diff --git a/daemon/rcutil.cpp b/daemon/rcutil.cpp
index 7f80cab49..743017942 100644
--- a/daemon/rcutil.cpp
+++ b/daemon/rcutil.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ printNode(struct llarp_nodedb_iter *iter)
   return false;
 }
 
+void HandleDHTLocate(llarp_router_lookup_job *job) {
+  llarp::Info("DHT result: ", job->found ? "found" : "not found");
+  // save to nodedb?
+}
+
 int
 main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
@@ -58,7 +63,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         "--update   with a path to a router contact file\n"
         "--list     \n"
         "--import   with a path to a router contact file\n"
-        "--export   with a path to a router contact file\n"
+        "--export   a hex formatted public key\n"
+        "--locate   a hex formatted public key"
         "\n");
     return 0;
   }
@@ -67,6 +73,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
   bool listMode   = false;
   bool importMode = false;
   bool exportMode = false;
+  bool locateMode = false;
   int c;
   char *conffname;
   char defaultConfName[] = "daemon.ini";
@@ -84,9 +91,10 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         {"list", no_argument, 0, 'l'},
         {"import", required_argument, 0, 'i'},
         {"export", required_argument, 0, 'e'},
+        {"locate", required_argument, 0, 'q'},
         {0, 0, 0, 0}};
     int option_index = 0;
-    c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "cgluie", long_options, &option_index);
+    c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "cgluieq", long_options, &option_index);
     if(c == -1)
       break;
     switch(c)
@@ -112,6 +120,12 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         haveRequiredOptions = true;
         exportMode          = true;
         break;
+      case 'q':
+        // printf ("option -g with value `%s'\n", optarg);
+        rcfname = optarg;
+        haveRequiredOptions = true;
+        locateMode = true;
+        break;
       case 'g':
         // printf ("option -g with value `%s'\n", optarg);
         rcfname             = optarg;
@@ -134,7 +148,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     return 0;
   }
   printf("parsed options\n");
-  if(!genMode && !updMode && !listMode && !importMode && !exportMode)
+  if(!genMode && !updMode && !listMode && !importMode && !exportMode && !locateMode)
   {
     llarp::Error("I don't know what to do, no generate or update parameter\n");
     return 0;
@@ -249,6 +263,24 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     llarp::Info("Writing out: ", filename);
     llarp_rc_write(rc, filename.c_str());
   }
+  if (locateMode) {
+    llarp::Info("Going online");
+    llarp_main_setup(ctx);
+
+    llarp::PubKey binaryPK;
+    llarp::HexDecode(rcfname, binaryPK.data());
+
+    llarp::Info("Queueing job");
+    llarp_router_lookup_job *job = new llarp_router_lookup_job;
+    job->found = false;
+    job->hook = &HandleDHTLocate;
+    memcpy(job->target, binaryPK, PUBKEYSIZE); // set job's target
+    llarp_main_queryDHT(ctx, job);
+
+    llarp::Info("Processing");
+    // run system and wait
+    llarp_main_run(ctx);
+  }
   llarp_main_free(ctx);
   return 1;  // success
 }
diff --git a/include/llarp.h b/include/llarp.h
index b6913ddf0..e0cd6d10d 100644
--- a/include/llarp.h
+++ b/include/llarp.h
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ llarp_main_signal(struct llarp_main *ptr, int sig);
 void
 llarp_main_set_dht_handler(struct llarp_main *ptr, llarp_dht_msg_handler h);
 
+/// setup main context
+int
+llarp_main_setup(struct llarp_main *ptr);
+
 /// run main context
 int
 llarp_main_run(struct llarp_main *ptr);
@@ -43,9 +47,14 @@ llarp_main_iterateDatabase(struct llarp_main *ptr, struct llarp_nodedb_iter i);
 bool
 llarp_main_putDatabase(struct llarp_main *ptr, struct llarp_rc *rc);
 
+/// get RC from nodeDB
 struct llarp_rc *
 llarp_main_getDatabase(struct llarp_main *ptr, byte_t *pk);
 
+/// get RC from DHT
+void
+llarp_main_queryDHT(struct llarp_main *ptr, struct llarp_router_lookup_job *job);
+
 void
 llarp_main_free(struct llarp_main *ptr);
 
diff --git a/include/llarp.hpp b/include/llarp.hpp
index 8448dbb35..51289549c 100644
--- a/include/llarp.hpp
+++ b/include/llarp.hpp
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ namespace llarp
     struct llarp_rc *
     GetDatabase(const byte_t *pk);
 
+    int
+    Setup();
+
     int
     Run();
 
diff --git a/include/llarp/logger.hpp b/include/llarp/logger.hpp
index 0d38cd546..1ad9975ad 100644
--- a/include/llarp/logger.hpp
+++ b/include/llarp/logger.hpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 namespace llarp
 {
+  // probably will need to move out of llarp namespace for c api
   enum LogLevel
   {
     eLogDebug,
diff --git a/llarp/api/message.cpp b/llarp/api/message.cpp
index 977731216..fc3c7b3f0 100644
--- a/llarp/api/message.cpp
+++ b/llarp/api/message.cpp
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ namespace llarp
       passbuf.sz   = password.size();
       crypto->shorthash(secret, passbuf);
 
-      llarp::ShortHash digest;
+      //llarp::ShortHash digest;
       // zero hash
       hash.Zero();
 
@@ -106,4 +106,4 @@ namespace llarp
       }
     }
   }  // namespace api
-}  // namespace llarp
\ No newline at end of file
+}  // namespace llarp
diff --git a/llarp/context.cpp b/llarp/context.cpp
index 40b4323c1..25c4d2f7d 100644
--- a/llarp/context.cpp
+++ b/llarp/context.cpp
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ namespace llarp
   }
 
   int
-  Context::Run()
+  Context::Setup()
   {
     llarp::Info("starting up");
     this->LoadDatabase();
@@ -149,26 +149,48 @@ namespace llarp
 
     router = llarp_init_router(worker, mainloop, logic);
 
-    if(llarp_configure_router(router, config))
+    if(!llarp_configure_router(router, config))
     {
-      if(custom_dht_func)
-      {
-        llarp::Info("using custom dht function");
-        llarp_dht_set_msg_handler(router->dht, custom_dht_func);
-      }
-      llarp_run_router(router, nodedb);
-      // run net io thread
-      if(singleThreaded)
+      llarp::Error("Failed to configure router");
+      return 1;
+    }
+    if(custom_dht_func)
+    {
+      llarp::Info("using custom dht function");
+      llarp_dht_set_msg_handler(router->dht, custom_dht_func);
+    }
+    // set nodedb, load our RC, establish DHT
+    llarp_run_router(router, nodedb);
+
+    return 0; // success
+  }
+
+  int
+  Context::Run()
+  {
+    // just check to make sure it's not already set up (either this or we add a bool and/or add another function)
+    if (!this->router)
+    {
+      // set up all requirements
+      if (this->Setup())
       {
-        llarp::Info("running mainloop");
-        llarp_ev_loop_run_single_process(mainloop, worker, logic);
+        llarp::Error("Failed to setup router");
+        return 1;
       }
-      else
+    }
+
+    // run net io thread
+    if(singleThreaded)
+    {
+      llarp::Info("running mainloop");
+      llarp_ev_loop_run_single_process(mainloop, worker, logic);
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      auto netio = mainloop;
+      while(num_nethreads--)
       {
-        auto netio = mainloop;
-        while(num_nethreads--)
-        {
-          netio_threads.emplace_back([netio]() { llarp_ev_loop_run(netio); });
+        netio_threads.emplace_back([netio]() { llarp_ev_loop_run(netio); });
 #if(__APPLE__ && __MACH__)
 
 #elif(__FreeBSD__)
@@ -178,15 +200,11 @@ namespace llarp
           pthread_setname_np(netio_threads.back().native_handle(),
                              "llarp-netio");
 #endif
-        }
-        llarp::Info("running mainloop");
-        llarp_logic_mainloop(logic);
       }
-      return 0;
+      llarp::Info("running mainloop");
+      llarp_logic_mainloop(logic);
     }
-    else
-      llarp::Error("Failed to configure router");
-    return 1;
+    return 0;
   }
 
   void
@@ -309,6 +327,12 @@ llarp_main_signal(struct llarp_main *ptr, int sig)
   ptr->ctx->HandleSignal(sig);
 }
 
+int
+llarp_main_setup(struct llarp_main *ptr)
+{
+  return ptr->ctx->Setup();
+}
+
 int
 llarp_main_run(struct llarp_main *ptr)
 {
@@ -339,6 +363,11 @@ llarp_main_getDatabase(struct llarp_main *ptr, byte_t *pk)
   return ptr->ctx->GetDatabase(pk);
 }
 
+void llarp_main_queryDHT(struct llarp_main *ptr, llarp_router_lookup_job *job)
+{
+  llarp_dht_lookup_router(ptr->ctx->router->dht, job);
+}
+
 void
 llarp_main_free(struct llarp_main *ptr)
 {
diff --git a/llarp/logger.c b/llarp/logger.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3f37f58f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/llarp/logger.c
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#include "logger.h"
+
diff --git a/llarp/logger.cpp b/llarp/logger.cpp
index 15636856b..c9db6eb5d 100644
--- a/llarp/logger.cpp
+++ b/llarp/logger.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "logger.hpp"
+#include <llarp/logger.h>
 
 namespace llarp
 {
@@ -10,3 +11,12 @@ namespace llarp
     _glog.minlevel = lvl;
   }
 }
+
+extern "C" {
+void
+cSetLogLevel(LogLevel lvl)
+{
+  llarp::SetLogLevel((llarp::LogLevel)lvl);
+}
+
+}
diff --git a/llarp/nodedb.cpp b/llarp/nodedb.cpp
index 50fcece92..579171c44 100644
--- a/llarp/nodedb.cpp
+++ b/llarp/nodedb.cpp
@@ -374,6 +374,8 @@ llarp_nodedb_load_dir(struct llarp_nodedb *n, const char *dir)
   return n->Load(dir);
 }
 
+/// c api for nodedb::setRC
+/// maybe better to use llarp_nodedb_async_verify
 bool
 llarp_nodedb_put_rc(struct llarp_nodedb *n, struct llarp_rc *rc)
 {
@@ -387,6 +389,7 @@ llarp_nodedb_iterate_all(struct llarp_nodedb *n, struct llarp_nodedb_iter i)
   return n->entries.size();
 }
 
+/// maybe rename to verify_and_set
 void
 llarp_nodedb_async_verify(struct llarp_async_verify_rc *job)
 {
@@ -396,12 +399,15 @@ llarp_nodedb_async_verify(struct llarp_async_verify_rc *job)
                              {job, &crypto_threadworker_verifyrc});
 }
 
+// disabled for now
+/*
 void
 llarp_nodedb_async_load_rc(struct llarp_async_load_rc *job)
 {
   // call in the disk io thread so we don't bog down the others
   llarp_threadpool_queue_job(job->diskworker, {job, &nodedb_async_load_rc});
 }
+*/
 
 struct llarp_rc *
 llarp_nodedb_get_rc(struct llarp_nodedb *n, const byte_t *pk)
diff --git a/llarp/router.cpp b/llarp/router.cpp
index 2b577f14d..b8737f8ce 100644
--- a/llarp/router.cpp
+++ b/llarp/router.cpp
@@ -93,6 +93,12 @@ llarp_router::SendToOrQueue(const llarp::RouterID &remote,
     llarp_router_try_connect(this, rc, 10);
     return true;
   }
+
+  // this would never be true, as everything is in memory
+  // but we'll keep around if we ever need to swap them out of memory
+  // but it's best to keep the paradigm that everythign is in memory at this point in development
+  // as it will reduce complexity
+  /*
   // try requesting the rc from the disk
   llarp_async_load_rc *job = new llarp_async_load_rc;
   job->diskworker          = disk;
@@ -102,10 +108,19 @@ llarp_router::SendToOrQueue(const llarp::RouterID &remote,
   job->hook                = &HandleAsyncLoadRCForSendTo;
   memcpy(job->pubkey, remote, PUBKEYSIZE);
   llarp_nodedb_async_load_rc(job);
+  */
+
+  // we don't have the RC locally so do a dht lookup
+  llarp_router_lookup_job *lookup = new llarp_router_lookup_job;
+  lookup->user                    = this;
+  memcpy(lookup->target, this->rc.pubkey, PUBKEYSIZE);
+  lookup->hook = &HandleDHTLookupForSendTo;
+  llarp_dht_lookup_router(this->dht, lookup);
 
   return true;
 }
 
+/*
 void
 llarp_router::HandleAsyncLoadRCForSendTo(llarp_async_load_rc *job)
 {
@@ -125,6 +140,7 @@ llarp_router::HandleAsyncLoadRCForSendTo(llarp_async_load_rc *job)
   }
   delete job;
 }
+*/
 
 void
 llarp_router::HandleDHTLookupForSendTo(llarp_router_lookup_job *job)
@@ -144,6 +160,7 @@ llarp_router::HandleDHTLookupForSendTo(llarp_router_lookup_job *job)
 void
 llarp_router::try_connect(fs::path rcfile)
 {
+  // FIXME: update API
   byte_t tmp[MAX_RC_SIZE];
   llarp_rc remote = {0};
   llarp_buffer_t buf;
@@ -295,7 +312,6 @@ llarp_router::on_verify_server_rc(llarp_async_verify_rc *job)
   llarp::async_verify_context *ctx =
       static_cast< llarp::async_verify_context * >(job->user);
   auto router = ctx->router;
-  llarp::Debug("rc verified? ", job->valid ? "valid" : "invalid");
   llarp::PubKey pk(job->rc.pubkey);
   if(!job->valid)
   {
@@ -312,8 +328,9 @@ llarp_router::on_verify_server_rc(llarp_async_verify_rc *job)
     router->DiscardOutboundFor(pk);
     return;
   }
+  // we're valid, which means it's already been committed to the nodedb
 
-  llarp::Debug("rc verified");
+  llarp::Debug("rc verified and saved to nodedb");
 
   // refresh valid routers RC value if it's there
   auto v = router->validRouters.find(pk);
@@ -324,8 +341,6 @@ llarp_router::on_verify_server_rc(llarp_async_verify_rc *job)
   }
   router->validRouters[pk] = job->rc;
 
-  // TODO: update nodedb here (?)
-
   // track valid router in dht
   llarp_dht_put_peer(router->dht, &router->validRouters[pk]);
 
@@ -640,16 +655,12 @@ llarp_router::Run()
     // immediate connect all for service node
     uint64_t delay = rand() % 100;
     llarp_logic_call_later(logic, {delay, this, &ConnectAll});
-    // llarp_logic_call_later(logic, {static_cast<uint64_t>(delay), this,
-    // &ConnectAll});
   }
   else
   {
     // delayed connect all for clients
     uint64_t delay = ((rand() % 10) * 500) + 1000;
     llarp_logic_call_later(logic, {delay, this, &ConnectAll});
-    // llarp_logic_call_later(logic, {static_cast<uint64_t>(delay), this,
-    // &ConnectAll});
   }
 
   llarp::PubKey ourPubkey = pubkey();
@@ -1039,6 +1050,7 @@ namespace llarp
     {
       if(!StrEq(key, "*"))
       {
+        llarp::Info("interface specific binding activated");
         link = new llarp_link;
         llarp::Zero(link, sizeof(llarp_link));
 
@@ -1071,8 +1083,12 @@ namespace llarp
             }
           }
         }
+        else
+        {
+         llarp::Error("link ", key, " failed to initialize. Link state", link);
+        }
       }
-      llarp::Error("link ", key, " failed to configure");
+      llarp::Error("link ", key, " failed to configure. (Note: We don't support * yet)");
     }
     else if(StrEq(section, "connect"))
     {