diff --git a/conn/connection.c b/conn/connection.c
index 8e18ea9..4fc5d79 100644
--- a/conn/connection.c
+++ b/conn/connection.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 #include "libp2p/conn/connection.h"
 
-struct Connection* libp2p_conn_connection_open(struct TransportDialer* transport_dialer, struct maddr* multiaddress) {
+struct Connection* libp2p_conn_connection_new(struct TransportDialer* transport_dialer, struct MultiAddress* multiaddress) {
 	struct Connection* out = NULL;
 
 	if (transport_dialer != NULL) {
@@ -13,3 +13,11 @@ struct Connection* libp2p_conn_connection_open(struct TransportDialer* transport
 	}
 	return out;
 }
+
+void libp2p_conn_connection_free(struct Connection* connection) {
+	if (connection != NULL) {
+		fclose(connection->socket_handle);
+		free(connection);
+	}
+}
+
diff --git a/conn/dialer.c b/conn/dialer.c
index 65b0c26..b842036 100644
--- a/conn/dialer.c
+++ b/conn/dialer.c
@@ -15,12 +15,20 @@
 struct Dialer* libp2p_conn_dialer_new(char* peer_id, struct PrivateKey* private_key) {
 	struct Dialer* dialer = (struct Dialer*)malloc(sizeof(struct Dialer));
 	if (dialer != NULL) {
-		dialer->peer_id = peer_id;
-		dialer->private_key = private_key;
-		dialer->fallback_dialer = NULL;
-		dialer->transport_dialers = NULL;
+		dialer->peer_id = malloc(strlen(peer_id) + 1);
+		if (dialer->peer_id != NULL) {
+			strcpy(dialer->peer_id, peer_id);
+			dialer->private_key = (struct PrivateKey*)malloc(sizeof(struct PrivateKey));
+			if (dialer->private_key != NULL) {
+				libp2p_crypto_private_key_copy(private_key, dialer->private_key);
+				dialer->fallback_dialer = NULL;
+				dialer->transport_dialers = NULL;
+				return dialer;
+			}
+		}
 	}
-	return dialer;
+	libp2p_conn_dialer_free(dialer);
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -49,10 +57,10 @@ void libp2p_conn_dialer_free(struct Dialer* in) {
  * @param muiltiaddress who to connect to
  * @returns a Connection, or NULL
  */
-struct Connection* libp2p_conn_dialer_get_connection(struct Dialer* dialer, struct maddr* multiaddress) {
+struct Connection* libp2p_conn_dialer_get_connection(struct Dialer* dialer, struct MultiAddress* multiaddress) {
 	struct Connection* conn = libp2p_conn_transport_dialer_get(dialer->transport_dialers, multiaddress);
 	if (conn == NULL) {
-		conn = libp2p_conn_connection_open(dialer->fallback_dialer, multiaddress);
+		conn = libp2p_conn_connection_new(dialer->fallback_dialer, multiaddress);
 	}
 	return conn;
 }
diff --git a/conn/transport_dialer.c b/conn/transport_dialer.c
index 1a6dc45..7b8e3ed 100644
--- a/conn/transport_dialer.c
+++ b/conn/transport_dialer.c
@@ -2,17 +2,18 @@
 
 #include "libp2p/conn/transport_dialer.h"
 
-struct TransportDialer* libp2p_conn_transport_dialer_new(struct maddr* multiaddr) {
+struct TransportDialer* libp2p_conn_transport_dialer_new(struct MultiAddress* multiaddr) {
 	struct TransportDialer* out = (struct TransportDialer*)malloc(sizeof(struct TransportDialer));
 	if (out != NULL) {
-		out->multiaddr = (struct maddr*)malloc(sizeof(struct maddr));
+		out->multiaddr = (struct MultiAddress*)malloc(sizeof(struct MultiAddress));
 		if (out->multiaddr == NULL) {
-			free(out);
+			libp2p_conn_transport_dialer_free(out);
+			return NULL;
+		}
+		if (multiaddress_copy(multiaddr, out->multiaddr) == 0) {
+			libp2p_conn_transport_dialer_free(out);
 			return NULL;
 		}
-		out->multiaddr->bsize[0] = multiaddr->bsize[0];
-		memcpy(out->multiaddr->bytes, multiaddr->bytes, 400);
-		memcpy(out->multiaddr->string, multiaddr->string, 800);
 	}
 	return out;
 }
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ void libp2p_conn_transport_dialer_free(struct TransportDialer* in) {
  * @param multiaddr the address
  * @returns a connection, or NULL if no appropriate dialer was found
  */
-struct Connection* libp2p_conn_transport_dialer_get(struct Libp2pLinkedList* transport_dialers, struct maddr* multiaddr) {
+struct Connection* libp2p_conn_transport_dialer_get(struct Libp2pLinkedList* transport_dialers, struct MultiAddress* multiaddr) {
 	//TODO: implement this method
 	return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/crypto/encoding/base64.c b/crypto/encoding/base64.c
index 708e05e..b3a3db7 100644
--- a/crypto/encoding/base64.c
+++ b/crypto/encoding/base64.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ int libp2p_crypto_encoding_base64_encode(const unsigned char* input_data, size_t
  * @param output_data the buffer to store the output
  * @param max_output_length the length of the output buffer
  * @param bytes_written the number of bytes written to output_data
- * @returns a pointer to the decoded data
+ * @returns true(1) on success, otherwise 0
  */
 int libp2p_crypto_encoding_base64_decode(const unsigned char* input_data, size_t input_length, unsigned char* output_data, size_t max_output_length, size_t* bytes_written) {
 	int retVal = mbedtls_base64_decode(output_data, max_output_length, bytes_written, input_data, input_length);
diff --git a/crypto/key.c b/crypto/key.c
index bfd7dc7..b44be15 100644
--- a/crypto/key.c
+++ b/crypto/key.c
@@ -130,11 +130,25 @@ void libp2p_crypto_private_key_free(struct PrivateKey* in) {
 	}
 }
 
-int libp2p_crypto_private_key_protobuf_encode_size(struct PrivateKey* in) {
+int libp2p_crypto_private_key_copy(const struct PrivateKey* source, struct PrivateKey* destination) {
+	if (source != NULL && destination != NULL) {
+		destination->type = source->type;
+		destination->data = (unsigned char*)malloc(source->data_size);
+		if (destination->data != NULL) {
+			memcpy(destination->data, source->data, source->data_size);
+			destination->data_size = source->data_size;
+			return 1;
+		}
+		libp2p_crypto_private_key_free(destination);
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+size_t libp2p_crypto_private_key_protobuf_encode_size(const struct PrivateKey* in) {
 	return 22 + in->data_size;
 }
 
-int libp2p_crypto_private_key_protobuf_encode(struct PrivateKey* in, unsigned char* buffer, size_t max_buffer_length, size_t* bytes_written) {
+int libp2p_crypto_private_key_protobuf_encode(const struct PrivateKey* in, unsigned char* buffer, size_t max_buffer_length, size_t* bytes_written) {
 	*bytes_written = 0;
 	size_t bytes_used;
 	// type (RSA vs ED25519)
diff --git a/include/libp2p/conn/connection.h b/include/libp2p/conn/connection.h
index 7a37da5..49d32bf 100644
--- a/include/libp2p/conn/connection.h
+++ b/include/libp2p/conn/connection.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#pragma once
 /**
  * Implements an interface to connect and talk to different nodes.
  * A Dialer will connect, and return a Connection structure
@@ -7,15 +8,15 @@
 #include "multiaddr/multiaddr.h"
 
 struct Connection {
-	int socket_handle;
+	FILE* socket_handle;
 	/**
 	 * Read from the stream
 	 * @param socket_handle the socket to read from
 	 * @param in what was read in NOTE: this allocates memory
 	 * @param in_size the number of bytes read in
-	 * @returns 0 on success, otherwise an error code
+	 * @returns number of bytes written or negative number on error
 	 */
-	int (*read)(int socket_handle, char** in, size_t* in_size);
+	int (*read)(const struct Connection* conn, char** in, size_t* in_size);
 	/**
 	 * Write to the stream
 	 * @param socket_handle the socket to write to
@@ -23,7 +24,21 @@ struct Connection {
 	 * @param out_size the number of bytes to write
 	 * @returns 0 on success, otherwise an error code
 	 */
-	int (*write)(int socket_handle, char* out, size_t* out_size);
+	int (*write)(const struct Connection* conn, char* out, size_t out_size);
 };
 
-struct Connection* libp2p_conn_connection_open(struct TransportDialer* transport_dialer, struct maddr* multiaddress);
+/**
+ * creates a new connection
+ * @param transport_dialer the TransportDialer to use
+ * @param multiaddress the destination
+ * @returns a connection that is ready to be read from / written to
+ */
+struct Connection* libp2p_conn_connection_new(struct TransportDialer* transport_dialer, struct MultiAddress* multiaddress);
+
+/***
+ * close a connection and dispose of struct
+ * @param connection the resource to clean up
+ */
+void libp2p_conn_connection_free(struct Connection* connection);
+
+
diff --git a/include/libp2p/conn/dialer.h b/include/libp2p/conn/dialer.h
index 635e452..c7c66d6 100644
--- a/include/libp2p/conn/dialer.h
+++ b/include/libp2p/conn/dialer.h
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 
 #include "libp2p/crypto/key.h"
 #include "multiaddr/multiaddr.h"
+#include "libp2p/conn/connection.h"
+#include "libp2p/conn/transport_dialer.h"
 
 struct Dialer {
 	/**
@@ -41,4 +43,4 @@ void libp2p_conn_dialer_free(struct Dialer* in);
  * @param muiltiaddress who to connect to
  * @returns a Connection, or NULL
  */
-struct Connection* libp2p_conn_dialer_get_connection(struct Dialer* dialer, struct maddr* multiaddress);
+struct Connection* libp2p_conn_dialer_get_connection(struct Dialer* dialer, struct MultiAddress* multiaddress);
diff --git a/include/libp2p/conn/transport_dialer.h b/include/libp2p/conn/transport_dialer.h
index 8aac91a..f8bb581 100644
--- a/include/libp2p/conn/transport_dialer.h
+++ b/include/libp2p/conn/transport_dialer.h
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@
 #include "libp2p/utils/linked_list.h"
 
 struct TransportDialer {
-	struct maddr* multiaddr;
+	struct MultiAddress* multiaddr;
 };
 
-struct TransportDialer* libp2p_conn_transport_dialer_new(struct maddr* multiaddr);
+struct TransportDialer* libp2p_conn_transport_dialer_new(struct MultiAddress* multiaddr);
 void libp2p_conn_transport_dialer_free(struct TransportDialer* in);
 
-struct Connection* libp2p_conn_transport_dialer_get(struct Libp2pLinkedList* transport_dialers, struct maddr* multiaddr);
+struct Connection* libp2p_conn_transport_dialer_get(struct Libp2pLinkedList* transport_dialers, struct MultiAddress* multiaddr);
diff --git a/include/libp2p/crypto/key.h b/include/libp2p/crypto/key.h
index 4ab75ac..1139785 100644
--- a/include/libp2p/crypto/key.h
+++ b/include/libp2p/crypto/key.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ void libp2p_crypto_public_key_free(struct PublicKey* in);
 
 struct PrivateKey* libp2p_crypto_private_key_new();
 void libp2p_crypto_private_key_free(struct PrivateKey* in);
+int libp2p_crypto_private_key_copy(const struct PrivateKey* source, struct PrivateKey* destination);
 
 /**
  * Unmarshal a public key from a protobuf
@@ -30,7 +31,10 @@ void libp2p_crypto_private_key_free(struct PrivateKey* in);
 int libp2p_crypto_public_key_protobuf_decode(unsigned char* buffer, size_t buffer_length, struct PublicKey** out);
 size_t libp2p_crypto_public_key_protobuf_encode_size(const struct PublicKey* in);
 int libp2p_crypto_public_key_protobuf_encode(const struct PublicKey* in, unsigned char* buffer, size_t max_buffer_length, size_t* bytes_written);
+// private key
 int libp2p_crypto_private_key_protobuf_decode(unsigned char* buffer, size_t buffer_length, struct PrivateKey** out);
+size_t libp2p_crypto_private_key_protobuf_encode_size(const struct PrivateKey* in);
+int libp2p_crypto_private_key_protobuf_encode(const struct PrivateKey* in, unsigned char* buffer, size_t max_buffer_length, size_t* bytes_written);
 
 /**
  * convert a public key into a peer id
diff --git a/test/Makefile b/test/Makefile
index 90582c9..aabceac 100644
--- a/test/Makefile
+++ b/test/Makefile
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ ifdef DEBUG
 CFLAGS += -g3
 endif
 
-LFLAGS = -L../ -L../../c-multihash
+LFLAGS = -L../ -L../../c-multihash -L../../c-multiaddr
 DEPS = crypto/test_base58.h crypto/test_rsa.h test_mbedtls.h
 OBJS = testit.o ../../c-protobuf/protobuf.o ../../c-protobuf/varint.o ../libp2p.a
 
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ OBJS = testit.o ../../c-protobuf/protobuf.o ../../c-protobuf/varint.o ../libp2p.
 	$(CC) -c -o $@ $< $(CFLAGS)
 
 testit_libp2p: $(OBJS) $(DEPS)
-	$(CC) -o $@ $(OBJS) $(LFLAGS) -lp2p -lm -lmultihash
+	$(CC) -o $@ $(OBJS) $(LFLAGS) -lp2p -lm -lmultihash -lmultiaddr
 	
 all_others:
 	cd ../crypto; make all;
diff --git a/test/test_conn.h b/test/test_conn.h
index 0d58315..64db0d9 100644
--- a/test/test_conn.h
+++ b/test/test_conn.h
@@ -1,12 +1,64 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
 #include "libp2p/conn/dialer.h"
+#include "test_helper.h"
 
 int test_dialer_new() {
-	struct PrivateKey* private_key = NULL;
-	struct Dialer* dialer = libp2p_conn_dialer_new("ABC", private_key);
+	char* peer_id = "QmQSDGgxSVTkHmtT25rTzQtc5C1Yg8SpGK3BTws8YsJ4x3";
+	struct PrivateKey* private_key = libp2p_crypto_private_key_new();
+	struct Dialer* dialer = libp2p_conn_dialer_new(peer_id, private_key);
 	if (dialer == NULL)
 		return 0;
 	libp2p_conn_dialer_free(dialer);
 	return 1;
 }
+
+int test_dialer_dial() {
+	int retVal = 0;
+	char* config_dir = "/home/parallels/.ipfs/config";
+	char* destination_string = "/ip/192.210.179.217/tcp/4001";
+	char* peer_id = NULL;
+	struct PrivateKey* private_key = NULL;
+	struct Dialer* dialer = NULL;
+	struct MultiAddress* destination_address = NULL;
+	struct Connection* conn = NULL;
+	char* result = NULL;
+	size_t result_size = 0;
+
+	test_helper_get_id_from_config(config_dir, &private_key, &peer_id);
+	if (private_key == NULL)
+		goto exit;
+
+	dialer = libp2p_conn_dialer_new(peer_id, private_key);
+	if (dialer == NULL)
+		goto exit;
+
+	destination_address = multiaddress_new_from_string(destination_string);
+	if (destination_address == NULL)
+		goto exit;
+
+	// now try to dial
+	conn = libp2p_conn_dialer_get_connection(dialer, destination_address);
+	if (conn == NULL)
+		goto exit;
+
+	if (conn->write(conn, "ping", 4) == 0)
+		goto exit;
+
+	if (conn->read(conn, &result, &result_size) == 0)
+		goto exit;
+
+	if (result_size < 4 || strncmp(result, "pong", 4) != 0)
+		goto exit;
+
+	// clean up resources
+	retVal = 1;
+	exit:
+	if (result != NULL)
+		free(result);
+	multiaddress_free(destination_address);
+	libp2p_conn_dialer_free(dialer);
+	libp2p_crypto_private_key_free(private_key);
+	libp2p_conn_connection_free(conn);
+	return retVal;
+}
diff --git a/test/test_helper.h b/test/test_helper.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1ac8431
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_helper.h
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+#include "libp2p/crypto/key.h"
+
+void read_file(char* path, char** contents) {
+	FILE* fd = fopen(path, "r");
+	fseek(fd, 0L, SEEK_END);
+	size_t num_bytes = ftell(fd);
+	rewind(fd);
+	*contents = malloc(num_bytes);
+	fread(*contents, 1, num_bytes, fd);
+	fclose(fd);
+	return;
+}
+
+struct PrivateKey* base64ToPrivateKey(char* base64) {
+	int retVal = 0;
+	size_t decode_base64_size = 0;
+	unsigned char* decode_base64 = NULL;
+	struct PrivateKey* out = NULL;
+
+	// 1) take the private key and turn it back into bytes (decode base 64)
+	decode_base64_size = libp2p_crypto_encoding_base64_decode_size(strlen(base64));
+	decode_base64 = (unsigned char*)malloc(decode_base64_size);
+	if (decode_base64 == NULL)
+		goto exit;
+	memset(decode_base64, 0, decode_base64_size);
+
+	if (!libp2p_crypto_encoding_base64_decode((unsigned char*)base64, strlen(base64), &decode_base64[0], decode_base64_size, &decode_base64_size))
+		goto exit;
+
+	if (!libp2p_crypto_private_key_protobuf_decode(decode_base64, decode_base64_size, &out))
+		goto exit;
+
+	retVal = 1;
+	exit:
+	if (retVal != 1) {
+		libp2p_crypto_private_key_free(out);
+		out = NULL;
+	}
+	return out;
+}
+
+int test_helper_get_id_from_config(char* path, struct PrivateKey** private_ptr, char** peer_ptr) {
+	int retVal = 0;
+	char* contents = NULL;
+	char* ptr = NULL;
+	char* end = NULL;
+	int length = 0;
+	read_file(path, &contents);
+	if (contents == NULL)
+		goto exit;
+
+	// peer id
+	ptr = strstr(contents, "PeerID");
+	if (ptr == NULL)
+		goto exit;
+
+	ptr = strstr(ptr, "Qm");
+	if (ptr == NULL)
+		goto exit;
+
+	end = strstr(ptr, "\"");
+
+	length = end - ptr;
+	*peer_ptr = malloc(length + 1);
+	if (*peer_ptr == NULL)
+		goto exit;
+	memcpy(*peer_ptr, ptr, length);
+	(*peer_ptr)[length] = 0;
+
+	// private key
+	ptr = strstr(contents, "PrivKey\":");
+	if (ptr == NULL)
+		goto exit;
+	ptr += 9;
+	ptr = strstr(ptr, "\"");
+	ptr++;
+
+	end = strstr(ptr, "\"");
+	end[0] = 0;
+
+	// turn the encoded private key into a struct
+	*private_ptr = base64ToPrivateKey(ptr);
+
+	retVal = 1;
+	exit:
+	if (contents != NULL)
+		free(contents);
+	return retVal;
+}
diff --git a/test/testit.c b/test/testit.c
index a92a45d..3840d52 100644
--- a/test/testit.c
+++ b/test/testit.c
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ const char* names[] = {
 		"test_multistream_connect",
 		"test_multistream_get_list",
 		"test_ephemeral_key_generate",
-		"test_dialer_new"
+		"test_dialer_new",
+		"test_dialer_dial"
 };
 
 int (*funcs[])(void) = {
@@ -65,7 +66,8 @@ int (*funcs[])(void) = {
 		test_multistream_connect,
 		test_multistream_get_list,
 		test_ephemeral_key_generate,
-		test_dialer_new
+		test_dialer_new,
+		test_dialer_dial
 };
 
 int testit(const char* name, int (*func)(void)) {