diff --git a/src/rtc6_fastcs/bindings/rtc6_bindings.cpp b/src/rtc6_fastcs/bindings/rtc6_bindings.cpp
index 0ddbd26..fa5c1eb 100644
--- a/src/rtc6_fastcs/bindings/rtc6_bindings.cpp
+++ b/src/rtc6_fastcs/bindings/rtc6_bindings.cpp
@@ -12,13 +12,17 @@ using boost::format;
 // This should simplify some functions where possible,
 // but not hold state, since that is more the job of the IOC
 
-// Custom exception allows us to catch RtcError in python-land
+// Custom exceptions allow us to catch RtcError and derivatives in python-land
 // Examples for use of the RTC6 library often involve returning int error codes,
 // here we interrogate replace those with exceptions to be more pythonic
 class rtc_error : public std::runtime_error
 {
     using std::runtime_error::runtime_error;
 };
+class rtc_connection_error : public rtc_error
+{
+    using rtc_error::rtc_error;
+};
 
 // RTC error codes
 const uint ERROR_NO_ERROR = 0U;
@@ -95,11 +99,21 @@ int load_program_and_correction_files(uint card, char *programFilePath, char *co
 }
 
 // Real functions which we expect to use and expose
+void check_conection()
+{
+    const int connection = eth_check_connection();
+    if (!connection) // 1 if connection OK
+    {
+        throw rtc_connection_error("Checking connection to the eth box failed!");
+    }
+}
+
 void connect(const char *ipStr, char *programFilePath, char *correctionFilePath)
 {
     init_dll();
 
     // The library allows for connecting to multiple cards, but we just use one
+    // See manual page 855 for info about the conversion of IP address to an int
     int cardNo = eth_assign_card_ip(eth_convert_string_to_ip(ipStr), 0);
     int result = select_rtc(cardNo);
     if (result != cardNo)
@@ -107,6 +121,7 @@ void connect(const char *ipStr, char *programFilePath, char *correctionFilePath)
         throw rtc_error(str(format("select_rtc for card %1% failed with error: %2%. Most likely, a card was not found at the given IP address: %3%.") % cardNo % result % ipStr));
     }
     auto serialNum = load_program_and_correction_files(cardNo, programFilePath, correctionFilePath);
+    check_conection();
 }
 
 void close_connection()
@@ -118,8 +133,10 @@ PYBIND11_MODULE(rtc6_bindings, m)
 {
     m.doc() = "bindings for the scanlab rtc6 ethernet laser controller"; // optional module docstring
     py::register_exception<rtc_error>(m, "RtcError");
+    py::register_exception<rtc_connection_error>(m, "RtcConnectionError");
 
     // Real functions which are intended to be used
+    m.def("check_connection", &check_conection, "check the active connection to the eth box: throws RtcConnectionError on failure, otherwise does nothing.");
     m.def("connect", &connect, "connect to the eth-box at the given IP", py::arg("ip_string"), py::arg("program_file_path"), py::arg("correction_file_path"));
     m.def("close", &close_connection, "close the open connection, if any");
 
diff --git a/src/rtc6_fastcs/bindings/rtc6_bindings.cpython-312-x86_64-linux-gnu.so b/src/rtc6_fastcs/bindings/rtc6_bindings.cpython-312-x86_64-linux-gnu.so
index 7c6bd37..2954a27 100755
Binary files a/src/rtc6_fastcs/bindings/rtc6_bindings.cpython-312-x86_64-linux-gnu.so and b/src/rtc6_fastcs/bindings/rtc6_bindings.cpython-312-x86_64-linux-gnu.so differ
diff --git a/src/rtc6_fastcs/bindings/rtc6_bindings.pyi b/src/rtc6_fastcs/bindings/rtc6_bindings.pyi
index f2355ef..63974f6 100644
--- a/src/rtc6_fastcs/bindings/rtc6_bindings.pyi
+++ b/src/rtc6_fastcs/bindings/rtc6_bindings.pyi
@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@ bindings for the scanlab rtc6 ethernet laser controller
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 __all__ = [
+    "RtcConnectionError",
     "RtcError",
     "add",
+    "check_connection",
     "close",
     "connect",
     "ip_int_to_str",
@@ -14,6 +16,9 @@ __all__ = [
     "throw_rtc_error",
 ]
 
+class RtcConnectionError(Exception):
+    pass
+
 class RtcError(Exception):
     pass
 
@@ -22,6 +27,11 @@ def add(i: int, j: int) -> int:
     A function that adds two numbers
     """
 
+def check_connection() -> None:
+    """
+    check the active connection to the eth box: throws RtcConnectionError on failure, otherwise does nothing.
+    """
+
 def close() -> None:
     """
     close the open connection, if any
diff --git a/tests/test_bindings.py b/tests/test_bindings.py
index b9da47c..9fd5742 100644
--- a/tests/test_bindings.py
+++ b/tests/test_bindings.py
@@ -38,6 +38,16 @@ def test_exception():
     assert e.value.args[0] == exception_text
 
 
+@pytest.mark.needs_librtc6
+def test_connection_exception():
+    from rtc6_fastcs.bindings import rtc6_bindings as bindings
+
+    with pytest.raises(bindings.RtcConnectionError) as e:
+        bindings.check_connection()
+
+    assert "connection to the eth box failed" in e.value.args[0]
+
+
 @pytest.mark.needs_librtc6
 def test_connect():
     from rtc6_fastcs.bindings import rtc6_bindings as bindings