diff --git a/lib/nsca.rb b/lib/nsca.rb
index 766c1a0..a60ffc6 100644
--- a/lib/nsca.rb
+++ b/lib/nsca.rb
@@ -18,6 +18,35 @@ module NSCA
 				clname[0] = clname[0].upcase
 				clname.to_sym
 			end
+
+			def xor_stream key
+				key = case key
+				when Array  then key
+				when String then key.bytes.to_a
+				when Enumerable then key.to_a
+				end
+				return lambda{|x|x}  if [nil, '', []].include? key
+				length = key.length
+				i = 0
+				lambda do |str|
+					r = ''
+					str.bytes.each_with_index do |c, j|
+						r[j] = (c ^ key[i]).chr
+						i = (i + 1) % length
+					end
+					r
+				end
+			end
+
+			def crc32_stream
+				sum = 0xFFFFFFFF
+				lambda do |str|
+					sum = str.bytes.inject sum do |r, b|
+						8.times.inject( r^b) {|r,_i| (r>>1) ^ (0xEDB88320 * (r&1)) }
+					end  if str
+					sum ^ 0xFFFFFFFF
+				end
+			end
 		end
 	end
 
@@ -28,6 +57,27 @@ module NSCA
 			NSCA.destinations.each {|server| server.send *results }
 			self
 		end
+
+		def xor key, msg = nil, key_a = nil
+			NSCA::Helper.xor_stream( key_a || key)[ msg]
+		end
+
+		def crc32 msg
+			NSCA::Helper.crc32_stream[ msg]
+		end
+
+		# Builds a null terminated, null padded string of length maxlen
+		def str2cstr( str, maxlen = nil)
+			str = str.to_s
+			str = str.to_s[0..(maxlen-2)]  if maxlen
+			"#{str}\x00"
+		end
+		def str2nstr( str, maxlen = nil)
+			str = str.to_s.gsub( ' ', "\x00")
+			"#{str} "
+		end
+		def cstr2str( str, maxlen = nil)  str[ 0, str.index( ?\0) || ((maxlen||str.length+1)-1)]  end
+		def nstr2str( str, maxlen = nil)  str[ 0, str.index( ' ') || ((maxlen||str.length+1)-1)].gsub( "\x00", ' ')  end
 	end
 end
 
diff --git a/lib/nsca/check.rb b/lib/nsca/check.rb
index 23250de..f305785 100644
--- a/lib/nsca/check.rb
+++ b/lib/nsca/check.rb
@@ -163,6 +163,11 @@ module NSCA
 				{timestamp: timestamp, return_code: retcode, hostname: hostname, server: service, status: text}
 			end
 
+			def to_packet version = nil
+				version ||= PacketV3
+				version.new timestamp, retcode, hostname, service, text
+			end
+
 			class <<self
 				attr_reader :service, :hostname, :perfdatas
 				def init *args
diff --git a/lib/nsca/client.rb b/lib/nsca/client.rb
index 7bbba49..67222b1 100644
--- a/lib/nsca/client.rb
+++ b/lib/nsca/client.rb
@@ -61,19 +61,26 @@ module NSCA
 			# @param [String(length<512)] status Status-line inclusive optional Performance Data.
 			def build_packet timestamp, return_code, hostname, service, status
 				packet = @packet_version.new timestamp || @timestamp, return_code, hostname, service, status
-				packet.build @iv_key, @password
+				packet.build
 			end
 
 			# Sends a check-result.
 			# @see #build_packet
-			def send_packet( *a)  @socket.write build_packet( *a)  end
+			def send_packet( *a)
+				packet = case a.first
+					when NSCA::Packet then a.first.build
+					when NSCA::Check::Base then a.first.to_packet( @packet_version).build
+					else build_packet( *a)
+					end
+				packet = NSCA::xor @iv_key, packet
+				packet = NSCA::xor @password, packet
+				@socket.write packet
+			end
 
 			# Sends check-results
 			# @param [Array<NSCA::Check::Base>] results
 			def send *results
-				results.flatten.each do |r|
-					send_packet r.timestamp, r.retcode, r.hostname, r.service, r.text
-				end
+				results.flatten.each &method(:send_packet)
 			end
 
 			# Closes connection to NSCA.
@@ -85,7 +92,7 @@ module NSCA
 			@hostname, @port, @password = hostname, port, password
 		end
 
-		def open( &e) Connection.open @hostname, @port, @password, &e end
+		def open( &e) Connection.open hostname: @hostname, port: @port, password: @password, &e end
 		def send( *results) open {|conn| conn.send results } end
 	end
 end
diff --git a/lib/nsca/packet.rb b/lib/nsca/packet.rb
index 9dca72b..204863f 100644
--- a/lib/nsca/packet.rb
+++ b/lib/nsca/packet.rb
@@ -1,29 +1,4 @@
 module NSCA
-	class <<self
-		def xor key, msg, key_a = nil
-			key_a ||= key.unpack 'C*'
-			l = key_a.length
-			return msg  if l < 1
-			# Slice the message in parts of length key_a.length.
-			# XOR each char of a part with char at the same index in key_a.
-			msg.unpack( 'C*').each_with_index.map {|c,i| c^key_a[i%l] }.pack 'C*'
-		end
-
-		def crc32 msg
-			(msg.each_byte.inject 0xFFFFFFFF do |r,b|
-				8.times.inject( r^b) {|r,_i| (r>>1) ^ (0xEDB88320 * (r&1)) }
-			end) ^ 0xFFFFFFFF
-		end
-
-		# Builds a null terminated, null padded string of length maxlen
-		def str2cstr( str, maxlen = nil)
-			str = str.to_s
-			str = str.to_s[0..(maxlen-2)]  if maxlen
-			"#{str}\x00"
-		end
-		def cstr2str( str, maxlen = nil) str[ 0, x.index( ?\0) || ((maxlen||0)-1)]  end
-	end
-
 	class Packet
 		class CSC32CheckFailed <Exception
 		end
@@ -57,7 +32,7 @@ module NSCA
 		END_OF_TRANSMISSION = ?\x0a
 		HOSTNAME_LENGTH = 64
 		SERVICE_LENGTH = 128
-		STATUS_LENGTH = 512
+		PLUGIN_OUTPUT_LENGTH = 512
 
 		# these line describes the data package:
 		# typedef struct data_packet_struct{
@@ -71,41 +46,54 @@ module NSCA
 		#   char      plugin_output[MAX_PLUGINOUTPUT_LENGTH];
 		#   /* two extra padding-xx, too. */
 		# }data_packet;
-		PACK_STRING = "s> xx L> L> s> Z#{HOSTNAME_LENGTH} Z#{SERVICE_LENGTH} Z#{STATUS_LENGTH} xx"
-		PACK_LENGTH = 2+2+4+4+2+HOSTNAME_LENGTH+SERVICE_LENGTH+STATUS_LENGTH+2
+		PACK_STRING = "s> xx L> L> s> A#{HOSTNAME_LENGTH} A#{SERVICE_LENGTH} A#{PLUGIN_OUTPUT_LENGTH} xx"
+		PACK_LENGTH = 2+2+4+4+2+HOSTNAME_LENGTH+SERVICE_LENGTH+PLUGIN_OUTPUT_LENGTH+2
 		register_version PACKET_VERSION, self
 
 		# Builds a check-result-line for NSCA.
 		#
 		# Will be terminated by end-of-terminate.
-		def build key = nil, password = nil
+		def build slf = nil
+			cl = (slf || self).class
 			entry = [
-				PACKET_VERSION,
+				cl::PACKET_VERSION,
 				0, # crc32 (unknown yet)
 				(timestamp || Time.now).to_i,
 				return_code.to_i,
-				NSCA::str2cstr( hostname || `hostname -f`, HOSTNAME_LENGTH),
-				NSCA::str2cstr( service, SERVICE_LENGTH),
-				NSCA::str2cstr( status, STATUS_LENGTH) # incl perfdata
+				NSCA::str2cstr( hostname || `hostname -f`, cl::HOSTNAME_LENGTH),
+				NSCA::str2cstr( service, cl::SERVICE_LENGTH),
+				NSCA::str2cstr( status, cl::PLUGIN_OUTPUT_LENGTH) # incl perfdata
 			]
 			# generate crc32 and put it at entry[2...6]
-			entry[1] = NSCA::crc32 entry.pack( PACK_STRING)
-			entry = entry.pack PACK_STRING
-			entry = NSCA::xor key, entry  if key
-			entry = NSCA::xor password, entry  if password
+			entry[1] = NSCA::crc32 entry.pack( cl::PACK_STRING)
+			entry = entry.pack cl::PACK_STRING
 			entry
 		end
 
-		def self.parse entry, key = nil, password = nil, no_verification_checks = nil
-			entry = NSCA::xor key, entry  if key
-			entry = NSCA::xor password, entry  if password
+		def self.parse entry, no_verification_checks = nil
+			entry = entry.to_s.dup
 			ver, crc32sum, *x = entry.unpack( PACK_STRING)
+			x[2] = NSCA::cstr2str x[2]
+			x[3] = NSCA::cstr2str x[3]
+			x[4] = NSCA::cstr2str x[4]
 			raise VersionCheckFailed, "Packet version 3 expected. (recv: #{ver})" \
 				unless no_verification_checks or 3 == ver
 			entry[4..7] = ?\x00*4
-			raise CSC32CheckFailed, "crc32-check failed. packet seems to be broken." \
-				unless no_verification_checks or crc32sum == NSCA::crc32( entry)
+			crc32 = NSCA::crc32 entry
+			raise CSC32CheckFailed, "crc32-check failed. packet seems to be broken: #{crc32sum.inspect} != #{crc32.inspect}" \
+				unless no_verification_checks or crc32sum == crc32
 			new *x
 		end
 	end
+
+	class PacketV3__2_9 < PacketV3
+		NAGIOS_VERSION = 2.7
+		PACKET_VERSION = 3
+		END_OF_TRANSMISSION = ?\x0a
+		PLUGIN_OUTPUT_LENGTH = 4096
+		HOSTNAME_LENGTH = 64
+		SERVICE_LENGTH = 128
+		PACK_STRING = "s> xx L> L> s> A#{HOSTNAME_LENGTH} A#{SERVICE_LENGTH} A#{PLUGIN_OUTPUT_LENGTH} xx"
+		PACK_LENGTH = 2+2+4+4+2+HOSTNAME_LENGTH+SERVICE_LENGTH+PLUGIN_OUTPUT_LENGTH+2
+	end
 end
diff --git a/lib/nsca/server.rb b/lib/nsca/server.rb
index 55f0750..a6a4f40 100644
--- a/lib/nsca/server.rb
+++ b/lib/nsca/server.rb
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@ module NSCA
 	class Server
 		include Enumerable
 
-		attr_reader :iv_key, :server, :packet_version, :password
+		attr_reader :iv_key, :server, :packet_version, :password, :xor_iv_key, :xor_password
 		def initialize *args
 			opts = {}
 			opts = args.pop.dup  if args.last.is_a? Hash
 			opts[:host] ||= opts[:hostname]
-			opts[:sock] ||= opts[:socket]
+			opts[:serv] ||= opts[:server]
 			opts[:pass] ||= opts[:password]
 
 			case args[0]
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ module NSCA
 				opts[:port] = args[0]
 				opts[:host] ||= args[1]
 			when IO
-				opts[:sock] = args[0]
+				opts[:serv] = args[0]
 			end
 
 			@packet_version = opts[:packet_version] || PacketV3
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ module NSCA
 			@server = if opts[:serv].is_a?( TCPServer) or opts[:serv].is_a?( UNIXServer)
 					opts[:serv]
 				elsif opts[:port].is_a? Integer
-					TCPServer.new *[opts[:port], opts[:host]].compact
+					TCPServer.new *[opts[:host], opts[:port]].compact
 				else
 					raise ArgumentError, "Server or port-number expected"
 				end
@@ -50,22 +50,36 @@ module NSCA
 				@packet_version = server.packet_version
 				@packet_length = @packet_version::PACK_LENGTH
 				@socket.write [@iv_key, Time.now.to_i].pack( 'a* L>')
+				@xor_password = NSCA::Helper.xor_stream @password 
+				@xor_iv_key = NSCA::Helper.xor_stream @iv_key
 			end
 
 			def fetch
-				data = read
-				@packet_version.parse data, @iv_key, @password  if data
+				iv_key = NSCA::Helper.xor_stream @iv_key
+				password = NSCA::Helper.xor_stream @password
+				packet_version = iv_key[ password[ read PacketV3::PACKET_VERSION]]
+				v = packet_version.unpack( 's>').first
+				case v
+				when 3
+					data = packet_version + iv_key[ password[ read( PacketV3::PACK_LENGTH - PacketV3::PACKET_VERSION)]]
+					begin
+						return PacketV3.parse( data)
+					rescue NSCA::Packet::CSC32CheckFailed
+						x = read( PacketV3__2_9::PACK_LENGTH - data.length)
+						raise  if x.nil?
+						return PacketV3__2_9.parse( data + iv_key[ password[ x]])
+					end
+				else raise "Unknown Version #{v.inspect}"
+				end
 			end
 
 			def each &block
 				return Enumerator.new( self)  unless block_given?
-				while data = fetch
-					yield data
-				end
+				yield fetch  until eof?
 			end
 
 			def eof?() @socket.eof? end
-			def read() @socket.read @packet_length end
+			def read( len = nil)  @socket.read( len || @packet_length) end
 			def close() @socket.close end
 		end
 	end
diff --git a/test/test_nsca.rb b/test/test_nsca.rb
index 46d5f38..54690e4 100644
--- a/test/test_nsca.rb
+++ b/test/test_nsca.rb
@@ -18,20 +18,34 @@ end
 
 class TestNSCACommunication < Test::Unit::TestCase
 	Port = 5787
+	def dummy_server *args
+		server = Thread.new do
+			begin
+				NSCA.dummy_server *args
+			rescue Object
+				#STDERR.puts "#{$!.class}: #{$!}", $!.backtrace.map{|bt|"  #{bt}"}
+			 	raise
+		 	ensure
+				#STDERR.puts "Dummy Server Shutdown"
+			end
+		end
+		sleep 1 # server needs time to start...
+		server
+	end
 
 	include NSCA::Checks
 
 	context "our dummy test server on localhost:#{Port} with random password" do
 		should 'receive data' do
-			password = SecureRandom.random_bytes
+			password = 'password' || SecureRandom.random_bytes
 			timestamp = Time.now
 
 			PD1 = perfdata :pd1_in_sec, :s, 10, 20, 0, 30
 			PD2 = perfdata :pd2_in_1, 1, 0.99, 0.98, 0, 1
 			PD3 = perfdata :pd3_count, :c, 3, 5, 0
-			T0 = check 'TestNSCA0', 'uxnags01-sbe.net.mobilkom.at'
-			T1 = check 'TestNSCA1', 'uxnags01-sbe.net.mobilkom.at', [PD1, PD2]
-			T2 = check :TestNSCA2, 'uxnags01-sbe.net.mobilkom.at', [PD1, PD2, PD3]
+			T0 = check 'TestNSCA0', 'localhost'
+			T1 = check 'TestNSCA1', 'localhost', [PD1, PD2]
+			T2 = check :TestNSCA2, 'localhost', [PD1, PD2, PD3]
 
 			checks = []
 			t0 = T0.new( 1, "0123456789"*51+"AB", nil, timestamp) # oversized service name
@@ -44,10 +58,9 @@ class TestNSCACommunication < Test::Unit::TestCase
 			checks << t1
 
 			NSCA::destinations.clear
-			NSCA::destinations << NSCA::Client.new( 'localhost', Port, password: password)
+			NSCA::destinations << NSCA::Client.new( 'localhost', Port, password)
 
-			server = Thread.new { NSCA.dummy_server Port, password: password }
-			sleep 1 # server needs time to start...
+			server = dummy_server port: Port, password: password
 			NSCA::send *checks
 			pc0, pc1 = server.value
 
@@ -57,20 +70,19 @@ class TestNSCACommunication < Test::Unit::TestCase
 				assert_equal timestamp.to_i, packet.timestamp.to_i
 				assert_equal test.retcode, packet.return_code
 			end
-			# original with B, but B is char 512 and will be replaced by \0
+			# original with AB, but B is char 512 and will be replaced by \0
 			assert_equal "0123456789"*51+"A", pc0.status
 			assert_equal "Should be OK | 'pd1_in_sec'=3s,10,20,0,30 'pd2_in_1'=0.99961,0.99,0.98,0,1 'pd3_count'=2c,3,5,0,", pc1.status
 		end
 
 		should 'fail crc32 if wrong password' do
-			password = SecureRandom.random_bytes
+			password = 'password' || SecureRandom.random_bytes
 			timestamp = Time.now
-			T3 = check 'TestNSCA0', 'uxnags01-sbe.net.mobilkom.at'
+			T3 = check 'TestNSCA0', 'localhost'
 			NSCA::destinations.clear
-			NSCA::destinations << NSCA::Client.new( 'localhost', Port, password: password+'a')
-			server = Thread.new { NSCA.dummy_server Port, password: password }
-			sleep 1 # server needs time to start...
-			NSCA::send T3.new( 1, 'status', nil, timestamp)
+			NSCA::destinations << NSCA::Client.new( 'localhost', Port, password+'a')
+			server = dummy_server hostname: 'localhost', port: Port, password: password
+			NSCA::send [T3.new( 1, 'status', nil, timestamp)]
 			assert_raise( NSCA::Packet::CSC32CheckFailed) { server.join }
 		end
 	end