diff --git a/src/comm/comm.go b/src/comm/comm.go
index 47267b2..7ad3203 100644
--- a/src/comm/comm.go
+++ b/src/comm/comm.go
@@ -2,10 +2,9 @@ package comm
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"encoding/binary"
 	"fmt"
 	"net"
-	"strconv"
-	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -16,6 +15,19 @@ type Comm struct {
 	connection net.Conn
 }
 
+// NewConnection gets a new comm to a tcp address
+func NewConnection(address string) (c Comm, err error) {
+	connection, err := net.DialTimeout("tcp", address, 3*time.Hour)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	connection.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(3 * time.Hour))
+	connection.SetDeadline(time.Now().Add(3 * time.Hour))
+	connection.SetWriteDeadline(time.Now().Add(3 * time.Hour))
+	c = New(connection)
+	return
+}
+
 // New returns a new comm
 func New(c net.Conn) Comm {
 	c.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(3 * time.Hour))
@@ -35,10 +47,12 @@ func (c Comm) Close() {
 }
 
 func (c Comm) Write(b []byte) (int, error) {
-	tmpCopy := make([]byte, len(b)+5)
-	// Copy the buffer so it doesn't get changed while read by the recipient.
-	copy(tmpCopy[:5], []byte(fmt.Sprintf("%0.5d", len(b))))
-	copy(tmpCopy[5:], b)
+	header := new(bytes.Buffer)
+	err := binary.Write(header, binary.LittleEndian, uint32(len(b)))
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("binary.Write failed:", err)
+	}
+	tmpCopy := append(header.Bytes(), b...)
 	n, err := c.connection.Write(tmpCopy)
 	if n != len(tmpCopy) {
 		if err != nil {
@@ -53,68 +67,48 @@ func (c Comm) Write(b []byte) (int, error) {
 
 func (c Comm) Read() (buf []byte, numBytes int, bs []byte, err error) {
 	// read until we get 5 bytes
-	tmp := make([]byte, 5)
-	n, err := c.connection.Read(tmp)
+	header := make([]byte, 4)
+	n, err := c.connection.Read(header)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
-	tmpCopy := make([]byte, n)
-	// Copy the buffer so it doesn't get changed while read by the recipient.
-	copy(tmpCopy, tmp[:n])
-	bs = tmpCopy
-
-	tmp = make([]byte, 1)
-	for {
-		// see if we have enough bytes
-		bs = bytes.Trim(bs, "\x00")
-		if len(bs) == 5 {
-			break
-		}
-		n, err := c.connection.Read(tmp)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, 0, nil, err
-		}
-		tmpCopy = make([]byte, n)
-		// Copy the buffer so it doesn't get changed while read by the recipient.
-		copy(tmpCopy, tmp[:n])
-		bs = append(bs, tmpCopy...)
+	if n < 4 {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("not enough bytes: %d", n)
+		return
 	}
+	// make it so it won't change
+	header = append([]byte(nil), header...)
 
-	numBytes, err = strconv.Atoi(strings.TrimLeft(string(bs), "0"))
+	var numBytesUint32 uint32
+	rbuf := bytes.NewReader(header)
+	err = binary.Read(rbuf, binary.LittleEndian, &numBytesUint32)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, 0, nil, err
+		fmt.Println("binary.Read failed:", err)
 	}
-	buf = []byte{}
-	tmp = make([]byte, numBytes)
+	numBytes = int(numBytesUint32)
 	for {
-		n, err := c.connection.Read(tmp)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, 0, nil, err
+		tmp := make([]byte, numBytes)
+		n, errRead := c.connection.Read(tmp)
+		if errRead != nil {
+			err = errRead
+			return
 		}
-		tmpCopy = make([]byte, n)
-		// Copy the buffer so it doesn't get changed while read by the recipient.
-		copy(tmpCopy, tmp[:n])
-		buf = append(buf, bytes.TrimRight(tmpCopy, "\x00")...)
-		if len(buf) < numBytes {
-			// shrink the amount we need to read
-			tmp = tmp[:numBytes-len(buf)]
-		} else {
+		buf = append(buf, tmp[:n]...)
+		if numBytes == len(buf) {
 			break
 		}
 	}
-	// log.Printf("wanted %d and got %d", numBytes, len(buf))
 	return
 }
 
 // Send a message
-func (c Comm) Send(message string) (err error) {
-	_, err = c.Write([]byte(message))
+func (c Comm) Send(message []byte) (err error) {
+	_, err = c.Write(message)
 	return
 }
 
 // Receive a message
-func (c Comm) Receive() (s string, err error) {
-	b, _, _, err := c.Read()
-	s = string(b)
+func (c Comm) Receive() (b []byte, err error) {
+	b, _, _, err = c.Read()
 	return
 }
diff --git a/src/comm/comm_test.go b/src/comm/comm_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..41430bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/comm/comm_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+package comm
+
+import (
+	"net"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	log "github.com/cihub/seelog"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestComm(t *testing.T) {
+	defer log.Flush()
+
+	port := "8001"
+	go func() {
+		log.Debugf("starting TCP server on " + port)
+		server, err := net.Listen("tcp", "0.0.0.0:"+port)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Error(err)
+		}
+		defer server.Close()
+		// spawn a new goroutine whenever a client connects
+		for {
+			connection, err := server.Accept()
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Error(err)
+			}
+			log.Debugf("client %s connected", connection.RemoteAddr().String())
+			go func(port string, connection net.Conn) {
+				c := New(connection)
+				err = c.Send([]byte("hello, world"))
+				assert.Nil(t, err)
+				data, err := c.Receive()
+				assert.Nil(t, err)
+				assert.Equal(t, []byte("hello, computer"), data)
+				data, err = c.Receive()
+				assert.Nil(t, err)
+				assert.Equal(t, []byte{'\x00'}, data)
+			}(port, connection)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+	a, err := NewConnection("localhost:" + port)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	data, err := a.Receive()
+	assert.Equal(t, []byte("hello, world"), data)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	assert.Nil(t, a.Send([]byte("hello, computer")))
+	assert.Nil(t, a.Send([]byte{'\x00'}))
+}
diff --git a/src/tcp/tcp.go b/src/tcp/tcp.go
index 3cece44..599a58b 100644
--- a/src/tcp/tcp.go
+++ b/src/tcp/tcp.go
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 type roomInfo struct {
-	receiver comm.Comm
-	opened   time.Time
+	first  comm.Comm
+	second comm.Comm
+	opened time.Time
+	full   bool
 }
 
 type roomMap struct {
@@ -77,37 +79,53 @@ func run(port string) (err error) {
 func clientCommuncation(port string, c comm.Comm) (err error) {
 	// send ok to tell client they are connected
 	log.Debug("sending ok")
-	err = c.Send("ok")
+	err = c.Send([]byte("ok"))
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
 
 	// wait for client to tell me which room they want
 	log.Debug("waiting for answer")
-	room, err := c.Receive()
+	roomBytes, err := c.Receive()
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
+	room := string(roomBytes)
 
 	rooms.Lock()
-	// first connection is always the receiver
+	// create the room if it is new
 	if _, ok := rooms.rooms[room]; !ok {
 		rooms.rooms[room] = roomInfo{
-			receiver: c,
-			opened:   time.Now(),
+			first:  c,
+			opened: time.Now(),
 		}
 		rooms.Unlock()
 		// tell the client that they got the room
-		err = c.Send("recipient")
+		err = c.Send([]byte("ok"))
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Error(err)
 			return
 		}
-		log.Debug("recipient connected")
+		log.Debugf("room %s has 1", room)
 		return nil
 	}
-	log.Debug("sender connected")
-	receiver := rooms.rooms[room].receiver
+	if rooms.rooms[room].full {
+		rooms.Unlock()
+		err = c.Send([]byte("room full"))
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Error(err)
+			return
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+	log.Debugf("room %s has 2", room)
+	rooms.rooms[room] = roomInfo{
+		first:  rooms.rooms[room].first,
+		second: c,
+		opened: rooms.rooms[room].opened,
+		full:   true,
+	}
+	otherConnection := rooms.rooms[room].first
 	rooms.Unlock()
 
 	// second connection is the sender, time to staple connections
@@ -120,10 +138,10 @@ func clientCommuncation(port string, c comm.Comm) (err error) {
 		pipe(com1.Connection(), com2.Connection())
 		wg.Done()
 		log.Debug("done piping")
-	}(c, receiver, &wg)
+	}(otherConnection, c, &wg)
 
 	// tell the sender everything is ready
-	err = c.Send("sender")
+	err = c.Send([]byte("ok"))
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
@@ -132,6 +150,8 @@ func clientCommuncation(port string, c comm.Comm) (err error) {
 	// delete room
 	rooms.Lock()
 	log.Debugf("deleting room: %s", room)
+	rooms.rooms[room].first.Close()
+	rooms.rooms[room].second.Close()
 	delete(rooms.rooms, room)
 	rooms.Unlock()
 	return nil
diff --git a/src/tcp/tcp_test.go b/src/tcp/tcp_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d336b3d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tcp/tcp_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+package tcp
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/schollz/croc/src/comm"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestTCP(t *testing.T) {
+	go Run("debug", "8081")
+	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
+	c1, err := ConnectToTCPServer("localhost:8081", "testRoom")
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	c2, err := ConnectToTCPServer("localhost:8081", "testRoom")
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	_, err = ConnectToTCPServer("localhost:8081", "testRoom")
+	assert.NotNil(t, err)
+
+	// try sending data
+	assert.Nil(t, c1.Send([]byte("hello, c2")))
+	data, err := c2.Receive()
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, []byte("hello, c2"), data)
+
+	assert.Nil(t, c2.Send([]byte("hello, c1")))
+	data, err = c1.Receive()
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, []byte("hello, c1"), data)
+
+	c1.Close()
+	time.Sleep(200 * time.Millisecond)
+	err = c2.Send([]byte("test"))
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	_, err = c2.Receive()
+	assert.NotNil(t, err)
+}
+
+func ConnectToTCPServer(address, room string) (c comm.Comm, err error) {
+	c, err = comm.NewConnection("localhost:8081")
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	data, err := c.Receive()
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	if !bytes.Equal(data, []byte("ok")) {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("got bad response: %s", data)
+		return
+	}
+	err = c.Send([]byte(room))
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	data, err = c.Receive()
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	if !bytes.Equal(data, []byte("ok")) {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("got bad response: %s", data)
+		return
+	}
+	return
+}