diff --git a/client/src/TcpClient.cpp b/client/src/TcpClient.cpp
index 759c04d..bc9bb9a 100644
--- a/client/src/TcpClient.cpp
+++ b/client/src/TcpClient.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 
 #include "TcpClient.hpp"
 
+#include <QThread>
+
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
 
 TcpClient::TcpClient(ConfigService* config, LoggerService* logger, QObject* parent) : QObject(parent), logger_(logger)  {
@@ -29,8 +31,19 @@ void TcpClient::connectServer() {
     socket_.connectToHost(QString::fromStdString(configuration_.hostname), configuration_.port);
 }
 
-void TcpClient::send(const char* data, size_t numBytes) {
-    socket_.write(data, numBytes);
+void TcpClient::tcpSend(const char* data, size_t numBytes) {
+
+    // encode header
+    uint32_t msgSize = static_cast<uint32_t>(numBytes);
+    uint32_t msgType = 0;
+
+    QByteArray buffer(kHeaderSize + numBytes, 0);
+    memcpy(buffer.data(), &msgSize, sizeof(msgSize));
+    memcpy(buffer.data() + sizeof(msgSize), &msgType, sizeof(msgType));
+
+    logger_->log("TcpClient", LogFlag::Info, "tcpSend()");
+    socket_.write(buffer.data(), numBytes);
+
 }
 
 void TcpClient::onConnected() {
@@ -73,12 +86,20 @@ void TcpClient::handleMessage() {
         QByteArray message = receiveBuffer_.mid(kHeaderSize, msgSize);
         receiveBuffer_.remove(0, msgSize + kHeaderSize);
 
-        emit messageReceived(message);
+        logger_->log("TcpClient", LogFlag::Error, "Received message from server: {}", receiveBuffer_.constData());
+
+        emit messageReceived(QString::fromUtf8(receiveBuffer_, msgSize));
 
     }
 
 }
 
+void TcpClient::send(QString message) {
+    
+    logger_->log("TcpClient", LogFlag::Debug, "Sending {} bytes: {}", message.length(), message.toUtf8().constData());
+    tcpSend(message.toUtf8().constData(), message.length());
+}
+
 // ErrorCode TcpClient::init() {
 //     logger_->log("TcpClient", LogFlag::Debug, "Initializing TcpClient...");
 
diff --git a/client/src/TcpClient.hpp b/client/src/TcpClient.hpp
index 4cfa55b..68f1fd4 100644
--- a/client/src/TcpClient.hpp
+++ b/client/src/TcpClient.hpp
@@ -29,14 +29,17 @@ public:
     ~TcpClient();
 
     void connectServer(); // asynchronous so no errorcode return
-    void send(const char* data, size_t numBytes);
+    void tcpSend(const char* data, size_t numBytes);
 
 signals:
     void connected();
     void disconnected();
-    void messageReceived(QByteArray message);
+    void messageReceived(QString message);
     void errorOccurred(QString error);
 
+public slots:
+    void send(QString message);
+
 private slots:
     void onConnected();
     void onDisconnected();
diff --git a/client/src/main.cpp b/client/src/main.cpp
index 96a8f9b..139c966 100644
--- a/client/src/main.cpp
+++ b/client/src/main.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 
     client.connectServer();
     const char data[] = "hi hello I would like some beans on toast";
-    client.send(data, sizeof(data));
+    client.tcpSend(data, sizeof(data));
 
     // attach backend gui components
     qmlRegisterType<TimerComponent>("accordion", 1, 0, "TimerComponent");
diff --git a/client/ui/Main.qml b/client/ui/Main.qml
index 79d6698..d0bd2ed 100644
--- a/client/ui/Main.qml
+++ b/client/ui/Main.qml
@@ -31,4 +31,23 @@ ApplicationWindow {
         }
     }
 
+    ScrollView {
+        anchors.centerIn: parent
+        width: 300
+        height: 150
+
+        TextArea {
+            id: messageArea
+            placeholderText: "Message..."
+            wrapMode: TextEdit.WordWrap
+        }
+        Button {
+            text: "Submit"
+            onClicked: {
+                tcpClient.send(messageArea.text)
+                messageArea.clear()
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file