diff --git a/include/NetworkBuffer.hpp b/include/NetworkBuffer.hpp
index f25c8d7..672a5e2 100644
--- a/include/NetworkBuffer.hpp
+++ b/include/NetworkBuffer.hpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ struct NetworkBuffer
 	NetworkBuffer();
 	~NetworkBuffer();
 
-	std::vector<byte> header; // contains the size of the body
+	std::vector<byte> header = Utility::BitConverter::FromUint32(8); // contains the size of the body
 	std::vector<byte> body;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/NetworkMessage.cpp b/src/NetworkMessage.cpp
index 3e5dfc9..f7c7d5a 100644
--- a/src/NetworkMessage.cpp
+++ b/src/NetworkMessage.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,24 @@ NetworkMessage::~NetworkMessage()
 
 const NetworkBuffer &NetworkMessage::EncodeMessage(const NetworkMessage &message)
 {
-	return NetworkBuffer();
+	NetworkBuffer net_buffer;
+
+	std::vector<byte> sender = Utility::BitConverter::FromUint16(message.sender);
+	std::vector<byte> distribution_mode = Utility::BitConverter::FromUint8(message.distribution_mode);
+	std::vector<byte> destination_id = Utility::BitConverter::FromUint16(message.destination_id);
+	std::vector<byte> tag = Utility::BitConverter::FromUint8(message.tag);
+	std::vector<byte> subject = Utility::BitConverter::FromUint16(message.subject);
+	std::vector<byte> data;
+	if (message.data != nullptr)
+		data = Serializer::to_bytes(message.data);
+
+	net_buffer.body.insert(net_buffer.body.end(), sender.begin(), sender.end());
+	net_buffer.body.insert(net_buffer.body.end(), distribution_mode.begin(), distribution_mode.end());
+	net_buffer.body.insert(net_buffer.body.end(), destination_id.begin(), destination_id.end());
+	net_buffer.body.insert(net_buffer.body.end(), tag.begin(), tag.end());
+	net_buffer.body.insert(net_buffer.body.end(), subject.begin(), subject.end());
+	if (message.data != nullptr && data.size() > 0)
+		net_buffer.body.insert(net_buffer.body.end(), data.begin(), data.end());
 }
 
 const NetworkMessage &NetworkMessage::DecodeMessage(const NetworkBuffer &buffer)