diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 84ca17e5..ea66314f 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -31,6 +31,26 @@ import (
 	"github.com/bluenviron/gortsplib/v3/pkg/url"
 )
 
+// convert an URL into an address, in particular:
+// * add default port
+// * handle IPv6 with or without square brackets.
+// Adapted from net/http:
+// https://cs.opensource.google/go/go/+/refs/tags/go1.20.5:src/net/http/transport.go;l=2747
+func canonicalAddr(u *url.URL) string {
+	addr := u.Hostname()
+
+	port := u.Port()
+	if port == "" {
+		if u.Scheme == "rtsp" {
+			port = "554"
+		} else { // rtsps
+			port = "322"
+		}
+	}
+
+	return net.JoinHostPort(addr, port)
+}
+
 func isAnyPort(p int) bool {
 	return p == 0 || p == 1
 }
@@ -249,8 +269,7 @@ type Client struct {
 	checkTimeoutPeriod      time.Duration
 	keepalivePeriod         time.Duration
 
-	scheme               string
-	host                 string
+	connURL              *url.URL
 	ctx                  context.Context
 	ctxCancel            func()
 	state                clientState
@@ -383,8 +402,10 @@ func (c *Client) Start(scheme string, host string) error {
 
 	ctx, ctxCancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 
-	c.scheme = scheme
-	c.host = host
+	c.connURL = &url.URL{
+		Scheme: scheme,
+		Host:   host,
+	}
 	c.ctx = ctx
 	c.ctxCancel = ctxCancel
 	c.checkTimeoutTimer = emptyTimer()
@@ -577,8 +598,7 @@ func (c *Client) checkState(allowed map[clientState]struct{}) error {
 func (c *Client) trySwitchingProtocol() error {
 	c.OnTransportSwitch(fmt.Errorf("no UDP packets received, switching to TCP"))
 
-	prevScheme := c.scheme
-	prevHost := c.host
+	prevConnURL := c.connURL
 	prevBaseURL := c.baseURL
 	prevMedias := c.medias
 
@@ -586,8 +606,7 @@ func (c *Client) trySwitchingProtocol() error {
 
 	v := TransportTCP
 	c.effectiveTransport = &v
-	c.scheme = prevScheme
-	c.host = prevHost
+	c.connURL = prevConnURL
 
 	// some Hikvision cameras require a describe before a setup
 	_, _, _, err := c.doDescribe(c.lastDescribeURL)
@@ -618,15 +637,13 @@ func (c *Client) trySwitchingProtocol() error {
 func (c *Client) trySwitchingProtocol2(medi *media.Media, baseURL *url.URL) (*base.Response, error) {
 	c.OnTransportSwitch(fmt.Errorf("switching to TCP because server requested it"))
 
-	prevScheme := c.scheme
-	prevHost := c.host
+	prevConnURL := c.connURL
 
 	c.reset()
 
 	v := TransportTCP
 	c.effectiveTransport = &v
-	c.scheme = prevScheme
-	c.host = prevHost
+	c.connURL = prevConnURL
 
 	// some Hikvision cameras require a describe before a setup
 	_, _, _, err := c.doDescribe(c.lastDescribeURL)
@@ -700,41 +717,30 @@ func (c *Client) playRecordStop(isClosing bool) {
 }
 
 func (c *Client) connOpen() error {
-	if c.scheme != "rtsp" && c.scheme != "rtsps" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("unsupported scheme '%s'", c.scheme)
+	if c.connURL.Scheme != "rtsp" && c.connURL.Scheme != "rtsps" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("unsupported scheme '%s'", c.connURL.Scheme)
 	}
 
-	if c.scheme == "rtsps" && c.Transport != nil && *c.Transport != TransportTCP {
+	if c.connURL.Scheme == "rtsps" && c.Transport != nil && *c.Transport != TransportTCP {
 		return fmt.Errorf("RTSPS can be used only with TCP")
 	}
 
-	// add default port
-	_, _, err := net.SplitHostPort(c.host)
-	if err != nil {
-		if c.scheme == "rtsp" {
-			c.host = net.JoinHostPort(c.host, "554")
-		} else { // rtsps
-			c.host = net.JoinHostPort(c.host, "322")
-		}
-	}
-
 	dialCtx, dialCtxCancel := context.WithTimeout(c.ctx, c.ReadTimeout)
 	defer dialCtxCancel()
 
-	nconn, err := c.DialContext(dialCtx, "tcp", c.host)
+	nconn, err := c.DialContext(dialCtx, "tcp", canonicalAddr(c.connURL))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	if c.scheme == "rtsps" {
+	if c.connURL.Scheme == "rtsps" {
 		tlsConfig := c.TLSConfig
 
 		if tlsConfig == nil {
 			tlsConfig = &tls.Config{}
 		}
 
-		host, _, _ := net.SplitHostPort(c.host)
-		tlsConfig.ServerName = host
+		tlsConfig.ServerName = c.connURL.Hostname()
 
 		nconn = tls.Client(nconn, tlsConfig)
 	}
@@ -997,8 +1003,10 @@ func (c *Client) doDescribe(u *url.URL) (media.Medias, *url.URL, *base.Response,
 				ru.User = u.User
 			}
 
-			c.scheme = ru.Scheme
-			c.host = ru.Host
+			c.connURL = &url.URL{
+				Scheme: ru.Scheme,
+				Host:   ru.Host,
+			}
 
 			return c.doDescribe(ru)
 		}
@@ -1125,7 +1133,7 @@ func (c *Client) doSetup(
 	}
 
 	// always use TCP if encrypted
-	if c.scheme == "rtsps" {
+	if c.connURL.Scheme == "rtsps" {
 		v := TransportTCP
 		c.effectiveTransport = &v
 	}
diff --git a/client_test.go b/client_test.go
index e34f1163..40810ff0 100644
--- a/client_test.go
+++ b/client_test.go
@@ -23,6 +23,35 @@ func mustParseURL(s string) *url.URL {
 	return u
 }
 
+func TestClientURLToAddress(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, ca := range []struct {
+		name string
+		url  string
+		addr string
+	}{
+		{
+			"rtsp ipv6 with port",
+			"rtsp://[::1]:8888/path",
+			"[::1]:8888",
+		},
+		{
+			"rtsp ipv6 without port",
+			"rtsp://[::1]/path",
+			"[::1]:554",
+		},
+		{
+			"rtsps without port",
+			"rtsps://2.2.2.2/path",
+			"2.2.2.2:322",
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(ca.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			addr := canonicalAddr(mustParseURL(ca.url))
+			require.Equal(t, ca.addr, addr)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestClientTLSSetServerName(t *testing.T) {
 	l, err := net.Listen("tcp", "localhost:8554")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
diff --git a/pkg/url/url.go b/pkg/url/url.go
index cc9d7a80..ff4601e3 100644
--- a/pkg/url/url.go
+++ b/pkg/url/url.go
@@ -89,3 +89,18 @@ func (u *URL) RTSPPathAndQuery() (string, bool) {
 
 	return pathAndQuery, true
 }
+
+// Hostname returns u.Host, stripping any valid port number if present.
+//
+// If the result is enclosed in square brackets, as literal IPv6 addresses are,
+// the square brackets are removed from the result.
+func (u *URL) Hostname() string {
+	return (*url.URL)(u).Hostname()
+}
+
+// Port returns the port part of u.Host, without the leading colon.
+//
+// If u.Host doesn't contain a valid numeric port, Port returns an empty string.
+func (u *URL) Port() string {
+	return (*url.URL)(u).Port()
+}