diff --git a/external/oxen-libquic b/external/oxen-libquic
index 6ee6ed398..3ced484e8 160000
--- a/external/oxen-libquic
+++ b/external/oxen-libquic
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 6ee6ed398d00043d862466a56279b5c502513bff
+Subproject commit 3ced484e8cc543b90c5fc554ccc0ea2e54ec8d37
diff --git a/llarp/config/config.cpp b/llarp/config/config.cpp
index 1dc41aa95..06e95594a 100644
--- a/llarp/config/config.cpp
+++ b/llarp/config/config.cpp
@@ -961,9 +961,8 @@ namespace llarp
 
         maybe = oxen::quic::Address{std::string{h}, p};
 
-        // TODO: unfuck llarp/net
-        // if (net_ptr->IsLoopbackAddress(addr->port()))
-        //   throw std::invalid_argument{fmt::format("{} is a loopback address", arg)};
+        if (maybe->is_loopback())
+          throw std::invalid_argument{fmt::format("{} is a loopback address", arg)};
       }
       if (not maybe)
       {
@@ -1103,34 +1102,40 @@ namespace llarp
         });
 
     conf.add_undeclared_handler(
-        "bind", [this, net_ptr](std::string_view, std::string_view key, std::string_view val) {
+        "bind", [this](std::string_view, std::string_view key, std::string_view val) {
           if (using_new_api)
             throw std::runtime_error{"USE THE NEW API -- SPECIFY LOCAL ADDRESS UNDER [LISTEN]"};
 
-          log::warning(
-              logcat, "Using the [bind] section is beyond deprecated; use [listen] instead");
+          log::warning(logcat, "Please update your config to use [bind]:listen instead");
+
+          uint16_t port{0};
+
+          if (auto rv = llarp::parse_int<uint16_t>(val, port); not rv)
+            throw std::runtime_error{"Could not parse port; stop using this deprecated handler"};
+
+          port = port == 0 ? DEFAULT_LISTEN_PORT : port;
 
           // special case: wildcard for outbound
           if (key == "*")
           {
-            uint16_t port{0};
-
-            if (auto rv = llarp::parse_int<uint16_t>(val, port); not rv)
-              log::warning(
-                  logcat, "Could not parse port; stop using this deprecated handler you nonce");
-
-            addr = oxen::quic::Address{"", port};  // TODO: drop the "" after bumping libquic
+            addr = oxen::quic::Address{port};
             return;
           }
 
           oxen::quic::Address temp;
-          // try as interface name first
-          auto saddr = net_ptr->GetInterfaceAddr(key, AF_INET);
-
-          if (saddr and net_ptr->IsLoopbackAddress(saddr->getIP()))
-            throw std::invalid_argument{fmt::format("{} is a loopback interface", key)};
 
-          temp = oxen::quic::Address{saddr->in()};
+          try
+          {
+            temp = oxen::quic::Address{std::string{key}, port};
+          }
+          catch (const std::exception& e)
+          {
+            throw std::runtime_error{fmt::format(
+                "Could not parse address {}; please update your config to use [bind]:listen "
+                "instead: {}",
+                key,
+                e.what())};
+          }
 
           if (temp.is_addressable())
           {
@@ -1138,10 +1143,10 @@ namespace llarp
             return;
           }
 
-          log::warning(
-              logcat,
-              "Could not parse address values; stop using this deprecated handler you nonce");
-          addr = oxen::quic::Address{""s, DEFAULT_LISTEN_PORT};
+          throw std::runtime_error{fmt::format(
+              "Invalid address: {}; stop using this deprecated handler, update your config to use "
+              "[bind]:listen instead PLEASE",
+              temp)};
         });
   }
 
diff --git a/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp b/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp
index caa004a4e..7380a2655 100644
--- a/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp
+++ b/llarp/link/link_manager.cpp
@@ -314,7 +314,9 @@ namespace llarp
 
     // TODO: confirm remote end is using the expected pubkey (RouterID).
     // TODO: ALPN for "client" vs "relay" (could just be set on endpoint creation)
-    if (auto rv = ep.establish_connection(remote_addr, rc); rv)
+    if (auto rv = ep.establish_connection(
+            oxen::quic::RemoteAddress{rc.router_id().ToView(), remote_addr}, rc);
+        rv)
     {
       log::info(quic_cat, "Connection to {} successfully established!", remote_addr);
       return;
diff --git a/llarp/link/link_manager.hpp b/llarp/link/link_manager.hpp
index d99e2face..b9a599727 100644
--- a/llarp/link/link_manager.hpp
+++ b/llarp/link/link_manager.hpp
@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ namespace llarp
 
       template <typename... Opt>
       bool
-      establish_connection(const oxen::quic::Address& remote, const RemoteRC& rc, Opt&&... opts);
+      establish_connection(
+          const oxen::quic::RemoteAddress& remote, const RemoteRC& rc, Opt&&... opts);
 
       void
       for_each_connection(std::function<void(link::Connection&)> func);
@@ -364,7 +365,7 @@ namespace llarp
     template <typename... Opt>
     bool
     Endpoint::establish_connection(
-        const oxen::quic::Address& remote, const RemoteRC& rc, Opt&&... opts)
+        const oxen::quic::RemoteAddress& remote, const RemoteRC& rc, Opt&&... opts)
     {
       try
       {
diff --git a/llarp/router_contact.cpp b/llarp/router_contact.cpp
index 68b8fcd90..ab13328ca 100644
--- a/llarp/router_contact.cpp
+++ b/llarp/router_contact.cpp
@@ -12,32 +12,6 @@
 
 namespace llarp
 {
-
-  // RouterContact::RouterContact(std::string buf)
-  // {
-  //   try
-  //   {
-  //     oxenc::bt_list_consumer btlc{buf};
-
-  //     // signature.from_string(btlc.consume_string());
-  //     signed_bt_dict = btlc.consume_string();
-
-  //     // TODO: parse bt dict
-  //   }
-  //   catch (...)
-  //   {
-  //     log::warning(llarp_cat, "Error: RouterContact failed to populate bt encoded contents!");
-  //   }
-  // }
-
-  // std::string
-  // RouterContact::bt_encode() const
-  // {
-  //   oxenc::bt_dict_producer btdp;
-  //   bt_encode(btdp);
-  //   return std::move(btdp).str();
-  // }
-
   void
   RouterContact::bt_load(oxenc::bt_dict_consumer& data)
   {
diff --git a/llarp/router_contact.hpp b/llarp/router_contact.hpp
index f863bbd67..49aa96cce 100644
--- a/llarp/router_contact.hpp
+++ b/llarp/router_contact.hpp
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ namespace llarp
     void
     clear() override
     {
-      _addr = {};
+      _addr = oxen::quic::Address{};
       _addr6.reset();
       _router_id.Zero();
       _timestamp = {};
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@ namespace llarp
     void
     clear() override
     {
-      _addr = {};
+      _addr = oxen::quic::Address{};
       _addr6.reset();
       _router_id.Zero();
       _timestamp = {};