diff --git a/src/core/network.c b/src/core/network.c
index 52619e4f..4963a542 100644
--- a/src/core/network.c
+++ b/src/core/network.c
@@ -57,6 +57,18 @@ IPADDR ip4_any = {
 #endif
 };
 
+int net_ip_compare(IPADDR *ip1, IPADDR *ip2)
+{
+	if (ip1->family != ip2->family)
+		return 0;
+
+	if (ip1->family == AF_INET6)
+		return memcmp(&ip1->ip, &ip2->ip, sizeof(ip1->ip)) == 0;
+
+	return memcmp(&ip1->ip, &ip2->ip, 4) == 0;
+}
+
+
 static void sin_set_ip(union sockaddr_union *so, const IPADDR *ip)
 {
 	if (ip == NULL) {
diff --git a/src/core/network.h b/src/core/network.h
index a02f0db9..84f3a56c 100644
--- a/src/core/network.h
+++ b/src/core/network.h
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ extern IPADDR ip4_any;
 
 GIOChannel *g_io_channel_new(int handle);
 
+/* returns 1 if IPADDRs are the same */
+int net_ip_compare(IPADDR *ip1, IPADDR *ip2);
+
 int net_connect_ip_handle(const IPADDR *ip, int port, const IPADDR *my_ip);
 
 /* Connect to socket with ip address and SSL*/