diff --git a/net/interface.go b/net/interface.go
index f41c4ab9f..90f5ade65 100644
--- a/net/interface.go
+++ b/net/interface.go
@@ -11,10 +11,12 @@ import (
 	ma "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multiaddr"
 )
 
+type ProtocolID string
+
 const (
-	ProtocolBitswap = "/ipfs/bitswap"
-	ProtocolDHT     = "/ipfs/dht"
-	ProtocolDiag    = "/ipfs/diagnostics"
+	ProtocolBitswap ProtocolID = "/ipfs/bitswap"
+	ProtocolDHT     ProtocolID = "/ipfs/dht"
+	ProtocolDiag    ProtocolID = "/ipfs/diagnostics"
 )
 
 // Stream represents a bidirectional channel between two agents in
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@ type Stream interface {
 // incoming streams must implement.
 type StreamHandler func(Stream)
 
-type StreamHandlerMap map[string]StreamHandler
+type StreamHandlerMap map[ProtocolID]StreamHandler
 
 // Conn is a connection to a remote peer. It multiplexes streams.
 // Usually there is no need to use a Conn directly, but it may
@@ -47,28 +49,6 @@ type Conn interface {
 	NewStream(p peer.Peer) (Stream, error)
 }
 
-// Mux provides simple stream multixplexing.
-// It helps you precisely when:
-//  * You have many streams
-//  * You have function handlers
-//
-// It contains the handlers for each protocol accepted.
-// It dispatches handlers for streams opened by remote peers.
-//
-// We use a totally ad-hoc encoding:
-//   <1 byte length in bytes><string name>
-// So "bitswap" is 0x0762697473776170
-//
-// NOTE: only the dialer specifies this muxing line.
-// This is because we're using Streams :)
-//
-// WARNING: this datastructure IS NOT threadsafe.
-// do not modify it once the network is using it.
-type Mux struct {
-	Default  StreamHandler // handles unknown protocols.
-	Handlers StreamHandlerMap
-}
-
 // Network is the interface IPFS uses for connecting to the world.
 // It dials and listens for connections. it uses a Swarm to pool
 // connnections (see swarm pkg, and peerstream.Swarm). Connections
@@ -77,6 +57,10 @@ type Network interface {
 	Dialer
 	io.Closer
 
+	// SetHandler sets the protocol handler on the Network's Muxer.
+	// This operation is threadsafe.
+	SetHandler(ProtocolID, StreamHandler)
+
 	// NewStream returns a new stream to given peer p.
 	// If there is no connection to p, attempts to create one.
 	NewStream(p peer.Peer) (Stream, error)
diff --git a/net/mux.go b/net/mux.go
index 38f704d65..6a12d4437 100644
--- a/net/mux.go
+++ b/net/mux.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"sync"
 
 	context "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/code.google.com/p/go.net/context"
 	eventlog "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util/eventlog"
@@ -12,6 +13,30 @@ import (
 
 var log = eventlog.Logger("mux2")
 
+// Mux provides simple stream multixplexing.
+// It helps you precisely when:
+//  * You have many streams
+//  * You have function handlers
+//
+// It contains the handlers for each protocol accepted.
+// It dispatches handlers for streams opened by remote peers.
+//
+// We use a totally ad-hoc encoding:
+//   <1 byte length in bytes><string name>
+// So "bitswap" is 0x0762697473776170
+//
+// NOTE: only the dialer specifies this muxing line.
+// This is because we're using Streams :)
+//
+// WARNING: this datastructure IS NOT threadsafe.
+// do not modify it once the network is using it.
+type Mux struct {
+	Default  StreamHandler // handles unknown protocols.
+	Handlers StreamHandlerMap
+
+	sync.RWMutex
+}
+
 // NextName reads the stream and returns the next protocol name
 // according to the muxer encoding.
 func (m *Mux) NextName(s io.Reader) (string, error) {
@@ -41,16 +66,26 @@ func (m *Mux) NextHandler(s io.Reader) (string, StreamHandler, error) {
 		return "", nil, err
 	}
 
-	h, found := m.Handlers[name]
-	if !found {
-		if m.Default == nil {
-			return name, nil, errors.New("no handler with name: " + name)
-		}
+	m.RLock()
+	h, found := m.Handlers[ProtocolID(name)]
+	m.RUnlock()
 
+	switch {
+	case !found && m.Default != nil:
 		return name, m.Default, nil
+	case !found && m.Default == nil:
+		return name, nil, errors.New("no handler with name: " + name)
+	default:
+		return name, h, nil
 	}
+}
 
-	return name, h, nil
+// SetHandler sets the protocol handler on the Network's Muxer.
+// This operation is threadsafe.
+func (m *Mux) SetHandler(p ProtocolID, h StreamHandler) {
+	m.Lock()
+	m.Handlers[p] = h
+	m.Unlock()
 }
 
 // Handle reads the next name off the Stream, and calls a function
diff --git a/net/net.go b/net/net.go
index 1d61c5d11..01ff3c0cb 100644
--- a/net/net.go
+++ b/net/net.go
@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ type network struct {
 	cg ctxgroup.ContextGroup // for Context closing
 }
 
-// NewConn is the structure that implements the network interface
-func NewConn(ctx context.Context, listen []ma.Multiaddr, local peer.Peer,
-	peers peer.Peerstore, m Mux) (*network, error) {
+// NewNetwork constructs a new network and starts listening on given addresses.
+func NewNetwork(ctx context.Context, listen []ma.Multiaddr, local peer.Peer,
+	peers peer.Peerstore) (*network, error) {
 
 	s, err := swarm.NewSwarm(ctx, listen, local, peers)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -93,12 +93,12 @@ func NewConn(ctx context.Context, listen []ma.Multiaddr, local peer.Peer,
 	n := &network{
 		local: local,
 		swarm: s,
-		mux:   m,
+		mux:   Mux{},
 		cg:    ctxgroup.WithContext(ctx),
 	}
 
 	s.SetStreamHandler(func(s *swarm.Stream) {
-		m.Handle((*stream)(s))
+		n.mux.Handle((*stream)(s))
 	})
 
 	n.cg.AddChildGroup(s.CtxGroup())
@@ -153,3 +153,9 @@ func (n *network) Connectedness(p peer.Peer) Connectedness {
 	}
 	return NotConnected
 }
+
+// SetHandler sets the protocol handler on the Network's Muxer.
+// This operation is threadsafe.
+func (n *network) SetHandler(p ProtocolID, h StreamHandler) {
+	n.mux.SetHandler(p, h)
+}