diff --git a/network/link/link.go b/network/link/link.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4458226e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/network/link/link.go
@@ -0,0 +1,273 @@
+package link
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"io"
+	"sync"
+
+	"github.com/micro/go-micro/config/options"
+	"github.com/micro/go-micro/transport"
+)
+
+// Link is a layer ontop of a transport socket with the
+// buffering send and recv queue's with the ability to
+// measure the actual transport link and reconnect.
+type Link interface {
+	// provides the transport.Socket interface
+	transport.Socket
+	// Connect connects the link. It must be called first.
+	Connect() error
+	// Id of the link likely a uuid if not specified
+	Id() string
+	// Status of the link
+	Status() string
+	// Depth of the buffers
+	Weight() int
+	// Rate of the link
+	Length() int
+}
+
+type link struct {
+	sync.RWMutex
+
+	// the link id
+	id string
+
+	// the remote end to dial
+	addr string
+
+	// channel used to close the link
+	closed chan bool
+
+	// if its connected
+	connected bool
+
+	// the transport to use
+	transport transport.Transport
+
+	// the send queue to the socket
+	sendQueue chan *transport.Message
+	// the recv queue to the socket
+	recvQueue chan *transport.Message
+
+	// the socket for this link
+	socket transport.Socket
+
+	// determines the cost of the link
+	// based on queue length and roundtrip
+	length int
+	weight int
+}
+
+var (
+	ErrLinkClosed = errors.New("link closed")
+)
+
+func newLink(options options.Options) *link {
+	// default values
+	id := "local"
+	addr := "127.0.0.1:10001"
+	tr := transport.DefaultTransport
+
+	lid, ok := options.Values().Get("link.id")
+	if ok {
+		id = lid.(string)
+	}
+
+	laddr, ok := options.Values().Get("link.address")
+	if ok {
+		addr = laddr.(string)
+	}
+
+	ltr, ok := options.Values().Get("link.transport")
+	if ok {
+		tr = ltr.(transport.Transport)
+	}
+
+	l := &link{
+		// the remote end to dial
+		addr: addr,
+		// transport to dial link
+		transport: tr,
+		// unique id assigned to the link
+		id: id,
+		// the closed channel used to close the conn
+		closed: make(chan bool),
+		// then send queue
+		sendQueue: make(chan *transport.Message, 128),
+		// the receive queue
+		recvQueue: make(chan *transport.Message, 128),
+	}
+
+	// return the link
+	return l
+}
+
+// link methods
+
+// process processes messages on the send queue.
+// these are messages to be sent to the remote side.
+func (l *link) process() {
+	go func() {
+		for {
+			m := new(transport.Message)
+			if err := l.recv(m); err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+
+			select {
+			case l.recvQueue <- m:
+			case <-l.closed:
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case m := <-l.sendQueue:
+			if err := l.send(m); err != nil {
+				return
+			}
+		case <-l.closed:
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// send a message over the link
+func (l *link) send(m *transport.Message) error {
+	// TODO: measure time taken and calculate length/rate
+	// send via the transport socket
+	return l.socket.Send(m)
+}
+
+// recv a message on the link
+func (l *link) recv(m *transport.Message) error {
+	if m.Header == nil {
+		m.Header = make(map[string]string)
+	}
+	// receive the transport message
+	return l.socket.Recv(m)
+}
+
+func (l *link) Connect() error {
+	l.Lock()
+	if l.connected {
+		l.Unlock()
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// replace closed
+	l.closed = make(chan bool)
+
+	// dial the endpoint
+	c, err := l.transport.Dial(l.addr)
+	if err != nil {
+		l.Unlock()
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// set the socket
+	l.socket = c
+
+	// kick start the processing
+	go l.process()
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Close the link
+func (l *link) Close() error {
+	select {
+	case <-l.closed:
+		return nil
+	default:
+		close(l.closed)
+		l.Lock()
+		l.connected = false
+		l.Unlock()
+		return l.socket.Close()
+	}
+}
+
+// returns the node id
+func (l *link) Id() string {
+	l.RLock()
+	defer l.RUnlock()
+	return l.id
+}
+
+func (l *link) Remote() string {
+	l.RLock()
+	defer l.RUnlock()
+	return l.socket.Remote()
+}
+
+func (l *link) Local() string {
+	l.RLock()
+	defer l.RUnlock()
+	return l.socket.Local()
+}
+
+func (l *link) Length() int {
+	l.RLock()
+	defer l.RUnlock()
+	return l.length
+}
+
+func (l *link) Weight() int {
+	return len(l.sendQueue) + len(l.recvQueue)
+}
+
+// Accept accepts a message on the socket
+func (l *link) Recv(m *transport.Message) error {
+	select {
+	case <-l.closed:
+		return io.EOF
+	case rm := <-l.recvQueue:
+		*m = *rm
+		return nil
+	}
+	// never reach
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Send sends a message on the socket immediately
+func (l *link) Send(m *transport.Message) error {
+	select {
+	case <-l.closed:
+		return io.EOF
+	case l.sendQueue <- m:
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (l *link) Status() string {
+	select {
+	case <-l.closed:
+		return "closed"
+	default:
+		return "connected"
+	}
+}
+
+// NewLink creates a new link on top of a socket
+func NewLink(opts ...options.Option) Link {
+	return newLink(options.NewOptions(opts...))
+}
+
+// Sets the link id
+func Id(id string) options.Option {
+	return options.WithValue("link.id", id)
+}
+
+// The address to use for the link
+func Address(a string) options.Option {
+	return options.WithValue("link.address", a)
+}
+
+// The transport to use for the link
+func Transport(t transport.Transport) options.Option {
+	return options.WithValue("link.transport", t)
+}