diff --git a/veilid-core/src/intf/native/network/listener_state.rs b/veilid-core/src/intf/native/network/listener_state.rs
index 70465407..773f8a4d 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/intf/native/network/listener_state.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/intf/native/network/listener_state.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ pub trait TcpProtocolHandler: TcpProtocolHandlerClone + Send + Sync {
         &self,
         stream: AsyncPeekStream,
         peer_addr: SocketAddr,
-    ) -> SendPinBoxFuture<Result<bool, ()>>;
+    ) -> SendPinBoxFuture<Result<bool, String>>;
 }
 
 pub trait TcpProtocolHandlerClone {
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/intf/native/network/protocol/tcp.rs b/veilid-core/src/intf/native/network/protocol/tcp.rs
index 776e43ed..0dd46171 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/intf/native/network/protocol/tcp.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/intf/native/network/protocol/tcp.rs
@@ -125,9 +125,12 @@ impl RawTcpProtocolHandler {
         self,
         stream: AsyncPeekStream,
         socket_addr: SocketAddr,
-    ) -> Result<bool, ()> {
+    ) -> Result<bool, String> {
         let mut peekbuf: [u8; PEEK_DETECT_LEN] = [0u8; PEEK_DETECT_LEN];
-        let peeklen = stream.peek(&mut peekbuf).await.map_err(drop)?;
+        let peeklen = stream
+            .peek(&mut peekbuf)
+            .await
+            .map_err(|e| format!("could not peek tcp stream: {}", e))?;
         assert_eq!(peeklen, PEEK_DETECT_LEN);
 
         let conn = NetworkConnection::RawTcp(RawTcpNetworkConnection::new(stream));
@@ -150,12 +153,13 @@ impl RawTcpProtocolHandler {
         network_manager: NetworkManager,
         preferred_local_address: Option<SocketAddr>,
         remote_socket_addr: SocketAddr,
-    ) -> Result<NetworkConnection, ()> {
+    ) -> Result<NetworkConnection, String> {
         // Make a low level socket that can connect to the remote socket address
         // and attempt to reuse the local address that our listening socket uses
         // for hole-punch compatibility
         let domain = Domain::for_address(remote_socket_addr);
-        let socket = Socket::new(domain, Type::STREAM, Some(Protocol::TCP)).map_err(drop)?;
+        let socket = Socket::new(domain, Type::STREAM, Some(Protocol::TCP))
+            .map_err(|e| format!("could not create tcp socket: {}", e))?;
         if let Err(e) = socket.set_linger(None) {
             warn!("Couldn't set TCP linger: {}", e);
         }
@@ -183,12 +187,16 @@ impl RawTcpProtocolHandler {
 
         // Connect to the remote address
         let remote_socket2_addr = socket2::SockAddr::from(remote_socket_addr);
-        socket.connect(&remote_socket2_addr).map_err(drop)?;
+        socket
+            .connect(&remote_socket2_addr)
+            .map_err(|e| format!("couln't connect tcp: {}", e))?;
         let std_stream: std::net::TcpStream = socket.into();
         let ts = TcpStream::from(std_stream);
 
         // See what local address we ended up with and turn this into a stream
-        let local_address = ts.local_addr().map_err(drop)?;
+        let local_address = ts
+            .local_addr()
+            .map_err(|e| format!("couldn't get local address for tcp socket: {}", e))?;
         let ps = AsyncPeekStream::new(ts);
         let peer_addr = PeerAddress::new(
             Address::from_socket_addr(remote_socket_addr),
@@ -227,7 +235,7 @@ impl TcpProtocolHandler for RawTcpProtocolHandler {
         &self,
         stream: AsyncPeekStream,
         peer_addr: SocketAddr,
-    ) -> SendPinBoxFuture<Result<bool, ()>> {
+    ) -> SendPinBoxFuture<Result<bool, String>> {
         Box::pin(self.clone().on_accept_async(stream, peer_addr))
     }
 }
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/intf/native/network/protocol/ws.rs b/veilid-core/src/intf/native/network/protocol/ws.rs
index f4815afc..40177a36 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/intf/native/network/protocol/ws.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/intf/native/network/protocol/ws.rs
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ impl WebsocketProtocolHandler {
         self,
         ps: AsyncPeekStream,
         socket_addr: SocketAddr,
-    ) -> Result<bool, ()> {
+    ) -> Result<bool, String> {
         let request_path_len = self.inner.request_path.len() + 2;
         let mut peekbuf: Vec<u8> = vec![0u8; request_path_len];
         match io::timeout(
@@ -179,8 +179,7 @@ impl WebsocketProtocolHandler {
         {
             Ok(_) => (),
             Err(e) => {
-                trace!("failed to peek stream: {:?}", e);
-                return Err(());
+                return Err(format!("failed to peek stream: {:?}", e));
             }
         }
         // Check for websocket path
@@ -198,8 +197,7 @@ impl WebsocketProtocolHandler {
         let ws_stream = match accept_async(ps).await {
             Ok(s) => s,
             Err(e) => {
-                trace!("failed websockets handshake: {:?}", e);
-                return Err(());
+                return Err(format!("failed websockets handshake: {:?}", e));
             }
         };
 
@@ -234,7 +232,7 @@ impl WebsocketProtocolHandler {
     pub async fn connect(
         network_manager: NetworkManager,
         dial_info: &DialInfo,
-    ) -> Result<NetworkConnection, ()> {
+    ) -> Result<NetworkConnection, String> {
         let (tls, request, domain, port, protocol_type) = match &dial_info {
             DialInfo::WS(di) => (
                 false,
@@ -255,9 +253,13 @@ impl WebsocketProtocolHandler {
 
         let tcp_stream = TcpStream::connect(format!("{}:{}", &domain, &port))
             .await
-            .map_err(drop)?;
-        let local_addr = tcp_stream.local_addr().map_err(drop)?;
-        let peer_socket_addr = tcp_stream.peer_addr().map_err(drop)?;
+            .map_err(|e| format!("failed to connect tcp stream: {}", e))?;
+        let local_addr = tcp_stream
+            .local_addr()
+            .map_err(|e| format!("can't get local address for tcp stream: {}", e))?;
+        let peer_socket_addr = tcp_stream
+            .peer_addr()
+            .map_err(|e| format!("can't get peer address for tcp stream: {}", e))?;
         let peer_addr = PeerAddress::new(
             Address::from_socket_addr(peer_socket_addr),
             peer_socket_addr.port(),
@@ -266,8 +268,13 @@ impl WebsocketProtocolHandler {
 
         if tls {
             let connector = TlsConnector::default();
-            let tls_stream = connector.connect(domain, tcp_stream).await.map_err(drop)?;
-            let (ws_stream, _response) = client_async(request, tls_stream).await.map_err(drop)?;
+            let tls_stream = connector
+                .connect(domain, tcp_stream)
+                .await
+                .map_err(|e| format!("can't connect tls: {}", e))?;
+            let (ws_stream, _response) = client_async(request, tls_stream)
+                .await
+                .map_err(|e| format!("wss negotation failed: {}", e))?;
             let conn = NetworkConnection::Wss(WebsocketNetworkConnection::new(tls, ws_stream));
             network_manager
                 .on_new_connection(
@@ -277,7 +284,9 @@ impl WebsocketProtocolHandler {
                 .await?;
             Ok(conn)
         } else {
-            let (ws_stream, _response) = client_async(request, tcp_stream).await.map_err(drop)?;
+            let (ws_stream, _response) = client_async(request, tcp_stream)
+                .await
+                .map_err(|e| format!("ws negotiate failed: {}", e))?;
             let conn = NetworkConnection::Ws(WebsocketNetworkConnection::new(tls, ws_stream));
             network_manager
                 .on_new_connection(
@@ -295,7 +304,7 @@ impl TcpProtocolHandler for WebsocketProtocolHandler {
         &self,
         stream: AsyncPeekStream,
         peer_addr: SocketAddr,
-    ) -> SystemPinBoxFuture<Result<bool, ()>> {
+    ) -> SystemPinBoxFuture<Result<bool, String>> {
         Box::pin(self.clone().on_accept_async(stream, peer_addr))
     }
 }
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/network/mod.rs b/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/network/mod.rs
index ed9a7138..8afdba06 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/network/mod.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/network/mod.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ pub struct Network {
 impl Network {
     fn new_inner(network_manager: NetworkManager) -> NetworkInner {
         NetworkInner {
-            network_manager: network_manager,
+            network_manager,
             stop_network: Eventual::new(),
             network_needs_restart: false,
             //join_handle: None,
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/network/protocol/ws.rs b/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/network/protocol/ws.rs
index 9e059896..9ac05cdf 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/network/protocol/ws.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/network/protocol/ws.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ use web_sys::WebSocket;
 use ws_stream_wasm::*;
 
 struct WebsocketNetworkConnectionInner {
-    _ws_meta: WsMeta,
     ws_stream: WsStream,
     ws: WebSocket,
 }
@@ -36,11 +35,10 @@ impl WebsocketNetworkConnection {
     pub fn new(tls: bool, ws_meta: WsMeta, ws_stream: WsStream) -> Self {
         let ws = ws_stream.wrapped().clone();
         Self {
-            tls: tls,
+            tls,
             inner: Arc::new(Mutex::new(WebsocketNetworkConnectionInner {
-                _ws_meta: ws_meta,
-                ws_stream: ws_stream,
-                ws: ws,
+                ws_stream,
+                ws,
             })),
         }
     }
@@ -91,19 +89,19 @@ impl WebsocketProtocolHandler {
     pub async fn connect(
         network_manager: NetworkManager,
         dial_info: &DialInfo,
-    ) -> Result<NetworkConnection, ()> {
+    ) -> Result<NetworkConnection, String> {
         let url = dial_info.to_url_string(None);
         let (tls, host, port, protocol_type) = match dial_info {
             DialInfo::WS(ws) => (false, ws.fqdn.clone(), ws.port, ProtocolType::WS),
             DialInfo::WSS(wss) => (true, wss.fqdn.clone(), wss.port, ProtocolType::WSS),
-            _ => return Err(()),
+            _ => return Err("wrong protocol for WebsocketProtocolHandler".to_owned()),
         };
 
         let peer_addr = PeerAddress::new(Address::from_str(&host)?, port, protocol_type);
 
         let (ws, wsio) = match WsMeta::connect(url, None).await {
             Ok(conn) => conn,
-            Err(_) => return Err(()),
+            Err(e) => return Err(format!("couldn't connect to WS url: {}", e)),
         };
 
         let conn = NetworkConnection::WS(WebsocketNetworkConnection::new(tls, ws, wsio));
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/table_store.rs b/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/table_store.rs
index d08ad23b..0a43af6c 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/table_store.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/table_store.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ pub struct TableStore {
 impl TableStore {
     fn new_inner(config: VeilidConfig) -> TableStoreInner {
         TableStoreInner {
-            config: config,
+            config,
             opened: BTreeMap::new(),
         }
     }
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/utils/channel.rs b/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/utils/channel.rs
index 80519188..b6fc605e 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/utils/channel.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/intf/wasm/utils/channel.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ impl<T> Clone for Receiver<T> {
 pub fn channel<T>(cap: usize) -> (Sender<T>, Receiver<T>) {
     let imp = Channel {
         items: VecDeque::with_capacity(cap),
-        cap: cap,
+        cap,
         eventual: Eventual::new(),
     };
 
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/network_manager.rs b/veilid-core/src/network_manager.rs
index ad4ece18..76d37b4a 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/network_manager.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/network_manager.rs
@@ -263,17 +263,20 @@ impl NetworkManager {
         &self,
         descriptor: ConnectionDescriptor,
         conn: NetworkConnection,
-    ) -> Result<(), ()> {
+    ) -> Result<(), String> {
         let tx = self
             .inner
             .lock()
             .connection_add_channel_tx
             .as_ref()
-            .ok_or(())?
+            .ok_or("connection channel isn't open yet".to_owned())?
             .clone();
         let this = self.clone();
         let receiver_loop_future = Self::process_connection(this, descriptor, conn);
-        Ok(tx.try_send(receiver_loop_future).await.map_err(drop)?)
+        Ok(tx
+            .try_send(receiver_loop_future)
+            .await
+            .map_err(|_| "connection loop stopped".to_owned())?)
     }
 
     // Connection receiver loop
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/veilid_api.rs b/veilid-core/src/veilid_api.rs
index f5877293..344cb6e3 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/veilid_api.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/veilid_api.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ impl ValueKey {
     pub fn new_subkey(key: DHTKey, subkey: String) -> Self {
         Self {
             key,
-            subkey: if subkey.len() == 0 {
+            subkey: if subkey.is_empty() {
                 None
             } else {
                 Some(subkey)
@@ -131,37 +131,39 @@ impl Address {
             Address::Hostname(h) => format!("{}:{}", h.clone(), port),
         }
     }
-    pub fn resolve(&self) -> Result<IpAddr, ()> {
+    pub fn resolve(&self) -> Result<IpAddr, String> {
         match self {
-            Self::IPV4(a) => Ok(IpAddr::V4(a.clone())),
-            Self::IPV6(a) => Ok(IpAddr::V6(a.clone())),
-            Self::Hostname(h) => h.parse().map_err(drop),
+            Self::IPV4(a) => Ok(IpAddr::V4(*a)),
+            Self::IPV6(a) => Ok(IpAddr::V6(*a)),
+            Self::Hostname(h) => h
+                .parse()
+                .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to parse hostname: {}", e)),
         }
     }
-    pub fn address(&self) -> Result<IpAddr, ()> {
+    pub fn address(&self) -> Result<IpAddr, String> {
         match self {
-            Self::IPV4(a) => Ok(IpAddr::V4(a.clone())),
-            Self::IPV6(a) => Ok(IpAddr::V6(a.clone())),
-            Self::Hostname(_) => Err(()),
+            Self::IPV4(a) => Ok(IpAddr::V4(*a)),
+            Self::IPV6(a) => Ok(IpAddr::V6(*a)),
+            Self::Hostname(h) => Err(format!("Address not available for hostname: {}", h)),
         }
     }
-    pub fn to_socket_addr(&self, port: u16) -> Result<SocketAddr, ()> {
+    pub fn to_socket_addr(&self, port: u16) -> Result<SocketAddr, String> {
         let addr = self.address()?;
         Ok(SocketAddr::new(addr, port))
     }
 }
 
 impl core::str::FromStr for Address {
-    type Err = ();
-    fn from_str(host: &str) -> Result<Address, ()> {
-        if let Some(addr) = Ipv4Addr::from_str(host).ok() {
+    type Err = String;
+    fn from_str(host: &str) -> Result<Address, String> {
+        if let Ok(addr) = Ipv4Addr::from_str(host) {
             Ok(Address::IPV4(addr))
-        } else if let Some(addr) = Ipv6Addr::from_str(host).ok() {
+        } else if let Ok(addr) = Ipv6Addr::from_str(host) {
             Ok(Address::IPV6(addr))
         } else if !host.is_empty() {
             Ok(Address::Hostname(host.to_string()))
         } else {
-            Err(())
+            Err("unable to convert address to string".to_owned())
         }
     }
 }
@@ -260,11 +262,8 @@ impl DialInfo {
     pub fn try_udp_v4(&self) -> Option<SocketAddrV4> {
         match self {
             Self::UDP(v) => match v.address.to_socket_addr(v.port).ok() {
-                Some(x) => match x {
-                    SocketAddr::V4(v4) => Some(v4),
-                    _ => None,
-                },
-                None => None,
+                Some(SocketAddr::V4(v4)) => Some(v4),
+                _ => None,
             },
             _ => None,
         }
@@ -273,11 +272,8 @@ impl DialInfo {
     pub fn try_udp_v6(&self) -> Option<SocketAddrV6> {
         match self {
             Self::UDP(v) => match v.address.to_socket_addr(v.port).ok() {
-                Some(x) => match x {
-                    SocketAddr::V6(v6) => Some(v6),
-                    _ => None,
-                },
-                None => None,
+                Some(SocketAddr::V6(v6)) => Some(v6),
+                _ => None,
             },
             _ => None,
         }
@@ -286,11 +282,8 @@ impl DialInfo {
     pub fn try_tcp_v4(&self) -> Option<SocketAddrV4> {
         match self {
             Self::TCP(v) => match v.address.to_socket_addr(v.port).ok() {
-                Some(x) => match x {
-                    SocketAddr::V4(v4) => Some(v4),
-                    _ => None,
-                },
-                None => None,
+                Some(SocketAddr::V4(v4)) => Some(v4),
+                _ => None,
             },
             _ => None,
         }
@@ -299,11 +292,8 @@ impl DialInfo {
     pub fn try_tcp_v6(&self) -> Option<SocketAddrV6> {
         match self {
             Self::TCP(v) => match v.address.to_socket_addr(v.port).ok() {
-                Some(x) => match x {
-                    SocketAddr::V6(v6) => Some(v6),
-                    _ => None,
-                },
-                None => None,
+                Some(SocketAddr::V6(v6)) => Some(v6),
+                _ => None,
             },
             _ => None,
         }
@@ -381,32 +371,38 @@ impl DialInfo {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn resolve(&self) -> Result<IpAddr, ()> {
+    pub fn resolve(&self) -> Result<IpAddr, String> {
         match self {
             Self::UDP(di) => {
                 let addr = di.address.resolve()?;
-                return Ok(addr);
+                Ok(addr)
             }
             Self::TCP(di) => {
                 let addr = di.address.resolve()?;
-                return Ok(addr);
+                Ok(addr)
             }
             Self::WS(di) => {
-                let addr: IpAddr = di.fqdn.parse().map_err(drop)?;
-                return Ok(addr);
+                let addr: IpAddr = di
+                    .fqdn
+                    .parse()
+                    .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to parse WS fqdn: {}", e))?;
+                Ok(addr)
             }
             Self::WSS(di) => {
-                let addr: IpAddr = di.fqdn.parse().map_err(drop)?;
-                return Ok(addr);
+                let addr: IpAddr = di
+                    .fqdn
+                    .parse()
+                    .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to parse WS fqdn: {}", e))?;
+                Ok(addr)
             }
         }
     }
-    pub fn address(&self) -> Result<IpAddr, ()> {
+    pub fn address(&self) -> Result<IpAddr, String> {
         match self {
             Self::UDP(di) => di.address.address(),
             Self::TCP(di) => di.address.address(),
-            Self::WS(_) => Err(()),
-            Self::WSS(_) => Err(()),
+            Self::WS(_) => Err("Address not available for WS protocol".to_owned()),
+            Self::WSS(_) => Err("Address not available for WSS protocol".to_owned()),
         }
     }
     pub fn port(&self) -> u16 {
@@ -417,20 +413,20 @@ impl DialInfo {
             Self::WSS(di) => di.port,
         }
     }
-    pub fn path(&self) -> Result<String, ()> {
+    pub fn path(&self) -> Result<String, String> {
         match self {
-            Self::UDP(_) => Err(()),
-            Self::TCP(_) => Err(()),
+            Self::UDP(_) => Err("path not available for udp protocol".to_owned()),
+            Self::TCP(_) => Err("path not available for tcp protocol".to_owned()),
             Self::WS(di) => Ok(di.path.clone()),
             Self::WSS(di) => Ok(di.path.clone()),
         }
     }
-    pub fn to_socket_addr(&self) -> Result<SocketAddr, ()> {
+    pub fn to_socket_addr(&self) -> Result<SocketAddr, String> {
         match self {
             Self::UDP(di) => Ok(SocketAddr::new(di.address.address()?, di.port)),
             Self::TCP(di) => Ok(SocketAddr::new(di.address.address()?, di.port)),
-            Self::WS(_) => Err(()),
-            Self::WSS(_) => Err(()),
+            Self::WS(_) => Err("Can not directly convert WS hostname to socket addr".to_owned()),
+            Self::WSS(_) => Err("Can not directly convert WSS hostname to socket addr".to_owned()),
         }
     }
 
@@ -507,7 +503,7 @@ impl PeerAddress {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn to_socket_addr(&self) -> Result<SocketAddr, ()> {
+    pub fn to_socket_addr(&self) -> Result<SocketAddr, String> {
         self.address.to_socket_addr(self.port)
     }
     pub fn protocol_address_type(&self) -> ProtocolAddressType {
@@ -564,8 +560,8 @@ pub struct NodeDialInfoSingle {
 }
 
 impl core::str::FromStr for NodeDialInfoSingle {
-    type Err = ();
-    fn from_str(url: &str) -> Result<NodeDialInfoSingle, ()> {
+    type Err = String;
+    fn from_str(url: &str) -> Result<NodeDialInfoSingle, String> {
         let mut cur_url = url;
         let proto;
         if url.starts_with("udp://") {
@@ -581,18 +577,18 @@ impl core::str::FromStr for NodeDialInfoSingle {
             cur_url = &cur_url[6..];
             proto = ProtocolType::WSS;
         } else {
-            return Err(());
+            return Err("unknown protocol".to_owned());
         }
 
         // parse out node id if we have one
         let node_id = match cur_url.find('@') {
             Some(x) => {
-                let n = NodeId::new(DHTKey::try_decode(&cur_url[0..x]).map_err(drop)?);
+                let n = NodeId::new(DHTKey::try_decode(&cur_url[0..x])?);
                 cur_url = &cur_url[x + 1..];
                 n
             }
             None => {
-                return Err(());
+                return Err("NodeDialInfoSingle is missing the node id".to_owned());
             }
         };
 
@@ -614,13 +610,14 @@ impl core::str::FromStr for NodeDialInfoSingle {
                 }
             }
             None => {
-                return Err(());
+                return Err("NodeDialInfoSingle is missing the port".to_owned());
             }
         };
 
         // parse out port
         let pathstart = cur_url.find('/').unwrap_or(cur_url.len());
-        let port = u16::from_str(&cur_url[0..pathstart]).map_err(drop)?;
+        let port =
+            u16::from_str(&cur_url[0..pathstart]).map_err(|e| format!("port is invalid: {}", e))?;
         cur_url = &cur_url[pathstart..];
 
         // build NodeDialInfoSingle