ -1,11 +1,18 @@
 package org.onlab.onos.net;
 
+import static org.onlab.onos.net.PortNumber.P0;
+
 /**
  * Representation of a network edge location where an end-station host is
  * connected.
  */
 public class HostLocation extends ConnectPoint {
 
+    /**
+     * Represents a no location or an unknown location.
+     */
+    public static final HostLocation NONE = new HostLocation(DeviceId.NONE, P0, 0L);
+
     // Note that time is explicitly excluded from the notion of equality.
     private final long time;