diff --git a/helpers/libraries/errorHandlers.js b/helpers/libraries/errorHandlers.js
index e07632a5..b7ea5a37 100644
--- a/helpers/libraries/errorHandlers.js
+++ b/helpers/libraries/errorHandlers.js
@@ -3,16 +3,19 @@ const { postToStats } = require('../../controllers/statsController.js');
 
 module.exports = {
   handleRequestError (action, originalUrl, ip, error, res) {
-    logger.error('Request Error >>', error.message);
+    logger.error('Request Error >>', error);
     if (error.response) {
       postToStats(action, originalUrl, ip, error.response.data.error.messsage);
       res.status(error.response.status).send(error.response.data.error.message);
     } else if (error.code === 'ECONNREFUSED') {
       postToStats(action, originalUrl, ip, 'Connection refused.  The daemon may not be running.');
       res.status(503).send('Connection refused.  The daemon may not be running.');
-    } else {
+    } else if (error.message) {
       postToStats(action, originalUrl, ip, error);
       res.status(400).send(error.message);
+    } else {
+      postToStats(action, originalUrl, ip, error);
+      res.status(400).send(error);
     }
   },
   handlePublishError (error) {
diff --git a/public/assets/css/allStyle.css b/public/assets/css/allStyle.css
index 1feb4c45..cb258dea 100644
--- a/public/assets/css/allStyle.css
+++ b/public/assets/css/allStyle.css
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ footer {
 .panel {
 	overflow: auto;
 	word-wrap: break-word;
-	margin-bottom: 1em;
 }
 
 .col-left, .col-right {
@@ -73,6 +72,7 @@ h1 {
 
 h2 {
 	font-size: medium;
+	margin-top: 1em;
 	border-top: 1px #999 solid;
 	background-color: lightgray;
 	padding: 6px;
diff --git a/public/assets/css/componentStyle.css b/public/assets/css/componentStyle.css
index ef8a795b..d1603d2d 100644
--- a/public/assets/css/componentStyle.css
+++ b/public/assets/css/componentStyle.css
@@ -12,6 +12,13 @@
 	margin: 2px 5px 2px 5px;
 }
 
+/* show routes */
+
+.show-image {
+	width: 100%;
+	padding-top: 1em;
+}
+
 /*  learn more */
 .learn-more {
 	text-align: center;
@@ -82,6 +89,7 @@
 
 #image-preview {
 	display: none;
+	margin-bottom: 1em;
 }
 
 /* meme */
diff --git a/routes/api-routes.js b/routes/api-routes.js
index a49c5e58..46b90530 100644
--- a/routes/api-routes.js
+++ b/routes/api-routes.js
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ const { postToStats, sendGoogleAnalytics } = require('../controllers/statsContro
 
 module.exports = app => {
   // route to run a claim_list request on the daemon
-  app.get('/api/claim_list/:name', ({ ip, originalUrl, params }, res) => {
+  app.get('/api/claim_list/:name', ({ headers, ip, originalUrl, params }, res) => {
     // google analytics
-    sendGoogleAnalytics('serve', ip, originalUrl);
+    sendGoogleAnalytics('serve', headers, ip, originalUrl);
     // log
     logger.verbose(`GET request on ${originalUrl} from ${ip}`);
     // serve the content
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ module.exports = app => {
       });
   });
   // route to run a resolve request on the daemon
-  app.get('/api/resolve/:uri', ({ ip, originalUrl, params }, res) => {
+  app.get('/api/resolve/:uri', ({ headers, ip, originalUrl, params }, res) => {
     // google analytics
-    sendGoogleAnalytics('serve', ip, originalUrl);
+    sendGoogleAnalytics('serve', headers, ip, originalUrl);
     // log
     logger.verbose(`GET request on ${originalUrl} from ${ip}`);
     // serve content
@@ -62,9 +62,9 @@ module.exports = app => {
       });
   });
   // route to run a publish request on the daemon
-  app.post('/api/publish', multipartMiddleware, ({ body, files, ip, originalUrl }, res) => {
+  app.post('/api/publish', multipartMiddleware, ({ body, files, headers, ip, originalUrl }, res) => {
     // google analytics
-    sendGoogleAnalytics('publish', ip, originalUrl);
+    sendGoogleAnalytics('publish', headers, ip, originalUrl);
     // log
     logger.verbose(`POST request on ${originalUrl} from ${ip}`);
     // validate that a file was provided
diff --git a/routes/serve-routes.js b/routes/serve-routes.js
index 870e5061..e9333814 100644
--- a/routes/serve-routes.js
+++ b/routes/serve-routes.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function serveFile ({ fileName, fileType, filePath }, res) {
     case 'video/mp4':
       break;
     default:
-      logger.warn('sending unknown file type as .jpeg');
+      logger.warn('sending file with unknown type as .jpeg');
       options['headers']['Content-Type'] = 'image/jpeg';
       break;
   }
@@ -31,43 +31,13 @@ function serveFile ({ fileName, fileType, filePath }, res) {
   res.status(200).sendFile(filePath, options);
 }
 
-function servePage ({ fileName, fileType, filePath }, res) {
-  logger.info(`serving show page for ${fileName}`);
+function servePage ({ fileName, filePath }, res) {
+  logger.debug(`serving show page for ${fileName}`);
   // set default options
-  let options = {
-    name: fileName,
-    type: {
-      jpeg: false,
-      gif : false,
-      png : false,
-      mp4 : false,
-    },
-    path: filePath,
-  };
-  switch (fileType) {
-    case 'image/jpeg':
-      options['type']['jpeg'] = true;
-      break;
-    case 'image/gif':
-      options['type']['gif'] = true;
-      break;
-    case 'image/png':
-      options['type']['png'] = true;
-      break;
-    case 'video/mp4':
-      options['type']['mp4'] = true;
-      break;
-    default:
-      options['type']['jpeg'] = true;
-      logger.warn('sending show page with unknown file type');
-      break;
-  }
-  // send file
-  res.status(200).render('show', options);
+  res.status(200).render('show', { filePath });
 }
 
 function sendAnalyticsAndLog (headers, ip, originalUrl) {
-  logger.verbose('headers', headers);
   // google analytics
   sendGoogleAnalytics('serve', headers, ip, originalUrl);
   // logging
diff --git a/routes/sockets-routes.js b/routes/sockets-routes.js
index 6f6f72e8..edd6e6f6 100644
--- a/routes/sockets-routes.js
+++ b/routes/sockets-routes.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 const logger = require('winston');
+const fs = require('fs');
 const publishController = require('../controllers/publishController.js');
 const publishHelpers = require('../helpers/libraries/publishHelpers.js');
 const errorHandlers = require('../helpers/libraries/errorHandlers.js');
@@ -57,8 +58,40 @@ module.exports = (app, siofu, hostedContentPath) => {
       }
     });
     // handle asset requests
-    socket.on('asset-request', (msg) => {
-      console.log('received a msg:', msg);
+    socket.on('asset-request', filePath => {
+      logger.debug('received a request for the following file', filePath);
+      fs.readFile(filePath, (err, assetBuffer) => {
+        if (err) {
+          logger.error('fs.readFile error', err);
+          return;
+        };
+        // set the data
+        const fileExtension = filePath.substring(filePath.lastIndexOf('.'));
+        let data = {
+          type  : null,
+          buffer: assetBuffer.toString('base64'),
+        };
+        switch (fileExtension) {
+          case 'jpeg' || 'jpg':
+            data['type'] = 'image/jpeg';
+            break;
+          case 'gif':
+            data['type'] = 'image/gif';
+            break;
+          case 'png':
+            data['type'] = 'image/png';
+            break;
+          case 'mp4':
+            data['type'] = 'video/mp4';
+            break;
+          default:
+            data['type'] = 'image/jpeg';
+            logger.warn('showing file with unknown type as jpeg');
+            break;
+        }
+        // send the asset
+        socket.emit('asset-transfer', data);
+      });
     });
     // handle disconnect
     socket.on('disconnect', () => {
diff --git a/views/partials/asset.handlebars b/views/partials/asset.handlebars
index c343d11d..e1035962 100644
--- a/views/partials/asset.handlebars
+++ b/views/partials/asset.handlebars
@@ -1,19 +1,31 @@
 <div class="panel">
-	<p> asset goes here </p>
-	<div id="asset-placeholder">
-		{{#if type.mp4}}
-		<p>It's a video!</p>
-		{{else}}
-		<p>It's not a video</p>
-		{{/if}}
+	<div id="asset-placeholder" data-filepath="{{{filePath}}}">
 	</div>
-
 </div>
 
 <script src="/socket.io/socket.io.js"></script>
 <script type="text/javascript">
 	var socket = io();
-
-	socket.emit('asset-request', 'ready for asset on 1234');
-
+	var filePath = document.getElementById('asset-placeholder').dataset.filepath;
+	console.log(filePath);
+	if (filePath) {
+		// send request for the file
+		socket.emit('asset-request', filePath);
+	}
+	// wait for the file to be sent
+	socket.on('asset-transfer', function(data) {
+		switch (data.type) {
+			case 'image/jpeg':
+			case 'image/gif':
+			case 'image/png':
+				const base64Image = 'data:' + data.type + ';base64,' + data.buffer;
+				document.getElementById("asset-placeholder").innerHTML = '<img class="show-image" src="' + base64Image + '"/>';
+				break;
+			case 'video/mp4':
+				const base64video = 'data:' + data.type + ';base64,' + data.buffer;
+				document.getElementById("asset-placeholder").innerHTML = '<video class="show-video" src="' + base64video + '"/>';
+				break;
+			default: break;
+		}
+	});
 </script>
\ No newline at end of file