diff --git a/client/lobby.cpp b/client/lobby.cpp
index 96b73b8..47bc4b1 100644
--- a/client/lobby.cpp
+++ b/client/lobby.cpp
@@ -26,15 +26,12 @@ Lobby::Lobby() {
 	serverList.push_back({"bar",{0,0}});
 	serverList.push_back({"foobar",{0,0}});
 
-	if (!(queueThread = SDL_CreateThread(networkQueue, nullptr))) {
-		throw(runtime_error("Failed to create the network thread"));
-	}
-
+	BeginQueueThread();
 	BroadcastNetwork();
 }
 
 Lobby::~Lobby() {
-	SDL_KillThread(queueThread);
+	EndQueueThread();
 #ifdef DEBUG
 	cout << "leaving Lobby" << endl;
 #endif
@@ -99,7 +96,9 @@ void Lobby::MouseButtonUp(SDL_MouseButtonEvent const& button) {
 		BroadcastNetwork();
 	}
 	else if (joinButton.MouseButtonUp(button) == Button::State::HOVER) {
-		//TODO: join a server
+		if (selectedServer) {
+			ConnectToServer(selectedServer);
+		}
 	}
 	else if (backButton.MouseButtonUp(button) == Button::State::HOVER) {
 		SetNextScene(SceneList::MAINMENU);
@@ -196,4 +195,17 @@ void Lobby::PushServer(BroadcastResponse& bcast) {
 	entry.name = bcast.name;
 	entry.address = netUtil->GetInPacket()->address;
 	serverList.push_back(entry);
+}
+
+void Lobby::ConnectToServer(ServerEntry* server) {
+	/* _attempt_ to connect to a server
+	*/
+	if (!server) {
+		throw(runtime_error("No server received"));
+	}
+	Packet p;
+	p.type = PacketType::JOIN_REQUEST;
+	snprintf(p.joinRequest.playerHandle, PACKET_STRING_SIZE, "%s", configUtil->CString("handle"));
+	snprintf(p.joinRequest.playerAvatar, PACKET_STRING_SIZE, "%s", configUtil->CString("avatar"));
+	netUtil->Send(&server->address, reinterpret_cast<void*>(&p), sizeof(Packet));
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/lobby.hpp b/client/lobby.hpp
index d63a856..8a83940 100644
--- a/client/lobby.hpp
+++ b/client/lobby.hpp
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ protected:
 	int HandlePacket(Packet p);
 	void BroadcastNetwork();
 	void PushServer(BroadcastResponse&);
+	void ConnectToServer(ServerEntry*);
 
 	//services
 	ConfigUtility* configUtil = ServiceLocator<ConfigUtility>::Get();
@@ -61,9 +62,6 @@ protected:
 	SDL_Rect listBox;
 	std::vector<ServerEntry> serverList;
 	ServerEntry* selectedServer = nullptr;
-
-	//threads
-	SDL_Thread* queueThread = nullptr;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/libs/common/network_queue.cpp b/libs/common/network_queue.cpp
index a452dbc..6582532 100644
--- a/libs/common/network_queue.cpp
+++ b/libs/common/network_queue.cpp
@@ -5,15 +5,22 @@
 
 #include "SDL/SDL_thread.h"
 
+#include <stdexcept>
 #include <deque>
+#include <iostream>
 
 static SDL_sem* lock = SDL_CreateSemaphore(1);
+static SDL_Thread* queueThread = nullptr;
 
 static std::deque<Packet> queue;
 
-int networkQueue(void*) {
+static bool running = false;
+
+static int networkQueue(void*) {
 	UDPNetworkUtility* netUtil = ServiceLocator<UDPNetworkUtility>::Get();
-	for(;;) {
+	//this line is the fix for the quirk
+//	std::cout << "thread running" << std::endl;
+	while(running) {
 		SDL_SemWait(lock);
 		while(netUtil->Receive()) {
 			Packet p;
@@ -23,6 +30,26 @@ int networkQueue(void*) {
 		SDL_SemPost(lock);
 		SDL_Delay(10);
 	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void BeginQueueThread() {
+	if (!(queueThread = SDL_CreateThread(networkQueue, nullptr))) {
+		throw(std::runtime_error("Failed to create the network thread"));
+	}
+	running = true;
+}
+
+void EndQueueThread() {
+	running = false;
+	SDL_WaitThread(queueThread, nullptr);
+	queueThread = nullptr;
+}
+
+void KillQueueThread() {
+	running = false;
+	SDL_KillThread(queueThread);
+	queueThread = nullptr;
 }
 
 Packet peekNetworkPacket() {
diff --git a/libs/common/network_queue.hpp b/libs/common/network_queue.hpp
index 0597eba..30f6582 100644
--- a/libs/common/network_queue.hpp
+++ b/libs/common/network_queue.hpp
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 
 #include "packet_type.hpp"
 
-int networkQueue(void*);
+void BeginQueueThread();
+void EndQueueThread();
+void KillQueueThread();
 Packet peekNetworkPacket();
 Packet popNetworkPacket();
 
diff --git a/libs/common/packet_type.hpp b/libs/common/packet_type.hpp
index 358fc35..c7cf858 100644
--- a/libs/common/packet_type.hpp
+++ b/libs/common/packet_type.hpp
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ struct BroadcastResponse {
 
 struct JoinRequest {
 	PacketType type;
+	char playerHandle[PACKET_STRING_SIZE];
+	char playerAvatar[PACKET_STRING_SIZE];
 	//TODO: player data
 };
 
diff --git a/server/server_application.cpp b/server/server_application.cpp
index 8a219d0..2437fa8 100644
--- a/server/server_application.cpp
+++ b/server/server_application.cpp
@@ -56,9 +56,7 @@ void ServerApplication::Init() {
 	netUtil->Open(configUtil->Int("server.port"), sizeof(Packet));
 
 	//create the threads
-	if (!(queueThread = SDL_CreateThread(networkQueue, nullptr))) {
-		throw(runtime_error("Failed to create the network thread"));
-	}
+	BeginQueueThread();
 
 	//output the server information
 	cout << configUtil->String("server.name") << endl;
@@ -86,7 +84,7 @@ void ServerApplication::Proc() {
 
 void ServerApplication::Quit() {
 	//close the threads
-	SDL_KillThread(queueThread);
+	EndQueueThread();
 
 	//clean up the services
 	netUtil->Close();
@@ -133,9 +131,9 @@ int ServerApplication::HandlePacket(Packet p) {
 //		case PacketType::BROADCAST_RESPONSE:
 //			//
 //		break;
-//		case PacketType::JOIN_REQUEST:
-//			//
-//		break;
+		case PacketType::JOIN_REQUEST:
+			HandleConnection(p.joinRequest);
+		break;
 //		case PacketType::JOIN_RESPONSE:
 //			//
 //		break;
@@ -167,4 +165,8 @@ void ServerApplication::Broadcast(BroadcastRequest& bcast) {
 	snprintf(p.broadcastResponse.name, PACKET_STRING_SIZE, "%s", configUtil->CString("server.name"));
 	//TODO version information
 	netUtil->Send(&netUtil->GetInPacket()->address, &p, sizeof(Packet));
+}
+
+void ServerApplication::HandleConnection(JoinRequest& request) {
+	//
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/server_application.hpp b/server/server_application.hpp
index 0ebe084..9a26cce 100644
--- a/server/server_application.hpp
+++ b/server/server_application.hpp
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ private:
 	//network loop
 	int HandlePacket(Packet p);
 	void Broadcast(BroadcastRequest&);
+	void HandleConnection(JoinRequest&);
 
 	//services
 	ConfigUtility* configUtil = nullptr;
@@ -60,9 +61,6 @@ private:
 	std::map<int, PlayerData> players;
 
 	bool running = false;
-
-	//threads
-	SDL_Thread* queueThread = nullptr;
 };
 
 #endif