diff --git a/include/ircd/m/id.h b/include/ircd/m/id.h
index 5e6ade1da..104b8a3c2 100644
--- a/include/ircd/m/id.h
+++ b/include/ircd/m/id.h
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ struct ircd::m::id
 	struct room;
 	struct room_alias;
 	struct group;
-	struct node;
 	struct device;
 
 	enum sigil :char;
@@ -119,7 +118,6 @@ enum ircd::m::id::sigil
 	ROOM_ALIAS  = '#',     ///< Room alias (4.2.3)
 	GROUP       = '+',     ///< Group ID (experimental)
 	DEVICE      = '%',     ///< Device ID (experimental)
-	NODE        = ':',     ///< Node ID (experimental)
 };
 
 /// (Appendix 4.2.1) User Identifiers
@@ -246,30 +244,6 @@ struct ircd::m::id::device
 	device() = default;
 };
 
-/// Node ID (EXPERIMENTAL)
-///
-struct ircd::m::id::node
-:ircd::m::id
-{
-	using buf = m::id::buf<node>;
-
-	IRCD_OVERLOAD(domain)
-	node(const mutable_buffer &mb, domain_t, const string_view &domain_, const string_view &origin_)
-	:m::id{NODE, mb, domain_, origin_}
-	{}
-
-	IRCD_OVERLOAD(origin)
-	node(const mutable_buffer &mb, origin_t, const string_view &origin_)
-	:m::id{NODE, mb, string_view{}, origin_}
-	{}
-
-	node(const string_view &id)
-	:m::id{NODE, id}
-	{}
-
-	node() = default;
-};
-
 /// ID object backed by an internal buffer of default worst-case size.
 ///
 template<class T>
diff --git a/include/ircd/m/node.h b/include/ircd/m/node.h
index 7ba9b4be6..97a4c19db 100644
--- a/include/ircd/m/node.h
+++ b/include/ircd/m/node.h
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ namespace ircd::m
 	extern room nodes;
 
 	bool my(const node &);
-	bool exists(const id::node &);
-	node create(const id::node &, const json::members &args = {});
+	bool exists(const node &);
+	node create(const node &, const json::members &args = {});
 }
 
 /// A node is an entity (lay: a server) participating in the matrix system. The
@@ -37,13 +37,10 @@ namespace ircd::m
 struct ircd::m::node
 {
 	struct room;
-	using id = m::id::node;
 	using key_closure = std::function<void (const string_view &)>;  // remember to unquote()!!!
 	using ed25519_closure = std::function<void (const ed25519::pk &)>;
 
-	id node_id;
-
-	operator const id &() const;
+	string_view node_id;
 
 	id::room room_id(const mutable_buffer &) const;
 	id::room::buf room_id() const;
@@ -51,9 +48,11 @@ struct ircd::m::node
 	void key(const string_view &key_id, const ed25519_closure &) const;
 	void key(const string_view &key_id, const key_closure &) const;
 
-	node(const id &node_id)
+	node(const string_view &node_id)
 	:node_id{node_id}
-	{}
+	{
+		rfc3986::valid_remote(node_id);
+	}
 
 	node() = default;
 };
@@ -68,15 +67,8 @@ struct ircd::m::node::room
 	id::room::buf room_id;
 
 	room(const m::node &node);
-	room(const m::node::id &node_id);
+	room(const string_view &node_id);
 	room() = default;
 	room(const room &) = delete;
 	room &operator=(const room &) = delete;
 };
-
-inline ircd::m::node::operator
-const ircd::m::node::id &()
-const
-{
-	return node_id;
-}
diff --git a/include/ircd/m/v1/groups.h b/include/ircd/m/v1/groups.h
index db46d2f3d..fc6cb03d5 100644
--- a/include/ircd/m/v1/groups.h
+++ b/include/ircd/m/v1/groups.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ struct ircd::m::v1::groups::publicised
 		return json::object{in.content};
 	}
 
-	publicised(const id::node &, const vector_view<const id::user> &, const mutable_buffer &, opts);
+	publicised(const string_view &, const vector_view<const id::user> &, const mutable_buffer &, opts);
 	publicised() = default;
 };
 
diff --git a/ircd/m.cc b/ircd/m.cc
index e102c5cf2..a66ba0eb0 100644
--- a/ircd/m.cc
+++ b/ircd/m.cc
@@ -335,10 +335,10 @@ ircd::m::my_room
 // my node
 //
 
-ircd::m::node::id::buf
+std::array<char, ircd::rfc3986::DOMAIN_BUFSIZE>
 ircd_node_id
 {
-	ircd::m::node::id::origin, "localhost" // replaced after conf init
+	"localhost"  // replaced after conf init
 };
 
 ircd::m::node
@@ -402,15 +402,17 @@ ircd::m::self::init::init(const string_view &origin,
 	self::origin = origin;
 	self::servername = servername;
 
+	m::my_node = string_view{strlcpy
+	{
+		ircd_node_id, origin
+	}};
+
 	ircd_user_id = {"ircd", origin};
 	m::me = {ircd_user_id};
 
 	ircd_room_id = {"ircd", origin};
 	m::my_room = {ircd_room_id};
 
-	ircd_node_id = {node::id::origin, origin};
-	m::my_node = {ircd_node_id};
-
 	users_room_id = {"users", origin};
 	m::user::users = {users_room_id};
 
@@ -2270,37 +2272,36 @@ ircd::m::nodes
 };
 
 ircd::m::node
-ircd::m::create(const id::node &node_id,
+ircd::m::create(const node &node,
                 const json::members &args)
 {
-	using prototype = node (const id::node &, const json::members &);
+	using prototype = m::node (const m::node &, const json::members &);
 
 	static mods::import<prototype> function
 	{
 		"s_node", "create_node"
 	};
 
-	assert(node_id);
-	return function(node_id, args);
+	return function(node, args);
 }
 
 bool
-ircd::m::exists(const node::id &node_id)
+ircd::m::exists(const node &node)
 {
-	using prototype = bool (const node::id &);
+	using prototype = bool (const string_view &);
 
 	static mods::import<prototype> function
 	{
 		"s_node", "exists__nodeid"
 	};
 
-	return function(node_id);
+	return function(node.node_id);
 }
 
 bool
 ircd::m::my(const node &node)
 {
-	return my(node.node_id);
+	return my_host(node.node_id);
 }
 
 //
@@ -2332,12 +2333,7 @@ ircd::m::node::key(const string_view &key_id,
                    const key_closure &closure)
 const
 {
-	const auto &server_name
-	{
-		node_id.hostname()
-	};
-
-	m::keys::get(server_name, key_id, [&closure, &key_id]
+	m::keys::get(node_id, key_id, [&closure, &key_id]
 	(const json::object &keys)
 	{
 		const json::object &vks
@@ -2376,16 +2372,32 @@ ircd::m::id::room
 ircd::m::node::room_id(const mutable_buffer &buf)
 const
 {
-	assert(!empty(node_id));
+	assert(!empty(this->node_id));
+
+	// for compatibility with hashing legacy node_id's
+	thread_local char node_id_buf[m::id::MAX_SIZE];
+	mutable_buffer mb{node_id_buf};
+	consume(mb, copy(mb, "::"_sv));
+	consume(mb, copy(mb, this->node_id));
+	const string_view &node_id
+	{
+		node_id_buf, data(mb)
+	};
+
 	const sha256::buf hash
 	{
 		sha256{node_id}
 	};
 
-	char b58[size(hash) * 2];
-	return
+	thread_local char b58_buf[b58encode_size(size(hash))];
+	const string_view b58
 	{
-		buf, b58encode(b58, hash), my_host()
+		b58encode(b58_buf, hash)
+	};
+
+	return id::room
+	{
+		buf, b58, my_host()
 	};
 }
 
@@ -2393,7 +2405,7 @@ const
 // node::room
 //
 
-ircd::m::node::room::room(const m::node::id &node_id)
+ircd::m::node::room::room(const string_view &node_id)
 :room{m::node{node_id}}
 {}
 
@@ -4690,14 +4702,14 @@ const
 		}
 	};
 
-	const m::node::id::buf node_id
+	const json::string &origin
 	{
-		m::node::id::origin, unquote(at<"origin"_>(*this))
+		at<"origin"_>(*this)
 	};
 
 	const m::node node
 	{
-		node_id
+		origin
 	};
 
 	bool verified{false};
diff --git a/ircd/m_event.cc b/ircd/m_event.cc
index cf3d299ff..0c0e76c7b 100644
--- a/ircd/m_event.cc
+++ b/ircd/m_event.cc
@@ -3389,14 +3389,9 @@ ircd::m::verify(const event &event,
                 const string_view &keyid)
 try
 {
-	const m::node::id::buf node_id
-	{
-		m::node::id::origin, origin
-	};
-
 	const m::node node
 	{
-		node_id
+		origin
 	};
 
 	bool ret{false};
diff --git a/ircd/m_id.cc b/ircd/m_id.cc
index 33ba4f733..829ce2f9a 100644
--- a/ircd/m_id.cc
+++ b/ircd/m_id.cc
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ struct ircd::m::id::input
 	const rule<id::sigil> room_id_sigil          { lit(char(id::ROOM))            ,"room_id sigil" };
 	const rule<id::sigil> room_alias_sigil       { lit(char(id::ROOM_ALIAS))   ,"room_alias sigil" };
 	const rule<id::sigil> group_id_sigil         { lit(char(id::GROUP))          ,"group_id sigil" };
-	const rule<id::sigil> node_sigil             { lit(char(id::NODE))               ,"node sigil" };
 	const rule<id::sigil> device_sigil           { lit(char(id::DEVICE))           ,"device sigil" };
 	const rule<id::sigil> sigil
 	{
@@ -37,7 +36,6 @@ struct ircd::m::id::input
 		room_id_sigil     |
 		room_alias_sigil  |
 		group_id_sigil    |
-		node_sigil        |
 		device_sigil
 		,"sigil"
 	};
@@ -756,7 +754,6 @@ ircd::m::reflect(const id::sigil &c)
 		case id::ROOM:         return "ROOM"_sv;
 		case id::ROOM_ALIAS:   return "ROOM_ALIAS"_sv;
 		case id::GROUP:        return "GROUP"_sv;
-		case id::NODE:         return "NODE"_sv;
 		case id::DEVICE:       return "DEVICE"_sv;
 	}
 
diff --git a/ircd/m_v1.cc b/ircd/m_v1.cc
index 129eaffaf..9e6dafceb 100644
--- a/ircd/m_v1.cc
+++ b/ircd/m_v1.cc
@@ -13,20 +13,20 @@
 // v1/groups.h
 //
 
-ircd::m::v1::groups::publicised::publicised(const id::node &node,
+ircd::m::v1::groups::publicised::publicised(const string_view &node,
                                             const vector_view<const id::user> &user_ids,
                                             const mutable_buffer &buf_,
                                             opts opts)
 :server::request{[&]
 {
 	if(!opts.remote)
-		opts.remote = node.host();
+		opts.remote = node;
 
 	if(!defined(json::get<"origin"_>(opts.request)))
 		json::get<"origin"_>(opts.request) = my_host();
 
 	if(!defined(json::get<"destination"_>(opts.request)))
-		json::get<"destination"_>(opts.request) = node.host();
+		json::get<"destination"_>(opts.request) = node;
 
 	if(!defined(json::get<"uri"_>(opts.request)))
 		json::get<"uri"_>(opts.request) = "/_matrix/federation/v1/get_groups_publicised";
diff --git a/modules/console.cc b/modules/console.cc
index 1bdd92dba..a0d44a5ee 100644
--- a/modules/console.cc
+++ b/modules/console.cc
@@ -351,7 +351,6 @@ console_cmd__time(opt &out, const string_view &line)
 
 int console_command_numeric(opt &, const string_view &line);
 bool console_id__user(opt &, const m::user::id &id, const string_view &line);
-bool console_id__node(opt &, const m::node::id &id, const string_view &line);
 bool console_id__room(opt &, const m::room::id &id, const string_view &line);
 bool console_id__event(opt &, const m::event::id &id, const string_view &line);
 bool console_json(const json::object &);
@@ -378,9 +377,6 @@ console_command_derived(opt &out, const string_view &line)
 		case m::id::ROOM:
 			return console_id__room(out, id, line);
 
-		case m::id::NODE:
-			return console_id__node(out, id, line);
-
 		case m::id::USER:
 			return console_id__user(out, id, line);
 
@@ -9481,18 +9477,19 @@ console_cmd__room__id(opt &out, const string_view &id)
 	{
 		case m::id::USER:
 			out << m::user{id}.room_id() << std::endl;
-			break;
-
-		case m::id::NODE:
-			out << m::node{id}.room_id() << std::endl;
-			break;
+			return true;
 
 		case m::id::ROOM_ALIAS:
 			out << m::room_id(m::room::alias(id)) << std::endl;
-			break;
+			return true;
 
 		default:
-			break;
+			return true;
+	}
+	else if(rfc3986::valid_remote(std::nothrow, id))
+	{
+		out << m::node{id}.room_id() << std::endl;
+		return true;
 	}
 
 	return true;
@@ -10651,15 +10648,6 @@ console_cmd__typing(opt &out, const string_view &line)
 // node
 //
 
-//TODO: XXX
-bool
-console_id__node(opt &out,
-                 const m::node::id &id,
-                 const string_view &args)
-{
-	return true;
-}
-
 bool
 console_cmd__node__keys(opt &out, const string_view &line)
 {
@@ -10668,14 +10656,9 @@ console_cmd__node__keys(opt &out, const string_view &line)
 		"node_id", "[limit]"
 	}};
 
-	const m::node::id::buf node_id
-	{
-		m::node::id::origin, param.at(0)
-	};
-
 	const m::node &node
 	{
-		node_id
+		param.at("node_id")
 	};
 
 	auto limit
@@ -10708,14 +10691,9 @@ console_cmd__node__key(opt &out, const string_view &line)
 		"node_id", "key_id"
 	}};
 
-	const m::node::id::buf node_id
-	{
-		m::node::id::origin, param.at(0)
-	};
-
 	const m::node &node
 	{
-		node_id
+		param.at("node_id")
 	};
 
 	const auto &key_id
@@ -11279,7 +11257,7 @@ console_cmd__feds__resend(opt &out, const string_view &line)
 bool
 console_cmd__fed__groups(opt &out, const string_view &line)
 {
-	const m::id::node &node
+	const string_view node
 	{
 		token(line, ' ', 0)
 	};
diff --git a/modules/federation/sender.cc b/modules/federation/sender.cc
index 43d07ac32..c2bee9178 100644
--- a/modules/federation/sender.cc
+++ b/modules/federation/sender.cc
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ try
 	}
 
 	m::v1::send::opts opts;
-	opts.remote = origin();
+	opts.remote = remote;
 	opts.sopts = &sopts;
 
 	const vector_view<const json::value> pduv
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ catch(const std::exception &e)
 {
 	log::error
 	{
-		"flush error to %s :%s", string_view{id}, e.what()
+		"flush error to %s :%s", remote, e.what()
 	};
 
 	err = true;
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ try
 		"%u %s from %s for %s",
 		ushort(code),
 		http::status(code),
-		string_view{node.id},
+		node.remote,
 		txn.txnid
 	};
 
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ try
 		log::derror
 		{
 			"Error from %s in %s for %s :%s",
-			string_view{node.id},
+			node.remote,
 			txn.txnid,
 			string_view{event_id},
 			string_view{error}
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ catch(const http::error &e)
 		"%u %s from %s for %s :%s",
 		ushort(e.code),
 		http::status(e.code),
-		string_view{node.id},
+		node.remote,
 		txn.txnid,
 		e.what()
 	};
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@ catch(const std::exception &e)
 	log::derror
 	{
 		"Error from %s for %s :%s",
-		string_view{node.id},
+		node.remote,
 		txn.txnid,
 		e.what()
 	};
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ recv_timeout(txn &txn,
 	log::dwarning
 	{
 		"Timeout to %s for txn %s",
-		string_view{node.id},
+		node.remote,
 		txn.txnid
 	};
 
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ remove_node(const node &node)
 {
 	const auto it
 	{
-		nodes.find(node.origin())
+		nodes.find(node.remote)
 	};
 
 	assert(it != end(nodes));
diff --git a/modules/federation/sender.int.h b/modules/federation/sender.int.h
index 50ad2602c..e720a9f62 100644
--- a/modules/federation/sender.int.h
+++ b/modules/federation/sender.int.h
@@ -74,23 +74,19 @@ struct txndata
 struct node
 {
 	std::deque<std::shared_ptr<unit>> q;
-	m::node::id::buf id;
+	std::array<char, rfc3986::DOMAIN_BUFSIZE> rembuf;
+	string_view remote;
 	m::node::room room;
 	server::request::opts sopts;
 	txn *curtxn {nullptr};
 	bool err {false};
 
-	string_view origin() const
-	{
-		return id.host();
-	};
-
 	bool flush();
 	void push(std::shared_ptr<unit>);
 
-	node(const string_view &origin)
-	:id{m::node::id::origin, origin}
-	,room{id}
+	node(const string_view &remote)
+	:remote{strlcpy{rembuf, remote}}
+	,room{this->remote}
 	{}
 };
 
diff --git a/modules/m_room_history_visibility.cc b/modules/m_room_history_visibility.cc
index 9fe709897..92eb10da7 100644
--- a/modules/m_room_history_visibility.cc
+++ b/modules/m_room_history_visibility.cc
@@ -17,10 +17,10 @@ IRCD_MODULE
 };
 
 static bool
-_visible_(const m::event &event,
-          const m::user::id &user_id,
-          const m::room &room,
-          const string_view &history_visibility)
+_visible_to_user(const m::event &event,
+                 const m::user::id &user_id,
+                 const m::room &room,
+                 const string_view &history_visibility)
 {
 	char membership_buf[m::MEMBERSHIP_MAX_SIZE];
 	string_view membership
@@ -54,10 +54,10 @@ _visible_(const m::event &event,
 }
 
 static bool
-_visible_(const m::event &event,
-          const m::node::id &node_id,
-          const m::room &room,
-          const string_view &history_visibility)
+_visible_to_node(const m::event &event,
+                 const string_view &node_id,
+                 const m::room &room,
+                 const string_view &history_visibility)
 {
 	const m::room::origins origins
 	{
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ _visible_(const m::event &event,
 	};
 
 	// Allow joined servers
-	if(origins.has(node_id.host()))
+	if(origins.has(node_id))
 		return true;
 
 	// Allow auth chain events XXX: this is too broad
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ _visible_(const m::event &event,
 	// Allow any event where the state_key string is a user mxid and the server
 	// is the host of that user. Note that applies to any type of event.
 	if(m::valid(m::id::USER, json::get<"state_key"_>(event)))
-		if(m::user::id(at<"state_key"_>(event)).host() == node_id.host())
+		if(m::user::id(at<"state_key"_>(event)).host() == node_id)
 			return true;
 
 	return false;
@@ -93,20 +93,16 @@ _visible(const m::event &event,
 	if(empty(mxid))
 		return false;
 
-	switch(m::sigil(mxid))
+	if(m::valid(m::id::USER, mxid))
+		return _visible_to_user(event, mxid, room, history_visibility);
+
+	if(rfc3986::valid_remote(std::nothrow, mxid))
+		return _visible_to_node(event, mxid, room, history_visibility);
+
+	throw m::UNSUPPORTED
 	{
-		case m::id::USER:
-			return _visible_(event, m::user::id{mxid}, room, history_visibility);
-
-		case m::id::NODE:
-			return _visible_(event, m::node::id{mxid}, room, history_visibility);
-
-		default: throw m::UNSUPPORTED
-		{
-			"Cannot determine visibility for '%s' mxids",
-			reflect(m::sigil(mxid))
-		};
-	}
+		"Cannot determine visibility for '%s'", mxid
+	};
 }
 
 bool
diff --git a/modules/s_keys.cc b/modules/s_keys.cc
index f3720119c..9758d8b8b 100644
--- a/modules/s_keys.cc
+++ b/modules/s_keys.cc
@@ -639,19 +639,14 @@ ircd::m::create_my_key()
 size_t
 ircd::m::keys_cache_set(const json::object &keys)
 {
-	const auto &server_name
+	const json::string &server_name
 	{
-		unquote(keys.at("server_name"))
-	};
-
-	const m::node::id::buf node_id
-	{
-		m::node::id::origin, server_name
+		keys.at("server_name")
 	};
 
 	const m::node::room node_room
 	{
-		node_id
+		server_name
 	};
 
 	if(!exists(node_room.room_id))
@@ -681,14 +676,9 @@ ircd::m::keys_cache_get(const string_view &server_name,
                         const string_view &key_id,
                         const keys::closure &closure)
 {
-	const m::node::id::buf node_id
-	{
-		m::node::id::origin, server_name
-	};
-
 	const m::node::room node_room
 	{
-		node_id
+		server_name
 	};
 
 	const auto reclosure{[&closure]
diff --git a/modules/s_node.cc b/modules/s_node.cc
index 58119de8e..774f66b71 100644
--- a/modules/s_node.cc
+++ b/modules/s_node.cc
@@ -23,14 +23,10 @@ nodes_room
 };
 
 extern "C" m::node
-create_node(const m::node::id &node_id,
+create_node(const m::node &node,
             const json::members &args)
 {
-	const m::node node
-	{
-		node_id
-	};
-
+	assert(node.node_id);
 	const m::room::id::buf room_id
 	{
 		node.room_id()
@@ -38,12 +34,12 @@ create_node(const m::node::id &node_id,
 
 	//TODO: ABA
 	create(room_id, m::me.user_id);
-	send(nodes_room, m::me.user_id, "ircd.node", node_id, args);
+	send(nodes_room, m::me.user_id, "ircd.node", node.node_id, args);
 	return node;
 }
 
 extern "C" bool
-exists__nodeid(const m::node::id &node_id)
+exists__nodeid(const string_view &node_id)
 {
 	return nodes_room.has("ircd.node", node_id);
 }