diff --git a/Socket/Protocols/INet/INet6Address.cc b/Socket/Protocols/INet/INet6Address.cc
index 6631ec49496db5472bd372347a641686efcb061d..6c76f77417a34b74bfd8eb0f63d1cd47ec49a41f 100644
--- a/Socket/Protocols/INet/INet6Address.cc
+++ b/Socket/Protocols/INet/INet6Address.cc
@@ -85,17 +85,27 @@ prefix_ senf::INet6Address senf::INet6Address::from_string(std::string const & s
         throw UnknownHostnameException(s);
 }
 
-prefix_ std::ostream & senf::operator<<(std::ostream & os, INet6Address const & addr)
-{
+prefix_ in6_addr senf:: INet6Address::toin6_addr() const {
     ::in6_addr ina;
+    std::copy((*this).begin(), (*this).end(), &ina.s6_addr[0]);
+    return ina;
+}
+
+prefix_ std::string senf::INet6Address::toString() const {
     char buffer[5*8];
-    std::copy(addr.begin(),addr.end(),&ina.s6_addr[0]);
-    ::inet_ntop(AF_INET6,&ina,buffer,sizeof(buffer));
+    ::in6_addr ina  = (*this).toin6_addr();
+    ::inet_ntop(AF_INET6, & ina , buffer, sizeof(buffer));
     buffer[sizeof(buffer)-1] = 0;
-    os << buffer;
+    return buffer;
+}
+
+prefix_ std::ostream & senf::operator<<(std::ostream & os, INet6Address const & addr)
+{
+    os << addr.toString();
     return os;
 }
 
+
 senf::INet6Address const senf::INet6Address::None;
 senf::INet6Address const senf::INet6Address::Loopback   (0u,0u,0u,0u,0u,0u,0u,1u);
 senf::INet6Address const senf::INet6Address::AllNodes   (0xFF02u,0u,0u,0u,0u,0u,0u,1u);
diff --git a/Socket/Protocols/INet/INet6Address.hh b/Socket/Protocols/INet/INet6Address.hh
index 383f87f4fcc6149889d0c75a9edb1b19aad04b06..aa29b29052988ee737cda5d3e0d4a3384a4a05b6 100644
--- a/Socket/Protocols/INet/INet6Address.hh
+++ b/Socket/Protocols/INet/INet6Address.hh
@@ -203,6 +203,12 @@ namespace senf {
                                              \par 
                                              INet4 compatible INet6 addresses are not directly
                                              supported, they are deprecated in the RFC. */
+        std::string toString() const;
+                                        ///< get the string representation of this INet6Address
+        in6_addr  toin6_addr() const;
+                                        ///< get the linux in6_addr struct (convinience only) 
+        
+        
         ///@}
         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
         ///\name Accessors