diff --git a/cube/User/Src/networkAbstractionLayer_lan.c b/cube/User/Src/networkAbstractionLayer_lan.c
index 86a2648..802f339 100644
--- a/cube/User/Src/networkAbstractionLayer_lan.c
+++ b/cube/User/Src/networkAbstractionLayer_lan.c
@@ -24,26 +24,29 @@ extern const uint8_t SNTP_SOCK;
 
 
 const uint8_t SEND_LI_VN_MODE = 0xe3; // LI: unknown (3), VN: 4, Mode: Client (3)
-typedef struct __attribute__((__packed__)) {
-    uint8_t   li_vn_mode;
-	uint8_t   stratum;
-	uint8_t   poll;
-	uint8_t   precision;
-	uint32_t  rootdelay;
-	uint32_t  rootdisp;
-	uint32_t  refid;
-	//uint64_t  reftime;
-    uint32_t reftime_h;
-    uint32_t reftime_l;
-	//uint64_t  org;
-    uint32_t org_h;
-    uint32_t org_l;
-	//uint64_t  rec;
-    uint32_t rec_h;
-    uint32_t rec_l;
-	//uint64_t  xmt;
-    uint32_t xmt_h;
-    uint32_t xmt_l;
+typedef union __attribute__((__packed__)) {
+    struct s {
+        uint8_t   li_vn_mode;
+        uint8_t   stratum;
+        uint8_t   poll;
+        uint8_t   precision;
+        uint32_t  rootdelay;
+        uint32_t  rootdisp;
+        uint32_t  refid;
+        //uint64_t  reftime;
+        uint32_t reftime_h;
+        uint32_t reftime_l;
+        //uint64_t  org;
+        uint32_t org_h;
+        uint32_t org_l;
+        //uint64_t  rec;
+        uint32_t rec_h;
+        uint32_t rec_l;
+        //uint64_t  xmt;
+        uint32_t xmt_h;
+        uint32_t xmt_l;
+    };
+    uint8_t b[sizeof(struct s)];
 } ntpMsg_t;
 
 typedef struct {
@@ -89,10 +92,10 @@ void networkSntpEngine(void *handle) {
                 uint8_t sockState = getSn_SR(SNTP_SOCK);
                 if (sockState == SOCK_UDP) {
                     memset(&(localHandle->ntpMsg), 0, sizeof(localHandle->ntpMsg));
-                    localHandle->ntpMsg.li_vn_mode = SEND_LI_VN_MODE;
-                    localHandle->ntpMsg.xmt_l = 1;
-                    sendto(SNTP_SOCK, (uint8_t*)(&(localHandle->ntpMsg)), 
-                           sizeof(localHandle->ntpMsg), localHandle->ntpAddr, NTP_PORT);
+                    localHandle->ntpMsg.s.li_vn_mode = SEND_LI_VN_MODE;
+                    localHandle->ntpMsg.s.xmt_l = 1;
+                    sendto(SNTP_SOCK, &(localHandle->ntpMsg.b), 
+                           sizeof(localHandle->ntpMsg.b), localHandle->ntpAddr, NTP_PORT);
                     coloredMsg(LOG_BLUE, "nes, sent");
                     localHandle->sntpState = SNTP_STATE_RECV;
                     schAdd(networkSntpEngine, (void*) localHandle, 100, 0);
@@ -118,8 +121,8 @@ void networkSntpEngine(void *handle) {
                     uint8_t srcAddr[4];
                     uint16_t srcPort;
                     
-                    recvfrom(SNTP_SOCK, (uint8_t*)(&(localHandle->ntpMsg)),
-                             sizeof(localHandle->ntpMsg), srcAddr, &srcPort);
+                    recvfrom(SNTP_SOCK, &(localHandle->ntpMsg.b),
+                             sizeof(localHandle->ntpMsg.b), srcAddr, &srcPort);
                     
                     /*
                     uint8_t buf[90];
@@ -148,7 +151,7 @@ void networkSntpEngine(void *handle) {
                                srcAddr[0], srcAddr[1], srcAddr[2], srcAddr[3],
                                srcPort);
                     coloredMsg(LOG_BLUE, "nes, received in the %d. cycles", localHandle->retryCount);
-                    localHandle->seconds = ((uint64_t)localHandle->ntpMsg.xmt_h) - UNIX_NTP_EPOCH_DIFF;
+                    localHandle->seconds = ((uint64_t)localHandle->ntpMsg.s.xmt_h) - UNIX_NTP_EPOCH_DIFF;
                     coloredMsg(LOG_BLUE, "nes, seconds: %llu", localHandle->seconds);
                     localHandle->sntpState = SNTP_STATE_DONE;
                 } else {