diff --git a/include/libp2p/peer/peer.h b/include/libp2p/peer/peer.h
index bc92c60..2871e42 100644
--- a/include/libp2p/peer/peer.h
+++ b/include/libp2p/peer/peer.h
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ void libp2p_peer_free(struct Libp2pPeer* in);
  * @param timeout number of seconds before giving up
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) if we could not connect
  */
-int libp2p_peer_connect(struct RsaPrivateKey* privateKey, struct Libp2pPeer* peer, struct Peerstore* peerstore, struct Datastore* datastore, int timeout);
+int libp2p_peer_connect(const struct RsaPrivateKey* privateKey, struct Libp2pPeer* peer, struct Peerstore* peerstore, struct Datastore* datastore, int timeout);
 
 /***
  * Clean up a bad connection
diff --git a/include/libp2p/routing/dht_protocol.h b/include/libp2p/routing/dht_protocol.h
index 3f54f85..c5868c0 100644
--- a/include/libp2p/routing/dht_protocol.h
+++ b/include/libp2p/routing/dht_protocol.h
@@ -36,13 +36,32 @@ int libp2p_routing_dht_handshake(struct SessionContext* context);
  */
 int libp2p_routing_dht_handle_message(struct SessionContext* session, struct Peerstore* peerstore, struct ProviderStore* providerstore);
 
+/***
+ * Send a kademlia message
+ * NOTE: this call upgrades the stream to /ipfs/kad/1.0.0
+ * @param context the context
+ * @param message the message
+ * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
+ */
+int libp2p_routing_dht_send_message(struct SessionContext* sessionContext, struct KademliaMessage* message);
+
+/**
+ * Attempt to receive a kademlia message
+ * NOTE: This call assumes that a send_message was sent
+ * @param sessionContext the context
+ * @param result where to put the results
+ * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
+ */
+int libp2p_routing_dht_receive_message(struct SessionContext* sessionContext, struct KademliaMessage** result);
+
 /**
  * Used to send a message to the nearest x peers
  *
- * @param local_peer the local peer
- * @param providerstore the collection of providers
+ * @param private_key the private key of the local peer
+ * @param peerstore the collection of peers
+ * @param datastore a connection to the datastore
  * @param msg the message to send
- * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
+ * @returns true(1) if we sent to at least 1, false(0) otherwise
  */
-int libp2p_routing_dht_send_message(struct Libp2pPeer* local_peer, struct ProviderStore* providerstore, struct KademliaMessage* msg);
-
+int libp2p_routing_dht_send_message_nearest_x(const struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peerstore,
+		struct Datastore* datastore, struct KademliaMessage* msg, int numToSend);
diff --git a/include/libp2p/secio/secio.h b/include/libp2p/secio/secio.h
index 8e9a0dd..c61b8b8 100644
--- a/include/libp2p/secio/secio.h
+++ b/include/libp2p/secio/secio.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ struct Libp2pProtocolHandler* libp2p_secio_build_protocol_handler(struct RsaPriv
  * @param remote_requested the other side is who asked for the upgrade
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
  */
-int libp2p_secio_handshake(struct SessionContext* session, struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peerstore);
+int libp2p_secio_handshake(struct SessionContext* session, const struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peerstore);
 
 /***
  * Initiates a secio handshake. Use this method when you want to initiate a secio
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ int libp2p_secio_handshake(struct SessionContext* session, struct RsaPrivateKey*
  * @param peer_store the peer store
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
  */
-int libp2p_secio_initiate_handshake(struct SessionContext* session_context, struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peer_store);
+int libp2p_secio_initiate_handshake(struct SessionContext* session_context, const struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peer_store);
 
 /***
  * Send the protocol string to the remote stream
diff --git a/peer/peer.c b/peer/peer.c
index 6332248..1536f67 100644
--- a/peer/peer.c
+++ b/peer/peer.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ int libp2p_peer_handle_connection_error(struct Libp2pPeer* peer) {
  * @param peerstore if connection is successfull, will add peer to peerstore
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) if we could not connect
  */
-int libp2p_peer_connect(struct RsaPrivateKey* privateKey, struct Libp2pPeer* peer, struct Peerstore* peerstore, struct Datastore *datastore, int timeout) {
+int libp2p_peer_connect(const struct RsaPrivateKey* privateKey, struct Libp2pPeer* peer, struct Peerstore* peerstore, struct Datastore *datastore, int timeout) {
 	libp2p_logger_debug("peer", "Attemping to connect to %s.\n", libp2p_peer_id_to_string(peer));
 	time_t now, prev = time(NULL);
 	// find an appropriate address
diff --git a/routing/dht_protocol.c b/routing/dht_protocol.c
index f4a4a9f..0766805 100644
--- a/routing/dht_protocol.c
+++ b/routing/dht_protocol.c
@@ -485,13 +485,94 @@ int libp2p_routing_dht_handle_message(struct SessionContext* session, struct Pee
 }
 
 /**
- * Used to send a message to the nearest x peers
- *
- * @param local_peer the local peer
- * @param providerstore the collection of providers
- * @param msg the message to send
+ * Attempt to receive a kademlia message
+ * NOTE: This call assumes that a send_message was sent
+ * @param sessionContext the context
+ * @param result where to put the results
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
  */
-int libp2p_routing_dht_send_message(struct Libp2pPeer* local_peer, struct ProviderStore* providerstore, struct KademliaMessage* msg) {
-	return 0;
+int libp2p_routing_dht_receive_message(struct SessionContext* sessionContext, struct KademliaMessage** result) {
+	uint8_t* results = NULL;
+	size_t results_size = 0;
+
+	if (!sessionContext->default_stream->read(sessionContext, &results, &results_size, 5)) {
+		libp2p_logger_error("online", "Attempted to read from Kademlia stream, but could not.\n");
+		goto exit;
+	}
+
+	// see if we can unprotobuf
+	if (!libp2p_message_protobuf_decode(results, results_size, result)) {
+		libp2p_logger_error("online", "Received kademlia response, but cannot decode it.\n");
+		goto exit;
+	}
+	exit:
+	return result != NULL;
+}
+
+/***
+ * Send a kademlia message
+ * NOTE: this call upgrades the stream to /ipfs/kad/1.0.0
+ * @param context the context
+ * @param message the message
+ * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
+ */
+int libp2p_routing_dht_send_message(struct SessionContext* sessionContext, struct KademliaMessage* message) {
+	size_t protobuf_size = 0, retVal = 0;
+	unsigned char* protobuf = NULL;
+
+	protobuf_size = libp2p_message_protobuf_encode_size(message);
+	protobuf = (unsigned char*)malloc(protobuf_size);
+	libp2p_message_protobuf_encode(message, &protobuf[0], protobuf_size, &protobuf_size);
+
+
+	// upgrade to kademlia protocol
+	if (!libp2p_routing_dht_upgrade_stream(sessionContext)) {
+		libp2p_logger_error("dht_protocol", "send_message: Unable to upgrade to kademlia stream.\n");
+		goto exit;
+	}
+
+	// send the message
+	if (!sessionContext->default_stream->write(sessionContext, protobuf, protobuf_size)) {
+		libp2p_logger_error("dht_protocol", "send_message: Attempted to write to Kademlia stream, but could not.\n");
+		goto exit;
+	}
+	retVal = 1;
+	exit:
+	if (protobuf != NULL)
+		free(protobuf);
+	return retVal;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Used to send a message to the nearest x peers
+ *
+ * @param private_key the private key of the local peer
+ * @param peerstore the collection of peers
+ * @param datastore a connection to the datastore
+ * @param msg the message to send
+ * @returns true(1) if we sent to at least 1, false(0) otherwise
+ */
+int libp2p_routing_dht_send_message_nearest_x(const struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peerstore,
+		struct Datastore* datastore, struct KademliaMessage* msg, int numToSend) {
+	// TODO: Calculate "Nearest"
+	// but for now, grab x peers, and send to them
+	int numSent = 0;
+	struct Libp2pLinkedList* llpeer_entry = peerstore->head_entry;
+	while (llpeer_entry != NULL) {
+		struct PeerEntry* entry = llpeer_entry->item;
+		if (entry == NULL)
+			break;
+		struct Libp2pPeer* remote_peer = entry->peer;
+		// connect (if not connected)
+		if (libp2p_peer_connect(private_key, remote_peer, peerstore, datastore, 5)) {
+			// send message
+			if (libp2p_routing_dht_send_message(remote_peer->sessionContext, msg))
+				numSent++;
+		}
+		if (numSent >= numToSend)
+			break;
+		// grab next entry
+		llpeer_entry = llpeer_entry->next;
+	}
+	return numSent > 0;
 }
diff --git a/secio/secio.c b/secio/secio.c
index 46e1eda..d5a4631 100644
--- a/secio/secio.c
+++ b/secio/secio.c
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ int libp2p_secio_shutdown(void* context) {
  * @param peer_store the peer store
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
  */
-int libp2p_secio_initiate_handshake(struct SessionContext* session_context, struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peer_store) {
+int libp2p_secio_initiate_handshake(struct SessionContext* session_context, const struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peer_store) {
 	if (libp2p_secio_send_protocol(session_context) && libp2p_secio_receive_protocol(session_context)) {
 		return libp2p_secio_handshake(session_context, private_key, peer_store);
 	}
@@ -855,7 +855,7 @@ int libp2p_secio_encrypted_read(void* stream_context, unsigned char** bytes, siz
  * @param peerstore the collection of peers
  * @returns true(1) on success, false(0) otherwise
  */
-int libp2p_secio_handshake(struct SessionContext* local_session, struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peerstore) {
+int libp2p_secio_handshake(struct SessionContext* local_session, const struct RsaPrivateKey* private_key, struct Peerstore* peerstore) {
 	int retVal = 0;
 	size_t results_size = 0, bytes_written = 0;
 	unsigned char* propose_in_bytes = NULL; // the remote protobuf