diff --git a/Application/Application.csproj b/Application/Application.csproj
index a1fc11b2f..112c78758 100644
--- a/Application/Application.csproj
+++ b/Application/Application.csproj
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <RuntimeFrameworkVersion>2.1.5</RuntimeFrameworkVersion>
     <MvcRazorExcludeRefAssembliesFromPublish>false</MvcRazorExcludeRefAssembliesFromPublish>
     <PackageId>RaidMax.IW4MAdmin.Application</PackageId>
-    <Version>2.2.2.0</Version>
+    <Version>2.2.2.2</Version>
     <Authors>RaidMax</Authors>
     <Company>Forever None</Company>
     <Product>IW4MAdmin</Product>
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@
   <PropertyGroup>
     <ServerGarbageCollection>true</ServerGarbageCollection>
     <TieredCompilation>true</TieredCompilation>
-    <AssemblyVersion>2.2.2.0</AssemblyVersion>
-    <FileVersion>2.2.2.0</FileVersion>
+    <AssemblyVersion>2.2.2.2</AssemblyVersion>
+    <FileVersion>2.2.2.2</FileVersion>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
   <ItemGroup>
diff --git a/IW4MAdmin.sln b/IW4MAdmin.sln
index 679c734e5..e1181a734 100644
--- a/IW4MAdmin.sln
+++ b/IW4MAdmin.sln
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ Project("{2150E333-8FDC-42A3-9474-1A3956D46DE8}") = "ScriptPlugins", "ScriptPlug
 	ProjectSection(SolutionItems) = preProject
 		Plugins\ScriptPlugins\SharedGUIDKick.js = Plugins\ScriptPlugins\SharedGUIDKick.js
 		Plugins\ScriptPlugins\VPNDetection.js = Plugins\ScriptPlugins\VPNDetection.js
-		Plugins\ScriptPlugins\VpnDetectionPrivate.js = Plugins\ScriptPlugins\VpnDetectionPrivate.js
 	EndProjectSection
 EndProject
 Project("{888888A0-9F3D-457C-B088-3A5042F75D52}") = "GameLogServer", "GameLogServer\GameLogServer.pyproj", "{42EFDA12-10D3-4C40-A210-9483520116BC}"
diff --git a/SharedLibraryCore/Objects/EFClient.cs b/SharedLibraryCore/Objects/EFClient.cs
index 64be97a29..3de81f3d3 100644
--- a/SharedLibraryCore/Objects/EFClient.cs
+++ b/SharedLibraryCore/Objects/EFClient.cs
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ namespace SharedLibraryCore.Database.Models
                     // hack: re apply the automated offense to the reban
                     if (currentBan.AutomatedOffense != null)
                     {
-                        autoKickClient.AdministeredPenalties.Add(new EFPenalty()
+                        autoKickClient.AdministeredPenalties?.Add(new EFPenalty()
                         {
                             AutomatedOffense = currentBan.AutomatedOffense
                         });
diff --git a/SharedLibraryCore/RCon/Connection.cs b/SharedLibraryCore/RCon/Connection.cs
index af1989d85..62b47918c 100644
--- a/SharedLibraryCore/RCon/Connection.cs
+++ b/SharedLibraryCore/RCon/Connection.cs
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ using System.Collections.Concurrent;
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Net;
 using System.Net.Sockets;
-using System.Text;
 using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 
@@ -29,7 +28,8 @@ namespace SharedLibraryCore.RCon
         static readonly ConcurrentDictionary<EndPoint, ConnectionState> ActiveQueries = new ConcurrentDictionary<EndPoint, ConnectionState>();
         public IPEndPoint Endpoint { get; private set; }
         public string RConPassword { get; private set; }
-        ILogger Log;
+
+        private readonly ILogger Log;
 
         public Connection(string ipAddress, int port, string password, ILogger log)
         {
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ namespace SharedLibraryCore.RCon
 
             byte[] response = null;
 
-            retrySend:
+        retrySend:
             using (var socket = new Socket(AddressFamily.InterNetwork, SocketType.Dgram, ProtocolType.Udp)
             {
                 //DontFragment = true,
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ namespace SharedLibraryCore.RCon
                 {
                     response = await SendPayloadAsync(payload, waitForResponse);
 
-                    if (response.Length == 0)
+                    if (response.Length == 0 && waitForResponse)
                     {
                         throw new Exception();
                     }
diff --git a/SharedLibraryCore/Services/ClientService.cs b/SharedLibraryCore/Services/ClientService.cs
index f7adb47ec..87c87615e 100644
--- a/SharedLibraryCore/Services/ClientService.cs
+++ b/SharedLibraryCore/Services/ClientService.cs
@@ -50,6 +50,12 @@ namespace SharedLibraryCore.Services
 
         public async Task UpdateAlias(EFClient entity)
         {
+            // todo: move this out
+            if (entity.IsBot)
+            {
+                return;
+            }
+
             using (var context = new DatabaseContext())
             {
                 context.Attach(entity);
@@ -60,10 +66,16 @@ namespace SharedLibraryCore.Services
                 bool hasExistingAlias = false;
 
                 // get all aliases by IP
-                var aliases = await context.Aliases
+                var iqAliases = context.Aliases
                     .Include(a => a.Link)
-                    .Where(a => a.IPAddress != null && a.IPAddress == ip)
-                    .ToListAsync();
+                    .Where(a => a.Link.Active)
+                    .Where(a => (a.IPAddress != null && a.IPAddress == ip) ||
+                    a.LinkId == entity.AliasLinkId);
+
+#if DEBUG == true
+                var aliasSql = iqAliases.ToSql();
+#endif
+                var aliases = await iqAliases.ToListAsync();
 
                 // see if they have a matching IP + Name but new NetworkId
                 var existingAlias = aliases.FirstOrDefault(a => a.Name == name);
@@ -112,6 +124,7 @@ namespace SharedLibraryCore.Services
 
                     existingAlias = alias;
                     aliasLink = _aliasLink;
+                    await context.SaveChangesAsync();
                 }
 
                 // if no existing alias create new alias
@@ -128,10 +141,24 @@ namespace SharedLibraryCore.Services
                     entity.CurrentServer.Logger.WriteDebug($"Connecting player does not have an existing alias {entity}");
                 }
 
-                entity.Level = hasExistingAlias ?
-                    await context.Clients.Where(c => c.AliasLinkId == existingAlias.LinkId)
-                        .MaxAsync(c => c.Level) :
-                    Permission.User;
+                else
+                {
+                    var linkIds = aliases.Select(a => a.LinkId);
+
+                    if (linkIds.Count() > 0)
+                    {
+                        var highestLevel = await context.Clients
+                            .Where(c => linkIds.Contains(c.AliasLinkId))
+                            .MaxAsync(c => c.Level);
+
+                        if (entity.Level != highestLevel)
+                        {
+                            context.Update(entity);
+                            entity.Level = highestLevel;
+                            await context.SaveChangesAsync();
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
 
                 if (entity.CurrentAlias != existingAlias ||
                     entity.AliasLink != aliasLink)
diff --git a/SharedLibraryCore/Utilities.cs b/SharedLibraryCore/Utilities.cs
index ad8749a9b..18ab803f8 100644
--- a/SharedLibraryCore/Utilities.cs
+++ b/SharedLibraryCore/Utilities.cs
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ namespace SharedLibraryCore
                 CurrentAlias = new EFAlias()
                 {
                     Name = "IW4MAdmin"
-                }
+                },
+                AdministeredPenalties = new List<EFPenalty>()
             };
         }