diff --git a/include/lorcomm.h b/include/lorcomm.h
index 1867170..3cf7f94 100644
--- a/include/lorcomm.h
+++ b/include/lorcomm.h
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ enum lora_msg_type {
   ROUTING,
 };
 
+extern uint8_t lormac[3];
+
 void lorcomm_handle_receive(uint8_t size);
 void lorcomm_send_message(lora32_cfg_t *lora, char *text);
 
diff --git a/main/lorcomm.c b/main/lorcomm.c
index 02b189f..48c5a55 100644
--- a/main/lorcomm.c
+++ b/main/lorcomm.c
@@ -9,9 +9,23 @@
 
 #define MSG_ID_TRACK    (16)
 
+typedef struct {
+  uint8_t mac[3];
+  uint8_t ids[MSG_ID_TRACK];
+} id_cache_t;
+
 uint8_t mac[6] = {0};
 static uint8_t msg_id = 1;
-uint8_t msg_track[MSG_ID_TRACK] = { 0 };
+
+id_cache_t id_cache[MSG_ID_TRACK] = { 0 };
+
+uint8_t acmp(uint8_t a[], uint8_t b[], uint8_t len) {
+  for(uint8_t i = 0; i < len; i++) {
+    if(a[i] != b[i]) return 0;
+  }
+
+  return 1;
+}
 
 void lorcomm_handle_receive(uint8_t size) {
   printf("packet size: %d\n", size);
@@ -27,21 +41,35 @@ void lorcomm_handle_receive(uint8_t size) {
   ESP_LOGI(TAG, "[%02X:%02X:%02X] id: %02d type: %02X", packet->src[0], packet->src[1], packet->src[2], packet->id, packet->type);
 
   for(uint8_t i = 0; i < MSG_ID_TRACK; i++) {
-    if(msg_track[i] == packet->id) {
-      ESP_LOGI(TAG, "already seen packet, not relaying");
-      goto receive_cleanup;
-    } else if(msg_track[i] == 0) {
-      ESP_LOGI(TAG, "adding id to tracking");
+    if(id_cache[i].mac[0]+id_cache[i].mac[1]+id_cache[i].mac[2] == 0) {
+      memcpy(id_cache[i].mac, &packet->src, 3);
 
-      // add id to array
-      msg_track[i] = packet->id;
-      // set next in queue to zero, rolling over as needed
-      msg_track[(i + 1) % MSG_ID_TRACK] = 0;
+      // this is assumed to be empty
+      id_cache[i].ids[0] = packet->id;
+      ESP_LOGI(TAG, "adding new tracking entity");
 
       break;
     }
+
+    for(uint8_t j = 0; j < MSG_ID_TRACK; j++) {
+      if(id_cache[i].ids[j] == packet->id) {
+        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "already seen packet, not relaying");
+        goto receive_cleanup;
+      } else if(id_cache[i].ids[j] == 0) {
+        ESP_LOGI(TAG, "adding id to tracking");
+
+        // add id to array
+        id_cache[i].ids[i] = packet->id;
+        // set next in queue to zero, rolling over as needed
+        id_cache[i].ids[(i + 1) % MSG_ID_TRACK] = 0;
+
+        goto break_outer;
+      }
+    }
   }
 
+break_outer:
+
   // update local msg id to incoming +1
   // this will give a rolling local area id
   if(packet->id < msg_id) {