diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cccd56b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[submodule "vendor/websocketpp"]
+	path = vendor/websocketpp
+	url = https://github.com/zaphoyd/websocketpp
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 7f91dc0..6bce98e 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ IF(NOT "$ENV{OPENSSL_ROOT_DIR}" STREQUAL "")
 ENDIF()
 
 
-find_package(OpenSSL)
+find_package(OpenSSL REQUIRED)
 
 set( CMAKE_FIND_LIBRARY_SUFFIXES ${ORIGINAL_LIB_SUFFIXES} )
 
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ set( fc_sources
      src/network/udt_socket.cpp
      src/network/http/http_connection.cpp
      src/network/http/http_server.cpp
+     src/network/http/websocket.cpp
      src/network/ntp.cpp
      src/network/ip.cpp
      src/network/rate_limiting.cpp
@@ -188,6 +189,7 @@ list(APPEND sources "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/git_revision.cpp")
 list(APPEND sources ${fc_headers})
 
 add_subdirectory( vendor/easylzma )
+add_subdirectory( vendor/websocketpp )
 #add_subdirectory( vendor/scrypt-jane )
 add_subdirectory( vendor/udt4 )
 
@@ -227,6 +229,7 @@ target_include_directories(fc
     ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/vendor/salsa20
     ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/vendor/easylzma/src
     ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/vendor/udt4/src
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/vendor/websocketpp
   )
 
 #target_link_libraries( fc PUBLIC easylzma_static scrypt udt ${Boost_LIBRARIES} ${OPENSSL_LIBRARIES} ${ZLIB_LIBRARIES} ${PLATFORM_SPECIFIC_LIBS} ${RPCRT4} ${CMAKE_DL_LIBS} ${rt_library})
@@ -235,6 +238,10 @@ target_link_libraries( fc PUBLIC easylzma_static udt ${Boost_LIBRARIES} ${OPENSS
 add_executable( api tests/api.cpp )
 target_link_libraries( api fc )
 
+include_directories( vendor/websocketpp )
+add_executable( websockettest tests/websocket.cpp )
+target_link_libraries( websockettest fc )
+
 add_executable( ntp_test ntp_test.cpp )
 target_link_libraries( ntp_test fc )
 
@@ -245,7 +252,6 @@ target_link_libraries( task_cancel_test fc )
 add_executable( real128_test tests/real128_test.cpp )
 target_link_libraries( real128_test fc )
 
-#include_directories( vendor/udt4/src )
 
 add_executable( udt_server tests/udts.cpp )
 target_link_libraries( udt_server fc udt )
diff --git a/include/fc/network/http/websocket.hpp b/include/fc/network/http/websocket.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..19eca30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/fc/network/http/websocket.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <functional>
+#include <memory>
+#include <string>
+
+namespace fc { namespace http {
+   namespace detail {
+      class websocket_server_impl;
+      class websocket_client_impl;
+   } // namespace detail;
+
+   class websocket_connection
+   {
+      public:
+         virtual ~websocket_connection(){};
+         virtual void send_message( const std::string& message ) = 0;
+   };
+   typedef std::shared_ptr<websocket_connection> websocket_connection_ptr;
+
+   class websocket_session
+   {
+      public:
+         websocket_session( const websocket_connection_ptr& con )
+         :_connection(con){}
+
+         virtual ~websocket_session(){};
+         virtual void on_message( const std::string& message ) = 0;
+
+         void send_message( const std::string& message ) { _connection->send_message(message); }
+      private:
+         websocket_connection_ptr _connection;
+   };
+   typedef std::shared_ptr<websocket_session> websocket_session_ptr;
+
+   typedef std::function< websocket_session_ptr( const websocket_connection_ptr& ) > session_factory;
+
+   class websocket_server 
+   {
+      public:
+         websocket_server();
+         ~websocket_server();
+
+         void on_connection( const session_factory& factory );
+         void listen( uint16_t port );
+         void start_accept();
+
+      private:
+         friend class detail::websocket_server_impl;
+         std::unique_ptr<detail::websocket_server_impl> my;
+   };
+
+   class websocket_client
+   {
+      public:
+         websocket_client();
+         ~websocket_client();
+
+         websocket_session_ptr connect( const std::string& uri, const session_factory& );
+      private:
+         std::unique_ptr<detail::websocket_client_impl> my;
+   };
+
+} }
diff --git a/src/network/http/websocket.cpp b/src/network/http/websocket.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bef4baa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/network/http/websocket.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,164 @@
+#include <fc/network/http/websocket.hpp>
+#include <websocketpp/config/asio_client.hpp>
+#include <websocketpp/config/asio.hpp>
+#include <websocketpp/server.hpp>
+#include <websocketpp/config/asio_client.hpp>
+#include <websocketpp/client.hpp>
+
+#include <fc/optional.hpp>
+#include <fc/variant.hpp>
+#include <fc/thread/thread.hpp>
+#include <fc/asio.hpp>
+
+namespace fc { namespace http {
+
+   namespace detail {
+      using websocketpp::connection_hdl;
+      typedef websocketpp::server<websocketpp::config::asio> websocket_server_type;
+
+      template<typename T>
+      class websocket_connection_impl : public websocket_connection
+      {
+         public:
+            websocket_connection_impl( T con )
+            :_ws_connection(con){}
+
+            virtual void send_message( const std::string& message )
+            {
+               _ws_connection->send( message );
+            }
+
+            T _ws_connection;
+      };
+
+
+      class websocket_server_impl
+      {
+         public:
+            websocket_server_impl()
+            :_server_thread( fc::thread::current() )
+            {
+               _server.init_asio(&fc::asio::default_io_service());
+               _server.set_reuse_addr(true);
+               _server.set_open_handler( [&]( connection_hdl hdl ){
+                    _server_thread.async( [&](){
+                         wlog( "on open server" );
+                       auto new_con = std::make_shared<websocket_connection_impl<websocket_server_type::connection_ptr>>( _server.get_con_from_hdl(hdl) );
+                       _connections[hdl] = _factory( new_con );
+                    }).wait();
+               });
+               _server.set_message_handler( [&]( connection_hdl hdl, websocket_server_type::message_ptr msg ){
+                    _server_thread.async( [&](){
+                       auto current_con = _connections.find(hdl);
+                       assert( current_con != _connections.end() );
+                       wdump(("server")(msg->get_payload()));
+                       current_con->second->on_message( msg->get_payload()  );
+                    }).wait();
+               });
+               _server.set_close_handler( [&]( connection_hdl hdl ){
+                    _server_thread.async( [&](){
+                       _connections.erase( hdl );  
+                    }).wait();
+               });
+
+               _server.set_fail_handler( [&]( connection_hdl hdl ){
+                    _server_thread.async( [&](){
+                       _connections.erase( hdl );  
+                    }).wait();
+               });
+            }
+
+            typedef std::map<connection_hdl, websocket_session_ptr,std::owner_less<connection_hdl> > con_map;
+
+            con_map               _connections;
+            fc::thread&           _server_thread;
+            websocket_server_type _server;
+            session_factory       _factory;
+      };
+
+      typedef websocketpp::client<websocketpp::config::asio_client> websocket_client_type; 
+      typedef websocket_client_type::connection_ptr                 websocket_client_connection_type; 
+
+      class websocket_client_impl 
+      {
+         public:
+            typedef websocket_client_type::message_ptr message_ptr;
+
+            websocket_client_impl()
+            :_client_thread( fc::thread::current() )
+            {
+                _client.set_open_handler( [=]( websocketpp::connection_hdl hdl ){
+                   elog( "default open client" );
+                });
+                _client.set_message_handler( [&]( connection_hdl hdl, message_ptr msg ){
+                                             wlog("start wait");
+                   _client_thread.async( [&](){
+                       wdump((msg->get_payload()));
+                      _session->on_message( msg->get_payload() );
+                   }).wait();
+                                             wlog("done wait");
+                });
+                _client.set_close_handler( [=]( connection_hdl hdl ){
+                                             wlog("start wait");
+                   _client_thread.async( [&](){ _session.reset(); } ).wait();
+                                             wlog("done wait");
+                });
+                _client.set_fail_handler( [=]( connection_hdl hdl ){
+                                             wlog("start wait");
+                   _client_thread.async( [&](){ _session.reset(); } ).wait();
+                                             wlog("done wait");
+                });
+                _client.init_asio( &fc::asio::default_io_service() );
+            }
+            fc::promise<void>::ptr             _connected;
+            fc::thread&                        _client_thread;
+            websocket_client_type              _client;
+            websocket_session_ptr              _session;
+            websocket_connection_ptr           _connection;
+      };
+   } // namespace detail
+
+   websocket_server::websocket_server():my( new detail::websocket_server_impl() ) {}
+   websocket_server::~websocket_server(){}
+
+   void websocket_server::on_connection( const session_factory& factory )
+   {
+      my->_factory = factory;
+   }
+
+   void websocket_server::listen( uint16_t port )
+   {
+      my->_server.listen(port);
+   }
+
+   void websocket_server::start_accept() { 
+      my->_server.start_accept(); 
+   }
+
+   websocket_client::websocket_client():my( new detail::websocket_client_impl() ) {}
+   websocket_client::~websocket_client(){}
+   websocket_session_ptr websocket_client::connect( const std::string& uri, const session_factory& factory )
+   { try {
+       wlog( "connecting to ${uri}", ("uri",uri));
+       websocketpp::lib::error_code ec;
+
+       my->_connected = fc::promise<void>::ptr( new fc::promise<void>("websocket::connect") );
+
+       my->_client.set_open_handler( [=]( websocketpp::connection_hdl hdl ){
+          auto con =  my->_client.get_con_from_hdl(hdl);
+          my->_connection = std::make_shared<detail::websocket_connection_impl<detail::websocket_client_connection_type>>( con );
+          my->_session = factory( my->_connection );
+          my->_connected->set_value();
+       });
+
+       auto con = my->_client.get_connection( uri, ec );
+       if( ec )
+       {
+          FC_ASSERT( !ec, "error: ${e}", ("e",ec.message()) );
+       }
+       my->_client.connect(con);
+       my->_connected->wait();
+       return my->_session;
+   } FC_CAPTURE_AND_RETHROW( (uri) ) }
+
+} } // fc::http
diff --git a/tests/websocket.cpp b/tests/websocket.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..766d699
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/websocket.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+#include <fc/network/http/websocket.hpp>
+#include <fc/log/logger.hpp>
+#include <fc/thread/thread.hpp>
+
+using namespace fc::http;
+
+class echo_session : public fc::http::websocket_session 
+{
+   public:
+     echo_session( const websocket_connection_ptr c ):fc::http::websocket_session(c){}
+     void on_message( const std::string& message )
+     {
+        idump((message));
+        if( message.size() < 64 )
+           send_message( "echo " + message );
+     }
+};
+
+
+int main( int argc, char** argv )
+{ 
+   try {
+      auto create_session = [&]( const websocket_connection_ptr& c ){
+                            return std::make_shared<echo_session>(c);
+                            };
+      fc::http::websocket_server server;
+      server.on_connection(create_session);
+
+      server.listen( 8090 );
+      server.start_accept();
+
+      fc::http::websocket_client client;
+      auto session = client.connect( "ws://localhost:8090", create_session );
+      wlog( "connected" );
+      session->send_message( "hello world" );
+
+      fc::usleep( fc::seconds(2) );
+      return 0;
+   } 
+   /*
+   catch ( const websocketpp::lib::error_code& e )
+   {
+      edump( (e.message()) );
+   }
+   */
+    catch ( const fc::exception& e )
+   {
+      edump((e.to_detail_string()));
+   }
+}
diff --git a/vendor/websocketpp b/vendor/websocketpp
new file mode 160000
index 0000000..13f6da6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vendor/websocketpp
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 13f6da6f81207ae7e67f0e7d25ed0e3cc2ec2f9c