diff --git a/network.c b/network.c
index 1231df49..716b6dc3 100644
--- a/network.c
+++ b/network.c
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ CreateSocketAdress(
    }
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-   mkChannel *NETAccept(mkChannel *self, int timeout)
+   mkChannel *NETAccept(mkChannel *self, long timeout)
    {
          mkChannel *pRes = NULL;
          int iRet;
@@ -173,7 +173,8 @@ CreateSocketAdress(
          if(timeout > 0)
          {
             /* select first */
-            tmo.tv_usec = timeout;
+            tmo.tv_usec = (timeout % 1000) * 1000;
+            tmo.tv_sec = timeout / 1000;
             FD_ZERO(&lMask);
             FD_SET(self->sockid,&lMask);
             if((self->sockid >= FD_SETSIZE) || (self->sockid < 0) ) /* invalid descriptor */
@@ -336,7 +337,8 @@ CreateSocketAdress(
            return 0;
         }    
         
-       /* setup for select first */
+#ifndef CYGNUS
+        /* setup for select first */
         tmo.tv_usec = 100;
         FD_ZERO(&lMask);
         FD_SET(self->sockid,&lMask);
@@ -345,7 +347,6 @@ CreateSocketAdress(
         {
           return -1; /* eof */
         }
-#ifndef CYGNUS
         iRet = select( (self->sockid + 1),NULL, &lMask, NULL,&tmo);
         if( iRet <= 0)
         {
@@ -375,7 +376,7 @@ CreateSocketAdress(
         
    }
 /* -------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
-   long NETRead(mkChannel *self, char *buffer, long lLen, int timeout)
+   long NETRead(mkChannel *self, char *buffer, long lLen, long timeout)
    {
       fd_set lMask;
       struct timeval tmo ={0,1};
@@ -389,8 +390,8 @@ CreateSocketAdress(
       if(timeout > 0)
       {
          /* setup for select first */
-         tmo.tv_usec = timeout % 1000000;
-         tmo.tv_sec = timeout / 1000000;
+         tmo.tv_usec = (timeout % 1000) *1000;
+         tmo.tv_sec = timeout / 1000;
          FD_ZERO(&lMask);
          FD_SET(self->sockid,&lMask);
          if((self->sockid >= FD_SETSIZE) || (self->sockid < 0) ) /* invalid descriptor */
@@ -424,7 +425,7 @@ CreateSocketAdress(
       }
    }
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------*/
-   int NETAvailable(mkChannel *self, int timeout)
+   int NETAvailable(mkChannel *self, long timeout)
    { 
       fd_set lMask;
       struct timeval tmo ={0,1};
@@ -436,8 +437,8 @@ CreateSocketAdress(
       }
       
       /* setup for select  */
-      tmo.tv_usec = timeout % 1000000;
-      tmo.tv_sec = timeout / 1000000;
+      tmo.tv_usec = (timeout % 1000) * 1000;
+      tmo.tv_sec = timeout / 1000;
       FD_ZERO(&lMask);
       FD_SET(self->sockid,&lMask);
       if((self->sockid >= FD_SETSIZE) || (self->sockid < 0) ) 
@@ -460,23 +461,25 @@ CreateSocketAdress(
       }
    }
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
-int NETReadTillTermNew(mkChannel *self, int timeout, 
+int NETReadTillTermNew(mkChannel *self, long timeout, 
                     char *pTerm, char *pBuffer, int iBufLen)
 {
-  time_t maxTime, now;
+  struct timeval start, now;
   int bufPtr = 0, status, i, length;
   char c;
+  long dif;
 
   if(!VerifyChannel(self))
   {
     return -1;
   }
   
-  maxTime = time(NULL) + (time_t)ceil((double)timeout/1000 +1);
+  gettimeofday(&start, NULL);
+
   length = strlen(pTerm);
   memset(pBuffer,0,iBufLen);
   
-  status = NETAvailable(self,timeout*1000); /* first time: full timeout */
+  status = NETAvailable(self,timeout); /* first time: full timeout */
   if(status <= 0) /* return on error or on timeout */
   {
     return status;
@@ -484,7 +487,7 @@ int NETReadTillTermNew(mkChannel *self, int timeout,
   while (status > 0)
   {
     status = recv(self->sockid,&c,1,0);
-    if(status < 0)
+    if(status <= 0)
     {
       return status;
     }
@@ -492,7 +495,7 @@ int NETReadTillTermNew(mkChannel *self, int timeout,
     {
       if(c == pTerm[i])
       {
-	return 1;
+	    return 1;
       }
     }
     if(c != 0) /* skip null characters */
@@ -509,14 +512,17 @@ int NETReadTillTermNew(mkChannel *self, int timeout,
     /*
       wait for more data
     */
-    status = NETAvailable(self,1); /* minimal timeout */
-    while (status == 0)
+    status = NETAvailable(self,0); /* timeout 0 (just poll) */
+    if (status == 0 && timeout > 0)
     {
-      if(time(NULL) > maxTime)
+      gettimeofday(&now, NULL);
+      dif = (now.tv_sec-start.tv_sec)*1000+(now.tv_usec-start.tv_usec)/1000;
+
+      if(dif > timeout)
       {
         return 0; /* timeout */
       }
-      status = NETAvailable(self,100000); /* 0.1 s timeout */
+      status = NETAvailable(self,timeout-dif);
     };
   };
   return status;
@@ -737,7 +743,8 @@ This old version may be removed in some stage. It has two problems:
       if(timeout > 0)
       {
         /* setup for select first */
-        tmo.tv_usec = timeout;
+        tmo.tv_usec = (timeout % 1000) *1000;
+        tmo.tv_sec = timeout / 1000;
         lMask = (1 << self->sockid);
         iRet = select( (self->sockid + 1),(fd_set *)&lMask, NULL, NULL,&tmo);
         if( iRet <= 0)
diff --git a/network.h b/network.h
index 2090e963..71084a9e 100644
--- a/network.h
+++ b/network.h
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 
 	Mark Koennecke, October 2001
 	
+	Changed all timeout units from microseconds to milliseconds
+	Markus Zolliker August 2004
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 #ifndef NNNET
 #define NNNET
@@ -44,12 +46,12 @@
 	   else a valid mkChannel structure for the port
 	*/
 	
-	mkChannel *NETAccept(mkChannel *self, int timeout);
+	mkChannel *NETAccept(mkChannel *self, long timeout);
 	/* tries to accept a new connection on the Channel self
 	   until timeout. If a connection can be built a new mkChannel
 	   structure is returned, else NULL. With a negative value or 0 for
 	   timeout this function blocks for an accept.
-	*/
+ 	*/
 	
 	mkChannel *NETConnect(char *name, int port);
 	/* tries to open a client connection to the server specified by name 
@@ -69,17 +71,18 @@
 	   false otherwise.
 	*/
 	
-	long NETRead(mkChannel *self, char *buffer, long lLen, int timeout);
+	long NETRead(mkChannel *self, char *buffer, long lLen, long timeout);
 	/* reads data from socket self into buffer with max length lLen
 	   waits maximum timeout for data. Returns -1 on error, 0 on no
 	   data, and else the length of the data read. With a negative value
-	   or 0 for timeout this function blocks for the read. 
+	   or 0 for timeout this function blocks for the read.
 	*/
-        int NETAvailable(mkChannel *self, int timeout);
-        /*
-           returns 1 if data is pending on the port, 0 if none is
+        int NETAvailable(mkChannel *self, long timeout);
+        /* returns 1 if data is pending on the port, 0 if none is
            pending.
 	*/
+        int NETReadTillTermNew(mkChannel *self, long timeout, 
+                    char *pTerm, char *pBuffer, int iBufLen);
         int NETReadTillTerm(mkChannel *self, int timeout, 
                     char *pTerm, char *pBuffer, int iBufLen);
         /*
@@ -91,6 +94,8 @@
 	  and a negative value if a network error occurred. Beware that 
           this may not work correctly if the wrong terminator is given.
           The last one is really needed.
+          In the new version, timeout is in MILLIseconds (10 -3 sec).
+          However, the accuracy is machine dependent (for Linux 10 ms, for Tru64 1 ms) 
 	*/
 /*  ********************* KILLING FIELD ******************************** */
 	int NETClosePort(mkChannel *self);
diff --git a/rs232controller.c b/rs232controller.c
index 08d638a1..bfc80d4f 100644
--- a/rs232controller.c
+++ b/rs232controller.c
@@ -123,10 +123,10 @@ int writeRS232(prs232 self, void *data, int dataLen)
   iRet = NETWrite(self->pSock,data,dataLen);
   if(self->debug > 0)
   {
-    printf("RS232 OUT: %s",(char *)data);
+    printf("RS232 OUT     : %s",(char *)data);
     if(strchr((char *)data,'\n') == NULL)
     {
-      puts("\n");
+      puts("");
     }
     fflush(stdout);
   }
@@ -175,10 +175,10 @@ int readRS232(prs232 self, void *data, int *dataLen)
     {
       if(self->debug > 0)
       {
-	printf("RS232 IN: %s",(char *)data);
+	printf("RS232 IN      : %s",(char *)data);
 	if(strchr((char *)data,'\n') == NULL)
 	{
-	    puts("\n");
+	    puts("");
 	}
 	fflush(stdout);
       }
@@ -211,14 +211,14 @@ int readRS232TillTerm(prs232 self, void *data, int *datalen){
 
   memset(data,0,*datalen);
   replylen = *datalen;
-  iRet = NETReadTillTerm(self->pSock,self->timeout,self->replyTerminator,
+  iRet = NETReadTillTermNew(self->pSock,self->timeout,self->replyTerminator,
 			  (char *)data, replylen);
   if(self->debug > 0)
   {
-    printf("RS232 IN/TERM: %s",(char *)data);
+    printf("RS232 IN/TERM : %s",(char *)data);
     if(strchr((char *)data,'\n') == NULL)
     {
-      puts("\n");
+      puts("");
     }
     fflush(stdout);
   }
@@ -231,6 +231,10 @@ int readRS232TillTerm(prs232 self, void *data, int *datalen){
     printf("Incomplete read: %s\n", (char *)data);
     return INCOMPLETE;
   }
+  else if (iRet < 0)
+  {
+    return iRet;
+  }
   *datalen = strlen((char *)data);
   return 1;
 }
@@ -247,7 +251,7 @@ int availableRS232(prs232 self)
     return NOTCONNECTED;
   }
 
-  return NETAvailable(self->pSock,3);
+  return NETAvailable(self->pSock,0);
 }
 /*-----------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 int availableNetRS232(prs232 self)
@@ -312,14 +316,14 @@ int transactRS232(prs232 self, void *send, int sendLen,
     read 
   */
   memset(reply,0,replyLen);
-  iRet = NETReadTillTerm(self->pSock,self->timeout,self->replyTerminator,
+  iRet = NETReadTillTermNew(self->pSock,self->timeout,self->replyTerminator,
 			  reply, replyLen);
   if(self->debug > 0)
   {
     printf("RS232 IN/TRANS: %s",(char *)reply);
     if(strchr((char *)reply,'\n') == NULL)
     {
-      puts("\n");
+      puts("");
     }
     fflush(stdout);
   }
@@ -389,6 +393,7 @@ int initRS232(prs232 self)
       NetReadRemoveUserSocket(pServ->pReader,self->pSock->sockid);
     }
     NETClosePort(self->pSock);
+    free(self->pSock);
     self->pSock = NULL;
   }
   self->pSock = NETConnect(self->pHost, self->iPort);
@@ -422,6 +427,7 @@ prs232 createRS232(char *host, int iPort)
   pNew->sendTerminator = strdup("\r");
   pNew->replyTerminator = strdup("\n");
   pNew->timeout = 1000;
+  pNew->debug = 0;
   pNew->pDes = CreateDescriptor("RS232 Controller");
   if(!pNew->pDes || !pNew->pHost || 
      !pNew->replyTerminator || !pNew->sendTerminator)
@@ -457,6 +463,7 @@ prs232 createRS232(char *host, int iPort)
       NetReadRemoveUserSocket(pServ->pReader,self->pSock->sockid);
     }
     NETClosePort(self->pSock);
+    free(self->pSock);
   }
   if(self->pHost)
   {
@@ -761,26 +768,14 @@ int RS232Factory(SConnection *pCon, SicsInterp *pSics,
   /*
    create data structure and open port 
   */
-  pNew = (prs232)malloc(sizeof(rs232));
+  pNew = createRS232(argv[2], atoi(argv[3]));
+  
   if(!pNew)
   {
     SCWrite(pCon,"ERROR: out of memory in RS232Factory",eError);
     return 0;
   }
-  memset(pNew, 0, sizeof(rs232));
 
-  pNew->pHost = strdup(argv[2]);
-  pNew->iPort = atoi(argv[3]);
-  pNew->sendTerminator = strdup("\r");
-  pNew->replyTerminator = strdup("\n");
-  pNew->timeout = 1000;
-  pNew->pDes = CreateDescriptor("RS232 Controller");
-  if(!pNew->pDes || !pNew->pHost || 
-     !pNew->replyTerminator || !pNew->sendTerminator)
-  {
-    SCWrite(pCon,"ERROR: out of memory in RS232Factory",eError);
-    return 0;
-  }
   status = initRS232(pNew);
   if(status != 1)
   {
diff --git a/synchronize.c b/synchronize.c
index 51d6e205..96785565 100644
--- a/synchronize.c
+++ b/synchronize.c
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@
  Use internal connection.
  Mark Koennecke, July 2002
 
+ changed timeout units in NETRead from us to ms
+ the timing could be optimized (no need for SicsWait
+ when timeout properly choosen (could be in the region of 1 second )
+ M.Zolliker, August 04
 */
 #include "sics.h"
 #include "network.h"
@@ -34,7 +38,7 @@ static void syncLogin(void)
   connection = NETConnect(hostname, port);
   for(i = 0; i < 10; i++)
   {
-    NETRead(connection,pBueffel,1020,10*1000);
+    NETRead(connection,pBueffel,1020,10); /* 10 ms M.Z */
     if(strstr(pBueffel,"OK") != NULL)
     {
       break;
@@ -60,7 +64,7 @@ static void syncLogin(void)
     for(i = 0; i < 60; i++)
     {    
       memset(pRead,0,80);
-      test = NETRead(connection,pRead,70,10*1000);
+      test = NETRead(connection,pRead,70,10); /* 10 ms M.Z. */
       if(test < 0)
       {
          NETClosePort(connection);
@@ -212,7 +216,7 @@ int Synchronize(SConnection *pCon, SicsInterp *pSics, void *pData,
   for(i = 0; i < 60; i++)
   {
       pRead[0] = '\0';
-      test = NETRead(connection,pRead,75,20*1000);
+      test = NETRead(connection,pRead,75,20); /* 20 ms M.Z. */
       if(test < 0)
       {
         NETClosePort(connection);