diff --git a/Source/EphysSocket.cpp b/Source/EphysSocket.cpp
index b8c353b..ee7dbc3 100644
--- a/Source/EphysSocket.cpp
+++ b/Source/EphysSocket.cpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ void EphysSocket::registerParameters()
 void EphysSocket::disconnectSocket()
 {
     socket.signalThreadShouldExit();
-    socket.waitForThreadToExit(1000);
+    socket.waitForThreadToExit (1000);
     socket.disconnectSocket();
 
     getParameter ("port")->setEnabled (true);
@@ -278,22 +278,20 @@ bool EphysSocket::updateBuffer()
 String EphysSocket::handleConfigMessage (const String& msg)
 {
     // Available commands:
-    // ES INFO - Returns info on current variables that can be modified over HTTP
+    // ES INFO                      - Returns info on current variables that can be modified over HTTP
     // ES SCALE <data_scale>        - Updates the data scale to data_scale
     // ES OFFSET <data_offset>      - Updates the offset to data_offset
     // ES PORT <port>               - Updates the port number that EphysSocket connects to
     // ES FREQUENCY <sample_rate>   - Updates the sampling rate
+    // ES CONNECTION_STATE          - Returns the connection state (CONNECTED/DISCONNECTED)
+    // ES CONNECT                   - Connect the socket
+    // ES DISCCONNECT               - Disconnect the socket
 
     if (CoreServices::getAcquisitionStatus())
     {
         return "Ephys Socket plugin cannot update settings while acquisition is active.";
     }
 
-    if (socket.isConnected())
-    {
-        return "Ephys Socket plugin cannot update settings while connected to an active socket.";
-    }
-
     StringArray parts = StringArray::fromTokens (msg, " ", "");
 
     if (parts.size() > 0)
@@ -302,6 +300,11 @@ String EphysSocket::handleConfigMessage (const String& msg)
         {
             if (parts.size() == 3)
             {
+                if (socket.isConnected())
+                {
+                    return "Ephys Socket plugin cannot update settings while connected to an active socket.";
+                }
+
                 if (parts[1].equalsIgnoreCase ("SCALE"))
                 {
                     float scale = parts[2].getFloatValue();
@@ -365,6 +368,23 @@ String EphysSocket::handleConfigMessage (const String& msg)
                 {
                     return "Port = " + String (port) + ". Sample rate = " + String (sample_rate) + "Scale = " + String (data_scale) + ". Offset = " + String (data_offset) + ".";
                 }
+                else if (parts[1].equalsIgnoreCase ("CONNECTION_STATUS"))
+                {
+                    return socket.isConnected() ? CONNECTION_STATE_CONNECTED : CONNECTION_STATE_DISCONNECTED;
+                }
+                else if (parts[1].equalsIgnoreCase ("CONNECT"))
+                {
+                    LOGC ("Request socket connect");
+                    const auto connected = connectSocket();
+                    LOGC (connected ? "Connection success" : "Connection failed");
+                    return connected ? CONNECTION_STATE_CONNECTED : CONNECTION_STATE_DISCONNECTED;
+                }
+                else if (parts[1].equalsIgnoreCase ("DISCONNECT"))
+                {
+                    disconnectSocket();
+                    LOGC ("Socket disconnected");
+                    return CONNECTION_STATE_DISCONNECTED;
+                }
                 else
                 {
                     return "ES command " + parts[1] + "not recognized.";
diff --git a/Source/EphysSocket.h b/Source/EphysSocket.h
index e15ef07..6f6cd86 100644
--- a/Source/EphysSocket.h
+++ b/Source/EphysSocket.h
@@ -11,21 +11,25 @@ namespace EphysSocketNode
 class EphysSocket : public DataThread
 {
 public:
+    /** Connection states */
+    static const constexpr char* CONNECTION_STATE_CONNECTED { "CONNECTED" };
+    static const constexpr char* CONNECTION_STATE_DISCONNECTED { "DISCONNECTED" };
+
     /** Default parameters */
-    const int DEFAULT_PORT = 9001;
-    const float DEFAULT_SAMPLE_RATE = 30000.0f;
-    const float DEFAULT_DATA_SCALE = 1.0f; // 0.195f for Intan devices
-    const float DEFAULT_DATA_OFFSET = 0.0f; // 32768.0f for Intan devices
+    static constexpr int DEFAULT_PORT { 9001 };
+    static constexpr float DEFAULT_SAMPLE_RATE { 30000.0f };
+    static constexpr float DEFAULT_DATA_SCALE { 1.0f }; // 0.195f for Intan devices
+    static constexpr float DEFAULT_DATA_OFFSET { 0.0f }; // 32768.0f for Intan devices
 
     /** Parameter limits */
-    const float MIN_DATA_SCALE = 0.0f;
-    const float MAX_DATA_SCALE = 9999.9f;
-    const float MIN_DATA_OFFSET = 0;
-    const float MAX_DATA_OFFSET = 65536;
-    const float MIN_PORT = 1023;
-    const float MAX_PORT = 65535;
-    const float MIN_SAMPLE_RATE = 0;
-    const float MAX_SAMPLE_RATE = 50000.0f;
+    static constexpr float MIN_DATA_SCALE { 0.0f };
+    static constexpr float MAX_DATA_SCALE { 9999.9f };
+    static constexpr float MIN_DATA_OFFSET { 0 };
+    static constexpr float MAX_DATA_OFFSET { 65536 };
+    static constexpr float MIN_PORT { 1023 };
+    static constexpr float MAX_PORT { 65535 };
+    static constexpr float MIN_SAMPLE_RATE { 0 };
+    static constexpr float MAX_SAMPLE_RATE { 50000.0f };
 
     /** Constructor */
     EphysSocket (SourceNode* sn);
@@ -34,7 +38,7 @@ class EphysSocket : public DataThread
     ~EphysSocket();
 
     /** Creates custom editor */
-    std::unique_ptr<GenericEditor> createEditor (SourceNode* sn);
+    std::unique_ptr<GenericEditor> createEditor (SourceNode* sn) override;
 
     /** Create the DataThread object*/
     static DataThread* createDataThread (SourceNode* sn);
@@ -51,13 +55,13 @@ class EphysSocket : public DataThread
                          OwnedArray<SpikeChannel>* spikeChannels,
                          OwnedArray<DataStream>* sourceStreams,
                          OwnedArray<DeviceInfo>* devices,
-                         OwnedArray<ConfigurationObject>* configurationObjects);
+                         OwnedArray<ConfigurationObject>* configurationObjects) override;
 
     /** Handles parameter value changes */
     void parameterValueChanged (Parameter* parameter) override;
 
     /** Resizes buffers when input parameters are changed*/
-    void resizeBuffers();
+    void resizeBuffers() override;
 
     /** Disconnects the socket */
     void disconnectSocket();
diff --git a/Source/OpenEphysLib.cpp b/Source/OpenEphysLib.cpp
index f2c7f8c..c9e7100 100644
--- a/Source/OpenEphysLib.cpp
+++ b/Source/OpenEphysLib.cpp
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ extern "C" EXPORT void getLibInfo (Plugin::LibraryInfo* info)
 {
     info->apiVersion = PLUGIN_API_VER;
     info->name = "Ephys Socket";
-    info->libVersion = "1.0.0";
+    info->libVersion = "1.1.0";
     info->numPlugins = NUM_PLUGINS;
 }