diff --git a/conftest.py b/conftest.py
index b8f8939..4d558cd 100644
--- a/conftest.py
+++ b/conftest.py
@@ -1,12 +1,22 @@
 import pytest
 
 
+def get_open_port():
+    import socket
+    s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+    s.bind(("", 0))
+    s.listen(1)
+    port = s.getsockname()[1]
+    s.close()
+    return port
+
+
 @pytest.yield_fixture()
 def web3_tester():
     from web3 import Web3
     from web3.web3.rpcprovider import TestRPCProvider
 
-    provider = TestRPCProvider()
+    provider = TestRPCProvider(port=get_open_port())
 
     _web3 = Web3(provider)
 
diff --git a/requirements-dev.txt b/requirements-dev.txt
index ed6dfb8..f5e1713 100644
--- a/requirements-dev.txt
+++ b/requirements-dev.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 pytest>=2.8.2
 pytest-pythonpath>=0.3
 tox>=1.8.0
-eth-testrpc==0.2.0
+eth-testrpc==0.2.1
 # Until pyethereum > 1.3.6 is released.
 https://github.com/ethereum/pyethereum/tarball/b06829e56e2a3de5276077a611ed8813b6cf5e74
diff --git a/tests/db-module/test_db_methods.py b/tests/db-module/test_db_methods.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9994bf2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/db-module/test_db_methods.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import pytest
+
+
+def test_putString(web3_tester):
+    with pytest.raises(DeprecationWarning):
+        web3_tester.db.putString('someDB', 'key', 'value')
+
+
+def test_getString(web3_tester):
+    with pytest.raises(DeprecationWarning):
+        web3_tester.db.getString('someDB', 'key')
+
+
+def test_putHex(web3_tester):
+    with pytest.raises(DeprecationWarning):
+        web3_tester.db.putHex('someDB', 'key', '0x12345')
+
+
+def test_getHex(web3_tester):
+    with pytest.raises(DeprecationWarning):
+        web3_tester.db.getHex('someDB', 'key')
diff --git a/tests/version/test_web3_version_props.py b/tests/version/test_web3_version_props.py
index eba846d..ca54e41 100644
--- a/tests/version/test_web3_version_props.py
+++ b/tests/version/test_web3_version_props.py
@@ -8,3 +8,11 @@ def test_api_property(web3_tester):
 
 def test_node_property(web3_tester):
     assert web3_tester.version.node == testrpc.testrpc.web3_clientVersion()
+
+
+def test_network_property(web3_tester):
+    assert web3_tester.version.network == testrpc.testrpc.net_version()
+
+
+def test_ethereum_property(web3_tester):
+    assert web3_tester.version.ethereum == testrpc.testrpc.eth_protocolVersion()
diff --git a/web3/main.py b/web3/main.py
index 285d282..8f5ba9e 100644
--- a/web3/main.py
+++ b/web3/main.py
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ from web3.web3.rpcprovider import (
     TestRPCProvider,
     is_testrpc_available,
 )
-
 from web3.web3.ipcprovider import IPCProvider
+
 import web3.utils.encoding as encoding
 import web3.utils.currency as currency
 import web3.utils.address as address
@@ -37,16 +37,16 @@ class Web3(object):
     def __init__(self, provider):
         self._requestManager = RequestManager(provider)
         self.currentProvider = provider
-        self.eth = Eth(self)
-        self.db = Db(self)
-        self.shh = Shh(self)
-        self.net = Net(self)
-        self.personal = Personal(self)
+
+        self.eth = Eth(self._requestManager)
+        self.db = Db(self._requestManager)
+        self.shh = Shh(self._requestManager)
+        self.net = Net(self._requestManager)
+        self.personal = Personal(self._requestManager)
+        self.version = Version(self._requestManager)
 
         self.providers = copy.copy(DEFAULT_PROVIDERS)
 
-        self.version = Version(self._requestManager)
-
         class Config:
 
             def __getattr__(self, key):
@@ -63,13 +63,9 @@ class Web3(object):
 
         self.config = Config()
 
-        for prop in properties:
-            prop.attachToObject(self)
-            prop.setRequestManager(self._requestManager)
-
         # Expose providers on the class
-        self.RPCProvider = RPCProvider
-        self.IPCProvider = IPCProvider
+        for class_name, klass in DEFAULT_PROVIDERS.items():
+            setattr(self, class_name, klass)
 
         # Expose utility functions
         self.toHex = encoding.toHex
@@ -93,35 +89,13 @@ class Web3(object):
         self._requestManager.reset(keepIsSyncing)
 
     def sha3(self, string, options):
-        return "0x" + sha3.sha3(string, options)
+        return b"0x" + sha3.sha3(string, options)
 
     def isConnected(self):
         return self.currentProvider and self.currentProvider.isConnected()
 
-    # def createBatch(self):
-    #    return Batch(self)
+    def createBatch(self):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Not Implemented")
 
     def receive(self, requestid, timeout=0, keep=False):
         return self._requestManager.receive(requestid, timeout, keep)
-
-properties = []
-#    Property({
-#        "name": "version.node",
-#        "getter": "web3_clientVersion"
-#    }),
-#    Property({
-#        "name": "version.network",
-#        "getter": "net_version",
-#        "inputFormatter": encoding.toDecimal
-#    }),
-#    Property({
-#        "name": "version.ethereum",
-#        "getter": "eth_protocolVersion",
-#        "inputFormatter": encoding.toDecimal
-#    }),
-#    Property({
-#        "name": "version.whisper",
-#        "getter": "shh_version",
-#        "inputFormatter": encoding.toDecimal
-#    })
-#]
diff --git a/web3/version.py b/web3/version.py
index 9cdd29f..1b62392 100644
--- a/web3/version.py
+++ b/web3/version.py
@@ -23,3 +23,17 @@ class Version(object):
 
     def getNetwork(self, *args, **kwargs):
         raise NotImplementedError("Async calling has not been implemented")
+
+    @property
+    def ethereum(self):
+        return self.request_manager.request_blocking("eth_protocolVersion", [])
+
+    def getEthereum(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Async calling has not been implemented")
+
+    @property
+    def whisper(self):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Async calling has not been implemented")
+
+    def getWhisper(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Async calling has not been implemented")
diff --git a/web3/web3/methods/db.py b/web3/web3/methods/db.py
index a7731af..c2e9286 100644
--- a/web3/web3/methods/db.py
+++ b/web3/web3/methods/db.py
@@ -1,35 +1,15 @@
-from web3.web3.method import Method
-
-methods = [
-    {
-        "name": "putString",
-        "call": "db_putString",
-        "params": 3
-    },
-    {
-        "name": "getString",
-        "call": "db_getString",
-        "params": 2
-    },
-    {
-        "name": "putHex",
-        "call": "db_putHex",
-        "params": 3
-    },
-    {
-        "name": "getHex",
-        "call": "db_getHex",
-        "params": 2
-    }
-]
-
-
 class Db(object):
+    def __init__(self, request_manager):
+        self.request_manager = request_manager
 
-    def __init__(self, web3):
-        self._requestManager = web3._requestManager
+    def putString(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise DeprecationWarning("This function has been deprecated")
 
-        for method in methods:
-            method = Method(method)
-            method.attachToObject(self)
-            method.setRequestManager(web3._requestManager)
+    def getString(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise DeprecationWarning("This function has been deprecated")
+
+    def putHex(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise DeprecationWarning("This function has been deprecated")
+
+    def getHex(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise DeprecationWarning("This function has been deprecated")
diff --git a/web3/web3/methods/shh.py b/web3/web3/methods/shh.py
index 1d7a154..9c8c464 100644
--- a/web3/web3/methods/shh.py
+++ b/web3/web3/methods/shh.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-from web3.web3.method import Method
 import web3.web3.formatters as formatters
 
+
+# TODO: remove this list
 methods = [
     {
         "name": "post",
@@ -32,11 +33,23 @@ methods = [
 
 
 class Shh(object):
+    """
+    TODO: flesh this out.
+    """
+    def __init__(self, request_manager):
+        self.request_manager = request_manager
 
-    def __init__(self, web3):
-        self._requestManager = web3._requestManager
+    def post(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Not Implemented")
 
-        for method in methods:
-            method = Method(method)
-            method.attachToObject(self)
-            method.setRequestManager(web3._requestManager)
+    def newIdentity(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Not Implemented")
+
+    def hasIdentity(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Not Implemented")
+
+    def newGroup(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Not Implemented")
+
+    def addToGroup(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Not Implemented")
diff --git a/web3/web3/requestmanager.py b/web3/web3/requestmanager.py
index 5d2127b..c1b43e0 100644
--- a/web3/web3/requestmanager.py
+++ b/web3/web3/requestmanager.py
@@ -1,12 +1,8 @@
-import web3.web3.exceptions as exceptions
-from web3.web3.jsonrpc import Jsonrpc
-
 import uuid
+import json
 import gevent
 
 
-
-
 class RequestManager(object):
     def __init__(self, provider):
         self.pending_requests = {}
@@ -16,11 +12,22 @@ class RequestManager(object):
         """
         Make a synchronous request using the provider
         """
-        return self.provider.make_request(method, params)
+        response_raw = self.provider.make_request(method, params)
+
+        response = json.loads(response_raw)
+
+        if "error" in response:
+            raise ValueError(response["error"])
+
+        return response['result']
 
     def request_async(self, method, params):
         request_id = uuid.uuid4()
-        self.pending_requests[request_id] = gevent.spawn(self.request_blocking, method, params)
+        self.pending_requests[request_id] = gevent.spawn(
+            self.request_blocking,
+            method,
+            params,
+        )
         return request_id
 
     def receive_blocking(self, request_id, timeout=None):
@@ -31,7 +38,14 @@ class RequestManager(object):
         else:
             if timeout is not None:
                 timeout = gevent.Timeout(timeout).start()
-            return request.get(timeout=timeout)
+            response_raw = request.get(timeout=timeout)
+
+        response = json.loads(response_raw)
+
+        if "error" in response:
+            raise ValueError(response["error"])
+
+        return response['result']
 
     def receive_async(self, request_id, *args, **kwargs):
         raise NotImplementedError("Callback pattern not implemented")