diff --git a/src/emuvim/api/rest/network.py b/src/emuvim/api/rest/network.py
index 84db87e..1374373 100755
--- a/src/emuvim/api/rest/network.py
+++ b/src/emuvim/api/rest/network.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 import json
 import networkx
 
-logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
+logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
 
 CORS_HEADER = {'Access-Control-Allow-Origin': '*'}
 
@@ -83,8 +83,7 @@
             # check if json data is a dict
             data = request.args
             # try json payload
-            if data is None:
-                data = request.json
+            data = request.json
             # then no data
             if data is None:
                 data = {}
diff --git a/src/emuvim/api/rest/rest_api_endpoint.py b/src/emuvim/api/rest/rest_api_endpoint.py
index 10b6c26..b2a7b86 100755
--- a/src/emuvim/api/rest/rest_api_endpoint.py
+++ b/src/emuvim/api/rest/rest_api_endpoint.py
@@ -56,10 +56,13 @@
     default command line client.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, listenip, port):
+    def __init__(self, listenip, port, DCnetwork=None):
         self.ip = listenip
         self.port = port
 
+        # connect this DC network to the rest api endpoint (needed for the networking and monitoring api)
+        self.connectDCNetwork(DCnetwork)
+
         # setup Flask
         # find directory of dashboard files
         dashboard_file = pkg_resources.resource_filename('emuvim.dashboard', "index.html")