diff --git a/WifiSitter/WifiSitter.cs b/WifiSitter/WifiSitter.cs
index 4c9bf9d..e2747d7 100644
--- a/WifiSitter/WifiSitter.cs
+++ b/WifiSitter/WifiSitter.cs
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ namespace WifiSitter
         private volatile bool _paused;
         private static WifiSitterIpc _wsIpc;
         private Action<object, XDMessageEventArgs> _handleMsgRecv;
+        private System.Timers.Timer _pauseTimer;
 
         #endregion // fields
 
@@ -90,10 +91,17 @@ namespace WifiSitter
             LogLine("Version: {0}", v.ToString());
 
             // Setup IPC
+            // TODO make this tunable, cmd argument?
             LogLine("Initializing IPC...");
             _handleMsgRecv = new Action<object, XDMessageEventArgs>(HandleMsgReceived);
             _wsIpc = new WifiSitterIpc(_handleMsgRecv);
 
+            // Initialize timeout timer
+            _pauseTimer = new System.Timers.Timer();
+            _pauseTimer.AutoReset = false;
+            _pauseTimer.Interval = 5 * 60 * 1000;  // five minutes
+            _pauseTimer.Elapsed += (o, e) => { _paused = false; };
+
             // Check if there are any interfaces not detected by GetAllNetworkInterfaces()
             // That method will not show disabled interfaces
             _ignoreNics = ReadNicWhitelist();
@@ -260,6 +268,9 @@ namespace WifiSitter
             while (!_shutdownEvent.WaitOne(0)) {
 
                 if (_paused) {
+
+                    // TODO do network state checks while paused so state can be sent to client, if client has polled in the last 90 seconds
+
                     Thread.Sleep(1000);
                     continue;
                 }
@@ -332,6 +343,9 @@ namespace WifiSitter
         }
 
         private void ResetNicState (NetworkState netstate) {
+            if (netstate == null)
+                return;
+
             var taskList = new List<Task>();
             foreach (var n in netstate.OriginalNicState) {
                 var id   = n[0];
@@ -370,19 +384,35 @@ namespace WifiSitter
             WifiSitterIpcMessage _msg = null;
             try { _msg = Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<WifiSitterIpcMessage>(e.DataGram.Message); }
             catch { LogLine("Deserialize to WifiSitterIpcMessage failed."); }
-
+            WifiSitterIpcMessage response;
             if (_msg != null) {
-                if (_msg.Request == "get_netstate") {
-                    LogLine("Sending netstate to: {0}", _msg.Requestor);
-                    var response = new WifiSitterIpcMessage("give_netstate", _wsIpc.MyChannelName, "", Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.SerializeObject(new Model.SimpleNetworkState(netstate)));
-                    _wsIpc.MsgBroadcaster.SendToChannel(_msg.Target, response.IpcMessageJsonString());
+                switch (_msg.Request) {
+                    case "get_netstate":
+                        LogLine("Sending netstate to: {0}", _msg.Requestor);
+                        response = new WifiSitterIpcMessage("give_netstate", _wsIpc.MyChannelName, "", Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.SerializeObject(new Model.SimpleNetworkState(netstate)));
+                        _wsIpc.MsgBroadcaster.SendToChannel(_msg.Target, response.IpcMessageJsonString());
+                        break;
+                    case "take_five":
+                        try {
+                            LogLine("Taking 5 minute break and restoring interfaces.");
+                            _pauseTimer.Stop();
+                            _pauseTimer.Start();
+                            _paused = true;
+                            ResetNicState(netstate);
+                            response = new WifiSitterIpcMessage("taking_five", _wsIpc.MyChannelName, "", "");
+                            _wsIpc.MsgBroadcaster.SendToChannel(_msg.Target, response.IpcMessageJsonString());
+                        }
+                        catch { WriteLog(LogType.error, "Failed to enter paused state after 'take_five' request received."); }
+                        break;
+                    default:
+                        break;
                 }
             }
             else {
-                Trace.WriteLine(e.DataGram.Message);
+                Trace.WriteLine(String.Format("Message issue: {0}", e.DataGram.Message));
             }
         }
-
+        
         #endregion // methods
 
 
diff --git a/WifiSitterGui/TrayIconControl.xaml b/WifiSitterGui/TrayIconControl.xaml
index 7a5fc6e..2f479fc 100644
--- a/WifiSitterGui/TrayIconControl.xaml
+++ b/WifiSitterGui/TrayIconControl.xaml
@@ -23,10 +23,12 @@
             <tb:TaskbarIcon.ContextMenu>
                 <ContextMenu>
                     <MenuItem Header="Pause for 5 minutes" 
-                              ToolTip="Restores interfaces to original status." />
+                              ToolTip="Restores interfaces to original status." 
+                              Command="{Binding SendTakeFiveRequest}" />
                     <MenuItem Header="Status and Settings" 
                               ToolTip=""
                               Command="{Binding LaunchSettingsWindow}" />
+                    <Separator />
                     <MenuItem Header="Quit"
                               Click="ContextMenu_Quit"
                               Icon="{StaticResource CloseIcon}"
diff --git a/WifiSitterGui/ViewModel/WifiSitterAgentViewModel.cs b/WifiSitterGui/ViewModel/WifiSitterAgentViewModel.cs
index 481e367..cb0de08 100644
--- a/WifiSitterGui/ViewModel/WifiSitterAgentViewModel.cs
+++ b/WifiSitterGui/ViewModel/WifiSitterAgentViewModel.cs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ using System.Linq;
 using System.Text;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using System.Windows;
+using System.Windows.Input;
 using WifiSitter;
 using WifiSitter.Model;
 using WifiSitterGui.Helpers;
@@ -18,11 +19,13 @@ namespace WifiSitterGui.ViewModel
 
         private static MainWindowViewModel _windowVM;
         private RelayCommand _launchWindowCommand;
+        private RelayCommand _takeFiveCommand;  // Asks service to pause for 5 minutes
         private static MainWindow _statusGui;
         private static WifiSitterIpc _wsIpc;
         private Action<object, XDMessageEventArgs> _handleMsgRcv;
         private static string _serviceChannel;
-        
+        private System.Timers.Timer _netstateCheckTimer;
+
         #endregion  // fields
 
         #region constructor
@@ -43,16 +46,14 @@ namespace WifiSitterGui.ViewModel
             _handleMsgRcv = new Action<object, XDMessageEventArgs>(wsIpc_MessageReceived);
             _wsIpc = new WifiSitter.WifiSitterIpc(_handleMsgRcv);
 
-            Trace.WriteLine(String.Format("WifiSitter service msg channel: {0}", ServiceChannelName));
+            // Intermittent network state polling
+            _netstateCheckTimer = new System.Timers.Timer();
+            _netstateCheckTimer.AutoReset = true;
+            _netstateCheckTimer.Interval = 30 * 1000;  // 30 seconds
+            _netstateCheckTimer.Elapsed += (o, e) => { RequestNetworkState(); };
+            _netstateCheckTimer.Start();
 
-            if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(ServiceChannelName)) {
-                try {
-                    _wsIpc.MsgBroadcaster.SendToChannel(ServiceChannelName, new WifiSitterIpcMessage("get_netstate", _wsIpc.MyChannelName, _wsIpc.MyChannelName).IpcMessageJsonString());
-                }
-                catch (Exception e) {
-                    Trace.WriteLine(e.Message);
-                }
-            }
+            Trace.WriteLine(String.Format("WifiSitter service msg channel: {0}", ServiceChannelName));
         }
 
         #endregion  // constructor
@@ -82,19 +83,28 @@ namespace WifiSitterGui.ViewModel
                 return _serviceChannel;
             }
         }
-
-        private void GetServiceChannelName() {
-            
-        }
-
+        
         #endregion  // properties
 
         #region methods
+
+        private void RequestNetworkState () {
+            if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(ServiceChannelName)) {
+                try {
+                    Trace.WriteLine("Checking for network state.");
+                    _wsIpc.MsgBroadcaster.SendToChannel(ServiceChannelName, new WifiSitterIpcMessage("get_netstate", _wsIpc.MyChannelName, _wsIpc.MyChannelName).IpcMessageJsonString());
+                }
+                catch (Exception e) {
+                    Trace.WriteLine(e.Message);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         #endregion  // methods
 
         #region commands
 
-        public RelayCommand LaunchSettingsWindow {
+        public ICommand LaunchSettingsWindow {
             get {
                 if (_launchWindowCommand == null) {
                     _launchWindowCommand = new RelayCommand(() => {
@@ -114,6 +124,20 @@ namespace WifiSitterGui.ViewModel
             }
         }
 
+
+        public ICommand SendTakeFiveRequest {
+            get {
+                if (_takeFiveCommand == null) {
+                    _takeFiveCommand = new RelayCommand(() => {
+                        var request = new WifiSitterIpcMessage("take_five", _wsIpc.MyChannelName, _wsIpc.MyChannelName);
+                        _wsIpc.MsgBroadcaster.SendToChannel(_serviceChannel, request.IpcMessageJsonString());
+                        // TODO need response validation mechanism
+                    });
+                }
+                return _takeFiveCommand;
+            }
+        } 
+
         #endregion  // commands
 
         #region events
@@ -129,11 +153,20 @@ namespace WifiSitterGui.ViewModel
             catch { Trace.WriteLine("Deserialize to ServiceRequest failed."); }
 
             if (_sr != null) {
-                if (_sr.Request == "give_netstate") {
-                    try {
-                        WindowVM.NetState = Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<SimpleNetworkState>(System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(_sr.Payload));
-                    }
-                    catch { WifiSitter.WifiSitter.LogLine("Failed to deserialize netstate, payload."); }
+                switch (_sr.Request) {
+                    case "give_netstate":
+                        try { WindowVM.NetState = Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<SimpleNetworkState>(System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(_sr.Payload)); }
+                        catch { WifiSitter.WifiSitter.LogLine("Failed to deserialize netstate, payload."); }
+                        break;
+                    case "taking_five":
+                        Trace.WriteLine("Service paused.");
+                        break;
+                    case "service_status":
+                        // TODO issue service status update
+                        break;
+                    default:
+                        Trace.WriteLine(String.Format("Unknown request type: {0} from {1}", _sr?.Request, _sr?.Requestor));
+                        break;
                 }
             }
             else {