diff --git a/net_alerter/net_alerter.py b/net_alerter/net_alerter.py
index 12c8cc2..10e2fd0 100644
--- a/net_alerter/net_alerter.py
+++ b/net_alerter/net_alerter.py
@@ -875,23 +875,23 @@ def fmt_duration(secs: float) -> str:
 
 
 def format_arrival(hostname: str, ip: str, vendor: str, mac: str) -> str:
-    """Format arrival alert message. Deduplicate IP if hostname equals IP."""
+    """Format arrival alert message. Uses friendly label if configured, else hostname/vendor."""
+    label = device_labels.get(_normalize_mac(mac))
+    if label:
+        return f"[NET] ARRIVED: {label} ({ip})"
     if hostname == ip:
-        # Hostname resolution failed, don't repeat IP
         return f"[NET] ARRIVED: {ip} [{vendor}] MAC:{mac}"
-    else:
-        # Hostname resolved successfully, show both
-        return f"[NET] ARRIVED: {hostname} ({ip}) [{vendor}] MAC:{mac}"
+    return f"[NET] ARRIVED: {hostname} ({ip}) [{vendor}] MAC:{mac}"
 
 
 def format_departure(hostname: str, ip: str, vendor: str, mac: str, duration: str) -> str:
-    """Format departure alert message. Deduplicate IP if hostname equals IP."""
+    """Format departure alert message. Uses friendly label if configured, else hostname/vendor."""
+    label = device_labels.get(_normalize_mac(mac))
+    if label:
+        return f"[NET] DEPARTED: {label} ({ip}) — present {duration}"
     if hostname == ip:
-        # Hostname resolution failed, don't repeat IP
         return f"[NET] DEPARTED: {ip} [{vendor}] MAC:{mac} — present {duration}"
-    else:
-        # Hostname resolved successfully, show both
-        return f"[NET] DEPARTED: {hostname} ({ip}) [{vendor}] MAC:{mac} — present {duration}"
+    return f"[NET] DEPARTED: {hostname} ({ip}) [{vendor}] MAC:{mac} — present {duration}"
 
 
 def _update_occupancy_state_unlocked() -> None:
@@ -916,7 +916,7 @@ def _update_occupancy_state_unlocked() -> None:
             present = []
             for mac, dev in known_devices.items():
                 if not dev.get('departing', False) and dev['ip'] not in infrastructure_ips:
-                    label = device_labels.get(mac) or dev.get('vendor') or mac[-8:]
+                    label = device_labels.get(_normalize_mac(mac)) or dev.get('vendor') or mac[-8:]
                     present.append(label)
             msg = f"[NET] Location: OCCUPIED ({', '.join(present)})"
         else: