diff --git a/src/client/libdistren.c b/src/client/libdistren.c
--- a/src/client/libdistren.c
+++ b/src/client/libdistren.c
@@ -22,31 +22,27 @@
  */
 
 #include "common/config.h"
+#include "common/options.h"
+#include "common/remoteio.h"
 
 #include "libdistren.h"
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
 
-/**
-   @todo needs to read configuration in
- */
-int distren_init_mf(distren_t *handle, distren_malloc_t mymalloc, distren_free_t myfree)
+int distren_init(distren_t *handle)
 {
-  if(!handle
-     || !mymalloc
-     || !myfree)
-    {
-      fprintf(stderr, "distren_init_mf passed NULL pointers\n");
-      return 1;
-    }
+  int tmp;
 
-  *handle = (*mymalloc)(sizeof(struct distren));
+  if(!handle)
+    return 1;
+
+  *handle = malloc(sizeof(struct distren));
   if(!*handle)
     return 1;
 
-  (*handle)->malloc = mymalloc;
-  (*handle)->free = myfree;
+  memset(*handle, 0, sizeof(struct distren));
 
   /* now the environment is ready for general use */
   if(_distren_getoptions(*handle))
@@ -55,33 +51,41 @@ int distren_init_mf(distren_t *handle, d
       distren_free(*handle);
       return 1;
     }
-  
-  /**
-     @todo open a connection to the server now and return error if we can't
-     connect. 
-   */
+
+  tmp = remoteio_open_server(&(*handle)->rem,
+			     (*handle)->options->remoteio,
+			     (remoteio_read_handle_func_t)&libdistren_remoteio_read_handle,
+			     *handle,
+			     (remoteio_close_handle_func_t)&libdistren_remoteio_close_handle,
+			     (*handle)->server);
+  if(tmp)
+    {
+      fprintf(stderr, "error: unable to connect to server\n");
+
+      (*handle)->rem = NULL;
+      distren_free(*handle);
+      return 1;
+    }
+
+  multiio_poll((*handle)->multiio, 2000);
+  multiio_poll((*handle)->multiio, 2000);
+  multiio_poll((*handle)->multiio, 2000);
   
   return 0;
 }
 
-int distren_init(distren_t *handle)
-{
-  return distren_init_mf(handle, &malloc, &free);
-}
-
 /**
-   @todo Stub
+ * @todo Stub
  */
 int distren_submit_file(distren_t handle, distren_job_t *job, const char *filename)
 {
   return 1;
 }
 
-/**
-
- */
 int distren_free(distren_t handle)
 {
+  if(handle->rem)
+    remoteio_close(handle->rem);
   free(handle);
   return 0;
 }