diff --git a/src/client/distren.c b/src/client/distren.c
--- a/src/client/distren.c
+++ b/src/client/distren.c
@@ -40,12 +40,15 @@
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-
+  int doLogin = 0;
 
   char *input;
   char *output;
   char *jobid;
 
+  char *username;
+  char *password;
+
   char curopt;
 
   distren_t distren;
@@ -54,7 +57,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
   input = NULL;
   output = NULL;
 
-  while(-1 != (curopt = getopt(argc, argv, "i:o:h")))
+  while(-1 != (curopt = getopt(argc, argv, "i:o:u:p:h")))
     {
       if(curopt == ':')
 	{
@@ -68,7 +71,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
       else if(curopt == 'h')
 	{
-	  fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s -i <inputfile> -o <outputfile>\n", argv[0]);
+	  fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s -i <inputfile> -o <outputfile> [ -u <username> -p <password> ]\n", argv[0]);
 	  fprintf(stderr, "\t-i\tSpecifies the input file\n\
 \t-o\tSpecifies the output file\n\
 \t-h\tShows this help message\n");
@@ -77,6 +80,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	  //  options help page
 	  
 	}
+      else if(curopt == 'u') {
+        doLogin = 1;
+        username = strdup(optarg);
+      }
+      else if(curopt == 'p') {
+        doLogin = 1;
+        password = strdup(optarg);
+      }
       else if(curopt == 'i')
 	
 	 //  TODO: is strdup good or bad? what about
@@ -91,7 +102,14 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
   
      // give this error after the general arguments parsing so that
      // the general help from options_init can have effect
-  
+  if(!username || !password){
+    fprintf(stderr, "Username and password must be specified");
+    return 1;
+  }
+  if(doLogin == 1){
+    fprintf(stderr, "Trying username and password on server...");
+    return 0;
+  }
   if(!input
      || !output)
     {