diff --git a/slsReceiverSoftware/include/slsReceiverTCPIPInterface.h b/slsReceiverSoftware/include/slsReceiverTCPIPInterface.h
index 00d6df141..b82b2201d 100644
--- a/slsReceiverSoftware/include/slsReceiverTCPIPInterface.h
+++ b/slsReceiverSoftware/include/slsReceiverTCPIPInterface.h
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #include "receiver_defs.h"
 
 class MySocketTCP;
-class ClientInterface;
+class ServerInterface;
 class slsReceiverImplementation;
 
 
@@ -363,5 +363,5 @@ protected:
 	MySocketTCP* mySock;
 
 	/** client interface */
-	ClientInterface* interface;
+	ServerInterface* interface;
 };
diff --git a/slsReceiverSoftware/src/slsReceiverTCPIPInterface.cpp b/slsReceiverSoftware/src/slsReceiverTCPIPInterface.cpp
index 9d7a8acda..833006a46 100644
--- a/slsReceiverSoftware/src/slsReceiverTCPIPInterface.cpp
+++ b/slsReceiverSoftware/src/slsReceiverTCPIPInterface.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #include "slsReceiverTCPIPInterface.h"
 #include "slsReceiverImplementation.h"
 #include "MySocketTCP.h"
-#include "ClientInterface.h"
+#include "ServerInterface.h"
 #include "gitInfoReceiver.h"
 #include "slsReceiverUsers.h"
 #include "slsReceiver.h"
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ slsReceiverTCPIPInterface::slsReceiverTCPIPInterface(int pn):
 	portNumber = (pn > 0 ? pn : DEFAULT_PORTNO + 2);
 	MySocketTCP* m = new MySocketTCP(portNumber);
 	mySock = m;
-	interface = new ClientInterface(mySock, -1, "Receiver");
+	interface = new ServerInterface(mySock, -1, "Receiver");
 
 	//initialize variables
 	strcpy(mySock->lastClientIP,"none");
diff --git a/slsSupportLib/CMakeLists.txt b/slsSupportLib/CMakeLists.txt
index d495d381f..be39ec9b4 100644
--- a/slsSupportLib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/slsSupportLib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ set(SOURCES
     src/ClientSocket.cpp
     src/DataSocket.cpp
     src/ServerSocket.cpp
+    src/ServerInterface.cpp
 )
 
 set(HEADERS
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ set(PUBLICHEADERS
     include/ClientSocket.h
     include/DataSocket.h
     include/ServerSocket.h
+    include/ServerInterface.h
 )
 
 add_library(slsSupportLib SHARED
diff --git a/slsSupportLib/include/ServerInterface.h b/slsSupportLib/include/ServerInterface.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..223efa3a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/slsSupportLib/include/ServerInterface.h
@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+#pragma once
+
+
+#include "sls_detector_defs.h"
+#include "MySocketTCP.h"
+
+
+/**
+ * @short the ServerInterface class is the interface between the client and the server
+ */
+// Do not overload to make it easier for manual comparison between client and server functions
+
+class ServerInterface: public virtual slsDetectorDefs{
+
+public:
+
+	/**
+	 * (default) constructor
+	 * @param socket tcp socket between client and receiver
+	 * @param n for debugging purposes (useful only for client side)
+	 * @param t string to identify type (Detector, Receiver) for printouts (useful only for client side)
+	 */
+	ServerInterface(MySocketTCP *socket, int n=-1, std::string t="");
+
+	/**
+	 * destructor
+	 */
+	virtual ~ServerInterface() = default;
+
+	/**
+	 * Set the datasocket
+	 * @param socket the data socket
+	 */
+	void SetSocket(MySocketTCP *socket);
+
+	/**
+	 * Receive ret, mess or retval from Server
+	 * @param ret result of operation
+	 * @param mess pointer to message
+	 * @param retval pointer to retval
+	 * @param sizeOfRetval size of retval
+	 */
+	void Client_Receive(int& ret, char* mess, void* retval, int sizeOfRetval);
+
+	/**
+	 * Send Arguments to server and receives result back
+	 * @param fnum function enum to determine what parameter
+	 * @param args pointer to arguments
+	 * @param sizeOfArgs argument size
+	 * @param retval pointer to return value
+	 * @param sizeOfRetval return value size
+	 * @param mess pointer to message if message required externally
+	 * @returns success of operation
+	 */
+	int Client_Send(int fnum,
+			void* args, int sizeOfArgs,
+			void* retval, int sizeOfRetval,
+			char* mess = 0);
+
+
+	/** only Receiver
+	 * Server sends result to client (also set ret to force_update if different clients)
+	 * @param update true if one must update if different clients, else false
+	 * @param ret success of operation
+	 * @param retval pointer to result
+	 * @param retvalSize size of result
+	 * @param mess message
+	 * @returns success of operation
+	 */
+	int Server_SendResult(bool update, int ret, void* retval, int retvalSize, char* mess = 0);
+
+	/** only Receiver
+	 * Server receives arguments and checks if base object is null (if checkbase is true)
+	 * checking base object is null (for receiver only when it has not been configured yet)
+	 * @param ret pointer to success of operation
+	 * @param mess message
+	 * @param arg pointer to argument
+	 * @param sizeofArg size of argument
+	 * @param checkbase if true, checks if base object is null and sets ret and mess accordingly
+	 * @param base pointer to base object
+	 * @returns fail if socket crashes while reading arguments, else fail
+	 */
+	int Server_ReceiveArg(int& ret, char* mess, void* arg, int sizeofArg,bool checkbase=false, void* base=NULL);
+
+	/** only Receiver
+	 * Server verifies if it is unlocked,
+	 * sets and prints appropriate message if it is locked and different clients
+	 * @param ret pointer to success
+	 * @param mess message
+	 * @param lockstatus status of lock
+	 * @returns success of operaton
+	 */
+	int Server_VerifyLock(int& ret, char* mess, int lockstatus);
+
+	/** only Receiver
+	 * Server verifies if it is unlocked and idle,
+	 * sets and prints appropriate message if it is locked and different clients
+	 * @param ret pointer to success
+	 * @param mess message
+	 * @param lockstatus status of lock
+	 * @param status status of server
+	 * @param fnum function number for error message
+	 * @returns success of operaton
+	 */
+	int Server_VerifyLockAndIdle(int& ret, char* mess, int lockstatus, slsDetectorDefs::runStatus status, int fnum);
+
+	/** only Receiver
+	 * Server sets and prints error message for null object error (receiver only)
+	 * @param ret pointer to success that will be set to FAIL
+	 * @param mess message
+	 */
+	void Server_NullObjectError(int& ret, char* mess);
+
+	/** only Receiver
+	 * Servers prints error message for socket crash when reading
+	 * @returns always FAIL
+	 */
+	int Server_SocketCrash();
+
+	/** only Receiver
+	 * Servers sets and prints error message for locked server
+	 * @param ret pointer to success that will be set to FAIL
+	 * @param mess message
+	 * @returns success of operaton
+	 */
+	int Server_LockedError(int& ret, char* mess);
+
+	/** only Receiver
+	 * Servers sets and prints error message for server not being idle
+	 * @param ret pointer to success that will be set to FAIL
+	 * @param mess message
+	 * @param fnum function number for error message
+	 * @returns success of operaton
+	 */
+	int Server_NotIdleError(int& ret, char* mess, int fnum);
+
+private:
+
+	/**
+	 * socket for data acquisition
+	 */
+	MySocketTCP *mySocket;
+
+	/** index for client debugging purposes */
+	int index;
+
+	/** string for type to differentiate between Detector & Receiver in printouts */
+	std::string type;
+
+};
+
+
diff --git a/slsSupportLib/src/ServerInterface.cpp b/slsSupportLib/src/ServerInterface.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6be49a37e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/slsSupportLib/src/ServerInterface.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+#include "ServerInterface.h"
+
+ServerInterface::ServerInterface(MySocketTCP *socket, int n, std::string t): mySocket(socket),
+																			 index(n),
+																			 type(t){}
+
+void ServerInterface::SetSocket(MySocketTCP *socket) {
+	mySocket = socket;
+}
+
+
+void ServerInterface::Client_Receive(int& ret, char* mess, void* retval, int sizeOfRetval) {
+    // get result of operation
+    mySocket->ReceiveDataOnly(&ret,sizeof(ret));
+
+    bool unrecognizedFunction = false;
+    if (ret == FAIL) {
+        bool created = false;
+        // allocate mess if null
+        if (!mess){
+            created = true;
+            mess = new char[MAX_STR_LENGTH];
+            memset(mess, 0, MAX_STR_LENGTH);
+        }
+        // get error message
+        mySocket->ReceiveDataOnly(mess,MAX_STR_LENGTH);
+        cprintf(RED, "%s %d returned error: %s", type.c_str(), index, mess);
+
+        // unrecognized function, do not ask for retval
+        if(strstr(mess,"Unrecognized Function") != nullptr)
+            unrecognizedFunction = true;
+        // delete allocated mess
+        if (created)
+            delete [] mess;
+    }
+    // get retval
+    if (!unrecognizedFunction)
+           mySocket->ReceiveDataOnly(retval, sizeOfRetval);
+}
+
+
+int ServerInterface::Client_Send(int fnum,
+		void* args, int sizeOfArgs,
+		void* retval, int sizeOfRetval,
+		char* mess) {
+    int ret = FAIL;
+    mySocket->SendDataOnly(&fnum,sizeof(fnum));
+    mySocket->SendDataOnly(args, sizeOfArgs);
+    Client_Receive(ret, mess, retval, sizeOfRetval);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+
+int ServerInterface::Server_SendResult(bool update, int ret,
+		void* retval, int retvalSize, char* mess) {
+
+	// update if different clients
+	if (update && ret == OK && mySocket->differentClients)
+		ret = FORCE_UPDATE;
+
+	// send success of operation
+	mySocket->SendDataOnly(&ret,sizeof(ret));
+	if(ret == FAIL) {
+		// send error message
+		if (mess)
+			mySocket->SendDataOnly(mess, MAX_STR_LENGTH);
+		// debugging feature. should not happen.
+		else
+			FILE_LOG(logERROR) << "No error message provided for this failure. Will mess up TCP\n";
+	}
+	// send return value
+	mySocket->SendDataOnly(retval, retvalSize);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+
+int ServerInterface::Server_ReceiveArg(int& ret, char* mess, void* arg, int sizeofArg, bool checkbase, void* base) {
+	// client socket crash, cannot receive arguments
+	if (sizeofArg && mySocket->ReceiveDataOnly(arg, sizeofArg) < 0)
+		return Server_SocketCrash();
+
+	// check if server object created
+	if (checkbase && base == nullptr)
+		Server_NullObjectError(ret, mess);
+
+	// no crash
+	return OK;
+}
+
+
+int ServerInterface::Server_VerifyLock(int& ret, char* mess, int lockstatus) {
+	// server locked
+	if (mySocket->differentClients && lockstatus)
+		return Server_LockedError(ret, mess);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+
+int ServerInterface::Server_VerifyLockAndIdle(int& ret, char* mess, int lockstatus, slsDetectorDefs::runStatus status, int fnum) {
+	// server locked
+	if (mySocket->differentClients && lockstatus)
+		return Server_LockedError(ret, mess);
+
+	// server not idle for this command
+	if (status != slsDetectorDefs::IDLE)
+		return Server_NotIdleError(ret, mess, fnum);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+
+void ServerInterface::Server_NullObjectError(int& ret, char* mess) {
+	ret=FAIL;
+	strcpy(mess,"Receiver not set up. Please use rx_hostname first.\n");
+	FILE_LOG(logERROR) << mess;
+}
+
+
+int ServerInterface::Server_SocketCrash() {
+	FILE_LOG(logERROR) << "Reading from socket failed. Possible socket crash";
+	return FAIL;
+}
+
+
+int ServerInterface::Server_LockedError(int& ret, char* mess) {
+	ret = FAIL;
+	sprintf(mess,"Receiver locked by %s\n", mySocket->lastClientIP);
+	FILE_LOG(logERROR) << mess;
+	return ret;
+}
+
+
+int ServerInterface::Server_NotIdleError(int& ret, char* mess, int fnum) {
+	ret = FAIL;
+	sprintf(mess,"Can not execute %s when receiver is not idle\n",
+			getFunctionNameFromEnum((enum detFuncs)fnum));
+	FILE_LOG(logERROR) << mess;
+	return ret;
+}
+
+
+
+