diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index 462ff3c..965ce07 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -45,13 +45,14 @@ func (m *Mbclient) ReadRegisters(first uint16, numRegs uint16) ([]uint16, error)
 		// Wait for closer to exit to mitigate race condiion
 		// between closer routine and this code path
 		m.wg.Wait()
-		m.conn, err = net.Dial("tcp", m.address)
+		m.conn, err = net.DialTimeout("tcp", m.address, 5*time.Second)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 		m.wg.Add(1)
 		go m.closer()
 	}
+	defer m.t.Reset(m.keepAliveDuration)
 
 	const requestLength = 12
 	m.transactionCounter++
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ func (m *Mbclient) ReadRegisters(first uint16, numRegs uint16) ([]uint16, error)
 	req[7] = 3 //FunctionCode
 	binary.BigEndian.PutUint16(req[8:10], first-1)
 	binary.BigEndian.PutUint16(req[10:12], numRegs)
-	m.conn.SetDeadline(time.Now().Add(10 * time.Second))
+	m.conn.SetDeadline(time.Now().Add(5 * time.Second))
 	byteswritten, err := m.conn.Write(req)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ func (m *Mbclient) ReadRegisters(first uint16, numRegs uint16) ([]uint16, error)
 	if byteswritten != requestLength {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to send request")
 	}
-	m.conn.SetDeadline(time.Now().Add(10 * time.Second))
+	m.conn.SetDeadline(time.Now().Add(5 * time.Second))
 	_, err = io.ReadFull(m.conn, m.header[:])
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err