C++ :: Strings Always Require Extra Memory Buffer?

I am trying to add some functionality to this project: [URL] ...

Under this [URL] ...

This latest comment based on;

host.data = (u_char *) "112.168.231.19:80";
for (i = 0; i < peer->name.len; i++) {
peer->name.data[i] = host.data[i];
}
or more simpler:
peer->name.data = host.data;

States: "Because strings always require an extra memory buffer (and the burden of memory management) while primitive values like booleans and numbers don't."

Which makes sense since a boolean change (down/up) does actually changes a runtime value, however the string replacement shows via '/upstreams' that the value has changed but at runtime it is still using the old value.

So in short it looks like I do need a buffer to change the string value.

My question is why? if 'peer->down' works on a memory fragment where its value resides then why doesn't a 'peer->name.data = host.data' do the same thing? can this be done without a buffer? once you allocate memory and store host.data in to this where do I copy it to?