diff --git a/MinecraftClient/MinecraftCom.cs b/MinecraftClient/MinecraftCom.cs
index 32a65692..667ace67 100644
--- a/MinecraftClient/MinecraftCom.cs
+++ b/MinecraftClient/MinecraftCom.cs
@@ -283,12 +283,12 @@ namespace MinecraftClient
         }
         private string readNextString()
         {
-            short length = readNextShort();
+            ushort length = (ushort)readNextShort();
             if (length > 0)
             {
                 byte[] cache = new byte[length * 2];
                 Receive(cache, 0, length * 2, SocketFlags.None);
-                string result = ByteArrayToString(cache);
+                string result = Encoding.BigEndianUnicode.GetString(cache);
                 return result;
             }
             else return "";
@@ -485,21 +485,6 @@ namespace MinecraftClient
             }
             Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Gray;
         }
-        private string ReverseString(string a)
-        {
-            char[] tmp = a.ToCharArray();
-            Array.Reverse(tmp);
-            return new string(tmp);
-        }
-        private string ByteArrayToString(byte[] ba)
-        {
-            string conv = "";
-            for (int i = 1; i < ba.Length; i += 2)
-            {
-                conv += (char)ba[i];
-            }
-            return conv;
-        }
 
         public void setVersion(byte ver) { protocolversion = ver; }
         public void setClient(TcpClient n) { c = n; }
@@ -588,29 +573,13 @@ namespace MinecraftClient
         }
         public bool Handshake(string username, string sessionID, ref string serverID, ref byte[] token, string host, int port)
         {
-            username = ReverseString(username);
             //array
-            byte[] data = new byte[10 + (username.Length * 2) + (host.Length * 2)];
+            byte[] data = new byte[10 + (username.Length + host.Length) * 2];
 
             //packet id
             data[0] = (byte)2;
 
-            //Protocol Version - Minecraft 1.3.1 & 1.3.2
-            //data[1] = (byte)39;
-
-            //Protocol Version - Minecraft 1.4.2
-            //data[1] = (byte)47;
-
-            //Protocol Version - Minecraft 1.4.4
-            //data[1] = (byte)49;
-
-            //Protocol Version - Minecraft 1.4.6 & 1.4.7
-            //data[1] = (byte)51;
-
-            //Protocol Version - Minecraft 1.5.0
-            //data[1] = (byte)60;
-
-            //Protocol Version - Custom
+            //Protocol Version
             data[1] = protocolversion;
 
             //short len
@@ -619,9 +588,8 @@ namespace MinecraftClient
             sh.CopyTo(data, 2);
 
             //username
-            byte[] name = Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(username);
-            Array.Reverse(name);
-            name.CopyTo(data, 4);
+            byte[] bname = Encoding.BigEndianUnicode.GetBytes(username);
+            bname.CopyTo(data, 4);
 
             //short len
             sh = BitConverter.GetBytes((short)host.Length);
@@ -629,8 +597,7 @@ namespace MinecraftClient
             sh.CopyTo(data, 4 + (username.Length * 2));
 
             //host
-            byte[] bhost = Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(host);
-            Array.Reverse(bhost);
+            byte[] bhost = Encoding.BigEndianUnicode.GetBytes(host);
             bhost.CopyTo(data, 6 + (username.Length * 2));
 
             //port
@@ -667,7 +634,7 @@ namespace MinecraftClient
                     Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.DarkGray;
                     Console.WriteLine("Handshake sussessful. (Server ID: " + serverID + ')');
                     Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Gray;
-                    return StartEncryption(ReverseString(username), sessionID, token, serverID, PublicServerkey, SecretKey);
+                    return StartEncryption(username, sessionID, token, serverID, PublicServerkey, SecretKey);
                 }
             }
             else return false;
@@ -769,9 +736,11 @@ namespace MinecraftClient
         }
         public bool SendChatMessage(string message)
         {
+            if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(message))
+                return true;
+
             try
             {
-                message = ReverseString(message);
                 byte[] chat = new byte[3 + (message.Length * 2)];
                 chat[0] = (byte)3;
 
@@ -781,8 +750,7 @@ namespace MinecraftClient
                 msglen.CopyTo(chat, 1);
 
                 byte[] msg;
-                msg = Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(message);
-                Array.Reverse(msg);
+                msg = Encoding.BigEndianUnicode.GetBytes(message);
                 msg.CopyTo(chat, 3);
 
                 Send(chat);
@@ -792,9 +760,11 @@ namespace MinecraftClient
         }
         public void Disconnect(string message)
         {
+            if (message == null)
+                message = "";
+
             try
             {
-                message = ReverseString(message);
                 byte[] reason = new byte[3 + (message.Length * 2)];
                 reason[0] = (byte)0xff;
 
@@ -804,8 +774,7 @@ namespace MinecraftClient
                 msglen.CopyTo(reason, 1);
 
                 byte[] msg;
-                msg = Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(message);
-                Array.Reverse(msg);
+                msg = Encoding.BigEndianUnicode.GetBytes(message);
                 msg.CopyTo(reason, 3);
 
                 Send(reason);