diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 2691fa330..b8c36d0f8 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ endmacro(add_cxxflags)
 
 include(CheckCXXCompilerFlag)
 CHECK_CXX_COMPILER_FLAG("-std=c++11" COMPILER_SUPPORTS_CXX11)
-if (WIN32 AND NOT MINGW)
+if (MSVC)
 CHECK_CXX_COMPILER_FLAG("/std:c++17" COMPILER_SUPPORTS_CXX17)
 else()
 CHECK_CXX_COMPILER_FLAG("-std=c++17" COMPILER_SUPPORTS_CXX17)
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ option(HAVE_CXX17_FILESYSTEM "Disable if your C++ compiler and runtime library l
 if(COMPILER_SUPPORTS_CXX11 AND NOT HAVE_CXX17_FILESYSTEM)
   add_cxxflags("-std=c++11")
 elseif(COMPILER_SUPPORTS_CXX17 AND HAVE_CXX17_FILESYSTEM)
-  if (WIN32 AND NOT MINGW)
+  if (MSVC)
   add_cxxflags("/std:c++17")
   else()
   add_cxxflags("-std=c++17")
@@ -43,12 +43,21 @@ endif()
 if(ANDROID)
 set(THREAD_LIB "-pthread")
 # finally removed pthread dependency for MSC++
-elseif(WIN32 AND NOT MINGW)
+elseif(MSVC)
 set(THREAD_LIB)
 else()
 set(THREAD_LIB pthread)
 endif()
 
+else()
+option (BUILD_AVX2 "Enable AVX2 FPU vector instructions." OFF)
+if (BUILD_AVX2)
+add_cflags("/arch:AVX2")
+add_cxxflags("/arch:AVX2")
+else()
+add_cflags("/arch:SSE2")
+add_cxxflags("/arch:SSE2")
+endif(BUILD_AVX2)
 
 if(STATIC_LINK)
   add_cflags("-static -Wl,--whole-archive -lpthread -Wl,--no-whole-archive")
@@ -61,12 +70,12 @@ else()
   set(WITH_STATIC ON)
 endif()
 
-if (UNIX OR MINGW OR APPLE)
+if (NOT MSVC)
 add_cflags("-Wall")
 add_cxxflags("-Wall")
 endif()
 
-if (WIN32 AND NOT MINGW)
+if (MSVC)
 set(OPTIMIZE_FLAGS "-Od")
 set(DEBUG_FLAGS "-ZI")
 else()
@@ -98,7 +107,7 @@ if(SHADOW)
   include_directories(${SHADOW_ROOT}/include)
 endif()
 
-if (WIN32 AND NOT MINGW)
+if (MSVC)
 add_cflags("-wd4996 -wd4244 -MP ${OPTIMIZE_FLAGS}")
 add_cxxflags("-wd4996 -wd4244 -MP ${OPTIMIZE_FLAGS}")
 else()
@@ -182,7 +191,7 @@ if(UNIX)
     else()
         message(FATAL_ERROR "Your operating system is not supported yet")
     endif()
-elseif(WIN32 OR MINGW)
+elseif(WIN32)
     set(LIBTUNTAP_IMPL ${TT_ROOT}/tuntap-windows.c)
     add_definitions(-DWIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN)
     add_definitions(-DWIN32)
@@ -196,7 +205,7 @@ set(LIBTUNTAP_SRC_BASE
   ${TT_ROOT}/tuntap_log.cpp
   ${LIBTUNTAP_IMPL})
   if (UNIX)
-  set(LIBTUNTAP_SRC 
+  set(LIBTUNTAP_SRC
     ${TT_ROOT}/tuntap-unix.c
     ${LIBTUNTAP_SRC_BASE})
   endif()
@@ -257,7 +266,7 @@ set(LIB_PLATFORM_SRC
   ${ANDROID_PLATFORM_SRC}
 # process isolation implementation
   ${ISOLATE_PROC_SRC}
-# tun   
+# tun
   ${LIBTUNTAP_SRC}
 # win32 inline procs
   llarp/win32_inet.c
@@ -440,7 +449,7 @@ include_directories(include)
 include_directories(vendor/cppbackport-master/lib)
 include_directories(${sodium_INCLUDE_DIR})
 
-if (WIN32 AND NOT MINGW)
+if (MSVC)
 include_directories(contrib/msc/include)
 link_directories(contrib/msc/lib)
 endif()
@@ -450,23 +459,28 @@ set(DNS_EXE dns)
 
 
 if(SHADOW)
-  add_shadow_plugin(shadow-plugin-${SHARED_LIB} ${EXE_SRC} ${LIB_SRC} ${LIB_PLATFORM_SRC} ${CPP_BACKPORT_SRC})
-  target_link_libraries(shadow-plugin-${SHARED_LIB} ${LIBS})
-  install(TARGETS shadow-plugin-${SHARED_LIB} DESTINATION plugins)
+add_shadow_plugin(shadow-plugin-${SHARED_LIB} ${EXE_SRC} ${LIB_SRC} ${LIB_PLATFORM_SRC} ${CPP_BACKPORT_SRC})
+target_link_libraries(shadow-plugin-${SHARED_LIB} ${LIBS})
+install(TARGETS shadow-plugin-${SHARED_LIB} DESTINATION plugins)
 else()
   add_executable(${RC_EXE} ${RC_SRC})
-  add_executable(${EXE} ${EXE_SRC})
-  add_executable(${CLIENT_EXE} ${CLIENT_SRC})
+add_executable(${EXE} ${EXE_SRC})
+add_executable(${CLIENT_EXE} ${CLIENT_SRC})
   add_executable(${DNS_EXE} ${DNS_SRC})
+add_subdirectory(${GTEST_DIR})
+include_directories(${GTEST_DIR}/include ${GTEST_DIR})
+add_executable(${TEST_EXE} ${TEST_SRC})
+
+if (WIN32)
+target_link_libraries(${TEST_EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} gtest_main ${STATIC_LIB} ws2_32 iphlpapi)
+if (MINGW)
+target_link_libraries(${TEST_EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} gtest_main ${STATIC_LIB} ws2_32 stdc++fs iphlpapi)
+endif()
+else()
+target_link_libraries(${TEST_EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} gtest_main ${STATIC_LIB})
+endif(WIN32)
 
-
-  if(NOT WIN32)
-    add_subdirectory(${GTEST_DIR})
-    include_directories(${GTEST_DIR}/include ${GTEST_DIR})
-    add_executable(${TEST_EXE} ${TEST_SRC})
-    target_link_libraries(${TEST_EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} gtest_main ${STATIC_LIB})
-  endif()
-  if(WITH_STATIC)
+if(WITH_STATIC)
     add_library(${STATIC_LIB} STATIC ${LIB_SRC})
     if(NOT HAVE_CXX17_FILESYSTEM)
       add_library(${BACKPORT_LIB} STATIC ${CPP_BACKPORT_SRC})
@@ -490,7 +504,7 @@ else()
           target_link_libraries(${EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} ${STATIC_LIB} ${BACKPORT_LIB} ${PLATFORM_LIB} ws2_32 stdc++fs iphlpapi)
           target_link_libraries(${CLIENT_EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} ${STATIC_LIB} ${BACKPORT_LIB} ${PLATFORM_LIB} ws2_32 stdc++fs iphlpapi)
           target_link_libraries(${RC_EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} ${STATIC_LIB} ${BACKPORT_LIB} ${PLATFORM_LIB} ws2_32 stdc++fs iphlpapi)
-        elseif(WIN32)
+        elseif(MSVC)
           target_link_libraries(${EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} ${STATIC_LIB} ${BACKPORT_LIB} ${PLATFORM_LIB} ws2_32 iphlpapi)
           target_link_libraries(${CLIENT_EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} ${STATIC_LIB} ${BACKPORT_LIB} ${PLATFORM_LIB} ws2_32 iphlpapi)
           target_link_libraries(${RC_EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} ${STATIC_LIB} ${BACKPORT_LIB} ${PLATFORM_LIB} ws2_32 iphlpapi)
@@ -503,7 +517,7 @@ else()
           target_link_libraries(${EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} ${STATIC_LIB} ${PLATFORM_LIB} ws2_32 stdc++fs iphlpapi)
           target_link_libraries(${CLIENT_EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} ${STATIC_LIB} ${PLATFORM_LIB} ws2_32 stdc++fs iphlpapi)
           target_link_libraries(${RC_EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} ${STATIC_LIB} ${PLATFORM_LIB} ws2_32 stdc++fs iphlpapi)
-        elseif(WIN32)
+        elseif(MSVC)
           target_link_libraries(${EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} ${STATIC_LIB} ${PLATFORM_LIB} ws2_32 iphlpapi)
           target_link_libraries(${CLIENT_EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} ${STATIC_LIB} ${PLATFORM_LIB} ws2_32 iphlpapi)
           target_link_libraries(${RC_EXE} ${STATIC_LINK_LIBS} ${STATIC_LIB} ${PLATFORM_LIB} ws2_32 iphlpapi)
@@ -529,7 +543,7 @@ else()
     add_library(${SHARED_LIB} SHARED ${LIB_SRC} ${LIB_PLATFORM_SRC})
     if (MINGW)
       set(${LIBS} ${LIBS} ws2_32 stdc++fs iphlpapi)
-    elseif(WIN32)
+    elseif(MSVC)
       set(${LIBS} ${LIBS} ws2_32 iphlpapi)
     endif(MINGW)
     target_link_libraries(${SHARED_LIB} ${LIBS} ${THREAD_LIB})
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
index 551854a07..17889aaec 100644
--- a/LICENSE
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 Copyright (c) 2018 Jeff Becker
+Win32 port and portions copyright ©2018 Rick V.
 
 This software is provided 'as-is', without any express or implied
 warranty. In no event will the authors be held liable for any damages
diff --git a/test/gtest/CMakeLists.txt b/test/gtest/CMakeLists.txt
index 621d0f042..e9a55c6f8 100644
--- a/test/gtest/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/gtest/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ option(gtest_build_samples "Build gtest's sample programs." OFF)
 
 option(gtest_disable_pthreads "Disable uses of pthreads in gtest." OFF)
 
+# use native windows nt threading even in gcc or clang
+if (WIN32)
+option(gtest_disable_pthreads ON)
+endif(WIN32)
+
 option(
   gtest_hide_internal_symbols
   "Build gtest with internal symbols hidden in shared libraries."