If necessary, you can convert a value to a string using the str() expression and a string back into a value using the int() expression.
Generally speaking, sync is the probably the more proper way method for send values - either via instance variable, or inside a data object like an array or dictionary. That is more for host->peer data though. I think it is not common practice for peers to send anything besides input values to the host, unless you don't care about having an authoritative host, but that's up to you. Having an authoritative host keeps things much cleaner logically in terms of peer/host events (or at least it does for me).