diff --git a/lib/mongo/connection.rb b/lib/mongo/connection.rb
index 6eeab0c..33bbd7d 100644
--- a/lib/mongo/connection.rb
+++ b/lib/mongo/connection.rb
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ module Mongo
     STANDARD_HEADER_SIZE = 16
     RESPONSE_HEADER_SIZE = 20
 
-    attr_reader :logger, :size, :auths, :primary, :safe, :primary_pool, :host_to_try, :pool_size
+    attr_reader :logger, :size, :auths, :primary, :safe, :primary_pool,
+      :host_to_try, :pool_size, :connect_timeout
 
     # Counter for generating unique request ids.
     @@current_request_id = 0
diff --git a/lib/mongo/node.rb b/lib/mongo/node.rb
index 375c452..ea938fc 100644
--- a/lib/mongo/node.rb
+++ b/lib/mongo/node.rb
@@ -1,19 +1,133 @@
 module Mongo
   class Node
-    attr_accessor :host, :port, :address
-  
-    def initialize(data)
-      data = data.split(':') if data.is_a?(String)
-      self.host = data[0]
-      self.port = data[1] ? data[1].to_i : Connection::DEFAULT_PORT
+    attr_accessor :host, :port, :address, :config, :repl_set_status, :connection, :socket
+
+    def initialize(connection, data)
+      self.connection = connection
+      if data.is_a?(String)
+        self.host, self.port = split_nodes(data)
+      else
+        self.host, self.port = data
+      end
       self.address = "#{host}:#{port}"
     end
+
     def eql?(other)
       other.is_a?(Node) && host == other.host && port == other.port
     end
     alias :== :eql?
+
+    # Create a connection to the provided node,
+    # and, if successful, return the socket. Otherwise,
+    # return nil.
+    def connect
+      begin
+
+        if self.connection.connect_timeout
+          Mongo::TimeoutHandler.timeout(self.connection.connect_timeout, OperationTimeout) do
+            socket = TCPSocket.new(self.host, self.port)
+          end
+        else
+          socket = TCPSocket.new(self.host, self.port)
+        end
+
+        socket.setsockopt(Socket::IPPROTO_TCP, Socket::TCP_NODELAY, 1)
+        rescue OperationFailure, SocketError, SystemCallError, IOError => ex
+          return nil
+      end
+
+      self.socket = socket
+    end
+
+    def disconnect
+      if self.socket
+        self.socket.close
+        self.socket = nil
+        self.config = nil
+      end
+    end
+
+    def connected?
+      self.socket != nil
+    end
+
+    # Get the configuration for the provided node as returned by the
+    # ismaster command. Additionally, check that the replica set name
+    # matches with the name provided.
+    def set_config
+      begin
+        self.config = self.connection['admin'].command({:ismaster => 1}, :socket => self.socket)
+
+        if self.config['msg'] && @logger
+          self.connection.logger.warn("MONGODB #{config['msg']}")
+        end
+
+        check_set_name
+      rescue OperationFailure, SocketError, SystemCallError, IOError => ex
+        return nil
+      end
+
+      self.config
+    end
+
+    # Return a list of replica set nodes from the config.
+    # Note: this excludes arbiters.
+    def node_list
+      connect unless connected?
+      return [] unless self.config
+
+      nodes = []
+      nodes += config['hosts'] if config['hosts']
+      nodes += config['passives'] if config['passives']
+      nodes
+    end
+
+    def arbiters
+      connect unless connected?
+
+      config['arbiters'].map do |arbiter|
+        split_nodes(arbiter)
+      end
+    end
+
+    def primary?
+      self.config['ismaster'] == true || self.config['ismaster'] == 1
+    end
+
+    def secondary?
+      self.config['secondary'] == true || self.config['secondary'] == 1
+    end
+
+    def host_port
+      [self.host, self.port]
+    end
+
     def hash
       address.hash
     end
+
+    private
+
+    def split_nodes(host_string)
+      data = host_string.split(":")
+      host = data[0]
+      port = data[1].to_i || Connection::DEFAULT_PORT
+
+      [host, port]
+    end
+
+    # Make sure that we're connected to the expected replica set.
+    def check_set_name
+      if self.connection.replica_set_name
+        if !self.config['setName']
+          self.connection.logger.warn("MONGODB [warning] could not verify replica set name " +
+            "because ismaster does not return name in this version of MongoDB")
+        elsif self.connection.replica_set_name != self.config['setName']
+          raise ReplicaSetConnectionError,
+            "Attempting to connect to replica set '#{config['setName']}' " +
+            "but expected '#{self.connection.replica_set_name}'"
+        end
+      end
+    end
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/lib/mongo/repl_set_connection.rb b/lib/mongo/repl_set_connection.rb
index 581768e..c44baf3 100644
--- a/lib/mongo/repl_set_connection.rb
+++ b/lib/mongo/repl_set_connection.rb
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ module Mongo
 
   # Instantiates and manages connections to a MongoDB replica set.
   class ReplSetConnection < Connection
-    attr_reader :nodes, :secondaries, :arbiters, :read_pool, :secondary_pools
+    attr_reader :nodes, :secondaries, :arbiters, :read_pool, :secondary_pools,
+      :replica_set_name, :members
 
     # Create a connection to a MongoDB replica set.
     #
@@ -77,66 +78,68 @@ module Mongo
         raise MongoArgumentError, "A ReplSetConnection requires at least one node."
       end
 
-      # Get seed nodes
-      @nodes = args
+      # Get the list of seed nodes
+      @seeds = args
 
-      # Replica set name
-      @replica_set = opts[:rs_name]
+      # The members of the replica set, stored as instances of Mongo::Node.
+      @members = []
 
-      # Cache the various node types when connecting to a replica set.
-      @secondaries = []
-      @arbiters    = []
+      # Connection pool for primay node
+      @primary      = nil
+      @primary_pool = nil
 
       # Connection pools for each secondary node
+      @secondaries = []
       @secondary_pools = []
+
+      # The secondary pool to which we'll be sending reads.
       @read_pool = nil
 
+      # A list of arbiter address (for client information only)
+      @arbiters = []
+
       # Are we allowing reads from secondaries?
       @read_secondary = opts.fetch(:read_secondary, false)
 
+      # Replica set name
+      if opts[:rs_name]
+        warn ":rs_name option has been deprecated and will be removed in 2.0. " +
+          "Please use :name instead."
+        @replica_set_name = opts[:rs_name]
+      else
+        @replica_set_name = opts[:name]
+      end
+
       setup(opts)
     end
 
-    # Create a new socket and attempt to connect to master.
-    # If successful, sets host and port to master and returns the socket.
-    #
-    # If connecting to a replica set, this method will replace the
-    # initially-provided seed list with any nodes known to the set.
-    #
-    # @raise [ConnectionFailure] if unable to connect to any host or port.
+    # Use the provided seed nodes to initiate a connection
+    # to the replica set.
     def connect
-      close
-      @nodes_to_try = @nodes.clone
-
-      while connecting?
-        node   = @nodes_to_try.shift
-        config = check_is_master(node)
-
-        if is_primary?(config)
-          set_primary(node)
-        else
-          set_auxillary(node, config)
-        end
-      end
-
-      pick_secondary_for_read if @read_secondary
+      connect_to_members
+      initialize_pools
+      pick_secondary_for_read
 
       if connected?
         BSON::BSON_CODER.update_max_bson_size(self)
       else
-        if @secondary_pools.empty?
-          close # close any existing pools and sockets
-          raise ConnectionFailure, "Failed to connect any given host:port"
-        else
-          close # close any existing pools and sockets
+        close
+
+        if @primary.nil?
           raise ConnectionFailure, "Failed to connect to primary node."
+        else
+          raise ConnectionFailure, "Failed to connect to any given member."
         end
       end
     end
-    alias :reconnect :connect
 
+    def connected?
+      @primary_pool || (@read_pool && @read_secondary)
+    end
+
+    # @deprecated
     def connecting?
-      @nodes_to_try.length > 0
+      false
     end
 
     # The replica set primary's host name.
@@ -165,6 +168,10 @@ module Mongo
     # Close the connection to the database.
     def close
       super
+      @members.each do |member|
+        member.disconnect
+      end
+      @members = []
       @read_pool = nil
       @secondary_pools.each do |pool|
         pool.close
@@ -172,8 +179,6 @@ module Mongo
       @secondaries     = []
       @secondary_pools = []
       @arbiters        = []
-      @nodes_tried  = []
-      @nodes_to_try = []
     end
 
     # If a ConnectionFailure is raised, this method will be called
@@ -208,115 +213,64 @@ module Mongo
 
     private
 
-    def check_is_master(node)
-      begin
-        host, port = *node
-
-        if @connect_timeout
-          Mongo::TimeoutHandler.timeout(@connect_timeout, OperationTimeout) do
-            socket = TCPSocket.new(host, port)
-            socket.setsockopt(Socket::IPPROTO_TCP, Socket::TCP_NODELAY, 1)
-          end
-        else
-          socket = TCPSocket.new(host, port)
-          socket.setsockopt(Socket::IPPROTO_TCP, Socket::TCP_NODELAY, 1)
-        end
-
-        config = self['admin'].command({:ismaster => 1}, :socket => socket)
-
-        check_set_name(config, socket)
-      rescue OperationFailure, SocketError, SystemCallError, IOError => ex
-        # It's necessary to rescue here. The #connect method will keep trying
-        # until it has no more nodes to try and raise a ConnectionFailure if
-        # it can't connect to a primary.
-      ensure
-        socket.close if socket
-        @nodes_tried << node
-
-        if config
-          nodes = []
-          nodes += config['hosts'] if config['hosts']
-          nodes += config['arbiters'] if config['arbiters']
-          nodes += config['passives'] if config['passives']
-          update_node_list(nodes)
-
-          if config['msg'] && @logger
-            @logger.warn("MONGODB #{config['msg']}")
-          end
+    # Iterate through the list of provided seed
+    # nodes until we've gotten a response from the
+    # replica set we're trying to connect to.
+    #
+    # If we don't get a response, raise an exception.
+    def get_valid_seed_node
+      @seeds.each do |seed|
+        node = Mongo::Node.new(self, seed)
+        if node.connect && node.set_config
+          return node
         end
       end
 
-      config
+      raise ConnectionFailure, "Cannot connect to a replica set with name using seed nodes " +
+        "#{@seeds.map {|s| "#{s[0]}:#{s[1]}" }.join(',')}"
     end
 
-    # Primary, when connecting to a replica can, can only be a true primary node.
-    # (And not a slave, which is possible when connecting with the standard
-    # Connection class.
-    def is_primary?(config)
-      config && (config['ismaster'] == 1 || config['ismaster'] == true)
+    # Connect to each member of the replica set
+    # as reported by the given seed node, and cache
+    # those connections in the @members array.
+    def connect_to_members
+      seed = get_valid_seed_node
+
+      seed.node_list.each do |host|
+        node = Mongo::Node.new(self, host)
+        if node.connect && node.set_config
+          @members << node
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    # Initialize the connection pools to the primary and secondary nodes.
+    def initialize_pools
+      if @members.empty?
+        raise ConnectionFailure, "Failed to connect to any given member."
+      end
+
+      @arbiters = @members.first.arbiters
+
+      @members.each do |member|
+        if member.primary?
+          @primary = member.host_port
+          @primary_pool = Pool.new(self, member.host, member.port, :size => @pool_size, :timeout => @timeout)
+        elsif member.secondary? && !@secondaries.include?(member.host_port)
+          @secondaries << member.host_port
+          @secondary_pools << Pool.new(self, member.host, member.port, :size => @pool_size, :timeout => @timeout)
+        end
+      end
     end
 
     # Pick a node randomly from the set of possible secondaries.
     def pick_secondary_for_read
+      return unless @read_secondary
       if (size = @secondary_pools.size) > 0
         @read_pool = @secondary_pools[rand(size)]
       end
     end
 
-    # Make sure that we're connected to the expected replica set.
-    def check_set_name(config, socket)
-      if @replica_set
-        config = self['admin'].command({:replSetGetStatus => 1},
-                   :socket => socket, :check_response => false)
-
-        if !Mongo::Support.ok?(config)
-          raise ReplicaSetConnectionError, config['errmsg']
-        elsif config['set'] != @replica_set
-          raise ReplicaSetConnectionError,
-            "Attempting to connect to replica set '#{config['set']}' but expected '#{@replica_set}'"
-        end
-      end
-    end
-
-    # Determines what kind of node we have and caches its host
-    # and port so that users can easily connect manually.
-    def set_auxillary(node, config)
-      if config
-        if config['secondary']
-          host, port = *node
-          @secondaries << node unless @secondaries.include?(node)
-          @secondary_pools << Pool.new(self, host, port, :size => @pool_size, :timeout => @timeout)
-        elsif config['arbiterOnly']
-          @arbiters << node unless @arbiters.include?(node)
-        end
-      end
-    end
-
-    # Update the list of known nodes. Only applies to replica sets,
-    # where the response to the ismaster command will return a list
-    # of known hosts.
-    #
-    # @param hosts [Array] a list of hosts, specified as string-encoded
-    #   host-port values. Example: ["myserver-1.org:27017", "myserver-1.org:27017"]
-    #
-    # @return [Array] the updated list of nodes
-    def update_node_list(hosts)
-      new_nodes = hosts.map do |host|
-        if !host.respond_to?(:split)
-          warn "Could not parse host #{host.inspect}."
-          next
-        end
-
-        host, port = host.split(':')
-        [host, port ? port.to_i : Connection::DEFAULT_PORT]
-      end
-
-      # Replace the list of seed nodes with the canonical list.
-      @nodes = new_nodes.clone
-
-      @nodes_to_try = new_nodes - @nodes_tried
-    end
-
     # Checkout a socket for reading (i.e., a secondary node).
     def checkout_reader
       connect unless connected?
diff --git a/test/replica_sets/query_test.rb b/test/replica_sets/query_test.rb
index 127f1f7..296cdda 100644
--- a/test/replica_sets/query_test.rb
+++ b/test/replica_sets/query_test.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ class ReplicaSetQueryTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   include Mongo
 
   def setup
-    @conn = ReplSetConnection.new([RS.host, RS.ports[0]])
+    @conn = ReplSetConnection.new([RS.host, RS.ports[0], RS.ports[1]])
     @db = @conn.db(MONGO_TEST_DB)
     @db.drop_collection("test-sets")
     @coll = @db.collection("test-sets")
diff --git a/test/replica_sets/replication_ack_test.rb b/test/replica_sets/replication_ack_test.rb
index 33f0bb8..d08ec86 100644
--- a/test/replica_sets/replication_ack_test.rb
+++ b/test/replica_sets/replication_ack_test.rb
@@ -33,15 +33,15 @@ class ReplicaSetAckTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
   end
 
   def test_safe_mode_replication_ack
-    @col.insert({:baz => "bar"}, :safe => {:w => 2, :wtimeout => 5000})
+    @col.insert({:baz => "bar"}, :safe => {:w => 3, :wtimeout => 5000})
 
-    assert @col.insert({:foo => "0" * 5000}, :safe => {:w => 2, :wtimeout => 5000})
+    assert @col.insert({:foo => "0" * 5000}, :safe => {:w => 3, :wtimeout => 5000})
     assert_equal 2, @slave1[MONGO_TEST_DB]["test-sets"].count
 
-    assert @col.update({:baz => "bar"}, {:baz => "foo"}, :safe => {:w => 2, :wtimeout => 5000})
+    assert @col.update({:baz => "bar"}, {:baz => "foo"}, :safe => {:w => 3, :wtimeout => 5000})
     assert @slave1[MONGO_TEST_DB]["test-sets"].find_one({:baz => "foo"})
 
-    assert @col.remove({}, :safe => {:w => 2, :wtimeout => 5000})
+    assert @col.remove({}, :safe => {:w => 3, :wtimeout => 5000})
     assert_equal 0, @slave1[MONGO_TEST_DB]["test-sets"].count
   end