diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 449911a01..4ae6d0390 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -26,5 +26,5 @@ group :test do
     gem 'guard', '>= 0.10.0'
     gem 'guard-rspec', '>= 0.7.3'
     gem 'pg_migrate','0.1.5' #:path => "#{workspace}/pg_migrate_ruby"
-    gem 'amqp-spec'
+    gem 'evented-spec'
 end
diff --git a/bin/websocket_gateway b/bin/websocket_gateway
index 480ca4f1a..0b3c71ec7 100755
--- a/bin/websocket_gateway
+++ b/bin/websocket_gateway
@@ -30,4 +30,4 @@ end
 Logging.logger.root.appenders = Logging.appenders.stdout
 
 ActiveRecord::Base.establish_connection(db_config)
-Server.new.run :port => config["port"], :emwebsocket_debug => config["emwebsocket_debug"]
+Server.new.run :port => config["port"], :emwebsocket_debug => config["emwebsocket_debug"], :max_stale_connection_time => config["max_stale_connection_time"]
diff --git a/config/application.yml b/config/application.yml
index 34bf0c45d..9d31c4ccc 100644
--- a/config/application.yml
+++ b/config/application.yml
@@ -2,11 +2,14 @@ development:
   port: 6767
   verbose: true
   emwebsocket_debug: false
+  max_stale_connection_time: 30
 
 test:
   port: 6769
   verbose: true
+  max_stale_connection_time: 30
 
 production:
   port: 80
   verbose: false 
+  max_stale_connection_time: 30
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb b/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb
index 5b1a6b708..03c394aea 100644
--- a/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb
+++ b/lib/jam_websockets/router.rb
@@ -36,12 +36,16 @@ module JamWebsockets
       @user_topic = nil
       @client_topic = nil
       @thread_pool = nil
+      @heartbeat_interval = nil
+
     end
 
-    def start(options={:host => "localhost", :port => 5672})
+    def start(max_stale_connection_time, options={:host => "localhost", :port => 5672})
 
       @log.info "startup"
 
+      @heartbeat_interval = max_stale_connection_time / 2
+
       begin
         @connection = AMQP.connect(:host => options[:host], :port => options[:port])
         @channel = AMQP::Channel.new(@connection)
@@ -167,23 +171,23 @@ module JamWebsockets
       # subscribe for any p2p messages to a client
       @client_topic.subscribe(:ack => false) do |headers, msg|
         begin
-          routing_key = headers.envelope.routing_key
+          routing_key = headers.routing_key
           client_id = routing_key["client.".length..-1]
           @semaphore.synchronize do
             client = @client_lookup[client_id]
 
             msg = Jampb::ClientMessage.parse(msg)
 
-            @log.debug "p2p message received from #{msg.from} to client #{client_id}"
+            @log.debug "client-directed message received from #{msg.from} to client #{client_id}"
 
             unless client.nil?
 
               EM.schedule do
-                @log.debug "sending p2p message to #{client_id}"
+                @log.debug "sending client-directed down websocket to #{client_id}"
                 send_to_client(client, msg)
               end
             else
-              @log.debug "p2p message unroutable to disconnected client #{client_id}"
+              @log.debug "client-directed message unroutable to disconnected client #{client_id}"
             end
           end
         rescue => e
@@ -338,11 +342,11 @@ module JamWebsockets
 
             # remove this connection from the database
             if !context.user.nil? && !context.client.nil?
-              JamRuby::Connection.delete_all "user_id = '#{context.user.id}' AND client_id = '#{context.client.client_id}'"
+              ConnectionManager.active_record_transaction do |connection_manager|
+                connection_manager.delete_connection(client.client_id)
+              end
             end
 
-            send_friend_update(context.user, false, context.client)
-
             remove_user(context)
           else
             @log.debug "skipping duplicate cleanup attempt of logged-in client"
@@ -430,8 +434,9 @@ module JamWebsockets
 
         # respond with LOGIN_ACK to let client know it was successful
         #binding.pry
-        remote_port, remote_ip = Socket.unpack_sockaddr_in(client.get_peername)
-        login_ack = @message_factory.login_ack(remote_ip, client_id, user.remember_token)
+
+        remote_ip = extract_ip(client)
+        login_ack = @message_factory.login_ack(remote_ip, client_id, user.remember_token, @heartbeat_interval)
         send_to_client(client, login_ack)
 
         @semaphore.synchronize do
@@ -445,11 +450,8 @@ module JamWebsockets
           add_client(client_id, client) # TODO
 
           # log this connection in the database
-          connection = JamRuby::Connection.new(:user => user, :client_id => client.client_id)
-          @log.debug "Created connection => #{connection.user}, #{connection.client_id}"
-
-          if connection.save
-            send_friend_update(user, true, context.client)
+          ConnectionManager.active_record_transaction do |connection_manager|
+            connection_manager.create_connection(user.id, client.client_id, extract_ip(client))
           end
         end
       else
@@ -457,6 +459,7 @@ module JamWebsockets
       end
     end
 
+    # TODO: deprecated; jam_ruby has routine inspired by this
     def send_friend_update(user, online, client)
       @log.debug "sending friend update for user #{user} online = #{online}"
 
@@ -614,5 +617,9 @@ module JamWebsockets
         end
       end
     end
+
+    def extract_ip(client)
+      return Socket.unpack_sockaddr_in(client.get_peername)[1]
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/jam_websockets/server.rb b/lib/jam_websockets/server.rb
index d3b37c8be..d4eca90f8 100644
--- a/lib/jam_websockets/server.rb
+++ b/lib/jam_websockets/server.rb
@@ -14,11 +14,12 @@ module JamWebsockets
 
       host = "0.0.0.0"
       port = options[:port]
+      max_stale_connection_time = options[:max_stale_connection_time]
 
-      @log.info "starting server #{host}:#{port}"
+      @log.info "starting server #{host}:#{port} with staleness_time=#{max_stale_connection_time}"
 
       EventMachine.run do
-        @router.start
+        @router.start(max_stale_connection_time)
 
         # if you don't do this, the app won't exit unless you kill -9
         at_exit do
@@ -26,10 +27,33 @@ module JamWebsockets
             @router.cleanup
         end
 
-        EventMachine::WebSocket.start(:host => "0.0.0.0", :port => options[:port], :debug => options[:emwebsocket_debug]) do |ws|
-          @log.info "new client #{ws}"
-          @router.new_client(ws)  
-        end
+        start_connection_cleaner(max_stale_connection_time)
+
+        start_websocket_listener(host, port, options[:emwebsocket_debug])
+      end
+    end
+
+    def start_websocket_listener(listen_ip, port, emwebsocket_debug)
+      EventMachine::WebSocket.start(:host => listen_ip, :port => port, :debug => emwebsocket_debug) do |ws|
+        @log.info "new client #{ws}"
+        @router.new_client(ws)
+      end
+    end
+
+
+    def start_connection_cleaner(stale_max_time)
+      # one cleanup on startup
+      cleanup_stale_connections(stale_max_time)
+
+      EventMachine::PeriodicTimer.new(15) do
+        cleanup_stale_connections(stale_max_time)
+      end
+
+    end
+
+    def cleanup_stale_connections(stale_max_time)
+      ConnectionManager.active_record_transaction do |connection_manager|
+        connection_manager.remove_stale_connections(stale_max_time)
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/jam_websockets/router_spec.rb b/spec/jam_websockets/router_spec.rb
index 84940dd0d..d7f80e176 100644
--- a/spec/jam_websockets/router_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/jam_websockets/router_spec.rb
@@ -42,13 +42,15 @@ def login(router, user, password, client_id)
   message_factory = MessageFactory.new
   client = LoginClient.new
 
-  login_ack = message_factory.login_ack("127.0.0.1", client_id, user.remember_token)
+  login_ack = message_factory.login_ack("127.0.0.1", client_id, user.remember_token, 15)
 
   router.should_receive(:send_to_client).with(client, login_ack)
+  router.should_receive(:extract_ip).at_least(:once).with(client).and_return("127.0.0.1")
   client.should_receive(:onclose)
   client.should_receive(:onerror)
   client.should_receive(:request).and_return({ "query" => { "pb" => "true" } })
-  client.should_receive(:get_peername).and_return("\x00\x02\x93\v\x7F\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00")
+
+  #client.should_receive(:get_peername).and_return("\x00\x02\x93\v\x7F\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00")
 
   @router.new_client(client)
   client.onopenblock.call
@@ -75,31 +77,31 @@ end
 
 
 describe Router do 
-  include AMQP::Spec
+  include EventedSpec::EMSpec
 
   message_factory = MessageFactory.new
 
-  amqp_before do
+  em_before do
     @router = Router.new()
-    @router.start()
+    @router.start(30)
   end
 
   subject { @router }
 
-  amqp_after do
+  em_after do
     @router.stop
   end
 
 
-  describe "servicability" do
+  describe "serviceability" do
     it "should start and stop", :mq => true do
-      em do
+      #em do
         done
-      end
+      #end
     end
 
     it "should register for client events", :mq => true do
-      em do
+      #em do
         client = double("client")
         client.should_receive(:onopen)
         client.should_receive(:onclose)
@@ -109,13 +111,13 @@ describe Router do
 
         @router.new_client(client)
         done
-      end
+      #end
     end
   end
 
   describe "topic routing helpers" do
     it "create and delete user lookup set" do
-      em do
+      #em do
         user = double(User)
         user.should_receive(:id).any_number_of_times.and_return("1")
         client = double("client")
@@ -131,14 +133,14 @@ describe Router do
 
         @router.user_context_lookup.length.should == 0
         done
-      end
+      #end
     end
   end
 
 
   describe "login" do
     it "should not allow login of bogus user", :mq => true do
-      em do
+      #em do
         TestClient = Class.new do
 
           attr_accessor :onmsgblock, :onopenblock, :encode_json, :client_id
@@ -181,42 +183,42 @@ describe Router do
 
         client.onmsgblock.call login.to_s
         done
-      end
+      #end
     end
 
     it "should allow login of valid user", :mq => true do
-      em do
+      #em do
         @user = User.new(:name => "Example User", :email => "user@example.com",
                          :password => "foobar", :password_confirmation => "foobar")
         @user.save
 
         client1 = login(@router, @user, "foobar", "1")
         done
-      end
+      #end
     end
 
     it "should allow music_session_join of valid user", :mq => true do
-      em do
+      #em do
         user1 = FactoryGirl.create(:user) # in the music session
         user2 = FactoryGirl.create(:user) # in the music session
         user3 = FactoryGirl.create(:user) # not in the music session
 
         music_session = FactoryGirl.create(:music_session, :creator => user1)
 
-        music_session_member1 = FactoryGirl.create(:music_session_client, :user => user1, :music_session => music_session, :client_id => "1")
-        music_session_member2 = FactoryGirl.create(:music_session_client, :user => user2, :music_session => music_session, :client_id => "2")
+        music_session_member1 = FactoryGirl.create(:connection, :user => user1, :music_session => music_session, :client_id => "4")
+        music_session_member2 = FactoryGirl.create(:connection, :user => user2, :music_session => music_session, :client_id => "5")
 
         # make a music_session and define two members
 
         # create client 1, log him in, and log him in to music session
         client1 = login(@router, user1, "foobar", "1")
-        login_music_session(@router, client1, music_session)                       \
+        login_music_session(@router, client1, music_session)
         done
-      end
+      #end
     end
 
     it "should allow two valid subscribers to communicate with session-directed messages", :mq => true do
-      em do
+      #em do
         user1 = FactoryGirl.create(:user) # in the music session
         user2 = FactoryGirl.create(:user) # in the music session
 
@@ -232,15 +234,15 @@ describe Router do
 
         # make a music_session and define two members
 
-        music_session_member1 = FactoryGirl.create(:music_session_client, :user => user1, :music_session => music_session, :client_id => "1")
-        music_session_member2 = FactoryGirl.create(:music_session_client, :user => user2, :music_session => music_session, :client_id => "2")
+        music_session_member1 = FactoryGirl.create(:connection, :user => user1, :music_session => music_session, :client_id => "6")
+        music_session_member2 = FactoryGirl.create(:connection, :user => user2, :music_session => music_session, :client_id => "7")
 
         done
-      end
+      #end
     end
 
     it "should allow two valid subscribers to communicate with p2p messages", :mq => true do
-      em do
+      #em do
           user1 = FactoryGirl.create(:user) # in the music session
           user2 = FactoryGirl.create(:user) # in the music session
 
@@ -254,7 +256,7 @@ describe Router do
           #login_music_session(@router, client2, music_session)
 
           # by creating
-          music_session_member1 = FactoryGirl.create(:music_session_client, :user => user1, :music_session => music_session, :client_id => "1")
+          music_session_member1 = FactoryGirl.create(:connection, :user => user1, :music_session => music_session, :client_id => "8")
 
           # now attempt to message p2p!
 
@@ -268,10 +270,10 @@ describe Router do
           ## send ping to client 2
           #client2.onmsgblock.call ping.to_s
 
-          #music_session_member2 = FactoryGirl.create(:music_session_client, :user => user2, :music_session => music_session, :client_id => "2")
+          #music_session_member2 = FactoryGirl.create(:connection, :user => user2, :music_session => music_session, :client_id => "2")
 
           done
-      end
+      #end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 0e2fb42f1..2706e081b 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ require 'jam_db'
 require 'spec_db'
 require 'jam_websockets'
 require 'timeout'
-require 'amqp-spec/rspec'
+require 'evented-spec'
 
 jamenv = ENV['JAMENV']
 jamenv ||= 'development'