diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/DB/Result/Node.pm b/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/DB/Result/Node.pm
index 228bdbc4..118c8c09 100644
--- a/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/DB/Result/Node.pm
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/DB/Result/Node.pm
@@ -50,10 +50,20 @@ __PACKAGE__->set_primary_key("mac", "switch", "port");
 
 __PACKAGE__->belongs_to( device => 'Netdisco::DB::Result::Device',
   { 'foreign.ip' => 'self.switch' }, { join_type => 'LEFT' } );
+
+# device port may have been deleted (reconfigured modules?) but node remains
 __PACKAGE__->belongs_to( device_port => 'Netdisco::DB::Result::DevicePort',
-  { 'foreign.ip' => 'self.switch', 'foreign.port' => 'self.port' }, { join_type => 'LEFT' } );
+  { 'foreign.ip' => 'self.switch', 'foreign.port' => 'self.port' },
+  { join_type => 'LEFT' }
+);
+
 __PACKAGE__->has_many( ips => 'Netdisco::DB::Result::NodeIp',
   { 'foreign.mac' => 'self.mac', 'foreign.active' => 'self.active' } );
+
 __PACKAGE__->belongs_to( oui => 'Netdisco::DB::Result::Oui', 'oui' );
 
+# accessors for custom formatted columns
+sub time_first_stamp { return (shift)->get_column('time_first_stamp') }
+sub time_last_stamp  { return (shift)->get_column('time_last_stamp')  }
+
 1;
diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/DB/ResultSet/Node.pm b/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/DB/ResultSet/Node.pm
index fbbce049..23e19b1a 100644
--- a/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/DB/ResultSet/Node.pm
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/DB/ResultSet/Node.pm
@@ -4,25 +4,62 @@ use base 'DBIx::Class::ResultSet';
 use strict;
 use warnings FATAL => 'all';
 
-sub by_mac {
-    my ($set, $archive, $mac) = @_;
-    return $set unless $mac;
+=head1 search_by_mac( \%cond, \%attrs? )
 
-    return $set->search(
-      {
-        'me.mac' => $mac,
-        ($archive ? () : (active => 1)),
-      },
-      {
-        order_by => {'-desc' => 'time_last'},
-        columns => [qw/ mac switch port oui active device.dns /],
-        '+select' => [
-          \"to_char(time_first, 'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI')",
-          \"to_char(time_last, 'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI')",
-        ],
-        '+as' => [qw/ time_first time_last /],
-        join => 'device',
-      },
+ my $set = $rs->search_by_mac({mac => '00:11:22:33:44:55', active => 1});
+
+Like C<search()>, this returns a C<$resultset> of matching rows from the Node
+table.
+
+=over 4
+
+=item *
+
+The C<cond> parameter must be a hashref containing a key C<mac> with
+the value to search for.
+
+=item *
+
+Results are ordered by time last seen.
+
+=item *
+
+Additional columns C<time_first_stamp> and C<time_last_stamp> provide
+preformatted timestamps of the C<time_first> and C<time_last> fields.
+
+=item *
+
+A JOIN is performed on the Device table and the Device C<dns> column
+prefetched.
+
+=back
+
+To limit results only to active nodes, set C<< {active => 1} >> in C<cond>.
+
+=cut
+
+sub search_by_mac {
+    my ($rs, $cond, $attrs) = @_;
+
+    die "mac address required for search_by_mac\n"
+      if ref {} ne ref $cond or !exists $cond->{mac};
+
+    $cond->{'me.mac'} = delete $cond->{mac};
+    $attrs ||= {};
+
+    return $rs
+      ->search_rs($cond, %$attrs)
+      ->search({},
+        {
+          order_by => {'-desc' => 'time_last'},
+          '+columns' => [qw/ device.dns /],
+          '+select' => [
+            \"to_char(time_first, 'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI')",
+            \"to_char(time_last, 'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI')",
+          ],
+          '+as' => [qw/ time_first_stamp time_last_stamp /],
+          join => 'device',
+        },
     );
 }
 
diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/DB/ResultSet/NodeIp.pm b/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/DB/ResultSet/NodeIp.pm
index c3027966..b9f9bfd4 100644
--- a/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/DB/ResultSet/NodeIp.pm
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/DB/ResultSet/NodeIp.pm
@@ -13,69 +13,176 @@ sub has_dns_col {
 
 my $search_attr = {
     order_by => {'-desc' => 'time_last'},
-    columns => [qw/ mac ip active oui.company /],
+    '+columns' => [qw/ oui.company /],
     '+select' => [
       \"to_char(time_first, 'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI')",
       \"to_char(time_last, 'YYYY-MM-DD HH24:MI')",
     ],
-    '+as' => [qw/ time_first time_last /],
+    '+as' => [qw/ time_first_stamp time_last_stamp /],
     join => 'oui'
 };
 
-sub by_ip {
-    my ($set, $archive, $ip) = @_;
-    return $set unless $ip;
+=head1 search_by_ip( \%cond, \%attrs? )
 
-    my $op = '=';
-    if ('NetAddr::IP::Lite' eq ref $ip) {
-        $op = '<<=' if $ip->num > 1;
+ my $set = $rs->search_by_ip({ip => '123.123.123.123', active => 1});
+
+Like C<search()>, this returns a C<$resultset> of matching rows from the
+NodeIp table.
+
+=over 4
+
+=item *
+
+The C<cond> parameter must be a hashref containing a key C<ip> with the value
+to search for. Value can either be a simple string of IPv4 or IPv6, or a
+NetAddr::IP object in which case all results within the CIDR/Prefix will be
+retrieved.
+
+=item *
+
+Results are ordered by time last seen.
+
+=item *
+
+Additional columns C<time_first_stamp> and C<time_last_stamp> provide
+preformatted timestamps of the C<time_first> and C<time_last> fields.
+
+=item *
+
+A JOIN is performed on the OUI table and the OUI C<company> column prefetched.
+
+=back
+
+To limit results only to active IPs, set C<< {active => 1} >> in C<cond>.
+
+=cut
+
+sub search_by_ip {
+    my ($rs, $cond, $attrs) = @_;
+
+    die "ip address required for search_by_ip\n"
+      if ref {} ne ref $cond or !exists $cond->{ip};
+    $attrs ||= {};
+
+    # handle either plain text IP or NetAddr::IP (/32 or CIDR)
+    my ($op, $ip) = ('=', delete $cond->{ip});
+
+    if ('NetAddr::IP::Lite' eq ref $ip and $ip->num > 1) {
+        $op = '<<=';
         $ip = $ip->cidr;
     }
+    $cond->{ip} = { $op => $ip };
 
-    return $set->search(
-      {
-        ip => { $op => $ip },
-        ($archive ? () : (active => 1)),
-      },
-      {
-        %$search_attr,
-        ( $set->has_dns_col ? ('+columns' => 'dns') : () ),
-      }
-    );
+    $rs = $rs->search_rs({}, {'+columns' => 'dns'})
+      if $rs->has_dns_col;
+
+    return $rs
+      ->search_rs($cond, %$attrs)
+      ->search({}, $search_attr);
 }
 
-sub by_name {
-    my ($set, $archive, $name) = @_;
-    return $set unless $name;
-    die "do not call by_name unless you have a dns col on the node_ip table."
-      if not $set->has_dns_col;
+=head1 search_by_name( \%cond, \%attrs? )
 
-    return $set->search(
-      {
-        dns => { '-ilike' => $name },
-        ($archive ? () : (active => 1)),
-      },
-      {
-        %$search_attr,
-        '+columns' => 'dns',
-      }
-    );
+ my $set = $rs->search_by_name({dns => 'foo.example.com', active => 1});
+
+Like C<search()>, this returns a C<$resultset> of matching rows from the
+NodeIp table.
+
+=over 4
+
+=item *
+
+The NodeIp table must have a C<dns> column for this search to work. Typically
+this column is the IP's DNS PTR record, cached at the time of Netdisco Arpnip.
+
+=item *
+
+The C<cond> parameter must be a hashref containing a key C<dns> with the value
+to search for. The value may optionally include SQL wildcard characters.
+
+=item *
+
+Results are ordered by time last seen.
+
+=item *
+
+Additional columns C<time_first_stamp> and C<time_last_stamp> provide
+preformatted timestamps of the C<time_first> and C<time_last> fields.
+
+=item *
+
+A JOIN is performed on the OUI table and the OUI C<company> column prefetched.
+
+=back
+
+To limit results only to active IPs, set C<< {active => 1} >> in C<cond>.
+
+=cut
+
+sub search_by_dns {
+    my ($rs, $cond, $attrs) = @_;
+
+    die "search_by_dns requires a dns col on the node_ip table.\n"
+      if not $rs->has_dns_col;
+
+    die "dns field required for search_by_dns\n"
+      if ref {} ne ref $cond or !exists $cond->{dns};
+
+    $cond->{dns} = { '-ilike' => delete $cond->{dns} };
+    $attrs ||= {};
+
+    return $rs
+      ->search_rs($cond, %$attrs)
+      ->search_rs({}, {'+columns' => 'dns'})
+      ->search({}, $search_attr);
 }
 
-sub by_mac {
-    my ($set, $archive, $mac) = @_;
-    return $set unless $mac;
+=head1 search_by_mac( \%cond, \%attrs? )
 
-    return $set->search(
-      {
-        mac => $mac,
-        ($archive ? () : (active => 1)),
-      },
-      {
-        %$search_attr,
-        ( $set->has_dns_col ? ('+columns' => 'dns') : () ),
-      }
-    );
+ my $set = $rs->search_by_mac({mac => '00:11:22:33:44:55', active => 1});
+
+Like C<search()>, this returns a C<$resultset> of matching rows from the
+NodeIp table.
+
+=over 4
+
+=item *
+
+The C<cond> parameter must be a hashref containing a key C<mac> with the value
+to search for.
+
+=item *
+
+Results are ordered by time last seen.
+
+=item *
+
+Additional columns C<time_first_stamp> and C<time_last_stamp> provide
+preformatted timestamps of the C<time_first> and C<time_last> fields.
+
+=item *
+
+A JOIN is performed on the OUI table and the OUI C<company> column prefetched.
+
+=back
+
+To limit results only to active IPs, set C<< {active => 1} >> in C<cond>.
+
+=cut
+
+sub search_by_mac {
+    my ($rs, $cond, $attrs) = @_;
+
+    die "mac address required for search_by_mac\n"
+      if ref {} ne ref $cond or !exists $cond->{mac};
+    $attrs ||= {};
+
+    $rs = $rs->search_rs({}, {'+columns' => 'dns'})
+      if $rs->has_dns_col;
+
+    return $rs
+      ->search_rs($cond, %$attrs)
+      ->search({}, $search_attr);
 }
 
 1;
diff --git a/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/Web/Search.pm b/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/Web/Search.pm
index c7057c56..7adf3fe4 100644
--- a/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/Web/Search.pm
+++ b/Netdisco/lib/Netdisco/Web/Search.pm
@@ -65,13 +65,15 @@ ajax '/ajax/content/search/node' => sub {
     content_type('text/html');
 
     my $mac = Net::MAC->new(mac => $node, 'die' => 0, verbose => 0);
+    my @active = (param('archived') ? () : (active => 1));
+
     if (eval { $mac->as_IEEE }) {
 
         my $sightings = schema('netdisco')->resultset('Node')
-          ->by_mac(param('archived'), $mac->as_IEEE);
+          ->search_by_mac({mac => $mac->as_IEEE, @active});
 
         my $ips = schema('netdisco')->resultset('NodeIp')
-          ->by_mac(param('archived'), $mac->as_IEEE);
+          ->search_by_mac({mac => $mac->as_IEEE, @active});
 
         my $ports = schema('netdisco')->resultset('DevicePort')
           ->by_mac($mac->as_IEEE);
@@ -90,9 +92,9 @@ ajax '/ajax/content/search/node' => sub {
         my $set;
 
         if (my $ip = NetAddr::IP::Lite->new($node)) {
-            # by_ip() will extract cidr notation if necessary
+            # search_by_ip() will extract cidr notation if necessary
             $set = schema('netdisco')->resultset('NodeIp')
-              ->by_ip(param('archived'), $ip);
+              ->search_by_ip({ip => $ip, @active});
         }
         else {
             if (schema('netdisco')->resultset('NodeIp')->has_dns_col) {
@@ -104,7 +106,7 @@ ajax '/ajax/content/search/node' => sub {
                         if index($node, setting('domain_suffix')) == -1;
                 }
                 $set = schema('netdisco')->resultset('NodeIp')
-                  ->by_name(param('archived'), $node);
+                  ->search_by_dns({dns => $node, @active});
             }
             elsif (setting('domain_suffix')) {
                 $node .= setting('domain_suffix')
@@ -120,13 +122,16 @@ ajax '/ajax/content/search/node' => sub {
                     return;
                 }
                 $set = schema('netdisco')->resultset('NodeIp')
-                  ->by_ip(param('archived'), $node);
+                  ->search_by_ip({ip => $node, @active});
             }
         }
         return unless $set and $set->count;
 
         template 'ajax/search/node_by_ip.tt', {
-          results => $set,
+          macs => $set,
+          # a callback for the templates, which
+          # allows modification of the DB query before execution
+          archive_filter => sub { (shift)->search({@active}) },
         }, { layout => undef };
     }
 };
diff --git a/Netdisco/views/ajax/search/node_by_ip.tt b/Netdisco/views/ajax/search/node_by_ip.tt
index 2ad75a90..f5e82295 100644
--- a/Netdisco/views/ajax/search/node_by_ip.tt
+++ b/Netdisco/views/ajax/search/node_by_ip.tt
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     </tr>
   </thead>
   </tbody>
-    [% WHILE (row = results.next) %]
+    [% WHILE (row = macs.next) %]
     <tr>
       <td><a class="nd_linkcell"
         href="[% uri_for('/search') %]?[% vars.query_defaults.node %]&q=[% row.mac | uri %]">[% row.mac %]</a></td>
@@ -27,11 +27,11 @@
         [% ' <span class="label warning">a</span>' IF NOT row.active %]
       </td>
       [% IF params.stamps %]
-      <td>[% row.time_first %]</td>
-      <td>[% row.time_last %]</td>
+      <td>[% row.time_first_stamp %]</td>
+      <td>[% row.time_last_stamp %]</td>
       [% END %]
     </tr>
-    [% FOREACH node IN row.node_sightings(params.archived) %]
+    [% FOREACH node IN archive_filter(row.node_sightings) %]
     <tr>
       <td>&nbsp;</td>
       [% IF params.vendor %]
@@ -43,12 +43,12 @@
         [% ' <span class="label warning">a</span>' IF NOT node.active %]
       </td>
       [% IF params.stamps %]
-      <td>[% node.time_first %]</td>
-      <td>[% node.time_last %]</td>
+      <td>[% node.time_first_stamp %]</td>
+      <td>[% node.time_last_stamp %]</td>
       [% END %]
     </tr>
     [% END %]
-    [% FOREACH nodeip IN row.ip_aliases(params.archived) %]
+    [% FOREACH nodeip IN archive_filter(row.ip_aliases) %]
     <tr>
       <td>&nbsp;</td>
       [% IF params.vendor %]
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@
         [% ' <span class="label warning">a</span>' IF NOT nodeip.active %]
       </td>
       [% IF params.stamps %]
-      <td>[% nodeip.time_first %]</td>
-      <td>[% nodeip.time_last %]</td>
+      <td>[% nodeip.time_first_stamp %]</td>
+      <td>[% nodeip.time_last_stamp %]</td>
       [% END %]
     </tr>
     [% END %]
diff --git a/Netdisco/views/ajax/search/node_by_mac.tt b/Netdisco/views/ajax/search/node_by_mac.tt
index da7850eb..b0ac3f5a 100644
--- a/Netdisco/views/ajax/search/node_by_mac.tt
+++ b/Netdisco/views/ajax/search/node_by_mac.tt
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@
         [% ' <span class="label warning">a</span>' IF NOT row.active %]
       </td>
       [% IF params.stamps %]
-      <td>[% row.time_first %]</td>
-      <td>[% rw.time_last %]</td>
+      <td>[% row.time_first_stamp %]</td>
+      <td>[% rw.time_last_stamp %]</td>
       [% END %]
     </tr>
     [% SET first_row = 0 %]
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@
         [% ' <span class="label warning">a</span>' IF NOT node.active %]
       </td>
       [% IF params.stamps %]
-      <td>[% node.time_first %]</td>
-      <td>[% node.time_last %]</td>
+      <td>[% node.time_first_stamp %]</td>
+      <td>[% node.time_last_stamp %]</td>
       [% END %]
     </tr>
     [% SET first_row = 0 %]