diff --git a/peer.go b/peer.go
index 8f68a9bec..d876205e2 100644
--- a/peer.go
+++ b/peer.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	// The size of the output buffer for writing messages
-	outputBufferSize             = 50
+	outputBufferSize = 50
 )
 
 type Peer struct {
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ type Peer struct {
 	// Determines whether it's an inbound or outbound peer
 	inbound bool
 	// Flag for checking the peer's connectivity state
-	connected int32
+	connected  int32
 	disconnect int32
 	// Last known message send
 	lastSend time.Time
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ func (p *Peer) writeMessage(msg *ethwire.InOutMsg) {
 	}
 
 	if !p.versionKnown {
-		switch msg.MsgType {
-		case "verack": // Ok
+		switch msg.Type {
+		case ethwire.MsgHandshakeTy: // Ok
 		default: // Anything but ack is allowed
 			return
 		}
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ func (p *Peer) writeMessage(msg *ethwire.InOutMsg) {
 
 // Outbound message handler. Outbound messages are handled here
 func (p *Peer) HandleOutbound() {
+	// The ping timer. Makes sure that every 2 minutes a ping is send to the peer
+	tickleTimer := time.NewTimer(2 * time.Minute)
 out:
 	for {
 		select {
@@ -116,6 +118,10 @@ out:
 			p.writeMessage(msg)
 
 			p.lastSend = time.Now()
+
+		case <-tickleTimer.C:
+			p.writeMessage(&ethwire.InOutMsg{Type: ethwire.MsgPingTy})
+
 		// Break out of the for loop if a quit message is posted
 		case <-p.quit:
 			break out
@@ -126,7 +132,7 @@ clean:
 	// This loop is for draining the output queue and anybody waiting for us
 	for {
 		select {
-		case <- p.outputQueue:
+		case <-p.outputQueue:
 			// TODO
 		default:
 			break clean
@@ -148,23 +154,32 @@ out:
 		}
 
 		if Debug {
-			log.Printf("Received %s\n", msg.MsgType)
+			log.Printf("Received %s\n", msg.Type.String())
 		}
 
 		// TODO Hash data and check if for existence (= ignore)
 
-		switch msg.MsgType {
-		case "verack":
+		switch msg.Type {
+		case ethwire.MsgHandshakeTy:
 			// Version message
-			p.handleVersionAck(msg)
-		case "block":
-			err := p.server.blockManager.ProcessBlock(ethutil.NewBlock(msg.Data))
+			p.handleHandshake(msg)
+		case ethwire.MsgBlockTy:
+			err := p.server.blockManager.ProcessBlock(ethutil.NewBlock(ethutil.Encode(msg.Data)))
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Println(err)
 			}
-		case "blockmine":
-			d, _ := ethutil.Decode(msg.Data, 0)
-			log.Printf("block mined %s\n", d)
+		case ethwire.MsgTxTy:
+		case ethwire.MsgInvTy:
+		case ethwire.MsgGetPeersTy:
+		case ethwire.MsgPeersTy:
+		case ethwire.MsgPingTy:
+		case ethwire.MsgPongTy:
+
+			/*
+				case "blockmine":
+					d, _ := ethutil.Decode(msg.Data, 0)
+					log.Printf("block mined %s\n", d)
+			*/
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -173,7 +188,7 @@ out:
 
 func (p *Peer) Start() {
 	if !p.inbound {
-		err := p.pushVersionAck()
+		err := p.pushHandshake()
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Printf("Peer can't send outbound version ack", err)
 
@@ -200,17 +215,21 @@ func (p *Peer) Stop() {
 	log.Println("Peer shutdown")
 }
 
-func (p *Peer) pushVersionAck() error {
-	msg := ethwire.NewMessage("verack", p.server.Nonce, []byte("01"))
+func (p *Peer) pushHandshake() error {
+	msg := ethwire.NewMessage(ethwire.MsgHandshakeTy, ethutil.Encode([]interface{}{
+		1, 0, p.server.Nonce,
+	}))
 
 	p.QueueMessage(msg)
 
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (p *Peer) handleVersionAck(msg *ethwire.InOutMsg) {
-	// Detect self connect
-	if msg.Nonce == p.server.Nonce {
+func (p *Peer) handleHandshake(msg *ethwire.InOutMsg) {
+	c := ethutil.Conv(msg.Data)
+	// [PROTOCOL_VERSION, NETWORK_ID, CLIENT_ID]
+	if c.Get(2).AsUint() == p.server.Nonce {
+		//if msg.Nonce == p.server.Nonce {
 		log.Println("Peer connected to self, disconnecting")
 
 		p.Stop()
@@ -222,7 +241,7 @@ func (p *Peer) handleVersionAck(msg *ethwire.InOutMsg) {
 
 	// If this is an inbound connection send an ack back
 	if p.inbound {
-		err := p.pushVersionAck()
+		err := p.pushHandshake()
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Println("Peer can't send ack back")
 
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index f658750a9..f17cc32a0 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/ethwire-go"
 	"log"
 	"net"
-	"time"
 	"sync/atomic"
+	"time"
 )
 
 func eachPeer(peers *list.List, callback func(*Peer, *list.Element)) {
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ func eachPeer(peers *list.List, callback func(*Peer, *list.Element)) {
 	}
 }
 
-
 type Server struct {
 	// Channel for shutting down the server
 	shutdownChan chan bool
@@ -75,14 +74,14 @@ func (s *Server) ConnectToPeer(addr string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (s *Server) Broadcast(msgType string, data []byte) {
+func (s *Server) Broadcast(msgType ethwire.MsgType, data []byte) {
 	eachPeer(s.peers, func(p *Peer, e *list.Element) {
-		p.QueueMessage(ethwire.NewMessage(msgType, 0, data))
+		p.QueueMessage(ethwire.NewMessage(msgType, data))
 	})
 }
 
 const (
-	processReapingTimeout            = 10 // TODO increase
+	processReapingTimeout = 10 // TODO increase
 )
 
 func (s *Server) ReapDeadPeers() {
@@ -139,13 +138,13 @@ func (s *Server) Start() {
 
 	// TMP
 	/*
-	go func() {
-		for {
-			s.Broadcast("block", s.blockManager.bc.GenesisBlock().MarshalRlp())
+		go func() {
+			for {
+				s.Broadcast("block", s.blockManager.bc.GenesisBlock().RlpEncode())
 
-			time.Sleep(1000 * time.Millisecond)
-		}
-	}()
+				time.Sleep(1000 * time.Millisecond)
+			}
+		}()
 	*/
 }
 
@@ -154,7 +153,7 @@ func (s *Server) Stop() {
 	defer s.db.Close()
 
 	eachPeer(s.peers, func(p *Peer, e *list.Element) {
-			p.Stop()
+		p.Stop()
 	})
 
 	s.shutdownChan <- true