diff --git a/Makefile.dep b/Makefile.dep
index 60e251a279bbec3b815edab5dbfe005a21355e41..28af0d23198ddf2544acbd6b14b8752ce8e75b2b 100644
--- a/Makefile.dep
+++ b/Makefile.dep
@@ -302,6 +302,22 @@ ifneq (,$(filter oonf_common,$(USEMODULE)))
USEMODULE += socket_base
endif
+ifneq (,$(filter %_conn_ip,$(USEMODULE)))
+ USEMODULE += conn_ip
+endif
+
+ifneq (,$(filter %_conn_tcp,$(USEMODULE)))
+ USEMODULE += conn_tcp
+endif
+
+ifneq (,$(filter %_conn_udp,$(USEMODULE)))
+ USEMODULE += conn_udp
+endif
+
+ifneq (,$(filter conn_%,$(USEMODULE)))
+ USEMODULE += conn
+endif
+
# if any log_* is used, also use LOG pseudomodule
ifneq (,$(filter log_%,$(USEMODULE)))
USEMODULE += log
diff --git a/Makefile.pseudomodules b/Makefile.pseudomodules
index 1efad80a02344bce2fd17bcc6f8d88dce4b3cde0..86aca801eb73ae249b07af49bbc342fd647acc2a 100644
--- a/Makefile.pseudomodules
+++ b/Makefile.pseudomodules
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+PSEUDOMODULES += conn
+PSEUDOMODULES += conn_ip
+PSEUDOMODULES += conn_tcp
+PSEUDOMODULES += conn_udp
PSEUDOMODULES += gnrc_netif_default
PSEUDOMODULES += gnrc_ipv6_default
PSEUDOMODULES += gnrc_ipv6_router
diff --git a/sys/include/net/conn.h b/sys/include/net/conn.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..bd03991973dbf4e1f43ac9a00068936f85b3c079
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/include/net/conn.h
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2015 Martine Lenders <mlenders@inf.fu-berlin.de>
+ *
+ * This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+ * directory for more details.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @defgroup net_conn Application connection API
+ * @ingroup net
+ * @brief Provides a minimal common API for applications to connect to the
+ * different network stacks.
+ *
+ * This module provides a minimal common API for applications to connect over different network
+ * stacks. For each network stack there is supposed to be at least one connection type
+ * implementation. Note that this definition gives no restriction on how a connection type should be
+ * structured for simplicity and modularity. As a result, it can't give any guarantee that an
+ * implementation keeps them compatible to each other. For example, an implementation might allow,
+ * that a UDP receive function is called on a raw IPv6 connection object and even choose to do so
+ * for valid reasons (e.g. code size), but this definition does not impose this on the
+ * implementation. Currently there are the following option types defined:
+ *
+ * * @ref conn_ip_t (net/conn/ip.h): raw IP connections
+ * * @ref conn_tcp_t (net/conn/tcp.h): TCP connections
+ * * @ref conn_udp_t (net/conn/udp.h): UDP connections
+ *
+ * @{
+ *
+ * @file
+ * @brief Application connection API definitions
+ *
+ * @author Martine Lenders <mlenders@inf.fu-berlin.de>
+ */
+#ifndef NET_CONN_H_
+#define NET_CONN_H_
+
+#include "net/conn/ip.h"
+#include "net/conn/tcp.h"
+#include "net/conn/udp.h"
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif /* NET_CONN_H_ */
+/** @} */
diff --git a/sys/include/net/conn/ip.h b/sys/include/net/conn/ip.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..061ed967edfd7c507340c4a191f7149f89544218
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/include/net/conn/ip.h
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2015 Martine Lenders <mlenders@inf.fu-berlin.de>
+ *
+ * This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+ * directory for more details.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @defgroup net_conn_ip Raw IPv4/IPv6 connections
+ * @ingroup net_conn
+ * @brief Connection submodule for raw IPv4/IPv6 connections
+ * @{
+ *
+ * @file
+ * @brief Raw IPv4/IPv6 connection definitions
+ *
+ * @author Martine Lenders <mlenders@inf.fu-berlin.de>
+ */
+#ifndef NET_CONN_IP_H_
+#define NET_CONN_IP_H_
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+/**
+ * @brief Forward declaration of @ref conn_ip_t to allow for external definition.
+ */
+struct conn_ip;
+
+/**
+ * @brief Implementation-specific type of a raw IPv4/IPv6 connection object
+ */
+typedef struct conn_ip conn_ip_t;
+
+/**
+ * @brief Creates a new raw IPv4/IPv6 connection object
+ *
+ * @param[out] conn Preallocated connection object. Must fill the size of the stack-specific
+ * connection desriptor.
+ * @param[in] addr The local IP address for @p conn.
+ * @param[in] addr_len Length of @p addr. Must be fitting for the @p family.
+ * @param[in] family The family of @p addr (see @ref net_af).
+ * @param[in] proto @ref net_protnum for the IPv6 packets to receive.
+ *
+ * @return 0 on success.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' bind() function specification.
+ */
+int conn_ip_create(conn_ip_t *conn, const void *addr, size_t addr_len, int family, int proto);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Closes a raw IPv4/IPv6 connection
+ *
+ * @param[in,out] conn A raw IPv4/IPv6 connection object.
+ */
+void conn_ip_close(conn_ip_t *conn);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Gets the local address of a raw IPv4/IPv6 connection
+ *
+ * @param[in] conn A raw IPv4/IPv6 connection object.
+ * @param[out] addr The local IP address. Must have space for any address of the connection's
+ * family.
+ *
+ * @return length of @p addr on success.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' getsockname() function
+ * specification.
+ */
+int conn_ip_getlocaladdr(conn_ip_t *conn, void *addr);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Receives a message over IPv4/IPv6
+ *
+ * @param[in] conn A raw IPv4/IPv6 connection object.
+ * @param[out] data Pointer where the received data should be stored.
+ * @param[in] max_len Maximum space available at @p data.
+ * @param[out] addr NULL pointer or the sender's IP address. Must have space for any address
+ * of the connection's family.
+ * @param[out] addr_len Length of @p addr. Can be NULL if @p addr is NULL.
+ *
+ * @note Function may block.
+ *
+ * @return The number of bytes received on success.
+ * @return 0, if no received data is available, but everything is in order.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability, implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' recv(), recvfrom(), or recvmsg()
+ * function specification.
+ */
+int conn_ip_recvfrom(conn_ip_t *conn, void *data, size_t max_len, void *addr, size_t *addr_len);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Sends a message over IPv4/IPv6
+ *
+ * @param[in] data Pointer where the received data should be stored.
+ * @param[in] len Maximum space available at @p data.
+ * @param[in] src The source address. May be NULL for all any interface address.
+ * @param[in] src_len Length of @p src.
+ * @param[in] dst The receiver's network address.
+ * @param[in] dst_len Length of @p dst.
+ * @param[in] family The family of @p src and @p dst (see @ref net_af).
+ * @param[in] proto @ref net_protnum for the IPv6 packets to set.
+ *
+ * @note Function may block.
+ *
+ * @return The number of bytes send on success.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability, implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' send(), sendfrom(), or sendmsg()
+ * function specification.
+ */
+int conn_ip_sendto(const void *data, size_t len, const void *src, size_t src_len,
+ void *dst, size_t dst_len, int family, int proto);
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif /* NET_CONN_IP_H_ */
+/** @} */
diff --git a/sys/include/net/conn/tcp.h b/sys/include/net/conn/tcp.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..508e9e74785cad99c739e07849b4281a482548f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/include/net/conn/tcp.h
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2015 Martine Lenders <mlenders@inf.fu-berlin.de>
+ *
+ * This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+ * directory for more details.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @defgroup net_conn_tcp TCP connections
+ * @ingroup net_conn
+ * @brief Connection submodule for TCP connections
+ * @{
+ *
+ * @file
+ * @brief TCP connection definitions
+ *
+ * @author Martine Lenders <mlenders@inf.fu-berlin.de>
+ */
+#ifndef NET_CONN_TCP_H_
+#define NET_CONN_TCP_H_
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+/**
+ * @brief Forward declaration of @ref conn_tcp_t to allow for external definition.
+ */
+struct conn_tcp;
+
+/**
+ * @brief Implementation-specific type of a TCP connection object
+ */
+typedef struct conn_tcp conn_tcp_t;
+
+/**
+ * @brief Creates a new TCP connection object
+ *
+ * @param[out] conn Preallocated connection object. Must fill the size of the stack-specific
+ * connection desriptor.
+ * @param[in] addr The local network layer address for @p conn.
+ * @param[in] addr_len The length of @p addr. Must be fitting for the @p family.
+ * @param[in] family The family of @p addr (see @ref net_af).
+ * @param[in] port The local TCP port for @p conn.
+ *
+ * @return 0 on success.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' bind() function specification.
+ */
+int conn_tcp_create(conn_tcp_t *conn, const void *addr, size_t addr_len, int family,
+ uint16_t port);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Closes a TCP connection
+ *
+ * @param[in,out] conn A TCP connection object.
+ */
+void conn_tcp_close(conn_tcp_t *conn);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Gets the local address of a TCP connection
+ *
+ * @param[in] conn A TCP connection object.
+ * @param[out] addr The local network layer address. Must have space for any address of
+ * the connection's family.
+ * @param[out] port The local TCP port.
+ *
+ * @return length of @p addr on success.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' getsockname() function
+ * specification.
+ */
+int conn_tcp_getlocaladdr(conn_tcp_t *conn, void *addr, uint16_t *port);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Gets the address of the connected peer of a TCP connection
+ *
+ * @param[in] conn A TCP connection object.
+ * @param[out] addr The network layer address of the connected peer. Must have space for any
+ * address of the connection's family.
+ * @param[out] port The TCP port of the connected peer.
+ *
+ * @return length of @p addr on success.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' getpeername() function
+ * specification.
+ */
+int conn_tcp_getpeeraddr(conn_tcp_t *conn, void *addr, uint16_t *port);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Connects to a remote TCP peer
+ *
+ * @param[in] conn A TCP connection object.
+ * @param[in] addr The remote network layer address for @p conn.
+ * @param[in] addr_len Length of @p addr.
+ * @param[in] port The remote TCP port for @p conn.
+ *
+ * @return 0 on success.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' connect() function specification.
+ */
+int conn_tcp_connect(conn_tcp_t *conn, const void *addr, size_t addr_len, uint16_t port);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Marks connection to listen for a connection request by a remote TCP peer
+ *
+ * @param[in] conn A TCP connection object.
+ * @param[in] queue_len Maximum length of the queue for connection requests.
+ * An implementation may choose to silently adapt this value to its needs
+ * (setting it to a minimum or maximum value). Any negative number must be
+ * set at least to 0.
+ *
+ * @return 0 on success.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' listen() function specification.
+ */
+int conn_tcp_listen(conn_tcp_t *conn, int queue_len);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Receives and handles TCP connection requests from other peers
+ *
+ * @param[in] conn A TCP connection object.
+ * @param[out] out_conn A new TCP connection object for the established connection.
+ *
+ * @return 0 on success.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' accept() function specification.
+ */
+int conn_tcp_accept(conn_tcp_t *conn, conn_tcp_t *out_conn);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Receives a TCP message
+ *
+ * @param[in] conn A TCP connection object.
+ * @param[out] data Pointer where the received data should be stored.
+ * @param[in] max_len Maximum space available at @p data.
+ *
+ * @note Function may block.
+ *
+ * @return The number of bytes received on success.
+ * @return 0, if no received data is available, but everything is in order.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability, implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' recv(), recvfrom(), or recvmsg()
+ * function specification.
+ */
+int conn_tcp_recv(conn_tcp_t *conn, void *data, size_t max_len);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Sends a TCP message
+ *
+ * @param[in] conn A TCP connection object.
+ * @param[in] data Pointer where the received data should be stored.
+ * @param[in] len Maximum space available at @p data.
+ *
+ * @note Function may block.
+ *
+ * @return The number of bytes send on success.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability, implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' send(), sendfrom(), or sendmsg()
+ * function specification.
+ */
+int conn_tcp_send(conn_tcp_t *conn, const void *data, size_t len);
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif /* NET_CONN_TCP_H_ */
+/** @} */
diff --git a/sys/include/net/conn/udp.h b/sys/include/net/conn/udp.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..a91c9f434617f0598d6a57fae145427f2d435b6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sys/include/net/conn/udp.h
@@ -0,0 +1,130 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2015 Martine Lenders <mlenders@inf.fu-berlin.de>
+ *
+ * This file is subject to the terms and conditions of the GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License v2.1. See the file LICENSE in the top level
+ * directory for more details.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @defgroup net_conn_udp UDP connections
+ * @ingroup net_conn
+ * @brief Connection submodule for UDP connections
+ * @{
+ *
+ * @file
+ * @brief UDP connection definitions
+ *
+ * @author Martine Lenders <mlenders@inf.fu-berlin.de>
+ */
+#ifndef NET_CONN_UDP_H_
+#define NET_CONN_UDP_H_
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif
+
+/**
+ * @brief Forward declaration of @ref conn_udp_t to allow for external definition.
+ */
+struct conn_udp;
+
+/**
+ * @brief Implementation-specific type of a UDP connection object
+ */
+typedef struct conn_udp conn_udp_t;
+
+/**
+ * @brief Creates a new UDP connection object
+ *
+ * @param[out] conn Preallocated connection object. Must fill the size of the stack-specific
+ * connection desriptor.
+ * @param[in] addr The local network layer address for @p conn.
+ * @param[in] addr_len The length of @p addr. Must be fitting for the @p family.
+ * @param[in] family The family of @p addr (see @ref net_af).
+ * @param[in] port The local UDP port for @p conn.
+ *
+ * @return 0 on success.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' bind() function specification.
+ */
+int conn_udp_create(conn_udp_t *conn, const void *addr, size_t addr_len, int family,
+ uint16_t port);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Closes a UDP connection
+ *
+ * @param[in,out] conn A UDP connection object.
+ */
+void conn_udp_close(conn_udp_t *conn);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Gets the local address of a UDP connection
+ *
+ * @param[in] conn A UDP connection object.
+ * @param[out] addr The local network layer address. Must have space for any address of
+ * the connection's family.
+ * @param[out] port The local UDP port.
+ *
+ * @return length of @p addr on success.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' getsockname() function
+ * specification.
+ */
+int conn_udp_getlocaladdr(conn_udp_t *conn, void *addr, uint16_t *port);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Receives a UDP message
+ *
+ * @param[in] conn A UDP connection object.
+ * @param[out] data Pointer where the received data should be stored.
+ * @param[in] max_len Maximum space available at @p data.
+ * @param[out] addr NULL pointer or the sender's network layer address. Must have space
+ * for any address of the connection's family.
+ * @param[out] addr_len Length of @p addr. Can be NULL if @p addr is NULL.
+ * @param[out] port NULL pointer or the sender's UDP port.
+ *
+ * @note Function may block.
+ *
+ * @return The number of bytes received on success.
+ * @return 0, if no received data is available, but everything is in order.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability, implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' recv(), recvfrom(), or recvmsg()
+ * function specification.
+ */
+int conn_udp_recvfrom(conn_udp_t *conn, void *data, size_t max_len, void *addr, size_t *addr_len,
+ uint16_t *port);
+
+/**
+ * @brief Sends a UDP message
+ *
+ * @param[in] data Pointer where the received data should be stored.
+ * @param[in] len Maximum space available at @p data.
+ * @param[in] src The source address. May be NULL for all any interface address.
+ * @param[in] src_len Length of @p src. May be 0 if @p src is NULL
+ * @param[in] dst The receiver's network address.
+ * @param[in] dst_len Length of @p dst.
+ * @param[in] family The family of @p src and @p dst (see @ref net_af).
+ * @param[in] sport The source UDP port.
+ * @param[in] dport The receiver's UDP port.
+ *
+ * @note Function may block.
+ *
+ * @return The number of bytes send on success.
+ * @return any other negative number in case of an error. For portability, implementations should
+ * draw inspiration of the errno values from the POSIX' send(), sendfrom(), or sendmsg()
+ * function specification.
+ */
+int conn_udp_sendto(const void *data, size_t len, const void *src, size_t src_len,
+ const void *dst, size_t dst_len, int family, uint16_t sport,
+ uint16_t dport);
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+}
+#endif
+
+#endif /* NET_CONN_UDP4_H_ */
+/** @} */