diff --git a/src/core/networking/VRCollaboration.cpp b/src/core/networking/VRCollaboration.cpp
index 288f047b7..23aca7569 100644
--- a/src/core/networking/VRCollaboration.cpp
+++ b/src/core/networking/VRCollaboration.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "core/utils/toString.h"
 
 #include "tcp/VRICEclient.h"
+#include "tcp/VRTCPClient.h"
 #include "core/objects/sync/VRSyncNode.h"
 #include "core/objects/geometry/sprite/VRSprite.h"
 #include "core/objects/material/VRMaterial.h"
@@ -144,10 +145,27 @@ void VRCollaboration::setupAvatar(string rID, string name) {
 
 void VRCollaboration::connectTCP(string origin) {
 #ifndef WITHOUT_GTK
-    VRConsoleWidget::get("Collaboration")->write( " ..connect TCP sync node and audio, setup avatar, origin: "+origin+"\n");
+    VRConsoleWidget::get("Collaboration")->write( "Collab: connect TCP sync node and audio, setup avatar of origin "+origin+"'\n");
 #endif
 
-	auto rID = syncNode->addTCPClient(ice->getClient(origin, VRICEClient::SCENEGRAPH));
+    auto cli = ice->getClient(origin, VRICEClient::SCENEGRAPH);
+    auto client = dynamic_pointer_cast<VRTCPClient>(cli);
+
+    if (!client) {
+#ifndef WITHOUT_GTK
+        VRConsoleWidget::get("Collaboration")->write( "Collab: no TCP client found for origin '"+origin+"'\n", "red");
+#endif
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (!client->connected()) {
+#ifndef WITHOUT_GTK
+        VRConsoleWidget::get("Collaboration")->write( "Collab: TCP client found for origin '"+origin+"' is not connected!\n", "red");
+#endif
+        return;
+    }
+
+	auto rID = syncNode->addTCPClient(client);
 	auto name = ice->getUserName(origin);
 	setupAvatar(rID, name);
 
@@ -255,7 +273,7 @@ bool VRCollaboration::handleUI(VRDeviceWeakPtr wdev) {
 		userName = splitString(m, '|')[1];
 		userNameWidget->hide();
 		userlist->show();
-		ice->setName(userName);
+		ice->setName(userName, false);
 		updateUsersWidget();
 	}
 
@@ -296,10 +314,13 @@ vector<string> VRCollaboration::parseSubNet(string net) {
 }
 
 void VRCollaboration::acceptConnection() {
+#ifndef WITHOUT_GTK
+    VRConsoleWidget::get("Collaboration")->write( "Collab: accepting incomming connection, connect ice to origin!\n");
+#endif
     string net = getSubnet();
     for (auto node : connReqNet) {
         sendUI("usersList", "setUserStats|"+node+"|#2c4");
-        ice->connectTo(node);
+        ice->connectTo(node, false);
         ice->send(node, "CONACC$"+net);
         connectTCP(node);
     }
@@ -307,11 +328,11 @@ void VRCollaboration::acceptConnection() {
 
 void VRCollaboration::finishConnection(string origin, vector<string> net) {
 #ifndef WITHOUT_GTK
-    VRConsoleWidget::get("Collaboration")->write( " GOT CONACC connect ice to origin!\n");
+    VRConsoleWidget::get("Collaboration")->write( "Collab: got CONACC, connect ice to origin!\n");
 #endif
     for (auto node : net) {
         sendUI("usersList", "setUserStats|"+node+"|#2c4");
-        ice->connectTo(node);
+        ice->connectTo(node, false);
         connectTCP(node);
         if (node != origin) ice->send(node, "CONACC$"+ice->getID());
     }
diff --git a/src/core/networking/tcp/VRICEclient.cpp b/src/core/networking/tcp/VRICEclient.cpp
index a826fc1ec..ecf932005 100644
--- a/src/core/networking/tcp/VRICEclient.cpp
+++ b/src/core/networking/tcp/VRICEclient.cpp
@@ -52,9 +52,8 @@ void VRICEClient::processNameset(string data) {
 
 void VRICEClient::processRespNameset(VRRestResponsePtr r) { processNameset(r->getData()); }
 
-void VRICEClient::setName(string n) {
+void VRICEClient::setName(string n, bool async) {
     name = n;
-    bool async = true;
 
     if (!async) {
         string data = broker->get(turnURL+"/regUser.php?NAME="+n)->getData();
@@ -230,7 +229,15 @@ void VRICEClient::processConnect(string data, string uid2) {
 #ifndef WITHOUT_GTK
     VRConsoleWidget::get("Collaboration")->write( " ICE "+name+"("+uid1+"): connect to "+users[uid2]+"("+uid2+") over "+turnIP+":"+toString(port1)+", received '"+data+"'\n");
 #endif
-    getClient(uid2, SCENEGRAPH)->connect(turnIP, port1);
+    auto cli = getClient(uid2, SCENEGRAPH);
+    auto client = dynamic_pointer_cast<VRTCPClient>(cli);
+    client->connect(turnIP, port1);
+
+    if (!client->connected()) {
+#ifndef WITHOUT_GTK
+        VRConsoleWidget::get("Collaboration")->write( " ICE "+name+"("+uid1+"): connection to "+users[uid2]+"("+uid2+") failed!\n", "red");
+#endif
+    }
 
     if (params.size() >= 3) {
         int port2 = toInt( params[3] );
@@ -247,7 +254,7 @@ void VRICEClient::processConnect(string data, string uid2) {
 
 void VRICEClient::processRespConnect(VRRestResponsePtr r, string uid2) { processConnect(r->getData(), uid2); }
 
-void VRICEClient::connectTo(string otherID) {
+void VRICEClient::connectTo(string otherID, bool async) {
     if (uID == "" || otherID == "") {
         cout << "VRICEClient::connectTo failed, empty ID" << endl;
 #ifndef WITHOUT_GTK
@@ -276,7 +283,6 @@ void VRICEClient::connectTo(string otherID) {
         return;
     }
 
-    bool async = true;
     if (!async) {
         string data = broker->get(turnURL+"/getConnection.php?UID="+uid1+"&UID2="+uid2)->getData();
         processConnect(data, uid2);
diff --git a/src/core/networking/tcp/VRICEclient.h b/src/core/networking/tcp/VRICEclient.h
index f09990005..3ad34c6de 100644
--- a/src/core/networking/tcp/VRICEclient.h
+++ b/src/core/networking/tcp/VRICEclient.h
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ class VRICEClient : public VRNetworkClient {
         void onEvent( function<void(string)> f );
         void onMessage( function<void(string)> f );
 
-        void setName(string name);
-        void connectTo(string other);
+        void setName(string name, bool async);
+        void connectTo(string other, bool async);
         void sendTCP(string otherID, string msg, CHANNEL channel);
         void send(string otherID, string msg);
         void removeUser(string uid);
diff --git a/src/core/scripting/VRPyNetworking.cpp b/src/core/scripting/VRPyNetworking.cpp
index 9a8275bc7..fb027cf85 100644
--- a/src/core/scripting/VRPyNetworking.cpp
+++ b/src/core/scripting/VRPyNetworking.cpp
@@ -126,10 +126,10 @@ PyMethodDef VRPyICEClient::methods[] = {
     {"setTurnServer", PyWrap(ICEClient, setTurnServer, "Setup turn server address, something like http://my.server/PolyServ/", void, string) },
     {"onEvent", PyWrap(ICEClient, onEvent, "Set onEvent callback", void, function<void(string)>) },
     {"onMessage", PyWrap(ICEClient, onMessage, "Set onMessage callback", void, function<void(string)>) },
-    {"setName", PyWrap(ICEClient, setName, "Set your name and uID to register on broker", void, string) },
+    {"setName", PyWrapOpt(ICEClient, setName, "Set your name and uID to register on broker, optional async", "0", void, string, bool) },
     {"sendTCP", PyWrap(ICEClient, sendTCP, "Send data over the TCP connection", void, string, string, VRICEClient::CHANNEL) },
     {"send", PyWrap(ICEClient, send, "Send message to other: (uID, msg)", void, string, string) },
-    {"connectTo", PyWrap(ICEClient, connectTo, "Connect to another user", void, string) },
+    {"connectTo", PyWrapOpt(ICEClient, connectTo, "Connect to another user, optional async", "0", void, string, bool) },
     {"getID", PyWrap(ICEClient, getID, "Get UID", string) },
     {"getUserName", PyWrap(ICEClient, getUserName, "Get user name by UID", string, string) },
     {"getUserID", PyWrap(ICEClient, getUserID, "Get UIDs of all users with certain name", vector<string>, string) },