diff --git a/include/serial/impl/unix.h b/include/serial/impl/unix.h
index 5d99ebc..9fe739a 100644
--- a/include/serial/impl/unix.h
+++ b/include/serial/impl/unix.h
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ private:
 	bool isOpen_;
 	
 	int interCharTimeout_;
+	int writeTimeout_;
 	int xonxoff_;
 	int rtscts_;
 
diff --git a/include/serial/serial.h b/include/serial/serial.h
index 60733c4..b4bca19 100644
--- a/include/serial/serial.h
+++ b/include/serial/serial.h
@@ -39,12 +39,8 @@
 
 #include <string>
 #include <sstream>
-
-#ifdef CXX_11
-#include <memory>
-#else
-// #include <tr1/boost_shared_ptr.h>
-#endif
+#include <vector>
+#include <limits>
 
 namespace serial {
 
@@ -159,6 +155,11 @@ public:
   void
   close ();
 
+  /* Return the number of characters in the buffer.
+  */
+  size_t
+  available();
+
   /*! Read a given amount of bytes from the serial port.
   * 
   * If a timeout is set it may return less characters than requested. With
@@ -172,8 +173,8 @@ public:
   * 
   * \return A size_t representing the number of bytes actually read.
   */
-  size_t
-  read (unsigned char* buffer, size_t size = 1);
+  //size_t
+  //read (unsigned char* buffer, size_t size = 1);
 
   /*! Read a given amount of bytes from the serial port.
   * 
@@ -188,6 +189,9 @@ public:
   std::string
   read (size_t size = 1);
 
+  std::string readline(size_t size = std::numeric_limits<std::size_t>::max(), std::string eol = "\n");
+  std::vector<std::string> readlines(std::string eol = "\n");
+
   /*! Read a given amount of bytes from the serial port.
   * 
   * Reads into a std::string by reference rather than returning it.
@@ -199,8 +203,8 @@ public:
   * 
   * \see Serial::read(size_t)
   */
-  size_t
-  read (std::string &buffer, size_t size = 1);
+  //size_t
+  //read (std::string &buffer, size_t size = 1);
 
   /*! Write bytes from the data to the serial port by given length.
   * 
@@ -211,8 +215,8 @@ public:
   * 
   * \return A size_t representing the number of bytes actually written.
   */
-  size_t
-  write (unsigned char* data, size_t length);
+  //size_t
+  //write (unsigned char* data, size_t length);
 
   /*! Write a string to the serial port.
   * 
diff --git a/src/impl/unix.cc b/src/impl/unix.cc
index 261824c..766aba4 100644
--- a/src/impl/unix.cc
+++ b/src/impl/unix.cc
@@ -219,8 +219,8 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::read (size_t size) {
 		FD_ZERO(&readfds);
 		FD_SET(fd_, &readfds);
 		struct timeval timeout;
-		timeout.tv_sec = timeout_ / 1000000;
-		timeout.tv_usec = timeout_ % 1000000;
+		timeout.tv_sec = timeout_ / 1000;
+		timeout.tv_usec = timeout_ % 1000;
 		int r = select(1, &readfds, NULL, NULL, &timeout);
 	
 		if (r == -1 && errno == EINTR)
@@ -253,7 +253,15 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::read (size_t size) {
 
 size_t
 Serial::SerialImpl::write (const string &data) {
-  
+  if (isOpen_ == false) {
+		throw "portNotOpenError";
+	}
+  size_t t = data.length();
+	size_t n = ::write(fd_, data.c_str(), data.length());
+	if (n == -1) {
+		throw "Write error";
+	}
+  return n;
 }
 
 void
@@ -268,12 +276,12 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::getPort () const {
 
 void
 Serial::SerialImpl::setTimeout (long timeout) {
-  
+  timeout_ = timeout;
 }
 
 long
 Serial::SerialImpl::getTimeout () const {
-  
+  return timeout_;
 }
 
 void
@@ -289,42 +297,42 @@ Serial::SerialImpl::getBaudrate () const {
 
 void
 Serial::SerialImpl::setBytesize (serial::bytesize_t bytesize) {
-  
+	bytesize_ = bytesize;
 }
 
 serial::bytesize_t
 Serial::SerialImpl::getBytesize () const {
-  
+  return bytesize_;
 }
 
 void
 Serial::SerialImpl::setParity (serial::parity_t parity) {
-  
+  parity_ = parity;
 }
 
 serial::parity_t
 Serial::SerialImpl::getParity () const {
-  
+  return parity_;
 }
 
 void
 Serial::SerialImpl::setStopbits (serial::stopbits_t stopbits) {
-  
+  stopbits_ = stopbits;
 }
 
 serial::stopbits_t
 Serial::SerialImpl::getStopbits () const {
-  
+  return stopbits_;
 }
 
 void
 Serial::SerialImpl::setFlowcontrol (serial::flowcontrol_t flowcontrol) {
-  
+  flowcontrol_ = flowcontrol;
 }
 
 serial::flowcontrol_t
 Serial::SerialImpl::getFlowcontrol () const {
-  
+  return flowcontrol_;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/serial.cc b/src/serial.cc
index 4c1bfba..804c7f7 100644
--- a/src/serial.cc
+++ b/src/serial.cc
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ using serial::parity_t;
 using serial::stopbits_t;
 using serial::flowcontrol_t;
 using std::string;
+using std::vector;
 
 Serial::Serial (const string &port, int baudrate, 
                             long timeout, bytesize_t bytesize,
@@ -42,18 +43,65 @@ Serial::isOpen () {
 }
 
 size_t
-Serial::read (unsigned char* buffer, size_t size) {
- // return this->pimpl->read (buffer, size);
+Serial::available () {
+  return this->pimpl->available();
 }
 
+//size_t
+//Serial::read (unsigned char* buffer, size_t size) {
+ // return this->pimpl->read (buffer, size);
+//}
+
 string
 Serial::read (size_t size) {
   return this->pimpl->read (size);
 }
 
-size_t
-Serial::read (string &buffer, size_t size) {
-//  return this->pimpl->read (buffer, size);
+string
+Serial::readline(size_t size, string eol) {
+  size_t leneol = eol.length();
+  string line;
+  while (true) {
+    string c = read(1);
+    if (c.empty()) {
+      line += c;
+      if (line.substr(line.length() - leneol, leneol) == eol) {
+        break;
+      }
+      if (line.length() >= size) {
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    else {
+      // Timeout
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return line;
+}
+
+vector<string>
+Serial::readlines(string eol) {
+  if (this->pimpl->getTimeout() < 0) {
+    throw "Error, must be set for readlines";
+  }
+  size_t leneol = eol.length();
+  vector<string> lines;
+  while (true) {
+    string line = readline(std::numeric_limits<std::size_t>::max(), eol);
+    if (!line.empty()) {
+      lines.push_back(line);
+      if (line.substr(line.length() - leneol, leneol) == eol)
+        break;
+    }
+    else {
+      // Timeout
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return lines;
 }
 
 //size_t