diff --git a/core/commands2/root.go b/core/commands2/root.go
index 3e711092e..450b6b7e8 100644
--- a/core/commands2/root.go
+++ b/core/commands2/root.go
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ var rootSubcommands = map[string]*cmds.Command{
 	"object":    objectCmd,
 	"refs":      refsCmd,
 	"id":        idCmd,
+	"swarm":     swarmCmd,
 }
 
 func init() {
diff --git a/core/commands2/swarm.go b/core/commands2/swarm.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f09333f83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/commands2/swarm.go
@@ -0,0 +1,181 @@
+package commands
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
+	"path"
+
+	cmds "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/commands"
+	internal "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/core/commands2/internal"
+	peer "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/peer"
+	errors "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util/debugerror"
+
+	context "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/code.google.com/p/go.net/context"
+	ma "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multiaddr"
+)
+
+type stringList struct {
+	Strings []string
+}
+
+var swarmCmd = &cmds.Command{
+	Helptext: cmds.HelpText{
+		Tagline: "swarm inspection tool",
+		Synopsis: `
+ipfs swarm peers             - List peers with open connections
+ipfs swarm connect <address> - Open connection to a given peer
+`,
+		ShortDescription: `
+ipfs swarm is a tool to manipulate the network swarm. The swarm is the
+component that opens, listens for, and maintains connections to other
+ipfs peers in the internet.
+`,
+	},
+	Subcommands: map[string]*cmds.Command{
+		"peers":   swarmPeersCmd,
+		"connect": swarmConnectCmd,
+	},
+}
+
+var swarmPeersCmd = &cmds.Command{
+	Helptext: cmds.HelpText{
+		Tagline: "List peers with open connections",
+		ShortDescription: `
+ipfs swarm peers lists the set of peers this node is connected to.
+`,
+	},
+	Run: func(req cmds.Request) (interface{}, error) {
+
+		log.Debug("ipfs swarm peers")
+		n, err := req.Context().GetNode()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		if n.Network == nil {
+			return nil, errNotOnline
+		}
+
+		conns := n.Network.GetConnections()
+		addrs := make([]string, len(conns))
+		for i, c := range conns {
+			pid := c.RemotePeer().ID()
+			addr := c.RemoteMultiaddr()
+			addrs[i] = fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", addr, pid)
+		}
+
+		return &stringList{addrs}, nil
+	},
+	Marshalers: cmds.MarshalerMap{
+		cmds.Text: stringListMarshaler,
+	},
+	Type: &stringList{},
+}
+
+var swarmConnectCmd = &cmds.Command{
+	Helptext: cmds.HelpText{
+		Tagline: "Open connection to a given peer",
+		ShortDescription: `
+'ipfs swarm connect' opens a connection to a peer address. The address format
+is an ipfs multiaddr:
+
+ipfs swarm connect /ip4/104.131.131.82/tcp/4001/QmaCpDMGvV2BGHeYERUEnRQAwe3N8SzbUtfsmvsqQLuvuJ
+`,
+	},
+	Arguments: []cmds.Argument{
+		cmds.StringArg("address", true, true, "address of peer to connect to"),
+	},
+	Run: func(req cmds.Request) (interface{}, error) {
+		ctx := context.TODO()
+
+		log.Debug("ipfs swarm connect")
+		n, err := req.Context().GetNode()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		addrs, err := internal.CastToStrings(req.Arguments())
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, cmds.ClientError("Improperly formatted peer addresses: " + err.Error())
+		}
+
+		if n.Network == nil {
+			return nil, errNotOnline
+		}
+
+		peers, err := peersWithAddresses(n.Peerstore, addrs)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		output := make([]string, len(peers))
+		for i, p := range peers {
+			output[i] = "connect " + p.ID().String()
+
+			err := n.Network.DialPeer(ctx, p)
+			if err != nil {
+				output[i] += " failure: " + err.Error()
+			} else {
+				output[i] += " success"
+			}
+		}
+
+		return &stringList{output}, nil
+	},
+	Marshalers: cmds.MarshalerMap{
+		cmds.Text: stringListMarshaler,
+	},
+	Type: &stringList{},
+}
+
+func stringListMarshaler(res cmds.Response) ([]byte, error) {
+	list, ok := res.Output().(*stringList)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, errors.New("failed to cast []string")
+	}
+
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	for _, s := range list.Strings {
+		buf.Write([]byte(s))
+		buf.Write([]byte("\n"))
+	}
+	return buf.Bytes(), nil
+}
+
+// splitAddresses is a function that takes in a slice of string peer addresses
+// (multiaddr + peerid) and returns slices of multiaddrs and peerids.
+func splitAddresses(addrs []string) (maddrs []ma.Multiaddr, pids []peer.ID, err error) {
+
+	maddrs = make([]ma.Multiaddr, len(addrs))
+	pids = make([]peer.ID, len(addrs))
+	for i, addr := range addrs {
+		a, err := ma.NewMultiaddr(path.Dir(addr))
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, nil, cmds.ClientError("invalid peer address: " + err.Error())
+		}
+		maddrs[i] = a
+		pids[i] = peer.DecodePrettyID(path.Base(addr))
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+// peersWithAddresses is a function that takes in a slice of string peer addresses
+// (multiaddr + peerid) and returns a slice of properly constructed peers
+func peersWithAddresses(ps peer.Peerstore, addrs []string) ([]peer.Peer, error) {
+	maddrs, pids, err := splitAddresses(addrs)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	peers := make([]peer.Peer, len(pids))
+	for i, pid := range pids {
+		p, err := ps.Get(pid)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		p.AddAddress(maddrs[i])
+		peers[i] = p
+	}
+	return peers, nil
+}
diff --git a/net/interface.go b/net/interface.go
index 04a74c0bf..3c0e8d204 100644
--- a/net/interface.go
+++ b/net/interface.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package net
 
 import (
 	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/code.google.com/p/go.net/context"
+	conn "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/net/conn"
 	msg "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/net/message"
 	mux "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/net/mux"
 	srv "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/net/service"
@@ -34,6 +35,9 @@ type Network interface {
 	// GetPeerList returns the list of peers currently connected in this network.
 	GetPeerList() []peer.Peer
 
+	// GetConnections returns the list of connections currently open in this network.
+	GetConnections() []conn.Conn
+
 	// GetBandwidthTotals returns the total number of bytes passed through
 	// the network since it was instantiated
 	GetBandwidthTotals() (uint64, uint64)
diff --git a/net/net.go b/net/net.go
index 4fdd7c7e7..0ee1e76b5 100644
--- a/net/net.go
+++ b/net/net.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 package net
 
 import (
+	conn "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/net/conn"
 	msg "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/net/message"
 	mux "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/net/mux"
 	swarm "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/net/swarm"
@@ -99,6 +100,11 @@ func (n *IpfsNetwork) GetPeerList() []peer.Peer {
 	return n.swarm.GetPeerList()
 }
 
+// GetConnections returns the networks list of open connections
+func (n *IpfsNetwork) GetConnections() []conn.Conn {
+	return n.swarm.Connections()
+}
+
 // GetBandwidthTotals returns the total amount of bandwidth transferred
 func (n *IpfsNetwork) GetBandwidthTotals() (in uint64, out uint64) {
 	return n.muxer.GetBandwidthTotals()