         //does nothing, but fixes bug in swift
     }
     //disconnect the stream object
-    func disconnectStream(error: NSError?) {
+    private func disconnectStream(error: NSError?) {
         if _writeQueue != nil {
             _writeQueue!.waitUntilAllOperationsAreFinished()
         }

        return baseKey!
    }
    //Start the stream connection and write the data to the output stream
    func initStreamsWithData(data: NSData, _ port: Int) {
        //higher level API we will cut over to at some point
        //NSStream.getStreamsToHostWithName(_url.host, port: _url.port.integerValue, inputStream: &_inputStream, outputStream: &_outputStream)
        

        }
    }
    //delegate for the stream methods. Processes incoming bytes
    private func stream(aStream: NSStream!, handleEvent eventCode: NSStreamEvent) {
        
        if eventCode == .HasBytesAvailable {
            if(aStream == _inputStream) {
