diff --git a/examples/board/main.go b/examples/board/main.go
index 2384392..3f516bb 100644
--- a/examples/board/main.go
+++ b/examples/board/main.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ type Post struct {
 }
 
 type Board struct {
-	service.Service
+	*service.Service
 	
 	root     string
 	mux      *http.ServeMux
@@ -25,15 +25,11 @@ type Board struct {
 func main () {
 	board := Board { root: "/board/" }
 	board.mux   = http.NewServeMux()
-	board.Service = service.Service {
-		&service.HTTP {
-			Mount: service.M (
-				"Board",
-				"A board where you can post things.",
-				"@", board.root),
-			Handler: board.mux,
-		},
-	}
+	board.Service = service.NewService (
+		"Board",
+		"A board where you can post things.",
+		service.NewHTTP("@", board.root, board.mux))
+	
 	handle := func (pattern string, handler func (http.ResponseWriter, *http.Request)) {
 		board.mux.HandleFunc(pattern, handler)
 	}
diff --git a/service/handle.go b/service/handle.go
index ee935de..53bb1ca 100644
--- a/service/handle.go
+++ b/service/handle.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ func (mount *HTTP) handle (request protocol.MessageHTTPRequest) {
 	bodyReader := &bodyReader {
 		id:     request.ID,
 		reader: mount.requests.readerFor(request.ID),
-		send:   mount.send,
+		send:   mount.conn.Send,
 		close:  func () { mount.requests.end(request.ID) },
 	}
 	defer mount.requests.remove(request.ID)
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ func (mount *HTTP) handle (request protocol.MessageHTTPRequest) {
 	handler.ServeHTTP(&responseWriter {
 		id:     request.ID,
 		header: make(http.Header),
-		send:   mount.send,
+		send:   mount.conn.Send,
 	}, httpRequest)
 
-	mount.send(protocol.MessageHTTPBodyEnd { ID: request.ID })
+	mount.conn.Send(protocol.MessageHTTPBodyEnd { ID: request.ID })
 }
 
 type bodyReader struct {
diff --git a/service/http.go b/service/http.go
index e214a1d..31b0ecd 100644
--- a/service/http.go
+++ b/service/http.go
@@ -1,17 +1,13 @@
 package service
 
 import "log"
-import "net"
-import "sync"
-import "bufio"
 import "errors"
 import "net/http"
 import "hnakra/protocol"
 
 // HTTP is an https:// mount.
 type HTTP struct {
-	// Mount specifies the mount config to use for connecting to the router.
-	Mount MountConfig
+	MountInfo
 
 	// AllowInsecure allows this mount to respond to plain-text HTTP
 	// requests. You can get a TLS cert for free nowadays so there are very
@@ -22,82 +18,71 @@ type HTTP struct {
 	// http.DefaultServeMux is used.
 	Handler http.Handler
 
-	conn net.Conn
-	connLock sync.Mutex
-	connReadWriter *bufio.ReadWriter
+	conn *Conn
 	requests requestManager
-	idFactory *protocol.IDFactory
 }
 
 // Close closes the mount abruptly, interrupting any active connections.
-func (mount *HTTP) Close () error {
-	mount.connLock.Lock()
-	defer mount.connLock.Unlock()
-	return mount.conn.Close()
+func (htmount *HTTP) Close () error {
+	return htmount.conn.Close()
 }
 
 // Shutdown gracefully shuts down the service without interrupting any active
 // connections.
-func (mount *HTTP) Shutdown () error {
+func (htmount *HTTP) Shutdown () error {
 	// TODO
-	return mount.Close()
+	return htmount.Close()
 }
 
 // Run connects to the router, and blocks while fulfilling requests. This method
 // will only return when the connection to the router has been closed.
-func (mount *HTTP) Run () (err error) {
-	if mount.AllowInsecure {
-		mount.Mount.Scheme = "http"
+func (htmount *HTTP) Run (service ServiceInfo) (err error) {
+	if htmount.AllowInsecure {
+		htmount.MountInfo.Scheme = "http"
 	} else {
-		mount.Mount.Scheme = "https"
+		htmount.MountInfo.Scheme = "https"
 	}
-	mount.conn, mount.idFactory, err = mount.Mount.Connect()
+	htmount.conn, err = Dial(htmount.MountInfo, service)
 	if err != nil { return }
 	
-	mount.connReadWriter = bufio.NewReadWriter (
-		bufio.NewReader(mount.conn),
-		bufio.NewWriter(mount.conn))
-	mount.requests.init()
+	htmount.requests.init()
 
 	for {
-		message, err := protocol.ReadMessage(mount.connReadWriter)
+		message, err := htmount.conn.Receive()
 		if err != nil { return err }
 		
 		switch message.(type) {
 		case protocol.MessageHTTPRequest:
 			request := message.(protocol.MessageHTTPRequest)
-			mount.requests.add(request.ID)
-			go mount.handle(request)
+			htmount.requests.add(request.ID)
+			go htmount.handle(request)
 		
 		case protocol.MessageHTTPBodySegment:
 			segment := message.(protocol.MessageHTTPBodySegment)
-			mount.requests.feed(segment.ID, segment.Data)
+			htmount.requests.feed(segment.ID, segment.Data)
 		
 		case protocol.MessageHTTPBodyEnd:
 			end := message.(protocol.MessageHTTPBodyEnd)
-			mount.requests.end(end.ID)
+			htmount.requests.end(end.ID)
 
 		case protocol.MessageStatus:
 			status := message.(protocol.MessageStatus)
 			log.Println("router says:", status.Status)
 
 		default:
-			mount.Close()
+			htmount.Close()
 			return errors.New("router sent unknown type code")
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-// NewHTTP creates a very basic https:// mount with the specified name and
-// description.
-func NewHTTP (name, description, host, path string) *HTTP {
-	return &HTTP { Mount: M(name, description, host, path) }
-}
-
-func (mount *HTTP) send (message protocol.Message) (err error) {
-	mount.connLock.Lock()
-	defer mount.connLock.Unlock()
-	err = message.Send(mount.connReadWriter)
-	if err != nil { return }
-	return mount.connReadWriter.Flush()
+// NewHTTP creates a new HTTPS mount that uses the specified handler.
+func NewHTTP (host, path string, handler http.Handler) *HTTP {
+	return &HTTP {
+		MountInfo: MountInfo {
+			Host: host,
+			Path: path,
+		},
+		Handler: handler,
+	}
 }
diff --git a/service/mount.go b/service/mount.go
index 11a7bcb..061c4ea 100644
--- a/service/mount.go
+++ b/service/mount.go
@@ -4,39 +4,33 @@ import "os"
 import "log"
 import "fmt"
 import "net"
+import "sync"
+import "bufio"
 import "errors"
 import "strings"
 import "crypto/tls"
 import "encoding/base64"
 import "hnakra/protocol"
 
-// M creates a very basic MountConfig with the specified name and description.
-func M (name, description, host, path string) MountConfig {
-	return MountConfig {
-		Host:        host,
-		Path:        path,
-		Name:        name,
-		Description: description,
-	}
-}
-
 // Mount is an interface satisfied by all mount types.
 type Mount interface {
+	Run      (ServiceInfo) error
 	Close    () error
 	Shutdown () error
-	Run      () error
 }
 
-// MountConfig contains generic information common to all mounts.
-type MountConfig struct {
+// MountInfo contains information about a mount point.
+type MountInfo struct {
 	// Host specifies the host to mount on. If the host is left empty, it
 	// will default to @ (meaning default/any host). The port is entirely up
-	// to the router. Maximum length for host portion: 255 bytes
+	// to the router.
+	// Maximum length: 255 bytes
 	Host string
 
 	// Scheme specifies the protocol to mount on. This will be automatically
 	// set by specialized mount types, so setting it manually shouldn't be
 	// needed.
+	// Maximum length: 255 bytes
 	Scheme string
 
 	// Path specifies the path to mount on. If the path ends with a /, then
@@ -45,7 +39,37 @@ type MountConfig struct {
 	// path exactly (when normalized).
 	// Maximum length: 2^16-1 bytes
 	Path string
+}
 
+// String returns a string representation of the mount.
+func (mount *MountInfo) String () string {
+	return mount.Scheme + "://" + mount.Host + mount.Path
+}
+
+// FillDefault fills most empty fields with a hard-coded default value.
+func (mount *MountInfo) FillDefault () {
+	if mount.Host == "" { mount.Host   = "@" }
+	if mount.Path == "" { mount.Scheme = "/" }
+}
+
+// Fits returns an error if any data is too big to send over the connection.
+func (mount *MountInfo) Fits () error {
+	switch {
+	case len(mount.Host) > 255:
+		return errors.New("host cannot be longer than 255 bytes")
+	case len(mount.Scheme) > 255:
+		return errors.New("scheme cannot be longer than 255 bytes")
+	case len(mount.Path) > int(protocol.MaxIntOfSize(2)):
+		return errors.New(fmt.Sprint (
+			"mount point path cannot be longer than ",
+			protocol.MaxIntOfSize(2), " bytes"))
+	default: return nil
+	}
+}
+
+// ServiceInfo contains information about the service as a whole, such as a
+// human readable description and login credentials.
+type ServiceInfo struct {
 	// Router specifies the host:port of the router to connect to. This
 	// defaults to $HNAKRA_ROUTER_HOST:$HNAKRA_ROUTER_PORT if left empty.
 	// The default value of these environment variables (if not set) is
@@ -84,18 +108,14 @@ type MountConfig struct {
 	// set InsecureSkipVerify to false, consider instead setting the
 	// environment variables $SSL_CERT_FILE or $SSL_CERT_DIR to point toward
 	// a custom root certificate.
-	TLSConfig *tls.Config
+	TLSConfig *tls.Config	
 }
 
-// Connect creates a new connection to the router specified in the MountConfig.
-func (mount *MountConfig) Connect () (
-	conn      net.Conn,
-	idFactory *protocol.IDFactory,
-	err       error,
-) {
-	log.Println("(i) service", mount.Name)
-	idFactory = protocol.NewServiceIDFactory()
-	
+// FillDefault fills most empty fields with values from environment variables.
+// If an environment variable is blank, it uses a hard-coded default value
+// instead.
+func (service *ServiceInfo) FillDefault () (err error) {
+	// host
 	defaultRouterHost := os.Getenv("HNAKRA_ROUTER_HOST")
 	if defaultRouterHost == "" {
 		defaultRouterHost = "localhost"
@@ -104,111 +124,136 @@ func (mount *MountConfig) Connect () (
 	if defaultRouterPort == "" {
 		defaultRouterPort = "2048"
 	}
-
-	// parse router host/port
-	routerHost, routerPort, _ := strings.Cut(mount.Router, ":")
+	routerHost, routerPort, _ := strings.Cut(service.Router, ":")
 	if routerHost == "" {
 		routerHost = defaultRouterHost
 	}
 	if routerPort == "" {
 		routerPort = defaultRouterPort
 	}
+	service.Router = routerHost + ":" + routerPort
 
-	// get mount point
-	scheme := mount.Scheme
-	host   := mount.Host
-	if host == "" {
-		host = "@"
-	}
-	if len(host) > 255 {
-		return nil, nil, errors.New (
-			"mount point host cannot be longer than 255 bytes")
-	}
-	path := mount.Path
-	if path == "" {
-		path = "/"
-	}
-	if len(path) > int(protocol.MaxIntOfSize(2)) {
-		return nil, nil, errors.New(fmt.Sprint (
-			"mount point path cannot be longer than ",
-			protocol.MaxIntOfSize(2), " bytes"))
+	// user
+	if service.User == "" {
+		service.User = os.Getenv("HNAKRA_USER")
 	}
 
-	// get user
-	user := mount.User
-	if user == "" {
-		user = os.Getenv("HNAKRA_USER")
-	}
-	if len(user) > 255 {
-		return nil, nil, errors.New (
-			"user cannot be longer than 255 bytes")
-	}
-
-	// get key
-	key := mount.Key
-	if key == nil {
+	// key
+	if service.Key == nil {
 		base64Key := os.Getenv("HNAKRA_KEY")
-		key, err = base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(base64Key)
-		if err != nil { return nil, nil, err }
-	}
-	if len(key) > 255 {
-		return nil, nil, errors.New (
-			"key cannot be longer than 255 bytes")
+		service.Key, err = base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(base64Key)
+		if err != nil { return }
 	}
 
-	// ensure name/description aren't too big
-	if len(mount.Name) > 255 {
-		return nil, nil, errors.New (
-			"service name cannot be longer than 255 bytes")
+	return
+}
+
+// Fits returns an error if any data is too big to send over the connection.
+func (service *ServiceInfo) Fits () (err error) {
+	switch {
+	case len(service.Name) > 255:
+		return errors.New("name cannot be longer than 255 bytes")
+	case len(service.Description) > 255:
+		return errors.New("description cannot be longer than 255 bytes")
+	case len(service.User) > 255:
+		return errors.New("user cannot be longer than 255 bytes")
+	case len(service.Key) > 255:
+		return errors.New("key cannot be longer than 255 bytes")
+	default: return nil
 	}
-	if len(mount.Description) > 255 {
-		return nil, nil, errors.New (
-			"service description cannot be longer than 255 bytes")
+}
+
+// Conn represents a connection to a router.
+type Conn struct {
+	IDFactory *protocol.IDFactory
+	
+	conn       net.Conn
+	writeLock  sync.Mutex
+	readWriter *bufio.ReadWriter
+}
+
+// Dial connects to a router, returning the resulting connection. It handles
+// performing the login sequence and sets ID(0) as active automatically.
+func Dial (mount MountInfo, service ServiceInfo) (conn *Conn, err error) {
+	// fill in default values from env variables and such
+	mount.FillDefault()
+	err = service.FillDefault()
+	if err != nil { return nil, err }
+
+	// sanity check
+	err = mount.Fits()
+	if err != nil { return nil, err }
+	err = service.Fits()
+	if err != nil { return nil, err }
+
+	conn = &Conn {
+		IDFactory: protocol.NewServiceIDFactory(),
 	}
 
 	// connect to router
-	routerAddr := fmt.Sprint(routerHost, ":", routerPort)
-	log.Println("... dialing", routerAddr)
-	conn, err = tls.Dial("tcp", routerAddr, mount.TLSConfig)
-	if err != nil { return nil, nil, err }
+	log.Println("... dialing", service.Router)
+	conn.conn, err = tls.Dial("tcp", service.Router, service.TLSConfig)
+	if err != nil { return nil, err }
+	conn.readWriter = bufio.NewReadWriter (
+		bufio.NewReader(conn.conn),
+		bufio.NewWriter(conn.conn))
 	
 	// log in
-	log.Println (
-		"... logging in as", user,
-		"on", scheme + "://" + host + path)
-	err = protocol.MessageLogin {
-		ID:          idFactory.Next(),
+	log.Println("... logging in as", service.User, "on", mount)
+	err = conn.Send(protocol.MessageLogin {
+		ID:          conn.IDFactory.Next(),
 		Version:     protocol.Version { Major: 0, Minor: 0 },
-		User:        user,
-		Key:         key,
-		Name:        mount.Name,
-		Description: mount.Description,
-		Scheme:      scheme,
-		Host:        host,
-		Path:        path,
-	}.Send(conn)
+		User:        service.User,
+		Key:         service.Key,
+		Name:        service.Name,
+		Description: service.Description,
+		Scheme:      mount.Scheme,
+		Host:        mount.Host,
+		Path:        mount.Path,
+	})
 	if err != nil {
 		conn.Close()
-		return nil, nil, err
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	// read status
-	message, err := protocol.ReadMessage(conn)
+	message, err := conn.Receive()
 	if err != nil {
 		conn.Close()
-		return nil, nil, err
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	status, ok := message.(protocol.MessageStatus)
 	if !ok {
 		conn.Close()
-		return nil, nil, errors.New(fmt.Sprint (
+		return nil, errors.New(fmt.Sprint (
 			"router sent unknown type, expecting",
 			protocol.TypeStatus))
 	}
 	if status.Status != protocol.StatusOk {
-		return nil, nil, status
+		return nil, status
 	}
 	
 	log.Println(".// logged in")
-	return conn, idFactory, nil
+	return conn, nil
+}
+
+// Send sends a message along the connection, along with its type code. This
+// method may be called concurrently.
+func (conn *Conn) Send (message protocol.Message) (err error) {
+	conn.writeLock.Lock()
+	defer conn.writeLock.Unlock()
+	err = message.Send(conn.readWriter)
+	if err != nil { return }
+	return conn.readWriter.Flush()
+}
+
+// Receive recieves a message from the connection. This method may not be called
+// concurrently.
+func (conn *Conn) Receive () (message protocol.Message, err error) {
+	return protocol.ReadMessage(conn.conn)
+}
+
+// Close closes the connection.
+func (conn *Conn) Close () error {
+	return conn.conn.Close()
 }
diff --git a/service/service.go b/service/service.go
index f246bef..ada29a2 100644
--- a/service/service.go
+++ b/service/service.go
@@ -9,12 +9,27 @@ import "hnakra/routines"
 
 // Service is capable of managing multiple mounts. It also sets up logging
 // automatically.
-type Service []Mount
+type Service struct {
+	ServiceInfo
+	Mounts []Mount
+}
+
+// NewService provides a shorthand for creating a new service, leaving most
+// values to their default.
+func NewService (name, description string, mounts ...Mount) *Service {
+	return &Service {
+		ServiceInfo: ServiceInfo {
+			Name: name,
+			Description: description,
+		},
+		Mounts: mounts,
+	}
+}
 
 // Run runs the mounts within the service, and only exits when all of them have
 // exited. It will automatically start logging to the directory specified by
 // $HNAKRA_LOG_DIR. If that variable is unset, it will just log to stdout.
-func (service Service) Run () error {
+func (service *Service) Run () error {
 	// set up logging
 	logDir := os.Getenv("HNAKRA_LOG_DIR")
 	if logDir != "" {
@@ -22,12 +37,16 @@ func (service Service) Run () error {
 		if err != nil { log.Fatal("cannot access log dir:", err) }
 		log.SetOutput(logger)
 	}
+	
+	log.Println("... starting service", service.Name)
 
 	// set up routine manager
 	manager := routines.Manager { RestartDeadline: time.Second * 8 }
-	manager.Routines = make([]routines.Routine, len(service))
-	for index, mount := range service {
-		manager.Routines[index] = mount.Run
+	manager.Routines = make([]routines.Routine, len(service.Mounts))
+	for index, mount := range service.Mounts {
+		manager.Routines[index] = func () error {
+			return mount.Run(service.ServiceInfo)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// send it
@@ -38,8 +57,8 @@ func (service Service) Run () error {
 
 // Close abruptly closes all mounts in the service. This will cause Run() to
 // exit.
-func (service Service) Close () (err error) {
-	for _, mount := range service {
+func (service *Service) Close () (err error) {
+	for _, mount := range service.Mounts {
 		singleErr := mount.Close()
 		if singleErr != nil {
 			err = singleErr
@@ -50,8 +69,8 @@ func (service Service) Close () (err error) {
 
 // Shutdown gracefully shuts down each mount in the service. This will cause
 // Run() to exit.
-func (service Service) Shutdown () (err error) {
-	for _, mount := range service {
+func (service *Service) Shutdown () (err error) {
+	for _, mount := range service.Mounts {
 		singleErr := mount.Shutdown()
 		if singleErr != nil {
 			err = singleErr