diff --git a/controllers/auth_grpc.go b/controllers/auth_grpc.go
index c1c10716..82a4119b 100644
--- a/controllers/auth_grpc.go
+++ b/controllers/auth_grpc.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
-	"log"
 
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/database"
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/functions"
@@ -108,9 +107,8 @@ func grpcAuthorize(ctx context.Context) error {
 // Login - node authenticates using its password and retrieves a JWT for authorization.
 func (s *NodeServiceServer) Login(ctx context.Context, req *nodepb.Object) (*nodepb.Object, error) {
 
-	//out := new(LoginResponse)
-	var reqNode models.Node
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(req.Data), &reqNode); err != nil {
+	var reqNode, err = getNewOrLegacyNode(req.Data)
+	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -119,11 +117,7 @@ func (s *NodeServiceServer) Login(ctx context.Context, req *nodepb.Object) (*nod
 	password := reqNode.Password
 	macaddress := reqNode.MacAddress
 
-	log.Printf("authing node: %v \n", reqNode)
-
 	var result models.NodeAuth
-	var err error
-	// err := errors.New("generic server error")
 
 	if nodeID == "" {
 		//TODO: Set Error  response
@@ -133,7 +127,7 @@ func (s *NodeServiceServer) Login(ctx context.Context, req *nodepb.Object) (*nod
 		err = errors.New("missing password")
 		return nil, err
 	} else {
-		//Search DB for node with Mac Address. Ignore pending nodes (they should not be able to authenticate with API until approved).
+		//Search DB for node with ID. Ignore pending nodes (they should not be able to authenticate with API until approved).
 		collection, err := database.FetchRecords(database.NODES_TABLE_NAME)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
diff --git a/controllers/node_grpc.go b/controllers/node_grpc.go
index c5ce418a..02646798 100644
--- a/controllers/node_grpc.go
+++ b/controllers/node_grpc.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
+	"strings"
 
 	nodepb "github.com/gravitl/netmaker/grpc"
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/logger"
@@ -19,16 +20,7 @@ type NodeServiceServer struct {
 
 // NodeServiceServer.ReadNode - reads node and responds with gRPC
 func (s *NodeServiceServer) ReadNode(ctx context.Context, req *nodepb.Object) (*nodepb.Object, error) {
-	// convert string id (from proto) to mongoDB ObjectId
-	var err error
-	var reqNode models.Node
-	err = json.Unmarshal([]byte(req.Data), &reqNode)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	var node models.Node
-	node, err = logic.GetNodeByIDorMacAddress(reqNode.ID, reqNode.MacAddress, reqNode.Network)
+	var node, err = getNewOrLegacyNode(req.Data)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -99,7 +91,7 @@ func (s *NodeServiceServer) CreateNode(ctx context.Context, req *nodepb.Object)
 
 // NodeServiceServer.UpdateNode updates a node and responds over gRPC
 func (s *NodeServiceServer) UpdateNode(ctx context.Context, req *nodepb.Object) (*nodepb.Object, error) {
-	// Get the node data from the request
+
 	var newnode models.Node
 	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(req.GetData()), &newnode); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -136,12 +128,7 @@ func (s *NodeServiceServer) UpdateNode(ctx context.Context, req *nodepb.Object)
 // NodeServiceServer.DeleteNode - deletes a node and responds over gRPC
 func (s *NodeServiceServer) DeleteNode(ctx context.Context, req *nodepb.Object) (*nodepb.Object, error) {
 
-	var reqNode models.Node
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(req.GetData()), &reqNode); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	node, err := logic.GetNodeByIDorMacAddress(reqNode.ID, reqNode.MacAddress, reqNode.Network)
+	var node, err = getNewOrLegacyNode(req.Data)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -160,15 +147,11 @@ func (s *NodeServiceServer) DeleteNode(ctx context.Context, req *nodepb.Object)
 // NodeServiceServer.GetPeers - fetches peers over gRPC
 func (s *NodeServiceServer) GetPeers(ctx context.Context, req *nodepb.Object) (*nodepb.Object, error) {
 
-	var reqNode models.Node
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(req.GetData()), &reqNode); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	node, err := logic.GetNodeByIDorMacAddress(reqNode.ID, reqNode.MacAddress, reqNode.Network)
+	var node, err = getNewOrLegacyNode(req.Data)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
 	if node.IsServer == "yes" && logic.IsLeader(&node) {
 		logic.SetNetworkServerPeers(&node)
 	}
@@ -192,15 +175,8 @@ func (s *NodeServiceServer) GetPeers(ctx context.Context, req *nodepb.Object) (*
 
 // NodeServiceServer.GetExtPeers - returns ext peers for a gateway node
 func (s *NodeServiceServer) GetExtPeers(ctx context.Context, req *nodepb.Object) (*nodepb.Object, error) {
-	// Initiate a NodeItem type to write decoded data to
-	//data := &models.PeersResponse{}
-	// collection.Find returns a cursor for our (empty) query
-	var reqNode models.Node
-	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(req.GetData()), &reqNode); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
 
-	node, err := logic.GetNodeByIDorMacAddress(reqNode.ID, reqNode.MacAddress, reqNode.Network)
+	var node, err = getNewOrLegacyNode(req.Data)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -232,3 +208,27 @@ func (s *NodeServiceServer) GetExtPeers(ctx context.Context, req *nodepb.Object)
 		Type: nodepb.EXT_PEER,
 	}, nil
 }
+
+// == private methods ==
+
+func getNewOrLegacyNode(data string) (models.Node, error) {
+	var reqNode, node models.Node
+	var err error
+
+	if err = json.Unmarshal([]byte(data), &reqNode); err != nil {
+		oldID := strings.Split(data, "###") // handle legacy client IDs
+		if len(oldID) == 2 {
+			if node, err = logic.GetNodeByIDorMacAddress(reqNode.ID, reqNode.MacAddress, reqNode.Network); err != nil {
+				return models.Node{}, err
+			}
+		} else {
+			return models.Node{}, err
+		}
+	} else {
+		node, err = logic.GetNodeByIDorMacAddress(reqNode.ID, reqNode.MacAddress, reqNode.Network)
+		if err != nil {
+			return models.Node{}, err
+		}
+	}
+	return node, nil
+}
diff --git a/netclient/functions/join.go b/netclient/functions/join.go
index c68331dd..f5c38c85 100644
--- a/netclient/functions/join.go
+++ b/netclient/functions/join.go
@@ -127,7 +127,6 @@ func JoinNetwork(cfg config.ClientConfig, privateKey string) error {
 	if cfg.Node.IsServer != "yes" {
 		ncutils.Log("joining " + cfg.Network + " at " + cfg.Server.GRPCAddress)
 		var wcclient nodepb.NodeServiceClient
-		log.Printf("used: %v\n", postnode)
 
 		conn, err := grpc.Dial(cfg.Server.GRPCAddress,
 			ncutils.GRPCRequestOpts(cfg.Server.GRPCSSL))