diff --git a/src/connection.cpp b/src/connection.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..089a384
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/connection.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,243 @@
+#include "connection.h"
+#include "mainwindow.h"
+#include "settings.h"
+#include "ui_connection.h"
+#include "rpc.h"
+
+#include "precompiled.h"
+
+using json = nlohmann::json;
+
+class LoadingDialog : public QDialog {
+    //Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    LoadingDialog(QWidget* parent);
+    ~LoadingDialog();
+public slots:
+    void reject();
+};
+
+LoadingDialog::LoadingDialog(QWidget* parent) : QDialog(parent) {}
+LoadingDialog::~LoadingDialog() {}
+void LoadingDialog::reject() {
+    //event->ignore();
+}
+
+ConnectionLoader::ConnectionLoader(MainWindow* main) {
+    this->main = main;
+
+    d = new LoadingDialog(main);
+    connD = new Ui_ConnectionDialog();
+    connD->setupUi(d);
+
+    // Center on screen
+    QRect screenGeometry = QApplication::desktop()->screenGeometry(d);
+    int x = (screenGeometry.width() - d->width()) / 2;
+    int y = (screenGeometry.height() - d->height()) / 2;
+    d->move(x, y);
+    connD->buttonBox->setEnabled(false);
+    d->show();
+}
+
+ConnectionLoader::~ConnectionLoader() {
+    delete d;
+    delete connD;
+}
+
+void ConnectionLoader::getConnection(std::function<void(RPC*)> cb) {    
+
+    // Priority 1: Try to connect to detect zcash.conf and connect to it.
+    bool isZcashConfPresent = false;
+    auto conn = autoDetectZcashConf();
+
+    // If not autodetected, go and read the UI Settings
+    if (conn.get() != nullptr)  {
+        isZcashConfPresent = true;
+    } else {
+        conn = loadFromSettings();
+
+        if (conn.get() == nullptr) {
+            // Nothing configured, show an error
+            auto explanation = QString()
+                    % "A zcash.conf was not found on this machine.\n\n"
+                    % "If you are connecting to a remote/non-standard node " 
+                    % "please set the host/port and user/password in the File->Settings menu.";
+
+            QIcon icon = QApplication::style()->standardIcon(QStyle::SP_MessageBoxCritical);
+            connD->icon->setPixmap(icon.pixmap(64, 64));
+            connD->status->setText(explanation);
+            connD->progressBar->setValue(0);
+
+            connD->buttonBox->setEnabled(true);
+            cb(nullptr);
+        }
+    }
+
+    QNetworkAccessManager* client = new QNetworkAccessManager(main);
+         
+    QUrl myurl;
+    myurl.setScheme("http");
+    myurl.setHost(Settings::getInstance()->getHost());
+    myurl.setPort(Settings::getInstance()->getPort().toInt());
+
+    QNetworkRequest* request = new QNetworkRequest();
+    request->setUrl(myurl);
+    request->setHeader(QNetworkRequest::ContentTypeHeader, "text/plain");
+    
+    QString headerData = "Basic " + Settings::getInstance()->getUsernamePassword().toLocal8Bit().toBase64();
+    request->setRawHeader("Authorization", headerData.toLocal8Bit());
+
+    auto connection = new Connection(client, request);
+    json payload = {
+        {"jsonrpc", "1.0"},
+        {"id", "someid"},
+        {"method", "getinfo"}
+    };
+    connection->doRPC(payload,
+        [=] (auto result) {
+            // Success
+            d->close();
+            cb(new RPC(connection, main));
+        },
+        [=] (auto err, auto res) {
+            // Failed
+            auto explanation = QString()
+                    % (isZcashConfPresent ? "A zcash.conf file was found, but a" : "A")
+                    % " connection to zcashd could not be established.\n\n"
+                    % "If you are connecting to a remote/non-standard node " 
+                    % "please set the host/port and user/password in the File->Settings menu.";
+
+            QIcon icon = QApplication::style()->standardIcon(QStyle::SP_MessageBoxCritical);
+            connD->icon->setPixmap(icon.pixmap(64, 64));
+            connD->status->setText(explanation);
+            connD->progressBar->setValue(0);
+
+            connD->buttonBox->setEnabled(true);
+        }
+    );
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Try to automatically detect a zcash.conf file in the correct location and load parameters
+ */ 
+std::shared_ptr<ConnectionConfig*> ConnectionLoader::autoDetectZcashConf() {    
+
+#ifdef Q_OS_LINUX
+    auto confLocation = QStandardPaths::locate(QStandardPaths::HomeLocation, ".zcash/zcash.conf");
+#elif defined(Q_OS_DARWIN)
+    auto confLocation = QStandardPaths::locate(QStandardPaths::HomeLocation, "/Library/Application Support/Zcash/zcash.conf");
+#else
+    auto confLocation = QStandardPaths::locate(QStandardPaths::AppDataLocation, "../../Zcash/zcash.conf");
+#endif
+
+    confLocation = QDir::cleanPath(confLocation);
+
+    if (confLocation.isNull()) {
+        // No zcash file, just return with nothing
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    QFile file(confLocation);
+    if (!file.open(QIODevice::ReadOnly)) {
+        qDebug() << file.errorString();
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
+    QTextStream in(&file);
+
+    auto zcashconf = new ConnectionConfig();
+    zcashconf->host     = "127.0.0.1";
+    zcashconf->connType = ConnectionType::DetectedConfExternalZcashD;
+
+    while (!in.atEnd()) {
+        QString line = in.readLine();
+        auto s = line.indexOf("=");
+        QString name  = line.left(s).trimmed().toLower();
+        QString value = line.right(line.length() - s - 1).trimmed();
+
+        if (name == "rpcuser") {
+            zcashconf->rpcuser = value;
+        }
+        if (name == "rpcpassword") {
+            zcashconf->rpcpassword = value;
+        }
+        if (name == "rpcport") {
+            zcashconf->port = value;
+        }
+        if (name == "testnet" &&
+            value == "1"  &&
+            zcashconf->port.isEmpty()) {
+                zcashconf->port = "18232";
+        }
+    }
+
+    // If rpcport is not in the file, and it was not set by the testnet=1 flag, then go to default
+    if (zcashconf->port.isEmpty()) zcashconf->port = "8232";
+
+    file.close();
+
+    return std::make_shared<ConnectionConfig*>(zcashconf);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Load connection settings from the UI, which indicates an unknown, external zcashd
+ */ 
+std::shared_ptr<ConnectionConfig*> ConnectionLoader::loadFromSettings() {
+    // Load from the QT Settings. 
+    QSettings s;
+    
+    auto host        = s.value("connection/host").toString();
+    auto port        = s.value("connection/port").toString();
+    auto username    = s.value("connection/rpcuser").toString();
+    auto password    = s.value("connection/rpcpassword").toString();    
+
+    if (username.isEmpty() || password.isEmpty())
+        return nullptr;
+
+    auto uiConfig = new ConnectionConfig{ host, port, username, password, ConnectionType::UISettingsZCashD };
+
+    return std::make_shared<ConnectionConfig*>(uiConfig);
+}
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Connection::Connection(QNetworkAccessManager* c, QNetworkRequest* r) {
+    this->restclient  = c;
+    this->request = r;
+}
+
+Connection::~Connection() {
+    delete restclient;
+    delete request;
+}
+
+
+
+void Connection::doRPC(const json& payload, const std::function<void(json)>& cb, 
+                       const std::function<void(QNetworkReply::NetworkError, const json&)>& ne) {
+    QNetworkReply *reply = restclient->post(*request, QByteArray::fromStdString(payload.dump()));
+
+    QObject::connect(reply, &QNetworkReply::finished, [=] {
+        reply->deleteLater();
+        
+        if (reply->error() != QNetworkReply::NoError) {
+            auto parsed = json::parse(reply->readAll(), nullptr, false);
+            ne(reply->error(), parsed);
+            
+            return;
+        } 
+        
+        auto parsed = json::parse(reply->readAll(), nullptr, false);
+        if (parsed.is_discarded()) {
+            ne(reply->error(), "Unknown error");
+        }
+        
+        cb(parsed["result"]);        
+    });
+}
diff --git a/src/connection.h b/src/connection.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c329fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/connection.h
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+#ifndef CONNECTION_H
+#define CONNECTION_H
+
+#include "ui_connection.h"
+#include "precompiled.h"
+
+using json = nlohmann::json;
+
+class MainWindow;
+class RPC;
+
+enum ConnectionType {
+    DetectedConfExternalZcashD = 1,
+    UISettingsZCashD,
+    InternalZcashD
+};
+
+struct ConnectionConfig {
+    QString host;
+    QString port;
+    QString rpcuser;
+    QString rpcpassword;
+
+    ConnectionType connType;
+};
+
+class LoadingDialog;
+
+class ConnectionLoader {
+
+public:
+    ConnectionLoader(MainWindow* main);
+    ~ConnectionLoader();
+
+    void getConnection(std::function<void(RPC*)> cb);
+
+private:
+    std::shared_ptr<ConnectionConfig*> autoDetectZcashConf();
+    std::shared_ptr<ConnectionConfig*> loadFromSettings();
+
+    LoadingDialog*          d;
+    Ui_ConnectionDialog*    connD;
+    MainWindow*             main;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Represents a connection to a zcashd. It may even start a new zcashd if needed.
+ * This is also a UI class, so it may show a dialog waiting for the connection.
+*/
+class Connection {
+public:
+    Connection(QNetworkAccessManager* c, QNetworkRequest* r);
+    ~Connection();
+
+
+    QNetworkAccessManager*  restclient;
+    QNetworkRequest*        request;
+
+    void doRPC(const json& payload, const std::function<void(json)>& cb, 
+               const std::function<void(QNetworkReply::NetworkError, const json&)>& ne);
+
+};
+
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/connection.ui b/src/connection.ui
index 7450240..7c83748 100644
--- a/src/connection.ui
+++ b/src/connection.ui
@@ -11,10 +11,13 @@
    </rect>
   </property>
   <property name="windowTitle">
-   <string>Connecting to zcashd</string>
+   <string>zec-qt-wallet</string>
+  </property>
+  <property name="modal">
+   <bool>true</bool>
   </property>
   <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout">
-   <item row="2" column="0">
+   <item row="2" column="1">
     <widget class="QDialogButtonBox" name="buttonBox">
      <property name="orientation">
       <enum>Qt::Horizontal</enum>
@@ -24,17 +27,27 @@
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
-   <item row="1" column="0">
-    <widget class="QProgressBar" name="progressBar">
-     <property name="value">
-      <number>24</number>
+   <item row="0" column="1">
+    <widget class="QLabel" name="status">
+     <property name="text">
+      <string>Connection Status</string>
+     </property>
+     <property name="wordWrap">
+      <bool>true</bool>
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
    <item row="0" column="0">
-    <widget class="QLabel" name="status">
+    <widget class="QLabel" name="icon">
      <property name="text">
-      <string>Connection Status</string>
+      <string>TextLabel</string>
+     </property>
+    </widget>
+   </item>
+   <item row="1" column="0" colspan="2">
+    <widget class="QProgressBar" name="progressBar">
+     <property name="value">
+      <number>24</number>
      </property>
     </widget>
    </item>
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 6f1c5c1..36febd2 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -19,12 +19,11 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     #endif
 
     std::srand(std::time(nullptr));
+    Settings::init();
 
     QCoreApplication::setOrganizationName("zec-qt-wallet-org");
     QCoreApplication::setApplicationName("zec-qt-wallet");
 
-    Settings::init();
-
     MainWindow w;
     w.setWindowTitle("zec-qt-wallet v" + QString(APP_VERSION));
     w.show();
diff --git a/src/mainwindow.cpp b/src/mainwindow.cpp
index d5bd7e8..c5ac6c2 100644
--- a/src/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "turnstile.h"
 #include "senttxstore.h"
+#include "connection.h"
 
 #include "precompiled.h"
 
@@ -62,13 +63,17 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent) :
     setupBalancesTab();
     setupTurnstileDialog();
 
-    rpc = new RPC(new QNetworkAccessManager(this), this);
-    rpc->refreshZECPrice();
-
-    rpc->refresh(true);  // Force refresh first time
-
     restoreSavedStates();
+
+    new ConnectionLoader(this).getConnection([=] (RPC* rpc) {
+        if (rpc == nullptr)
+            return;
+        this->rpc = rpc;
+        this->rpc->refreshZECPrice();
+        this->rpc->refresh(true);  // Force refresh first time
+    });    
 }
+ 
 
 void MainWindow::restoreSavedStates() {
     QSettings s;
@@ -385,11 +390,14 @@ void MainWindow::setupSettingsModal() {
                     settings.rpcuser->text(),
                     settings.rpcpassword->text());
                 
-                this->rpc->reloadConnectionInfo();
+                auto me = this;
+                ConnectionLoader(this).getConnection([&me] (auto newrpc) {
+                    delete me->rpc;
+                    me->rpc = newrpc;
+                    // Then refresh everything.            
+                    me->rpc->refresh(true);            
+                });
             }
-
-            // Then refresh everything.            
-            this->rpc->refresh(true);            
         };
     });
 
diff --git a/src/mainwindow.h b/src/mainwindow.h
index 614cbf6..b7c50bd 100644
--- a/src/mainwindow.h
+++ b/src/mainwindow.h
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ private:
 
     void restoreSavedStates();
 
-    RPC*       rpc;
+    RPC*       rpc  = nullptr;
 
     QMovie*    loadingMovie;
 };
diff --git a/src/precompiled.h b/src/precompiled.h
index 8c6b605..9c045fd 100644
--- a/src/precompiled.h
+++ b/src/precompiled.h
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 #include <ctime>
 #include <cmath>
 
-#include <QApplication>
 #include <QFontDatabase>
 #include <QAbstractTableModel>
 #include <QClipboard>
@@ -23,6 +22,7 @@
 #include <QDateTime>
 #include <QTimer>
 #include <QSettings>
+#include <QStyle>
 #include <QFile>
 #include <QErrorMessage>
 #include <QApplication>
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@
 #include <QAbstractTableModel>
 #include <QAbstractItemModel>
 #include <QObject>
+#include <QApplication>
+#include <QDesktopWidget>
 
 #include "3rdparty/json/json.hpp"
 #include "3rdparty/qrcode/QrCode.hpp"
diff --git a/src/rpc.cpp b/src/rpc.cpp
index 87d0f89..77a2fd2 100644
--- a/src/rpc.cpp
+++ b/src/rpc.cpp
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 
 using json = nlohmann::json;
 
-RPC::RPC(QNetworkAccessManager* client, MainWindow* main) {
-    this->restclient = client;
+RPC::RPC(Connection* conn, MainWindow* main) {
+    this->conn = conn;
     this->main = main;
     this->ui = main->ui;
 
@@ -26,8 +26,6 @@ RPC::RPC(QNetworkAccessManager* client, MainWindow* main) {
     main->ui->transactionsTable->setColumnWidth(2, 200);
     main->ui->transactionsTable->horizontalHeader()->setSectionResizeMode(3, QHeaderView::Stretch);
 
-    reloadConnectionInfo();
-
     // Set up timer to refresh Price
     priceTimer = new QTimer(main);
     QObject::connect(priceTimer, &QTimer::timeout, [=]() {
@@ -49,7 +47,6 @@ RPC::RPC(QNetworkAccessManager* client, MainWindow* main) {
     });
     // Start at every 10s. When an operation is pending, this will change to every second
     txTimer->start(Utils::updateSpeed);  
-
 }
 
 RPC::~RPC() {
@@ -64,27 +61,12 @@ RPC::~RPC() {
     delete allBalances;
     delete zaddresses;
 
-    delete restclient;
+    delete conn;
 }
 
-void RPC::reloadConnectionInfo() {
-    // Reset for any errors caused.
-    firstTime = true;
-         
-    QUrl myurl;
-    myurl.setScheme("http"); //https also applicable
-    myurl.setHost(Settings::getInstance()->getHost());
-    myurl.setPort(Settings::getInstance()->getPort().toInt());
-
-    request.setUrl(myurl);
-    request.setHeader(QNetworkRequest::ContentTypeHeader, "text/plain");
-    
-    QString headerData = "Basic " + Settings::getInstance()->getUsernamePassword().toLocal8Bit().toBase64();
-    request.setRawHeader("Authorization", headerData.toLocal8Bit());
-}
 
 void RPC::doRPC(const json& payload, const std::function<void(json)>& cb) {
-    QNetworkReply *reply = restclient->post(request, QByteArray::fromStdString(payload.dump()));
+    QNetworkReply *reply = conn->restclient->post(*conn->request, QByteArray::fromStdString(payload.dump()));
 
     QObject::connect(reply, &QNetworkReply::finished, [=] {
         reply->deleteLater();
@@ -230,7 +212,7 @@ void RPC::getTransactions(const std::function<void(json)>& cb) {
 }
 
 void RPC::doSendRPC(const json& payload, const std::function<void(json)>& cb, const std::function<void(QString)>& err) {
-    QNetworkReply *reply = restclient->post(request, QByteArray::fromStdString(payload.dump()));
+    QNetworkReply *reply = conn->restclient->post(*conn->request, QByteArray::fromStdString(payload.dump()));
 
     QObject::connect(reply, &QNetworkReply::finished, [=] {
         reply->deleteLater();
@@ -790,7 +772,7 @@ void RPC::refreshZECPrice() {
     QNetworkRequest req;
     req.setUrl(cmcURL);
     
-    QNetworkReply *reply = restclient->get(req);
+    QNetworkReply *reply = conn->restclient->get(req);
 
     QObject::connect(reply, &QNetworkReply::finished, [=] {
         reply->deleteLater();
diff --git a/src/rpc.h b/src/rpc.h
index c789bcd..887451e 100644
--- a/src/rpc.h
+++ b/src/rpc.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include "txtablemodel.h"
 #include "ui_mainwindow.h"
 #include "mainwindow.h"
+#include "connection.h"
 
 using json = nlohmann::json;
 
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ struct TransactionItem {
 class RPC
 {
 public:
-    RPC(QNetworkAccessManager* restclient, MainWindow* main);    
+    RPC(Connection* conn, MainWindow* main);
     ~RPC();
 
     void refresh(bool force = false);
@@ -45,8 +46,6 @@ public:
     const QList<UnspentOutput>*       getUTXOs()          { return utxos; }
     const QMap<QString, double>*      getAllBalances()    { return allBalances; }
 
-    void reloadConnectionInfo();
-
     void newZaddr(bool sapling, const std::function<void(json)>& cb);
     void newTaddr(const std::function<void(json)>& cb);
 
@@ -69,7 +68,7 @@ public:
         for (auto item: payloads) {
             json payload = payloadGenerator(item);
             
-            QNetworkReply *reply = restclient->post(request, QByteArray::fromStdString(payload.dump()));
+            QNetworkReply *reply = conn->restclient->post(*conn->request, QByteArray::fromStdString(payload.dump()));
 
             QObject::connect(reply, &QNetworkReply::finished, [=] {
                 reply->deleteLater();
@@ -133,8 +132,7 @@ private:
     void handleConnectionError  (const QString& error);
     void handleTxError          (const QString& error);
 
-    QNetworkAccessManager*      restclient;    
-    QNetworkRequest             request;
+    Connection*                 conn                        = nullptr;
 
     QList<UnspentOutput>*       utxos                       = nullptr;
     QMap<QString, double>*      allBalances                 = nullptr;
diff --git a/zec-qt-wallet.pro b/zec-qt-wallet.pro
index efd6b04..51f74b7 100644
--- a/zec-qt-wallet.pro
+++ b/zec-qt-wallet.pro
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ SOURCES += \
     src/txtablemodel.cpp \
 	src/turnstile.cpp \
     src/utils.cpp \
-    src/qrcodelabel.cpp
+    src/qrcodelabel.cpp \
+    src/connection.cpp
 
 HEADERS += \
     src/mainwindow.h \
@@ -70,7 +71,8 @@ HEADERS += \
     src/senttxstore.h \
 	src/turnstile.h \
     src/utils.h \
-    src/qrcodelabel.h
+    src/qrcodelabel.h \
+    src/connection.h
 
 FORMS += \
     src/mainwindow.ui \