diff --git a/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.h b/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.h
index 48f87a7..daee496 100644
--- a/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.h
+++ b/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ extern NSString * const AFHTTPOperationDidFinishNotification;
               outputStream:(NSOutputStream *)outputStream
                 completion:(void (^)(NSURLRequest *request, NSHTTPURLResponse *response, NSError *error))completion;
 
-- (void)setProgressBlock:(void (^)(NSUInteger totalBytesWritten, NSUInteger totalBytesExpectedToWrite))block;
+- (void)setUploadProgressBlock:(void (^)(NSUInteger totalBytesWritten, NSUInteger totalBytesExpectedToWrite))block;
+- (void)setDownloadProgressBlock:(void (^)(NSUInteger totalBytesRead, NSUInteger totalBytesExpectedToRead))block;
 
 @end
diff --git a/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.m b/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.m
index bc3ca48..1ad535c 100644
--- a/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.m
+++ b/AFNetworking/AFHTTPRequestOperation.m
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ typedef enum {
 NSString * const AFHTTPOperationDidStartNotification = @"com.alamofire.http-operation.start";
 NSString * const AFHTTPOperationDidFinishNotification = @"com.alamofire.http-operation.finish";
 
-typedef void (^AFHTTPRequestOperationProgressBlock)(NSUInteger totalBytesWritten, NSUInteger totalBytesExpectedToWrite);
+typedef void (^AFHTTPRequestOperationProgressBlock)(NSUInteger totalBytes, NSUInteger totalBytesExpected);
 typedef void (^AFHTTPRequestOperationCompletionBlock)(NSURLRequest *request, NSHTTPURLResponse *response, NSData *data, NSError *error);
 
 static inline NSString * AFKeyPathFromOperationState(AFHTTPOperationState state) {
@@ -79,13 +79,14 @@ static inline BOOL AFHTTPOperationStateTransitionIsValid(AFHTTPOperationState fr
 @interface AFHTTPRequestOperation ()
 @property (nonatomic, assign) AFHTTPOperationState state;
 @property (nonatomic, assign) BOOL isCancelled;
+@property (readwrite, nonatomic, assign) NSUInteger totalBytesRead;
 @property (readwrite, nonatomic, retain) NSMutableData *dataAccumulator;
 @property (readwrite, nonatomic, retain) NSOutputStream *outputStream;
-@property (readwrite, nonatomic, copy) AFHTTPRequestOperationProgressBlock progress;
+@property (readwrite, nonatomic, copy) AFHTTPRequestOperationProgressBlock uploadProgress;
+@property (readwrite, nonatomic, copy) AFHTTPRequestOperationProgressBlock downloadProgress;
 @property (readwrite, nonatomic, copy) AFHTTPRequestOperationCompletionBlock completion;
 
 - (id)initWithRequest:(NSURLRequest *)urlRequest;
-- (void)cleanup;
 @end
 
 @implementation AFHTTPRequestOperation
@@ -97,11 +98,32 @@ static inline BOOL AFHTTPOperationStateTransitionIsValid(AFHTTPOperationState fr
 @synthesize response = _response;
 @synthesize error = _error;
 @synthesize responseBody = _responseBody;
+@synthesize totalBytesRead = _totalBytesRead;
 @synthesize dataAccumulator = _dataAccumulator;
 @synthesize outputStream = _outputStream;
-@synthesize progress = _progress;
+@synthesize uploadProgress = _uploadProgress;
+@synthesize downloadProgress = _downloadProgress;
 @synthesize completion = _completion;
 
+static NSThread *_networkRequestThread = nil;
+
++ (NSThread *)networkRequestThread {
+    if (!_networkRequestThread) {
+        _networkRequestThread = [[NSThread alloc] initWithTarget:self selector:@selector(networkRequestThreadEntryPoint:) object:nil];
+        [_networkRequestThread start];
+    }
+        
+    return _networkRequestThread;
+}
+
++ (void)networkRequestThreadEntryPoint:(id)object {
+    do {
+        NSAutoreleasePool *pool = [[NSAutoreleasePool alloc] init];
+        [[NSRunLoop currentRunLoop] run];
+        [pool drain];
+    } while (YES);
+}
+
 + (id)operationWithRequest:(NSURLRequest *)urlRequest 
                 completion:(void (^)(NSURLRequest *request, NSHTTPURLResponse *response, NSData *data, NSError *error))completion
 {
@@ -157,25 +179,21 @@ static inline BOOL AFHTTPOperationStateTransitionIsValid(AFHTTPOperationState fr
     
     [_connection release]; _connection = nil;
 	
-    [_progress release];
+    [_uploadProgress release];
+    [_downloadProgress release];
     [_completion release];
-    [_progress release];
     [super dealloc];
 }
 
-- (void)cleanup {
-    [self.outputStream close];
-    for (NSString *runLoopMode in self.runLoopModes) {
-        [self.connection unscheduleFromRunLoop:[NSRunLoop currentRunLoop] forMode:runLoopMode];
-        [self.outputStream removeFromRunLoop:[NSRunLoop currentRunLoop] forMode:runLoopMode];
-    }
-    CFRunLoopStop([[NSRunLoop currentRunLoop] getCFRunLoop]); 
+- (void)setUploadProgressBlock:(void (^)(NSUInteger totalBytesWritten, NSUInteger totalBytesExpectedToWrite))block {
+    self.uploadProgress = block;
 }
 
-- (void)setProgressBlock:(void (^)(NSUInteger totalBytesWritten, NSUInteger totalBytesExpectedToWrite))block {
-    self.progress = block;
+- (void)setDownloadProgressBlock:(void (^)(NSUInteger totalBytesRead, NSUInteger totalBytesExpectedToRead))block {
+    self.downloadProgress = block;
 }
 
+
 - (void)setState:(AFHTTPOperationState)state {
     if (!AFHTTPOperationStateTransitionIsValid(self.state, state)) {
         return;
@@ -198,7 +216,6 @@ static inline BOOL AFHTTPOperationStateTransitionIsValid(AFHTTPOperationState fr
         case AFHTTPOperationFinishedState:
             [[AFNetworkActivityIndicatorManager sharedManager] stopAnimating];
             [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] postNotificationName:AFHTTPOperationDidFinishNotification object:self];
-            [self cleanup];
             break;
         default:
             break;
@@ -233,7 +250,11 @@ static inline BOOL AFHTTPOperationStateTransitionIsValid(AFHTTPOperationState fr
     }
     
     self.state = AFHTTPOperationExecutingState;
-        
+
+    [self performSelector:@selector(operationDidStart) onThread:[[self class] networkRequestThread] withObject:nil waitUntilDone:YES modes:[self.runLoopModes allObjects]];
+}
+
+- (void)operationDidStart {
     self.connection = [[[NSURLConnection alloc] initWithRequest:self.request delegate:self startImmediately:NO] autorelease];
     
     NSRunLoop *runLoop = [NSRunLoop currentRunLoop];
@@ -243,16 +264,13 @@ static inline BOOL AFHTTPOperationStateTransitionIsValid(AFHTTPOperationState fr
     }
     
     [self.connection start];
-
-    [runLoop run];
+    
 }
 
 - (void)cancel {
     self.isCancelled = YES;
     
-    [self.connection cancel];
-    
-    [self cleanup];
+    [self.connection cancel];    
 }
 
 #pragma mark - AFHTTPRequestOperation
@@ -285,6 +303,8 @@ didReceiveResponse:(NSURLResponse *)response
 - (void)connection:(NSURLConnection *)connection 
     didReceiveData:(NSData *)data 
 {
+    self.totalBytesRead += [data length];
+    
     if (self.outputStream) {
         if ([self.outputStream hasSpaceAvailable]) {
             const uint8_t *dataBuffer = [data bytes];
@@ -293,6 +313,10 @@ didReceiveResponse:(NSURLResponse *)response
     } else {
         [self.dataAccumulator appendData:data];
     }
+    
+    if (self.downloadProgress) {
+        self.downloadProgress(self.totalBytesRead, self.response.expectedContentLength);
+    }
 }
 
 - (void)connectionDidFinishLoading:(NSURLConnection *)connection {
@@ -305,7 +329,7 @@ didReceiveResponse:(NSURLResponse *)response
         [_dataAccumulator release]; _dataAccumulator = nil;
     }
 
-    [self performSelectorOnMainThread:@selector(finish) withObject:nil waitUntilDone:NO];
+    [self finish];
 }
 
 - (void)connection:(NSURLConnection *)connection 
@@ -315,7 +339,7 @@ didReceiveResponse:(NSURLResponse *)response
     
     self.error = error;
     
-    [self performSelectorOnMainThread:@selector(finish) withObject:nil waitUntilDone:NO];
+    [self finish];
 }
 
 - (void)connection:(NSURLConnection *)connection 
@@ -323,12 +347,14 @@ didReceiveResponse:(NSURLResponse *)response
  totalBytesWritten:(NSInteger)totalBytesWritten 
 totalBytesExpectedToWrite:(NSInteger)totalBytesExpectedToWrite
 {
-    if (self.progress) {
-        self.progress(totalBytesWritten, totalBytesExpectedToWrite);
+    if (self.uploadProgress) {
+        self.uploadProgress(totalBytesWritten, totalBytesExpectedToWrite);
     }
 }
 
-- (NSCachedURLResponse *)connection:(NSURLConnection *)connection willCacheResponse:(NSCachedURLResponse *)cachedResponse {
+- (NSCachedURLResponse *)connection:(NSURLConnection *)connection 
+                  willCacheResponse:(NSCachedURLResponse *)cachedResponse 
+{
     if ([self isCancelled]) {
         return nil;
     }
diff --git a/AFNetworking/AFRestClient.h b/AFNetworking/AFRestClient.h
index 57c54b5..7470810 100644
--- a/AFNetworking/AFRestClient.h
+++ b/AFNetworking/AFRestClient.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 
 - (NSString *)defaultValueForHeader:(NSString *)header;
 - (void)setDefaultHeader:(NSString *)header value:(NSString *)value;
+- (void)setAuthorizationHeaderWithUsername:(NSString *)username password:(NSString *)password;
 - (void)setAuthorizationHeaderWithToken:(NSString *)token;
 - (void)clearAuthorizationHeader;
 
diff --git a/AFNetworking/AFRestClient.m b/AFNetworking/AFRestClient.m
index 2062c55..d699e59 100644
--- a/AFNetworking/AFRestClient.m
+++ b/AFNetworking/AFRestClient.m
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 #import "AFRestClient.h"
 #import "AFJSONRequestOperation.h"
 
+#import "NSData+AFNetworking.h"
+
 static NSStringEncoding const kAFRestClientStringEncoding = NSUTF8StringEncoding;
 
 @interface AFRestClient ()
@@ -86,6 +88,12 @@ static NSStringEncoding const kAFRestClientStringEncoding = NSUTF8StringEncoding
 	[self.defaultHeaders setObject:value forKey:header];
 }
 
+- (void)setAuthorizationHeaderWithUsername:(NSString *)username password:(NSString *)password {
+	NSString *authHeader = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@:%@", username, password];
+    NSString *encodedAuthHeader = [[NSData dataWithBytes:[authHeader UTF8String] length:[authHeader length]] base64EncodedString];
+    [self setDefaultHeader:@"Authorization" value:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"Basic %@", encodedAuthHeader]];
+}
+
 - (void)setAuthorizationHeaderWithToken:(NSString *)token {
     [self setDefaultHeader:@"Authorization" value:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"Token token=\"%@\"", token]];
 }
diff --git a/AFNetworking/NSData+AFNetworking.h b/AFNetworking/NSData+AFNetworking.h
index 02851e9..4fe6c36 100644
--- a/AFNetworking/NSData+AFNetworking.h
+++ b/AFNetworking/NSData+AFNetworking.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ extern NSString * const kAFZlibErrorDomain;
 
 @interface NSData (AFNetworking)
 
+- (NSString *)base64EncodedString;
 - (NSData *)dataByGZipCompressingWithError:(NSError **)error;
 - (NSData *)dataByGZipDecompressingDataWithError:(NSError **)error;
 
diff --git a/AFNetworking/NSData+AFNetworking.m b/AFNetworking/NSData+AFNetworking.m
index c90c6b1..9d2fad2 100644
--- a/AFNetworking/NSData+AFNetworking.m
+++ b/AFNetworking/NSData+AFNetworking.m
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 
 NSString * const kAFZlibErrorDomain = @"com.alamofire.zlib.error";
 
+static char Base64EncodingTable[] = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789+/";
+
 static inline NSUInteger NSDataEstimatedCompressedLength(NSData *data) {
     return [data length] / 2;
 }
@@ -88,6 +90,33 @@ typedef enum {
 
 @implementation NSData (AFNetworking)
 
+- (NSString *)base64EncodedString {
+    NSUInteger length = [self length];
+    NSMutableData *mutableData = [NSMutableData dataWithLength:((length + 2) / 3) * 4];
+    
+    uint8_t *input = (uint8_t *)[self bytes];
+    uint8_t *output = (uint8_t *)[mutableData mutableBytes];
+    
+    for (NSUInteger i = 0; i < length; i += 3) {
+        NSUInteger value = 0;
+        for (NSUInteger j = i; j < (i + 3); j++) {
+            value <<= 8;
+            
+            if (j < length) {
+                value |= (0xFF & input[j]); 
+            }
+        }
+        
+        NSInteger idx = (i / 3) * 4;
+        output[idx + 0] =                    Base64EncodingTable[(value >> 18) & 0x3F];
+        output[idx + 1] =                    Base64EncodingTable[(value >> 12) & 0x3F];
+        output[idx + 2] = (i + 1) < length ? Base64EncodingTable[(value >> 6)  & 0x3F] : '=';
+        output[idx + 3] = (i + 2) < length ? Base64EncodingTable[(value >> 0)  & 0x3F] : '=';
+    }
+    
+    return [[[NSString alloc] initWithData:mutableData encoding:NSASCIIStringEncoding] autorelease];
+}
+
 - (NSData *)dataByGZipCompressingWithError:(NSError **)error {
     return [NSData dataByTransformingData:self usingGZipOperation:GzipDeflate error:error];
 }