diff --git a/daq/base_gateway.py b/daq/base_gateway.py
index c7b8ff7c2..62689599c 100644
--- a/daq/base_gateway.py
+++ b/daq/base_gateway.py
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ def _initialize(self):
         vol_maps = [os.path.abspath(os.path.join(DAQ_RUN_DIR, 'config')) + ':/config/inst']
         host = self.runner.add_host(host_name, port=host_port, cls=cls, tmpdir=self.tmpdir,
                                     vol_maps=vol_maps, env_vars=env_vars)
-        host.activate()
         self.host = host
+        host.activate()
         self.host_intf = self.runner.get_host_interface(host)
         LOGGER.info("Added networking host %s on port %d at %s as %s",
                     host_name, host_port, host.IP(), self.host_intf)
diff --git a/daq/host.py b/daq/host.py
index a9a8c078a..1785d42a2 100644
--- a/daq/host.py
+++ b/daq/host.py
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ def _shorten_filename(self, long_name):
     def _monitor_scan(self, output_file, timeout=None):
         assert not self._monitor_ref, 'tcp_monitor already active'
         network = self.runner.network
-        tcp_filter = ''
+        tcp_filter = 'ether broadcast or ether host %s' % self.device.mac
         self.logger.info('Target device %s pcap intf %s for %s seconds output in %s',
                          self, self._mirror_intf_name, timeout if timeout else 'infinite',
                          self._shorten_filename(output_file))
diff --git a/daq/network.py b/daq/network.py
index d8ce91079..4c0b2ed40 100644
--- a/daq/network.py
+++ b/daq/network.py
@@ -100,7 +100,12 @@ def add_host(self, name, cls=DAQHost, ip_addr=None, env_vars=None, vol_maps=None
         params['tmpdir'] = os.path.join(tmpdir, 'nodes') if tmpdir else None
         params['env_vars'] = env_vars if env_vars else []
         params['vol_maps'] = vol_maps if vol_maps else []
-        host = self.net.addHost(name, cls, **params)
+        try:
+            host = self._retry_func(partial(self.net.addHost, name, cls, **params))
+        except Exception as e:
+            # If addHost fails, ip allocation needs to be explicityly cleaned up.
+            self._reset_mininet_next_ip()
+            raise e
         try:
             switch_link = self._retry_func(
                 partial(self.net.addLink, self.pri, host, port1=port, fast=False))
@@ -145,14 +150,17 @@ def _switch_del_intf(self, switch, intf):
         del switch.ports[intf]
         del switch.nameToIntf[intf.name]
 
+    def _reset_mininet_next_ip(self):
+        # Resets Mininet's next ip so subnet ips don't run out.
+        # IP overrides are excluded from this set.
+        self.net.nextIP = max(self._used_ip_indices or [0]) + 1
+
     def remove_host(self, host):
         """Remove a host from the ecosystem"""
         index = self.net.hosts.index(host)
         if host.IP() and self._get_host_ip_index(host) in self._used_ip_indices:
-            # Resets Mininet's next ip so subnet ips don't run out.
-            # IP overrides are excluded from this set.
             self._used_ip_indices.remove(self._get_host_ip_index(host))
-            self.net.nextIP = max(self._used_ip_indices or [0]) + 1
+            self._reset_mininet_next_ip()
         if index:
             del self.net.hosts[index]
         if host in self.switch_links:
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 173982d03..0a495ad33 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ Depends: python3-mininet,
          python3-cairocffi,
          arp-scan,
          nmap,
+         jq,
          weasyprint,
          python3-pypandoc,
          python3-netifaces,