diff --git a/network/pom.xml b/network/pom.xml
index 24fa27e..d080923 100644
--- a/network/pom.xml
+++ b/network/pom.xml
@@ -74,5 +74,12 @@
             <type>jar</type>
             <scope>compile</scope>            
         </dependency>
+        
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>commons-net</groupId>
+            <artifactId>commons-net</artifactId>
+            <scope>compile</scope>          
+            <version>3.2</version>
+        </dependency>         
     </dependencies>
 </project>
diff --git a/network/src/main/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/CidrTool.java b/network/src/main/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/CidrTool.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f36c63b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/network/src/main/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/CidrTool.java
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+/*
+ * To change this template, choose Tools | Templates
+ * and open the template in the editor.
+ */
+package de.muehlencord.shared.network;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+/**
+ *
+ * @author jomu
+ */
+public class CidrTool {
+    
+    public static List<String> rangeToCidrList(String startIp, String endIp) {
+        long start = ipToLong(startIp);
+        long end = ipToLong(endIp);
+
+        ArrayList<String> pairs = new ArrayList<>();
+        while (end >= start) {
+            byte maxsize = 32;
+            while (maxsize > 0) {
+                long mask = CIDR2MASK[ maxsize - 1];
+                long maskedBase = start & mask;
+
+                if (maskedBase != start) {
+                    break;
+                }
+
+                maxsize--;
+            }
+            double x = Math.log(end - start + 1) / Math.log(2);
+            byte maxdiff = (byte) (32 - Math.floor(x));
+            if (maxsize < maxdiff) {
+                maxsize = maxdiff;
+            }
+            String ip = longToIP(start);
+            pairs.add(ip + "/" + maxsize);
+            start += Math.pow(2, (32 - maxsize));
+        }
+        return pairs;
+    }
+    
+    
+    public static final int[] CIDR2MASK = new int[]{0x00000000, 0x80000000,
+        0xC0000000, 0xE0000000, 0xF0000000, 0xF8000000, 0xFC000000,
+        0xFE000000, 0xFF000000, 0xFF800000, 0xFFC00000, 0xFFE00000,
+        0xFFF00000, 0xFFF80000, 0xFFFC0000, 0xFFFE0000, 0xFFFF0000,
+        0xFFFF8000, 0xFFFFC000, 0xFFFFE000, 0xFFFFF000, 0xFFFFF800,
+        0xFFFFFC00, 0xFFFFFE00, 0xFFFFFF00, 0xFFFFFF80, 0xFFFFFFC0,
+        0xFFFFFFE0, 0xFFFFFFF0, 0xFFFFFFF8, 0xFFFFFFFC, 0xFFFFFFFE,
+        0xFFFFFFFF};
+
+    private static long ipToLong(String strIP) {
+        long[] ip = new long[4];
+        String[] ipSec = strIP.split("\\.");
+        for (int k = 0; k < 4; k++) {
+            ip[k] = Long.valueOf(ipSec[k]);
+        }
+
+        return (ip[0] << 24) + (ip[1] << 16) + (ip[2] << 8) + ip[3];
+    }
+
+    private static String longToIP(long longIP) {
+        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("");
+        sb.append(String.valueOf(longIP >>> 24));
+        sb.append(".");
+        sb.append(String.valueOf((longIP & 0x00FFFFFF) >>> 16));
+        sb.append(".");
+        sb.append(String.valueOf((longIP & 0x0000FFFF) >>> 8));
+        sb.append(".");
+        sb.append(String.valueOf(longIP & 0x000000FF));
+
+        return sb.toString();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/network/src/main/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/NetworkInformation.java b/network/src/main/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/NetworkInformation.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f3a78d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/network/src/main/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/NetworkInformation.java
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+/*
+ * To change this template, choose Tools | Templates
+ * and open the template in the editor.
+ */
+package de.muehlencord.shared.network;
+
+/**
+ *
+ * @author jomu
+ */
+public class NetworkInformation {
+
+    // private String network;
+    private String netname;
+    private String description;
+    private String country;
+    private String adminC;
+    private String techC;
+    private String maintainedBy;
+    private String status;
+
+    NetworkInformation(String netname, String descr, String country) {
+        this.netname = netname;
+        this.description = descr;
+        this.country = country;
+        this.adminC = null;
+        this.techC = null;
+        this.status = null;
+        this.maintainedBy = null;
+    }
+
+    /* *** getter / setter *** */
+    /**
+     * @return the netname
+     */
+    public String getNetname() {
+        return netname;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return the description
+     */
+    public String getDescription() {
+        return description;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return the country
+     */
+    public String getCountry() {
+        return country;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return the adminC
+     */
+    public String getAdminC() {
+        return adminC;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param adminC the adminC to set
+     */
+    public void setAdminC(String adminC) {
+        this.adminC = adminC;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return the techC
+     */
+    public String getTechC() {
+        return techC;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param techC the techC to set
+     */
+    public void setTechC(String techC) {
+        this.techC = techC;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return the maintainedBy
+     */
+    public String getMaintainedBy() {
+        return maintainedBy;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param maintainedBy the maintainedBy to set
+     */
+    public void setMaintainedBy(String maintainedBy) {
+        this.maintainedBy = maintainedBy;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return the status
+     */
+    public String getStatus() {
+        return status;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param status the status to set
+     */
+    public void setStatus(String status) {
+        this.status = status;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/network/src/main/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/Whois.java b/network/src/main/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/Whois.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b4949ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/network/src/main/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/Whois.java
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+package de.muehlencord.shared.network;
+
+import de.muehlencord.shared.util.StringUtil;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.net.SocketException;
+import java.net.UnknownHostException;
+import java.text.ParseException;
+import java.util.LinkedList;
+import java.util.List;
+import org.apache.commons.net.whois.WhoisClient;
+import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
+
+/**
+ *
+ * @author jomu
+ */
+public class Whois {
+
+    /** logger object */
+    private final static Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(Whois.class);
+    /** whois client from commons-net package to execute commands with */
+    WhoisClient whois;
+    /** the complete output */
+    String whoIsString = null;
+    /** network list in CIDR form the host belongs to */
+    private List<String> network;
+    /** network list in CIDDR form network belongs to */
+    private List<String> rootNetwork;
+    /** network information of host */
+    private NetworkInformation networkInformation;
+
+    public Whois() {
+        whois = new WhoisClient();
+        whois.setDefaultTimeout(60000);
+
+    }
+
+    public void execute(String whoIsServer, String ip) throws UnknownHostException, SocketException, IOException, ParseException {
+        whois.connect(whoIsServer);
+        whoIsString = whois.query(ip);
+        // split by blank lines to identify blocks
+        String[] blocks = whoIsString.split("\n\n");
+        for (String block : blocks) {
+            analyseBlock(block);
+        }
+        whois.disconnect();
+    }
+
+    // TODO introduce parer per RIR
+    private void analyseBlock(String block) throws ParseException {
+        logger.debug("Start analysing block");
+        logger.debug("\n---\n" + block + "\n---\n");
+
+        if ((block == null) || (block.equals("")) || (!block.contains(" "))) {
+            logger.debug("Skippig empty block");
+            return;
+        }
+
+        String startString = block.substring(0, block.indexOf(" "));
+        if (startString.equals("%")) {
+            startString = block.substring(0, block.indexOf(" ", 2));
+        }
+
+        switch (startString) {
+
+            case "inetnum:":
+                // information on network server belongs to (upper level / level -1)
+                String inetnum = StringUtil.getValueBetweenKeywords(block, "inetnum:", "netname:");
+                logger.info("inetnum: = " + inetnum);
+                String netname = StringUtil.getValueBetweenKeywords(block, "netname:", "descr:");
+                logger.info("netname: = " + netname);
+                String descr = StringUtil.getValueBetweenKeywords(block, "descr:", "country:");
+                logger.info("descr: = " + descr);
+                String country = StringUtil.getValueBetweenKeywords(block, "country:", "admin-c:");
+                logger.info("country: = " + country);
+                String adminC = StringUtil.getValueBetweenKeywords(block, "admin-c:", "tech-c:");
+                logger.info("admin-c: = " + adminC);
+                String techC = StringUtil.getValueBetweenKeywords(block, "tech-c:", "status:");
+                logger.info("tech-c: = " + techC);
+                String status = StringUtil.getValueBetweenKeywords(block, "status:", "mnt-by:");
+                logger.info("status: = " + status);
+                String mntBy = StringUtil.getValueBetweenKeywords(block, "mnt-by:", "source:");
+                logger.info("mnt-by: = " + mntBy);
+
+                // convert inetnum to CDIR 
+                String[] ipAddresses = inetnum.split(" ");  // TODO - what happens if not 3 parts are found
+                // FIXME add CDIR notation support
+                String startIpAddress = ipAddresses[0];
+                String endIPAddress = ipAddresses[2];
+                network = CidrTool.rangeToCidrList(startIpAddress, endIPAddress);
+                logger.info("Network:" + network.toString());
+
+                this.networkInformation = new NetworkInformation(netname, descr, country);
+
+                break;
+            case "route:":
+                // get information on level-2 network                                
+                String route = StringUtil.getValueBetweenKeywords(block, "route:", "descr:");
+                this.rootNetwork = new LinkedList<>();
+                this.rootNetwork.add(route);
+                logger.info ("Root network "+this.rootNetwork.toString());
+                break;
+
+
+
+            case "role:":
+                // admin company of network server belongs to                
+                logger.info("Skipping role block");
+                break;
+            case "person:":
+                // admin person of network server belongs to
+                logger.info("Skipping person block");
+                break;
+            case "% Information":
+            case "% Note:":
+            case "% This":
+            case "%":
+                logger.info("Skipping comment block");
+                break;
+            default:
+                logger.info("Unknown block found");
+        }
+    }
+
+    public List<String> getNetwork() {
+        return this.network;
+    }
+    
+    public List<String> getRootNetwork() {
+        return this.rootNetwork;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/network/src/test/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/RangeToCidrTest.java b/network/src/test/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/RangeToCidrTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4cacab2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/network/src/test/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/RangeToCidrTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+package de.muehlencord.shared.network;
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+/**
+ *
+ * @author jomu
+ */
+public class RangeToCidrTest extends BaseTest {
+    
+
+    @Test
+    public void testRangeToCidr() {
+        System.out.println (CidrTool.rangeToCidrList("212.204.60.0", "212.204.60.255"));
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/network/src/test/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/WhoisTest.java b/network/src/test/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/WhoisTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..008640b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/network/src/test/java/de/muehlencord/shared/network/WhoisTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+/*
+ * To change this template, choose Tools | Templates
+ * and open the template in the editor.
+ */
+package de.muehlencord.shared.network;
+
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.net.SocketException;
+import java.net.UnknownHostException;
+import java.text.ParseException;
+import org.junit.Ignore;
+import org.junit.Test;
+import static org.junit.Assert.*;
+
+/**
+ *
+ * @author jomu
+ */
+public class WhoisTest extends BaseTest {
+    
+
+    @Test
+    @Ignore
+    public void testDenicWhoIs() throws UnknownHostException, SocketException, IOException, ParseException {
+        Whois whoIsClient = new Whois();        
+        // Denic answers "status: connect" only        
+        whoIsClient.execute ("whois.denic.de", "-T dn,ace muehlencord.de");
+    }
+    
+    @Test    
+    @Ignore
+    public void testInternic() throws UnknownHostException, SocketException, IOException, ParseException {
+        Whois whoIsClient = new Whois();        
+        // Denic answers "status: connect" only        
+        whoIsClient.execute ("whois.1api.net", "egameladder.com");
+    }    
+    
+    @Test
+    public void testStepWise() throws UnknownHostException, SocketException, IOException, ParseException {
+        Whois whoIsClient = new Whois();      
+        // whoIsClient.execute ("whois.ripe.net", "88.198.181.181");
+        whoIsClient.execute ("whois.ripe.net", "212.204.60.1");
+        assertTrue ("network", whoIsClient.getNetwork().contains("212.204.60.0/24")); 
+        // whoIsClient.execute ("whois.ripe.net", "212.204.60.0");
+        // whoIsClient.execute ("whois.ripe.net", "212.0.0.0/8"); 
+        
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/network/src/test/resources/logging.properties b/network/src/test/resources/logging.properties
index cc1b852..1429cd2 100644
--- a/network/src/test/resources/logging.properties
+++ b/network/src/test/resources/logging.properties
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ log4j.debug=false
 log4j.appender.ConsoleLogger=org.apache.log4j.ConsoleAppender
 log4j.appender.ConsoleLogger.layout=org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout
 log4j.appender.ConsoleLogger.layout.ConversionPattern= %d - %m (%c)%n
-log4j.appender.ConsoleLogger.threshold=INFO
\ No newline at end of file
+log4j.appender.ConsoleLogger.threshold=DEBUG
\ No newline at end of file