diff --git a/hw/dp8393x.c b/hw/dp8393x.c
index e4caab0..5622170 100644
--- a/hw/dp8393x.c
+++ b/hw/dp8393x.c
@@ -889,7 +889,8 @@ void dp83932_init(NICInfo *nd, target_phys_addr_t base, int it_shift,
     s->watchdog = qemu_new_timer(vm_clock, dp8393x_watchdog, s);
     s->regs[SONIC_SR] = 0x0004; /* only revision recognized by Linux */
 
-    s->vc = nd->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(nd->vlan, nd->netdev,
+    s->vc = nd->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(NET_CLIENT_TYPE_NIC,
+                                          nd->vlan, nd->netdev,
                                           nd->model, nd->name,
                                           nic_can_receive, nic_receive, NULL,
                                           nic_cleanup, s);
diff --git a/hw/etraxfs_eth.c b/hw/etraxfs_eth.c
index a411dab..2a583a3 100644
--- a/hw/etraxfs_eth.c
+++ b/hw/etraxfs_eth.c
@@ -590,7 +590,8 @@ void *etraxfs_eth_init(NICInfo *nd, target_phys_addr_t base, int phyaddr)
 	eth->ethregs = cpu_register_io_memory(eth_read, eth_write, eth);
 	cpu_register_physical_memory (base, 0x5c, eth->ethregs);
 
-	eth->vc = nd->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(nd->vlan, nd->netdev,
+	eth->vc = nd->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(NET_CLIENT_TYPE_NIC,
+                                                nd->vlan, nd->netdev,
                                                 nd->model, nd->name,
                                                 eth_can_receive, eth_receive,
                                                 NULL, eth_cleanup, eth);
diff --git a/hw/mcf_fec.c b/hw/mcf_fec.c
index f9f437a..0567bcd 100644
--- a/hw/mcf_fec.c
+++ b/hw/mcf_fec.c
@@ -462,7 +462,8 @@ void mcf_fec_init(NICInfo *nd, target_phys_addr_t base, qemu_irq *irq)
                                            mcf_fec_writefn, s);
     cpu_register_physical_memory(base, 0x400, s->mmio_index);
 
-    s->vc = nd->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(nd->vlan, nd->netdev,
+    s->vc = nd->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(NET_CLIENT_TYPE_NIC,
+                                          nd->vlan, nd->netdev,
                                           nd->model, nd->name,
                                           mcf_fec_can_receive, mcf_fec_receive,
                                           NULL, mcf_fec_cleanup, s);
diff --git a/hw/mipsnet.c b/hw/mipsnet.c
index ea8b570..d32099f 100644
--- a/hw/mipsnet.c
+++ b/hw/mipsnet.c
@@ -263,7 +263,8 @@ void mipsnet_init (int base, qemu_irq irq, NICInfo *nd)
     s->io_base = base;
     s->irq = irq;
     if (nd) {
-        s->vc = nd->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(nd->vlan, nd->netdev,
+        s->vc = nd->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(NET_CLIENT_TYPE_NIC,
+                                              nd->vlan, nd->netdev,
                                               nd->model, nd->name,
                                               mipsnet_can_receive, mipsnet_receive,
                                               NULL, mipsnet_cleanup, s);
diff --git a/hw/qdev.c b/hw/qdev.c
index 20f931c..bc3a0d5 100644
--- a/hw/qdev.c
+++ b/hw/qdev.c
@@ -370,7 +370,8 @@ VLANClientState *qdev_get_vlan_client(DeviceState *dev,
 {
     NICInfo *nd = dev->nd;
     assert(nd);
-    nd->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(nd->vlan, nd->netdev,
+    nd->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(NET_CLIENT_TYPE_NIC,
+                                  nd->vlan, nd->netdev,
                                   nd->model, nd->name,
                                   can_receive, receive, receive_iov,
                                   cleanup, opaque);
diff --git a/hw/usb-net.c b/hw/usb-net.c
index 5c753e0..2393812 100644
--- a/hw/usb-net.c
+++ b/hw/usb-net.c
@@ -1460,7 +1460,8 @@ USBDevice *usb_net_init(NICInfo *nd)
 
     memcpy(s->mac, nd->macaddr, 6);
 
-    s->vc = nd->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(nd->vlan, nd->netdev,
+    s->vc = nd->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(NET_CLIENT_TYPE_NIC,
+                                          nd->vlan, nd->netdev,
                                           nd->model, nd->name,
                                           usbnet_can_receive,
                                           usbnet_receive,
diff --git a/hw/xen_nic.c b/hw/xen_nic.c
index b09b48a..2a179f0 100644
--- a/hw/xen_nic.c
+++ b/hw/xen_nic.c
@@ -301,7 +301,8 @@ static int net_init(struct XenDevice *xendev)
 	return -1;
 
     vlan = qemu_find_vlan(netdev->xendev.dev, 1);
-    netdev->vs = qemu_new_vlan_client(vlan, NULL, "xen", NULL,
+    netdev->vs = qemu_new_vlan_client(NET_CLIENT_TYPE_NIC,
+                                      vlan, NULL, "xen", NULL,
                                       net_rx_ok, net_rx_packet, NULL,
                                       NULL, netdev);
     snprintf(netdev->vs->info_str, sizeof(netdev->vs->info_str),
diff --git a/net.c b/net.c
index d62ab7b..638ba36 100644
--- a/net.c
+++ b/net.c
@@ -310,7 +310,8 @@ static ssize_t qemu_deliver_packet_iov(VLANClientState *sender,
                                        int iovcnt,
                                        void *opaque);
 
-VLANClientState *qemu_new_vlan_client(VLANState *vlan,
+VLANClientState *qemu_new_vlan_client(net_client_type type,
+                                      VLANState *vlan,
                                       VLANClientState *peer,
                                       const char *model,
                                       const char *name,
@@ -324,6 +325,7 @@ VLANClientState *qemu_new_vlan_client(VLANState *vlan,
 
     vc = qemu_mallocz(sizeof(VLANClientState));
 
+    vc->type = type;
     vc->model = qemu_strdup(model);
     if (name)
         vc->name = qemu_strdup(name);
@@ -865,7 +867,8 @@ static int net_slirp_init(VLANState *vlan, const char *model,
     }
 #endif
 
-    s->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(vlan, NULL, model, name, NULL,
+    s->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(NET_CLIENT_TYPE_SLIRP,
+                                 vlan, NULL, model, name, NULL,
                                  slirp_receive, NULL,
                                  net_slirp_cleanup, s);
     snprintf(s->vc->info_str, sizeof(s->vc->info_str),
@@ -1471,7 +1474,8 @@ static TAPState *net_tap_fd_init(VLANState *vlan,
     s = qemu_mallocz(sizeof(TAPState));
     s->fd = fd;
     s->has_vnet_hdr = vnet_hdr != 0;
-    s->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(vlan, NULL, model, name, NULL,
+    s->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(NET_CLIENT_TYPE_TAP,
+                                 vlan, NULL, model, name, NULL,
                                  tap_receive, tap_receive_iov,
                                  tap_cleanup, s);
     tap_read_poll(s, 1);
@@ -1830,7 +1834,8 @@ static int net_vde_init(VLANState *vlan, const char *model,
         free(s);
         return -1;
     }
-    s->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(vlan, NULL, model, name, NULL,
+    s->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(NET_CLIENT_TYPE_VDE,
+                                 vlan, NULL, model, name, NULL,
                                  vde_receive, NULL,
                                  vde_cleanup, s);
     qemu_set_fd_handler(vde_datafd(s->vde), vde_to_qemu, NULL, s);
@@ -2070,7 +2075,8 @@ static NetSocketState *net_socket_fd_init_dgram(VLANState *vlan,
     s = qemu_mallocz(sizeof(NetSocketState));
     s->fd = fd;
 
-    s->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(vlan, NULL, model, name, NULL,
+    s->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(NET_CLIENT_TYPE_SOCKET,
+                                 vlan, NULL, model, name, NULL,
                                  net_socket_receive_dgram, NULL,
                                  net_socket_cleanup, s);
     qemu_set_fd_handler(s->fd, net_socket_send_dgram, NULL, s);
@@ -2099,7 +2105,8 @@ static NetSocketState *net_socket_fd_init_stream(VLANState *vlan,
     NetSocketState *s;
     s = qemu_mallocz(sizeof(NetSocketState));
     s->fd = fd;
-    s->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(vlan, NULL, model, name, NULL,
+    s->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(NET_CLIENT_TYPE_SOCKET,
+                                 vlan, NULL, model, name, NULL,
                                  net_socket_receive, NULL,
                                  net_socket_cleanup, s);
     snprintf(s->vc->info_str, sizeof(s->vc->info_str),
@@ -2381,7 +2388,8 @@ static int net_dump_init(VLANState *vlan, const char *device,
         return -1;
     }
 
-    s->pcap_vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(vlan, NULL, device, name, NULL,
+    s->pcap_vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(NET_CLIENT_TYPE_DUMP,
+                                      vlan, NULL, device, name, NULL,
                                       dump_receive, NULL,
                                       net_dump_cleanup, s);
     snprintf(s->pcap_vc->info_str, sizeof(s->pcap_vc->info_str),
diff --git a/net.h b/net.h
index 439de2a..aefeef4 100644
--- a/net.h
+++ b/net.h
@@ -9,6 +9,16 @@
 
 /* VLANs support */
 
+typedef enum {
+    NET_CLIENT_TYPE_NONE,
+    NET_CLIENT_TYPE_NIC,
+    NET_CLIENT_TYPE_SLIRP,
+    NET_CLIENT_TYPE_TAP,
+    NET_CLIENT_TYPE_SOCKET,
+    NET_CLIENT_TYPE_VDE,
+    NET_CLIENT_TYPE_DUMP
+} net_client_type;
+
 typedef int (NetCanReceive)(VLANClientState *);
 typedef ssize_t (NetReceive)(VLANClientState *, const uint8_t *, size_t);
 typedef ssize_t (NetReceiveIOV)(VLANClientState *, const struct iovec *, int);
@@ -16,6 +26,7 @@ typedef void (NetCleanup) (VLANClientState *);
 typedef void (LinkStatusChanged)(VLANClientState *);
 
 struct VLANClientState {
+    net_client_type type;
     NetReceive *receive;
     NetReceiveIOV *receive_iov;
     /* Packets may still be sent if this returns zero.  It's used to
@@ -43,7 +54,8 @@ struct VLANState {
 };
 
 VLANState *qemu_find_vlan(int id, int allocate);
-VLANClientState *qemu_new_vlan_client(VLANState *vlan,
+VLANClientState *qemu_new_vlan_client(net_client_type type,
+                                      VLANState *vlan,
                                       VLANClientState *peer,
                                       const char *model,
                                       const char *name,
diff --git a/tap-win32.c b/tap-win32.c
index e4fdde8..e2bac3e 100644
--- a/tap-win32.c
+++ b/tap-win32.c
@@ -677,7 +677,8 @@ int tap_win32_init(VLANState *vlan, const char *model,
         return -1;
     }
 
-    s->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(vlan, NULL, model, name,
+    s->vc = qemu_new_vlan_client(NET_CLIENT_TYPE_TAP,
+                                 vlan, NULL, model, name,
                                  NULL, tap_receive,
                                  NULL, tap_cleanup, s);
 
