diff --git a/beacon_node/libp2p/src/rpc/methods.rs b/beacon_node/libp2p/src/rpc/methods.rs
index ea9932806b..c99994b7ce 100644
--- a/beacon_node/libp2p/src/rpc/methods.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/libp2p/src/rpc/methods.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,15 @@ impl From<u16> for RPCMethod {
     }
 }
 
+impl Into<u16> for RPCMethod {
+    fn into(self) -> u16 {
+        match self {
+            RPCMethod::Hello => 0,
+            _ => 0,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 pub enum RPCRequest {
     Hello(HelloMessage),
diff --git a/beacon_node/network/src/message_handler.rs b/beacon_node/network/src/message_handler.rs
index 2d4d47b86b..dcc1452948 100644
--- a/beacon_node/network/src/message_handler.rs
+++ b/beacon_node/network/src/message_handler.rs
@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 use crate::beacon_chain::BeaconChain;
 use crate::error;
 use crate::messages::NodeMessage;
-use crate::service::NetworkMessage;
+use crate::service::{NetworkMessage, OutgoingMessage};
 use crate::sync::SimpleSync;
 use crossbeam_channel::{unbounded as channel, Sender};
 use futures::future;
 use futures::prelude::*;
 use libp2p::{
-    rpc::{RPCRequest, RPCResponse},
+    rpc::{RPCMethod, RPCRequest, RPCResponse},
     PeerId, RPCEvent,
 };
 use slog::debug;
+use slog::warn;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ pub struct MessageHandler {
     /// A mapping of peers we have sent an RPC request to.
     requests: HashMap<PeerId, Vec<RPCRequestInfo>>,
     /// A counter of request id for each peer.
-    request_ids: HashMap<PeerId, u16>,
+    request_ids: HashMap<PeerId, u64>,
     /// The `MessageHandler` logger.
     log: slog::Logger,
 }
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ pub struct MessageHandler {
 /// RPC request information
 pub struct RPCRequestInfo {
     /// The id of the request
-    id: u16,
+    id: u64,
     /// The time the request was sent, to check ttl.
     request_time: Instant,
 }
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ impl MessageHandler {
     fn handle_message(&mut self, message: HandlerMessage) {
         match message {
             HandlerMessage::PeerDialed(peer_id) => {
-                self.send_hello(peer_id);
+                self.send_hello_request(peer_id);
             }
             //TODO: Handle all messages
             _ => {}
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ impl MessageHandler {
     }
 
     /// Sends a HELLO RPC request to a newly connected peer.
-    fn send_hello(&mut self, peer_id: PeerId) {
+    fn send_hello_request(&mut self, peer_id: PeerId) {
         // generate a unique id for the peer
         let id = {
             let borrowed_id = self.request_ids.entry(peer_id.clone()).or_insert_with(|| 0);
@@ -117,16 +118,39 @@ impl MessageHandler {
         };
         // register RPC request
         {
-            let requests = self.requests.entry(peer_id).or_insert_with(|| vec![]);
+            let requests = self
+                .requests
+                .entry(peer_id.clone())
+                .or_insert_with(|| vec![]);
             requests.push(RPCRequestInfo {
                 id: id.clone(),
                 request_time: Instant::now(),
             });
         }
+
+        // build the rpc request
+        let rpc_event = RPCEvent::Request {
+            id,
+            method_id: RPCMethod::Hello.into(),
+            body: RPCRequest::Hello(self.sync.generate_hello()),
+        };
+
         // send the hello request to the network
-        self.send_rpc_request(id, RPCResponse::Hello(self.sync.generate_hello()));
+        self.send_rpc(peer_id, rpc_event);
     }
 
     /// Sends and RPC response
-    fn send_rpc_request(&self, request_id: u16, response: RPCResponse) {}
+    fn send_rpc(&self, peer_id: PeerId, rpc_event: RPCEvent) {
+        self.network_send
+            .send(NetworkMessage::Send(
+                peer_id,
+                OutgoingMessage::RPC(rpc_event),
+            ))
+            .unwrap_or_else(|_| {
+                warn!(
+                    self.log,
+                    "Could not send RPC message to the network service"
+                )
+            });
+    }
 }