diff --git a/connection/connection.go b/connection/connection.go
index 5485181d9..068f95592 100644
--- a/connection/connection.go
+++ b/connection/connection.go
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ package connection
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"github.com/cenkalti/backoff/v4"
 	"github.com/pion/ice/v2"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/wiretrustee/wiretrustee/iface"
-	"github.com/wiretrustee/wiretrustee/util"
 	"golang.zx2c4.com/wireguard/wgctrl/wgtypes"
 	"net"
 	"sync"
@@ -295,14 +295,12 @@ func (conn *Connection) listenOnConnectionStateChanges() error {
 			log.Debugf("connected to peer %s via selected candidate pair %s", conn.Config.RemoteWgKey.String(), pair)
 		} else if state == ice.ConnectionStateDisconnected || state == ice.ConnectionStateFailed {
 			// todo do we really wanna have a connection restart within connection itself? Think of moving it outside
-			err := util.Retry(15, time.Second, func() error {
+			operation := func() error {
 				return conn.Restart()
-			}, func(err error) {
-				log.Warnf("failed restarting connection, retrying ... %s", err)
-			})
-
+			}
+			err := backoff.Retry(operation, backoff.NewExponentialBackOff())
 			if err != nil {
-				log.Errorf("failed restarting connection %s", err)
+				log.Errorf("error while communicating with the Signal Exchange %s ", err)
 				return
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 46c586846..a070c1519 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ module github.com/wiretrustee/wiretrustee
 go 1.16
 
 require (
+	github.com/cenkalti/backoff/v4 v4.1.0
 	github.com/golang/protobuf v1.4.2
 	github.com/google/nftables v0.0.0-20201230142148-715e31cb3c31
 	github.com/pion/ice/v2 v2.0.17
diff --git a/signal/client.go b/signal/client.go
index 1d237c572..1ca404a1c 100644
--- a/signal/client.go
+++ b/signal/client.go
@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ package signal
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"github.com/cenkalti/backoff/v4"
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/wiretrustee/wiretrustee/signal/proto"
-	"github.com/wiretrustee/wiretrustee/util"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/keepalive"
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ func NewClient(addr string, ctx context.Context) (*Client, error) {
 		grpc.WithInsecure(),
 		grpc.WithBlock(),
 		grpc.WithKeepaliveParams(keepalive.ClientParameters{
-			Time:    30 * time.Second,
-			Timeout: 10 * time.Second,
+			Time:    3 * time.Second,
+			Timeout: 2 * time.Second,
 		}))
 
 	if err != nil {
@@ -65,13 +65,16 @@ func NewClient(addr string, ctx context.Context) (*Client, error) {
 func (client *Client) Receive(key string, msgHandler func(msg *proto.Message) error) {
 	client.connWg.Add(1)
 	go func() {
-		err := util.Retry(15, time.Second, func() error {
-			return client.connect(key, msgHandler)
-		}, func(err error) {
-			log.Warnf("disconnected from the Signal Exchange due to an error %s. Retrying ... ", err)
-			client.connWg.Add(1)
-		})
+		operation := func() error {
+			err := client.connect(key, msgHandler)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Warnf("disconnected from the Signal Exchange due to an error %s. Retrying ... ", err)
+				client.connWg.Add(1)
+			}
+			return err
+		}
 
+		err := backoff.Retry(operation, backoff.NewExponentialBackOff())
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Errorf("error while communicating with the Signal Exchange %s ", err)
 			return
@@ -111,11 +114,14 @@ func (client *Client) WaitConnected() {
 // The Client.Receive method must be called before sending messages to establish initial connection to the Signal Exchange
 // Client.connWg can be used to wait
 func (client *Client) Send(msg *proto.Message) error {
-	if client.stream == nil {
+
+	_, err := client.realClient.Connect(context.TODO(), msg)
+
+	/*if client.stream == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("connection to the Signal Exchnage has not been established yet. Please call Client.Receive before sending messages")
 	}
 
-	err := client.stream.Send(msg)
+	err := client.stream.Send(msg)*/
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("error while sending message to peer [%s] [error: %v]", msg.RemoteKey, err)
 		return err
diff --git a/signal/signal.go b/signal/signal.go
index 2d2fbbeeb..f6a2b7ccc 100644
--- a/signal/signal.go
+++ b/signal/signal.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func NewServer() *SignalExchangeServer {
 func (s *SignalExchangeServer) Connect(ctx context.Context, msg *proto.Message) (*proto.Message, error) {
 
 	if _, found := s.registry.Peers[msg.Key]; found {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unknown peer %s", msg.Key)
+		return &proto.Message{}, nil
 	}
 
 	if dstPeer, found := s.registry.Peers[msg.RemoteKey]; found {