diff --git a/examples/client.js b/examples/client.js
index b2467b4..0dd421f 100644
--- a/examples/client.js
+++ b/examples/client.js
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ client.on('status', event => {
     console.log('===============')
   }
 
+  setTimeout(()=> {
+    console.log('=============Consumer now Offline=============')
+    process.exit(1)
+  }
+    ,120000)
+
 })().catch(err => {
   console.error('FATAL: UNABLE TO START SYSTEM!\n',err)
 })
diff --git a/examples/server.js b/examples/server.js
index aa29dd6..e0db629 100644
--- a/examples/server.js
+++ b/examples/server.js
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ class Test extends Socket {
 // }
 // const PATH = '/opt/bogus/socket'
 const PATH = true
+const PUSHES = 3
 // options.conPacket = {cmd:'onconnect', data:'this is a packet data sent consumer after handshake/authentification'}
 const TOKENS = ['cheetos']
 let test = new Test({path:PATH, tokens:TOKENS})
@@ -72,14 +73,14 @@ test.registerPacketProcessor(processor)
   let count = 0
   const push = setInterval( () => {
     count++
-    test.push({cmd:'pushed', count:count, status:`some pushed data ${count}`})
-    if (count >3) {
+    test.push({cmd:'pushed', count:count, status:`pushing some data ${count} of ${PUSHES}`})
+    if (count >PUSHES) {
       clearInterval(push)
-      test.push({cmd:'pushed',status:'now will simulate server going offline by stopping to send ping for 10 seconds'})
+      test.push({cmd:'pushed',status:'now will simulate server going offline by stopping to send ping for 15 seconds'})
       test.disablePing()
       setTimeout( () => {
         test.enablePing()
-      },10000)
+      },15000)
 
     }
   },3000)
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5648b0a..65f867e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@uci/socket",
-  "version": "0.2.28",
+  "version": "0.2.29",
   "description": "JSON packet intra(named)/inter(TCP) host communication over socket",
   "main": "src",
   "scripts": {
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@
     "client": "node -r esm examples/client",
     "devc": "UCI_ENV=dev ./node_modules/.bin/nodemon -r esm examples/client",
     "devc:token": "UCI_CLIENT_TOKEN='cheetos' npm run devc",
-    "devc:debug": "UCI_LOG_LEVEL=debug npm run devc",
-    "c2": "node -r esm examples/client2"
+    "devc:debug": "UCI_LOG_LEVEL=debug npm run devc"
   },
   "author": "David Kebler",
   "license": "MIT",
diff --git a/src/consumer.js b/src/consumer.js
index cf47f22..179b16b 100644
--- a/src/consumer.js
+++ b/src/consumer.js
@@ -46,10 +46,13 @@ class SocketConsumer extends Socket {
         opts.path = path.join(DEFAULT_PIPE_DIR, opts.path)
     }
     this.opts = opts
+    this._data = {id:this.id, name:opts.name||this.id}
+    Object.assign(this._data,opts.data||{}) // holds consumer specific data that will be passed to server in header and on connection
     // default is keepAlive true, must set to false to explicitly disable
     // if keepAlive is true then consumer will also be reconnecting consumer
+    // initTimeout > 4 means socketInit will return a promise
     this.initTimeout = opts.initTimeout > 4 ? opts.initTimeout * 1000 : null
-    this.pingFailedTimeout = opts.pingFailedTimeout * 1000 || 10000
+    this.pingFailedTimeout = opts.pingFailedTimeout * 1000 || 5000
     this.reconnectLimit = opts.reconnectLimit || 0
     this.retryWait = opts.retryWait==null ? 5000 : opts.retryWait * 1000
     this.heartBeat = !!process.env.HEARTBEAT || opts.heartBeat
@@ -116,7 +119,6 @@ class SocketConsumer extends Socket {
           , this.initTimeout)
 
         const successHandler = (ev) => {
-          console.log('initial success', ev.state)
           if (ev.state === 'connected') {
             clearTimeout(initTimeout)
             this.removeListener('connection:socket',successHandler)
@@ -125,7 +127,7 @@ class SocketConsumer extends Socket {
           }
         }
 
-        this.on('connection:socket',successHandler)
+        this.on('connection:socket',successHandler.bind(this))
 
       })
     }
@@ -174,7 +176,7 @@ class SocketConsumer extends Socket {
           id: Math.random()
             .toString()
             .slice(2), // need this for when multiple sends for different consumers use same packet instanceack
-          sender: { name: this.name, instanceID: this.id },
+          sender: { data: this._data, instanceID: this.id},
           path: this.opts.path,
           port: this.opts.port,
           host: this.opts.host
@@ -286,7 +288,7 @@ async function handshake (packet) {
     this.notify('handshake')
     let authPacket = this._authenticate() || {}
     authPacket._authenticate = true
-    authPacket.clientName = this.id
+    authPacket.data = this._data
     let res = await this._authenticateSend(authPacket)
     this.stream.removeAllListeners('message')
     clearTimeout(this._doneAuthenticate)
@@ -331,7 +333,7 @@ function messageHandler(packet) {
 // assume all errors are fatal and the socket needs to be disconnected/reconnected
 async function errorHandler (err) {
   this.disconnect()
-  let msg = `error, socket has been disconnected, trying reconnect in ${this.retryWait/1000} secs`
+  let msg = `error, this consumer is disconnected, trying reconnect in ${this.retryWait/1000} secs`
   this.notify('error',{error:err,msg:msg})
   this.log('error',msg)
   this._errorRetry = setTimeout(this.reconnect.bind(this),this.retryWait)
diff --git a/src/socket-class.js b/src/socket-class.js
index d731f34..636965d 100644
--- a/src/socket-class.js
+++ b/src/socket-class.js
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export default function socketClass(Server) {
    * @param {String} options.host  a tcp host name nornally not used as 0.0.0.0 is set by default
    * @param {String} options.port a tcp
    * @param {String | Boolean} options.path xeither full path to where socket should be created or if just 'true' then use default
-   * @param {Boolean} options.clientTracking track connected clients for push notifications - default: true
+   * @param {Boolean} options.consumerTracking track connected consumers for push notifications - default: true
    * @param {Object} options.conPacket A json operson's property
    *
    */
@@ -61,14 +61,14 @@ export default function socketClass(Server) {
       this.allowAnonymous =   (!opts.tokens || !!process.env.UCI_ANON || opts.allowAnonymous) ? true : false
       this.tokens = opts.tokens || []
       this.keepAlive = 'keepAlive' in opts ? opts.keepAlive : true
-      this.pingInterval = opts.pingInterval === false ? opts.pingInterval : (opts.pingInterval * 1000 || 5000)
-      this.clients = [] // track consumers (i.e. clients) TODO use a Map
-      this.nextClientID = 0 // incrementer for default initial client ID
+      this.pingInterval = opts.pingInterval === false ? 0 : (opts.pingInterval * 1000 || 5000)
+      this.consumers = new Map() // track consumers (i.e. clients) TODO use a Map
+      this.nextConsumerID = 0 // incrementer for default initial consumer ID
       this.opts = opts // for use to recover from selected errors
       this.errorCount = 0
       //self bindings
       this.create = this.create.bind(this)
-      this.authenticateClient = this.authenticateClient.bind(this)
+      this.authenticateConsumer = this.authenticateConsumer.bind(this)
       this._authenticate = this._authenticate.bind(this)
       this.close = promisify(this.close).bind(this)
       log = logger({
@@ -141,11 +141,12 @@ export default function socketClass(Server) {
               this.emit('log', errors)
             }
           })
-          let obj = {method:'create', line:54, msg:'socket server created and listening at', address:this.address()}
+          let msg = `socket ready and listening ${typeof this.address() ==='string' ? `at ${this.address()}` : `on port ${this.address().port}`}`
+          let obj = {method:'create', line:54, msg:msg}
           log.info(obj)
           this.on('connection', this._connectionHandler.bind(this))
           this.emit('log:',)
-          resolve(`socket ready and listening at ${this.address().address}:${this.address().port}`)
+          resolve(msg)
         })
 
         super.listen(this.opts)
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ export default function socketClass(Server) {
     enablePing () {
       if (this.pingInterval > 499) {
         this._ping = setInterval( async () =>{
-          if (this.clients.length > 0) this.push({pingInterval:this.pingInterval},'ping')
+          if (this.consumers.size > 0) this.push({pingInterval:this.pingInterval},'ping')
         },this.pingInterval)
       }
     }
@@ -212,7 +213,7 @@ export default function socketClass(Server) {
 
 
     /**
-   * push - pushes a supplied UCI object packet to all connected clients
+   * push - pushes a supplied UCI object packet to all connected consumers
    *
    * @param {object} packet Description
    * @param {string} id  the header id string of the pushed packet, default: 'pushed'
@@ -220,12 +221,12 @@ export default function socketClass(Server) {
    */
     async push(packet={},id) {
       packet._header = {id: id || 'pushed'}
-      if (this.clients.length > 0) {
+      if (this.consumers.size > 0) {
         log.trace({method:'push', line:142, id:packet._header.id, opts: this.opts, packet: packet, msg:'pushing a packet to all connected consumers'})
         // TODO should do a map and single promise
-        this.clients.forEach(async client => {
-          if (client.writable) {
-            let [err] = await btc(this._send)(client,packet)
+        this.consumers.forEach(async consumer => {
+          if (consumer.writable) {
+            let [err] = await btc(this._send)(consumer,packet)
             if (err) log.error({msg:err, error:err})
           }
         })
@@ -234,56 +235,47 @@ export default function socketClass(Server) {
       }
     }
 
-    // TODO won't need this if moving to a Map
-    getClientIndex(sid) {
-      return this.clients.findIndex(client => {return client.sid === sid })
+
+    removeConsumer (sid) {
+      let consumer=this.consumers.get(sid)
+      this.emit('log',{level:'info', msg:'a consumer disconnected', consumer:consumer.data, sid:consumer.sid})
+      this.emit('connection:consumer',{state:'disconnected', msg:'a consumer disconnected', consumer:consumer.data, sid:consumer.sid})
+      consumer.removeAllListeners()
+      consumer.stream.removeAllListeners()
+      this.consumers.delete(sid)
+      log.warn({msg:'consumer removed from tracking',sid:sid, curConsumerCount:this.consumers.size})
     }
 
-    getClient(sid) {
-      return this.clients[this._getClientIndex(sid)]
-    }
-
-    removeClient (sid) {
-      let index = this.getClientIndex(sid)
-      let client=this.clients[index]
-      this.emit('log',{level:'info', msg:'a consumer disconnected', name:client.name, id:client.id})
-      this.emit('connection:consumer',{state:'disconnected', msg:'a consumer disconnected', name:client.name, id:client.id})
-      client.removeAllListeners()
-      client.stream.removeAllListeners()
-      this.clients.splice(index,1)
-      log.warn({msg:'consumer removed from tracking',sid:sid, curClientCount:this.clients.length})
-    }
-
-    async authenticateClient(client) {
+    async authenticateConsumer(consumer) {
       return new Promise(async (resolve, reject) => {
         // when consumer gets the handshake they must follow with authentication
-        client.stream.on('message', authenticate.bind(this,client))
-        let [err] = await btc(this._send)(client,{_handshake: true, sid:client.sid})
+        consumer.stream.on('message', authenticate.bind(this,consumer))
+        let [err] = await btc(this._send)(consumer,{_handshake: true, sid:consumer.sid})
         if (err) {
           log.error({msg:'error in handshake send', error:err})
           reject(err)
         }
 
-        async function authenticate (client,packet) {
-          log.debug({msg:`authentication packet from client ${client.name}:${client.id}:${client.sid}`, packet:packet})
-          client.stream.removeAllListeners('message')
-          if (!packet._authenticate) reject('first client packet was not authentication')
+        async function authenticate (consumer,packet) {
+          log.debug({msg:`authentication packet from consumer ${consumer.name}:${consumer.id}:${consumer.sid}`, packet:packet})
+          consumer.stream.removeAllListeners('message')
+          if (!packet._authenticate) reject('first consumer packet was not authentication')
           else {
             let [err, res] = await btc(this._authenticate)(packet)
-            client.authenticated = this.allowAnonymous ? 'anonymous' : (err ? false : res)
-            client.name = packet.clientName
-            packet.authenticated = client.authenticated
+            consumer.authenticated = this.allowAnonymous ? 'anonymous' : (err ? false : res)
+            consumer.data = packet.data
+            packet.authenticated = consumer.authenticated
             packet.reason = err || null
-            log.debug({msg:'sending authorization result to client', packet:packet})
-            await this._send(client,packet)  // send either way
+            log.debug({msg:'sending authorization result to consumer', packet:packet})
+            await this._send(consumer,packet)  // send either way
             if (err && !this.allowAnonymous) {
-              log.info({msg:'client authentication failed', client:client.name, client_sid:client.sid, reason:err})
+              log.info({msg:`consumer ${consumer.data.name} authentication failed`, consumer:consumer.data, consumer_sid:consumer.sid, reason:err})
               reject(packet.reason)
             }
             else {
-              log.info({msg:'client authenticated successfuly', client:client.name})
-              if (this.allowAnonymous) log.warn({msg:'socket consumer connected anonymously', consumer:client.name})
-              resolve(client.authenticated)
+              log.info({msg:`consumer ${consumer.data.name} authenticated successfuly`, consumer:consumer.data})
+              if (this.allowAnonymous) log.warn({msg:`consumer ${consumer.data.name}, connected anonymously`, consumer:consumer.data})
+              resolve(consumer.authenticated)
             }
           }
         }
@@ -299,29 +291,30 @@ export default function socketClass(Server) {
       return false
     }
 
-    // default authenticator - reject  value should be reason which is returned to client
+    // default authenticator - reject  value should be reason which is returned to consumer
     async _authenticate (packet) {
       if (!this._validateToken(packet.token)) return Promise.reject('invalid token')
       return true
     }
 
 
-    // async _connectionHandler({consumer, server}) {    // this gets called for each client connection and is unique to
-    async _connectionHandler(consumer) {    // this gets called for each client connection and is unique to each
+    // async _connectionHandler({consumer, server}) {    // this gets called for each consumer connection and is unique to
+    async _connectionHandler(consumer) {    // this gets called for each consumer connection and is unique to each
 
       const stream = new JSONStream()
       consumer.stream = stream
+      consumer.data = {}
       consumer.connected = true
 
       // add listeners
       consumer.on('error', (err) => {
-        log.error({msg:'client connection error',error:err})
+        log.error({msg:'consumer connection error',error:err})
         // TODO do more handling than just logging
       })
 
       consumer.on('end', (err) => {
-        log.error({msg:'consumer connected ended',error:err})
-        if (consumer.sid) this.removeClient(consumer.sid)
+        log.error({msg:`'consumer connection ended: ${consumer.data.name}`, error:err})
+        if (consumer.sid) this.removeConsumer(consumer.sid)
         else {
           consumer.removeAllListeners()
           consumer.stream.removeAllListeners()
@@ -335,9 +328,9 @@ export default function socketClass(Server) {
         // TODO do more handling than just logging
       })
 
-      consumer.authenticated = true
+      // consumer.authenticated = true
 
-      let [err] = await btc(this.authenticateClient)(consumer)
+      let [err] = await btc(this.authenticateConsumer)(consumer)
       if (!this.allowAnonymous) {
         if (err) {
           consumer.removeAllListeners()
@@ -347,18 +340,17 @@ export default function socketClass(Server) {
           return
         }
       }
-      // authenticated consumer,  add to list of clients
-      consumer.sid = ++this.nextClientID  // server assigned ID
-      consumer.socketSide = true
-      consumer.authenticated = true
-      this.clients.push(consumer) // add current consumer to clients
+      // authenticated consumer,  add to list of consumers
+      consumer.sid = ++this.nextConsumerID  // server assigned ID
+      // consumer.authenticated = true
+      this.consumers.set(consumer.sid, consumer) // add current consumer to consumers
       consumer.setKeepAlive(this.keepAlive,30)
-      const clientCloseHandler = (sid) => {
+      const consumerCloseHandler = (sid) => {
         log.warn({msg:'consumer connection was closed',sid:sid})
-        this.removeClient(sid)
+        this.removeConsumer(sid)
       }
-      consumer.on('close', clientCloseHandler.bind(this,consumer.sid))
-      log.debug({method:'_listen', line:364, msg:'new consumer connected/authenticated', cname:consumer.name, cid:consumer.id, totalConsumers:this.clients.length})
+      consumer.on('close', consumerCloseHandler.bind(this,consumer.sid))
+      log.debug({method:'_listen', line:364, msg:'new consumer connected/authenticated', cname:consumer.name, cid:consumer.id, totalConsumers:this.consumers.size})
       // all's set enable main incoming message processor
       stream.on('message', messageProcess.bind(this, consumer))
 
@@ -369,12 +361,17 @@ export default function socketClass(Server) {
       }
 
       this.emit('log',{level:'info', msg:'a consumer connected and authenticated', name:consumer.name, id:consumer.id})
-      this.emit('connection:consumer',{state:'connected', msg:'a consumer connected and authenticated', name:consumer.name, id:consumer.id})
+      this.emit('connection:consumer',{state:'connected', msg:`consumer ${(consumer.data ||{}).name} connected and authenticated to socket ${this.id}`,
+        name:(consumer.data ||{}).name ||(consumer.data ||{}).id || consumer.sid,
+        sid:consumer.sid,
+        data:consumer.data,
+        authenticated:consumer.authenticated
+      })
 
       // that's it.  Connection is active
 
-      async function messageProcess(client, packet) {
-        log.debug({method:'_listen', line:179, packet: packet, client:client.name, msg:'incoming packet on socket side'})
+      async function messageProcess(consumer, packet) {
+        log.debug({method:'_listen', line:179, packet: packet, consumer:consumer.data, msg:'incoming packet on socket side'})
         let  res = (await this._packetProcess(clone(packet))) || {}
         if (Object.keys(res).length === 0)
           res = {
@@ -390,7 +387,7 @@ export default function socketClass(Server) {
         res._header.responder = { name: this.name, instanceID: this.id }
         res._header.socket = this.address()
         if (!res.cmd) res.cmd = this.defaultReturnCmd || 'reply' // by default return command is 'reply'
-        let [err] = await btc(this._send)(client,res)
+        let [err] = await btc(this._send)(consumer,res)
         if (err) log.error({msg:err, error:err})
       } // end message process
 
@@ -402,9 +399,9 @@ export default function socketClass(Server) {
       // this.push()
       clearInterval(this._ping)
       await this.close()
-      this.clients.forEach(client => {
-        client.removeAllListeners()
-        client.stream.removeAllListeners()
+      this.consumers.forEach(consumer => {
+        consumer.removeAllListeners()
+        consumer.stream.removeAllListeners()
       })
       log.debug({method:'_destroy', line:219, msg:'all connections closed....exiting'})
       process.exit()
@@ -417,18 +414,18 @@ export default function socketClass(Server) {
       })
     }
 
-    async _send(client, packet) {
-      log.trace({msg:`sending to client:${client.id}`, packet:packet})
+    async _send(consumer, packet) {
+      log.trace({msg:`sending to consumer:${consumer.sid}:${consumer.data.name}`, consumer:consumer.data, packet:packet})
       return new Promise(async (resolve, reject) => {
-        if (!client.writable) {
+        if (!consumer.writable) {
           reject('socket stream closed can not send packet')
           return
         }
-        let [err,ser] = await btc(client.stream.serialize)(packet)
+        let [err,ser] = await btc(consumer.stream.serialize)(packet)
         if (err) reject('unable to serialze the packet')
         const cb = () => resolve('packet written to socket stream')
-        if (!client.write(ser)) {
-          client.once('drain', cb)
+        if (!consumer.write(ser)) {
+          consumer.once('drain', cb)
         } else {
           process.nextTick(cb)
         }