diff --git a/cocluto/netmap.py b/cocluto/netmap.py
index 6326e41..34d87c6 100644
--- a/cocluto/netmap.py
+++ b/cocluto/netmap.py
@@ -193,13 +193,29 @@ class NetConfig(object):
             # print row
             # eg ('r630a', 's3p2', 'sfp+', '10g', 'a0:36:9F:90:E1:12', 0, 0, 0, 0, '', 'normal', 'NIC Slot 3: Intel(R) 10G 2P X520 Adapter - port 2 enp4s0f1'),
             (machine_name, port_id, connector_type, bandwidth_as_str, mac_address, port_id, port_type, comment) = row
-            # handle port ranges such as p1-8
-            match = re.match(r'^p(?P<min_port_index>[0-9]+)-(?P<max_port_index>[0-9]+)$', port_id)
+            # handle port ranges such as 1-8 (for switches)
+            match = re.match(r'^(?P<min_port_index>[0-9]+)-(?P<max_port_index>[0-9]+)$', port_id)
             if match:
-                ports_ids = [ f'p{port_index}' for port_index in range(int(match['min_port_index']), int(match['max_port_index'])+1)]
+                ports_ids = [ f'{port_index}' for port_index in range(int(match['min_port_index']), int(match['max_port_index'])+1)]
                 logging.debug('ports_ids: %s', str(ports_ids))
             else:
                 assert port_id.find('-') == -1, f'port id ({port_id}) contains the invalid "-" character, which is reserved for port ranges in the form "p<from>-<to>" '
+                if port_id != '':
+                    valid_port_ids = {
+                        'oob': 'out of band'
+                    }
+
+                    if port_id not in valid_port_ids.keys():
+
+                        match = re.match(r'(?P<port_type>[a-z]+)[0-9]+', port_id)
+                        assert match, f'unexpected port id {port_id} for {machine_name}.{port_id} (it is expected to be of the form <port-type><port-number>)'
+                        valid_port_types = {
+                            'r': 'rj45',
+                            's': 'sfp+',
+                            'q': 'qsfp+',
+                            'up': 'uplink',
+                        }
+                        assert match['port_type'] in valid_port_types.keys(), f'invalid port type  for {machine_name}.{port_id}: valid port types: {valid_port_types}'
                 ports_ids = [port_id]
             for pid in ports_ids:
                 to_port_as_str = f'{machine_name}.{pid}'
@@ -211,7 +227,7 @@ class NetConfig(object):
                     '25g': 25.0e9,
                     '40g': 40.0e9,
                 }[bandwidth_as_str]
-                logging.debug('bandwidth of port %s: %f gbit/s', to_port, bandwidth)
+                logging.debug('bandwidth of port %s: %d bit/s', to_port, int(bandwidth))
                 to_port.set_bandwidth(bandwidth)
 
         for machine in self.machines.values():
diff --git a/cocluto/version.py b/cocluto/version.py
index c9f8622..2eabfeb 100644
--- a/cocluto/version.py
+++ b/cocluto/version.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-__version__ = '1.0.41'
+__version__ = '1.0.42'
 
 
 class Version(object):