diff --git a/cmd/jounce/main.go b/cmd/jounce/main.go
index e5a055c..bbfc42c 100644
--- a/cmd/jounce/main.go
+++ b/cmd/jounce/main.go
@@ -15,11 +15,19 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("failed to start listener: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	// TODO: load from config/DB
 	s := jounce.Server{
 		Hostname: "localhost",
-		Logger: log.New(log.Writer(), "", log.LstdFlags),
+		Logger:   log.New(log.Writer(), "", log.LstdFlags),
+		Upstreams: []jounce.Upstream{{
+			Addr:     "chat.freenode.net:6697",
+			Nick:     "jounce",
+			Username: "jounce",
+			Realname: "jounce",
+		}},
 	}
 
 	log.Printf("Server listening on %v", addr)
+	go s.Run()
 	log.Fatal(s.Serve(ln))
 }
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 600158a..cab6afd 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package jounce
 
 import (
+	"crypto/tls"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"log"
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ func (c *downstreamConn) handleMessage(msg *irc.Message) error {
 		// TODO: handle params
 		return c.WriteMessage(&irc.Message{
 			Command: "PONG",
-			Params: []string{c.srv.Hostname},
+			Params:  []string{c.srv.Hostname},
 		})
 	default:
 		if c.registered {
@@ -146,7 +147,7 @@ func (c *downstreamConn) register() error {
 
 	err = c.WriteMessage(&irc.Message{
 		Command: irc.ERR_NOMOTD,
-		Params: []string{c.nick, "No MOTD"},
+		Params:  []string{c.nick, "No MOTD"},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -172,9 +173,23 @@ func (c *downstreamConn) handleMessageRegistered(msg *irc.Message) error {
 	}
 }
 
-type Server struct{
-	Hostname string
-	Logger   Logger
+type upstreamConn struct {
+	net net.Conn
+	irc *irc.Conn
+	srv *Server
+}
+
+type Upstream struct {
+	Addr     string
+	Nick     string
+	Username string
+	Realname string
+}
+
+type Server struct {
+	Hostname  string
+	Logger    Logger
+	Upstreams []Upstream // TODO: per-user
 }
 
 func (s *Server) prefix() *irc.Prefix {
@@ -193,7 +208,7 @@ func (s *Server) handleConn(netConn net.Conn) error {
 		} else if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to read IRC command: %v", err)
 		}
-		s.Logger.Print(msg)
+		s.Logger.Printf("Downstream message: %v", msg)
 
 		err = c.handleMessage(msg)
 		if ircErr, ok := err.(ircError); ok {
@@ -213,6 +228,53 @@ func (s *Server) handleConn(netConn net.Conn) error {
 	return c.Close()
 }
 
+func (s *Server) connect(upstream *Upstream) error {
+	s.Logger.Printf("Connecting to %v", upstream.Addr)
+
+	netConn, err := tls.Dial("tcp", upstream.Addr, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to dial %q: %v", upstream.Addr, err)
+	}
+
+	c := upstreamConn{net: netConn, irc: irc.NewConn(netConn), srv: s}
+	defer netConn.Close()
+
+	err = c.irc.WriteMessage(&irc.Message{
+		Command: "NICK",
+		Params:  []string{upstream.Nick},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	err = c.irc.WriteMessage(&irc.Message{
+		Command: "USER",
+		Params:  []string{upstream.Username, "0", "*", upstream.Realname},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	for {
+		msg, err := c.irc.ReadMessage()
+		if err == io.EOF {
+			break
+		} else if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to read IRC command: %v", err)
+		}
+		log.Printf("Upstream message: %v", msg)
+	}
+
+	return netConn.Close()
+}
+
+func (s *Server) Run() {
+	for i := range s.Upstreams {
+		// TODO: retry connecting
+		go s.connect(&s.Upstreams[i])
+	}
+}
+
 func (s *Server) Serve(ln net.Listener) error {
 	for {
 		c, err := ln.Accept()