diff --git a/app.c b/app.c
index 64096cd..877e304 100644
--- a/app.c
+++ b/app.c
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 #include "window.h"
 #include "render.h"
 #include "input.h"
-#include "gui.h"
-#include "network.h"
 
 void App_Init(App_t *app) {
     app->isRunning = false;
@@ -34,7 +32,7 @@ void App_Init(App_t *app) {
         return;
     }
 
-    if (!Network_Init()) {
+    if (!Network_Init(&app->network)) {
         return;
     }
 
@@ -49,7 +47,7 @@ void App_Run(App_t *app) {
 }
 
 void App_Shutdown(const App_t* app) {
-    Network_Shutdown();
+    Network_Shutdown(&app->network);
     Objects_Destroy(&app->graphics);
     Map_Destroy(&app->map);
     Bitmap_Destroy(&app->bitmap);
diff --git a/app.h b/app.h
index 505223d..fd1f335 100644
--- a/app.h
+++ b/app.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include "objects.h"
 #include "map.h"
 #include "system.h"
+#include "network.h"
 
 typedef struct App {
     bool isRunning;
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ typedef struct App {
     Bitmap_t bitmap;
     Objects_t graphics;
     Gui_t gui;
+    Network_t network;
 } App_t;
 
 void App_Init(App_t* app);
diff --git a/network.c b/network.c
index 02ebbf3..0e8082d 100644
--- a/network.c
+++ b/network.c
@@ -7,15 +7,79 @@
 #include <SDL3/SDL.h>
 #include <SDL3_net/SDL_net.h>
 
-bool Network_Init() {
+#define NET_TIMEOUT 30000
+
+typedef enum ConnectionResult {
+    CONN_SUCCESS = 0,
+    CONN_ERR_BAD_HOSTNAME = 1,
+    CONN_ERR_NO_SERVER = 2
+} CONNECTION_RESULT;
+
+void Gui_UpdateStatusBar(const Gui_t* gui, const char *message);
+
+bool Network_Init(Network_t *network) {
     if (!NET_Init()) {
         SDL_ShowSimpleMessageBox(SDL_MESSAGEBOX_ERROR, "Error", "Failed to initialize SDL_net.", NULL);
         return false;
     }
 
+    network->socket = NULL;
+
     return true;
 }
 
-void Network_Shutdown() {
+void Network_Shutdown(const Network_t *network) {
+    NET_DestroyStreamSocket(network->socket);
     NET_Quit();
 }
+
+CONNECTION_RESULT ConnectToServer(Network_t *network, const ConfigParams_t *configParams, const Gui_t *gui) {
+    Gui_UpdateStatusBar(gui, "Searching for hostname...");
+
+    NET_Address *netAddress = NET_ResolveHostname(configParams->serverAddress);
+    const NET_Status resolveHostnameStatus = NET_WaitUntilResolved(netAddress, NET_TIMEOUT);
+    if (resolveHostnameStatus != NET_SUCCESS) {
+        NET_UnrefAddress(netAddress);
+        return CONN_ERR_BAD_HOSTNAME;
+    }
+
+    Gui_UpdateStatusBar(gui, "Trying to connect...");
+
+    network->socket = NET_CreateClient(netAddress, configParams->serverPort);
+    const NET_Status createClientStatus = NET_WaitUntilConnected(network->socket, NET_TIMEOUT);
+    if (createClientStatus != NET_SUCCESS) {
+        NET_DestroyStreamSocket(network->socket);
+        network->socket = NULL;
+
+        NET_UnrefAddress(netAddress);
+        return CONN_ERR_NO_SERVER;
+    }
+
+    // TODO: is this okay?
+    NET_UnrefAddress(netAddress);
+
+    return CONN_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+void Network_ConnectAndReportStatus(Network_t *network, const ConfigParams_t *configParams, const Gui_t *gui) {
+    if (network->socket != NULL) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    const CONNECTION_RESULT result = ConnectToServer(network, configParams, gui);
+    const char *message = NULL;
+
+    switch (result) {
+        case CONN_SUCCESS:
+            message = "Connection established.";
+            break;
+        case CONN_ERR_BAD_HOSTNAME:
+            message = "Error: IP address or host not found.";
+            break;
+        case CONN_ERR_NO_SERVER:
+            message = "Error: No server running on host.";
+            break;
+    }
+
+    Gui_UpdateStatusBar(gui, message);
+}
diff --git a/network.h b/network.h
index b819199..0a3d615 100644
--- a/network.h
+++ b/network.h
@@ -6,8 +6,18 @@
 #define TIBIA_NETWORK_H
 
 #include <stdbool.h>
+#include <SDL3_net/SDL_net.h>
+#include "config.h"
 
-bool Network_Init();
-void Network_Shutdown();
+typedef struct Gui Gui_t;
+
+typedef struct Network {
+    NET_StreamSocket* socket;
+} Network_t;
+
+bool Network_Init(Network_t* network);
+void Network_Shutdown(const Network_t* network);
+
+void Network_ConnectAndReportStatus(Network_t* network, const ConfigParams_t* configParams, const Gui_t* gui);
 
 #endif //TIBIA_NETWORK_H
\ No newline at end of file