diff --git a/uttt.c b/uttt.c
index 3674a64..dc2ba4a 100644
--- a/uttt.c
+++ b/uttt.c
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ int ut_random_player(char *player) {
 	int random = open("/dev/urandom", O_RDONLY);
 	if (read(random, player, 1) < 0) {return errno;}
 	*player = *player % 2 == 0 ? 'X' : 'O';
+	*player = 'X'; // testing
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -312,21 +313,27 @@ int ut_socket_buffer_size(struct ut_socket_buffer *sockbuf) {
 /* Copies up to (and including) first '\n' in socket buffer, otherwise whole buffer */
 int ut_readline_buffer(struct ut_socket_buffer *sockbuf, char *line, size_t len) {
 	int size = ut_socket_buffer_size(sockbuf);
+	printf("sockbuf size: %d\n", size);
 	for (int i = 0; i < size; i++) {
 		if (i > len) {return -2;}
 		line[i] = sockbuf->buf[(sockbuf->start + i) % sockbuf->len];
 		if (line[i] == '\n') {
 			sockbuf->start = (sockbuf->start + i + 1) % sockbuf->len;
+			printf("new start: %d\n", sockbuf->start);
 			return i + 1;
 		}
 	}
 	sockbuf->start = (sockbuf->start + size) % sockbuf->len;
+	printf("new start from size: %d\n", sockbuf->start);
 	return size;
 }
 
 int ut_readline_socket(struct ut_socket_buffer *sockbuf, char *line, size_t len) {
 	while (len > 0) {
 		int r = read(sockbuf->fd, line, len);
+		line[r] = 0;
+		printf("read %d from fd %d\n", r, sockbuf->fd);
+		printf(">>socket data: '%s'\n", line);
 		if (r < 0) {
 			if (errno == EAGAIN || errno == EWOULDBLOCK || errno == EINTR) {continue;}
 			else {return -1;}
@@ -351,9 +358,13 @@ int ut_readline_socket(struct ut_socket_buffer *sockbuf, char *line, size_t len)
 int ut_readline(struct ut_socket_buffer *sockbuf, char *line, size_t len) {
 	int nb = ut_readline_buffer(sockbuf, line, len);
 	if (nb < 0) {return nb;}
-	if (line[nb - 1] == '\n') {return nb - 1;}
+	line[nb] = 0;
+	printf("got partial line from buffer %d bytes: '%s'\n", nb, line);
+	if (nb >= 1 && line[nb - 1] == '\n') {return nb - 1;}
 	int ns = ut_readline_socket(sockbuf, line + nb, len - nb);
 	if (ns < 0) {return ns;}
+	line[nb+ns] = 0;
+	printf("got end of line from socket %d bytes: '%s'\n", ns, line+nb);
 	return nb + ns;
 }
 
@@ -463,74 +474,27 @@ bool getpos(const struct ut_state *state, int *x, int *y) {
 	return true;
 }
 
-void getpos_net(const struct ut_state *state, int sock, int *x, int *y) { // TODO
-	const int MAX_LINE_LEN = 120;
+int getpos_net(const struct ut_state *state, struct ut_socket_buffer *sockbuf, int *x, int *y) { // TODO
+	const int MAX_LINE_LEN = 128;
 	char byte;
 	int n;
 	while (true) {
-		n = recv(sock, &byte, 1, 0);
-		if (n == 0) {goto conn_closed;}
-		if (byte == '|') {
-			// ignore this line
-			for (int i = 0; i < MAX_LINE_LEN; i++) {
-				n = recv(sock, &byte, 1, 0);
-				if (n == 0) {goto conn_closed;}
-				if (byte == '\n') {break;}
-			}
-			if (byte != '\n') {
-				printf("Partner sent too much data in one comment line - exiting\n");
-				close(sock);
-				exit(1);
-			}
-		} else {
-			if (byte == '\n') {
-				printf("Partner ended line before coords were complete - retrying\n");
-				ut_dprintf(sock, "| Invalid coordinates. Try again: ");
-				continue;
-			}
-			*x = byte - 0x30;
-			n = recv(sock, &byte, 1, 0);
-			if (n == 0) {goto conn_closed;}
-			if (byte == '\n') {
-				printf("Partner ended line before coords were complete - retrying\n");
-				ut_dprintf(sock, "| Invalid coordinates. Try again: ");
-				continue;
-			}
-			n = recv(sock, &byte, 1, 0);
-			if (n == 0) {goto conn_closed;}
-			if (byte == '\n') {
-				printf("Partner ended line before coords were complete - retrying\n");
-				ut_dprintf(sock, "| Invalid coordinates. Try again: ");
-				continue;
-			}
-			*y = byte - 0x30;
-			n = recv(sock, &byte, 1, 0);
-			if (n == 0) {goto conn_closed;}
-			if (byte != '\n') {
-				printf("Partner sent extra data after coords were complete - ignoring and retrying\n");
-				ut_dprintf(sock, "| Invalid coordinates. Try again: ");
-				// ignore the rest of this line
-				for (int i = 0; i < MAX_LINE_LEN; i++) {
-					n = recv(sock, &byte, 1, 0);
-					if (n == 0) {goto conn_closed;}
-					if (byte == '\n') {break;}
-				}
-				if (byte != '\n') {
-					printf("Partner sent too much extra data - exiting\n");
-					close(sock);
-					exit(1);
-				}
-				continue;
-			}
-			break;
-		}
+		char line[MAX_LINE_LEN];
+		int len = ut_readline(sockbuf, line, MAX_LINE_LEN);
+		if (len < 0) {return len;}
+		if (len == 0) {printf("sex\n");return -1;}
+		line[len] = 0;
+		printf("got >>>>>> line: '%s'\n", line);
+		if (line[0] == '|') {continue;}
+		if (len != 3) {return -3;}
+		if (line[1] != ',') {return -3;}
+		*x = line[0] - 0x30;
+		*y = line[2] - 0x30;
+		break;
 	}
 	printf("x=%d y=%d\n", *x, *y);
-	return;
+	return 0;
 
-	conn_closed:
-	printf("Connection closed.\n");
-	exit(1);
 }
 
 void finish(int sig)
@@ -608,40 +572,52 @@ int ut_local_game(struct ut_state *state) { // TODO replace with from ncurses ma
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int ut_network_game(struct ut_state *state, int sock, char player) { // TODO
+int ut_network_game(struct ut_state *state, struct ut_socket_buffer *sockbuf, char player) { // TODO
 	int x, y;
 	bool host = player == state->host_player;
 	printf("You play as %c.\n", player);
 	while (true) {
 		ut_show(state, 1, false);
 		ut_show_boards(state);
-		ut_show(state, sock, true);
+		ut_show(state, sockbuf->fd, true);
 		if (state->player == player) {
-			if (host) {ut_dprintf(sock, "| Waiting for game partner ...\n");}
+			if (host) {ut_dprintf(sockbuf->fd, "| Waiting for game partner ...\n");}
 			bool ok = getpos(state, &x, &y);
 			if (!ok) {continue;}
-			ut_dprintf(sock, "%d,%d\n", x, y);
+			ut_dprintf(sockbuf->fd, "%d,%d\n", x, y);
 		} else {
 			printf("Waiting for game partner ...\n");
 			if (host) {
-				ut_dprintf(sock, "|\n"); // aligns game board each turn
-				ut_dprintf(sock, "| Place token %c in position x,y: ", ut_turn(player));
+				ut_dprintf(sockbuf->fd, "|\n"); // aligns game board each turn
+				ut_dprintf(sockbuf->fd, "| Place token %c in position x,y: ", ut_turn(player));
+			}
+			int err = getpos_net(state, sockbuf, &x, &y);
+			if (err == -1) {
+				printf("Connection closed.\n");
+				return 1;
+			} else if (err == -2) {
+				printf("Partner sent too much data - exiting\n");
+				return 1;
+			} else if (err == -3) {
+				printf("Partner sent malformed data - retrying ...\n");
+				continue;
 			}
-			getpos_net(state, sock, &x, &y);
 		}
 		int err = ut_move(state, state, y, x);
 		if (err) {continue;}
-		ut_dprintf(sock, "|\n");
+		ut_dprintf(sockbuf->fd, "|\n");
 		char w = ut_winner((char *)state->boards, 0, 3);
 		if(w)
 		{
 			if(w == ' ')
 			{
 				printf("\nDraw!\n");
+				if (host) {ut_dprintf(sockbuf->fd, "|\n|Draw!\n");}
 			}
 			else
 			{
 				printf("\n%c wins!\n", (int)w);
+				if (host) {ut_dprintf(sockbuf->fd, "|\n|%c wins!\n", (int)w);}
 			}
 			break;
 		}
@@ -686,7 +662,14 @@ int ut_host_game(struct ut_state *state) {
 	// tell partner X or O
 	ut_dprintf(conn, "%c\n", ut_turn(state->host_player)); // TODO
 
-	return ut_network_game(state, conn, state->host_player);
+	struct ut_socket_buffer connbuf = {
+		.fd = conn,
+		.buf = (char[128]){0},
+		.len = 128,
+		.start = 0,
+		.stop = 0,
+	};
+	return ut_network_game(state, &connbuf, state->host_player);
 }
 
 int ut_join_game(struct ut_state *state) {
@@ -705,13 +688,21 @@ int ut_join_game(struct ut_state *state) {
 	connect(sock, (struct sockaddr*)&addr, sizeof(addr));
 
 	// host decides X or O
-	char player;
-	int r = ut_readfill(sock, &player, 1);
+	char player_buf[2];
+	char *player = (char*)&player_buf;
+	int r = ut_readfill(sock, player_buf, 2);
 	if (r == 2) {printf("Connection closed.\n");}
 	if (r != 0) {return 1;}
-	state->host_player = ut_turn(player);
+	state->host_player = ut_turn(*player);
 
-	return ut_network_game(state, sock, player);
+	struct ut_socket_buffer sockbuf = {
+		.fd = sock,
+		.buf = (char[128]){0},
+		.len = 128,
+		.start = 0,
+		.stop = 0,
+	};
+	return ut_network_game(state, &sockbuf, *player);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {