diff --git a/aprs.py b/aprs.py
index c625fea..3b9bdd3 100644
--- a/aprs.py
+++ b/aprs.py
@@ -160,12 +160,19 @@ class IS(object):
 
         try:
             self.sock = socket.create_connection(self.server, 15) # 15 seconds connection timeout
+
             self.sock.settimeout(5) # 5 second timeout to receive server banner
+            self.sock.setblocking(True)
+
+            self.sock.setsockopt(socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_KEEPALIVE, 1)
+            self.sock.setsockopt(socket.SOL_TCP, socket.TCP_KEEPIDLE, 15)
+            self.sock.setsockopt(socket.SOL_TCP, socket.TCP_KEEPCNT, 3)
+            self.sock.setsockopt(socket.SOL_TCP, socket.TCP_KEEPINTVL, 5)
 
             if self.sock.recv(512)[0] != "#":
                 raise ConnectionError("invalid banner from server")
 
-            self.sock.setblocking(True)
+
         except Exception, e:
             self.close()