diff --git a/core/daemon.c b/core/daemon.c
index 0e20454..ff7cd00 100644
--- a/core/daemon.c
+++ b/core/daemon.c
@@ -47,11 +47,12 @@ int ipfs_daemon_start(char* repo_path) {
         return 1;
     }
 
-    // create pthread for the API
+    /*
     //ipfs_bootstrap_routing(&local_node);
     if (pthread_create(&work_pths[count_pths++], NULL, ipfs_bootstrap_routing, &local_node)) {
     	fprintf(stderr, "Error creating thread for routing\n");
     }
+    */
 
     fprintf(stderr, "Daemon is ready\n");
 
diff --git a/core/null.c b/core/null.c
index 489bd93..73d4aa9 100644
--- a/core/null.c
+++ b/core/null.c
@@ -12,28 +12,33 @@
 #include "ipfs/core/ipfs_node.h"
 #include "libp2p/secio/secio.h"
 #include "libp2p/nodeio/nodeio.h"
+#include "libp2p/routing/dht_protocol.h"
 #include "ipfs/merkledag/merkledag.h"
 #include "ipfs/merkledag/node.h"
 
 #define BUF_SIZE 4096
 
-int ipfs_null_requesting_secio(unsigned char* buffer, size_t buffer_size) {
-	if (buffer_size > 5 && strncmp((char*)buffer, "/secio", 6) == 0)
-		return 1;
-	return 0;
-}
-int ipfs_null_requesting_nodeio(unsigned char* buffer, size_t buffer_size) {
-	if (buffer_size > 5 && strncmp((char*)buffer, "/nodeio", 7) == 0)
+/***
+ * Compare incoming to see if they are requesting a protocol upgrade
+ * @param incoming the incoming string
+ * @param incoming_size the size of the incoming string
+ * @param test the protocol string to compare it with (i.e. "/secio" or "/nodeio"
+ * @returns true(1) if there was a match, false(0) otherwise
+ */
+int protocol_compare(unsigned char* incoming, size_t incoming_size, const char* test) {
+	int test_size = strlen(test);
+	if (incoming_size >= test_size && strncmp((char*)incoming, test, test_size) == 0)
 		return 1;
 	return 0;
 }
+
 /**
  * We've received a connection. Find out what they want
  */
 void *ipfs_null_connection (void *ptr)
 {
     struct null_connection_params *connection_param = NULL;
-    struct s_ipfs_routing* routing = NULL;
+    //struct s_ipfs_routing* routing = NULL;
 
     connection_param = (struct null_connection_params*) ptr;
 
@@ -47,19 +52,19 @@ void *ipfs_null_connection (void *ptr)
     fprintf(stderr, "Connection %d, count %d\n", connection_param->socket, *(connection_param->count));
 
 	if (libp2p_net_multistream_negotiate(session.insecure_stream)) {
-	    routing = ipfs_routing_new_online(connection_param->local_node, &connection_param->local_node->identity->private_key, session.insecure_stream);
+	    //routing = ipfs_routing_new_online(connection_param->local_node, &connection_param->local_node->identity->private_key, session.insecure_stream);
 
 		for(;;) {
 			// check if they're looking for an upgrade (i.e. secio)
 			unsigned char* results = NULL;
 			size_t bytes_read;
 			session.default_stream->read(&session, &results, &bytes_read);
-			if (ipfs_null_requesting_secio(results, bytes_read)) {
+			if (protocol_compare(results, bytes_read, "/secio")) {
 				if (!libp2p_secio_handshake(&session, &connection_param->local_node->identity->private_key, 1)) {
 					// rejecting connection
 					break;
 				}
-			} else if (ipfs_null_requesting_nodeio(results, bytes_read)) {
+			} else if (protocol_compare(results, bytes_read, "/nodeio")) {
 				if (!libp2p_nodeio_handshake(&session))
 					break;
 				// loop through file requests
@@ -89,8 +94,16 @@ void *ipfs_null_connection (void *ptr)
 						session.default_stream->write(&session, results, results_size);
 					}
 				}
+			} else if (protocol_compare(results, bytes_read, "/kad/")) {
+				if (!libp2p_routing_dht_handshake(&session))
+					break;
+				// this handles 1 transaction
+				libp2p_routing_dht_handle_message(&session, connection_param->local_node->peerstore, connection_param->local_node->providerstore);
 			}
 			else {
+				// oops there was a problem
+				//TODO: Handle this
+				/*
 				struct Libp2pMessage* msg = NULL;
 				libp2p_message_protobuf_decode(results, bytes_read, &msg);
 				if (msg != NULL) {
@@ -116,6 +129,7 @@ void *ipfs_null_connection (void *ptr)
 				} else {
 					break;
 				}
+				*/
 			}
 		}
    	}
diff --git a/include/ipfs/core/daemon.h b/include/ipfs/core/daemon.h
index 680eea5..fe52452 100644
--- a/include/ipfs/core/daemon.h
+++ b/include/ipfs/core/daemon.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define DAEMON_H
 
 #include <stdint.h>
+#include "ipfs/core/ipfs_node.h"
 
 #define MAX 5
 #define CONNECTIONS 50
diff --git a/main/Makefile b/main/Makefile
index 8bb9111..8d5b7d5 100644
--- a/main/Makefile
+++ b/main/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 CC = gcc
-CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I../../c-libp2p/include -I../../c-multihash/include -I../../c-multiaddr/ -I../../c-protobuf -g3 -Wall -std=c99
+CFLAGS = -O0 -I../include -I../../c-libp2p/include -I../../c-multihash/include -I../../c-multiaddr/include -I../../c-protobuf -g3 -Wall -std=c99
 LFLAGS = -L../../c-libp2p -L../../c-multihash -L../../c-multiaddr -lp2p -lm -lmultihash -lmultiaddr -lpthread -lresolv
 DEPS = cmd/ipfs/test_init.h repo/test_repo_bootstrap_peers.h repo/test_repo_config.h repo/test_repo_identity.h cid/test_cid.h
 OBJS = main.o \