diff --git a/metadapta_test.go b/metadapta_test.go
index 85cab0f..9459158 100644
--- a/metadapta_test.go
+++ b/metadapta_test.go
@@ -1,11 +1,81 @@
 package hopp
 
 import "io"
+import "net"
 import "bytes"
 import "errors"
 import "slices"
 import "testing"
 
+// some of these tests spawn goroutines that can signal a failure.
+// abide by the documentation for testing.T (https://pkg.go.dev/testing#T):
+//
+//   A test ends when its Test function returns or calls any of the methods
+//   FailNow, Fatal, Fatalf, SkipNow, Skip, or Skipf. Those methods, as well as
+//   the Parallel method, must be called only from the goroutine running the
+//   Test function.
+//
+//   The other reporting methods, such as the variations of Log and Error, may
+//   be called simultaneously from multiple goroutines. 
+
+func TestConnA(test *testing.T) {
+	payloads := []string {
+		"hello",
+		"world",
+		"When the impostor is sus!",
+	}
+	
+	network := "tcp"
+	addr := "localhost:7959"
+
+	// server
+	listener, err := net.Listen(network, addr)
+	if err != nil { test.Fatal(err) }
+	go func() {
+		test.Log("SERVER listening")
+		conn, err := listener.Accept()
+		if err != nil { test.Error("SERVER", err); return }
+		defer conn.Close()
+		a := AdaptA(conn, ServerSide)
+		trans, err := a.OpenTrans()
+		if err != nil { test.Error("SERVER", err); return }
+		defer trans.Close()
+		for method, payload := range payloads {
+			test.Log("SERVER", method, payload)
+			err := trans.Send(uint16(method), []byte(payload))
+			if err != nil { test.Error("SERVER", err); return }
+		}
+	}()
+
+	// client
+	test.Log("CLIENT dialing")
+	conn, err := net.Dial(network, addr)
+	if err != nil { test.Fatal("CLIENT", err) }
+	test.Log("CLIENT dialed")
+	a := AdaptA(conn, ClientSide)
+	defer a.Close()
+	test.Log("CLIENT accepting transaction")
+	trans, err := a.AcceptTrans()
+	if err != nil { test.Fatal("CLIENT", err) }
+	test.Log("CLIENT accepted transaction")
+	defer trans.Close()
+	for method, payload := range payloads {
+		test.Log("CLIENT waiting...")
+		gotMethod, gotPayloadBytes, err := trans.Receive()
+		if err != nil { test.Fatal("CLIENT", err) }
+		gotPayload := string(gotPayloadBytes)
+		test.Log("CLIENT", gotMethod, gotPayload)
+		if int(gotMethod) != method {
+			test.Errorf("CLIENT method not equal")
+		}
+		if gotPayload != payload {
+			test.Errorf("CLIENT payload not equal")
+		}
+	}
+
+	// TODO test error from trans/connection closed by other side
+}
+
 func TestEncodeMessageA(test *testing.T) {
 	buffer := new(bytes.Buffer)
 	payload := []byte { 0x00, 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, 0x04, 0x05 }