diff --git a/src/tuimble/client.py b/src/tuimble/client.py
index 48b9b08..056cf7c 100644
--- a/src/tuimble/client.py
+++ b/src/tuimble/client.py
@@ -9,12 +9,26 @@ event loop (e.g. Textual's call_from_thread).
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import logging
+import socket
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Callable
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+class ConnectionFailed(Exception):
+    """Connection attempt failed.
+
+    Attributes:
+        retryable: Whether the caller should attempt reconnection.
+            False for authentication rejections, True for network errors.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, message: str, *, retryable: bool = True):
+        super().__init__(message)
+        self.retryable = retryable
+
+
 @dataclass
 class User:
     session_id: int
@@ -138,8 +152,14 @@ class MumbleClient:
     # -- connection ----------------------------------------------------------
 
     def connect(self):
-        """Connect to the Mumble server (blocking)."""
+        """Connect to the Mumble server (blocking).
+
+        Raises:
+            ConnectionFailed: On any connection failure.  Check the
+                ``retryable`` attribute to decide whether to retry.
+        """
         import pymumble_py3 as pymumble
+        import pymumble_py3.constants as const
 
         kwargs = {
             "port": self._port,
@@ -150,19 +170,39 @@ class MumbleClient:
             kwargs["certfile"] = self._certfile
         if self._keyfile:
             kwargs["keyfile"] = self._keyfile
-        self._mumble = pymumble.Mumble(
-            self._host,
-            self._username,
-            **kwargs,
-        )
-        self._mumble.set_codec_profile("audio")
-        self._mumble.set_receive_sound(True)
-        self._register_callbacks()
 
-        self._mumble.start()
-        self._mumble.is_ready()  # blocks until handshake completes
+        try:
+            self._mumble = pymumble.Mumble(
+                self._host,
+                self._username,
+                **kwargs,
+            )
+            self._mumble.set_codec_profile("audio")
+            self._mumble.set_receive_sound(True)
+            self._register_callbacks()
+
+            self._mumble.start()
+            self._mumble.is_ready()  # blocks until handshake completes
+        except (socket.error, OSError) as exc:
+            self._connected = False
+            raise ConnectionFailed(
+                f"network error: {exc}", retryable=True,
+            ) from exc
+        except Exception as exc:
+            self._connected = False
+            raise ConnectionFailed(str(exc), retryable=True) from exc
+
+        if self._mumble.connected != const.PYMUMBLE_CONN_STATE_CONNECTED:
+            self._connected = False
+            raise ConnectionFailed(
+                "server rejected connection", retryable=False,
+            )
+
         self._connected = True
-        log.info("connected to %s:%d as %s", self._host, self._port, self._username)
+        log.info(
+            "connected to %s:%d as %s",
+            self._host, self._port, self._username,
+        )
 
     def disconnect(self):
         """Disconnect from the server."""
@@ -174,6 +214,16 @@ class MumbleClient:
             self._connected = False
             log.info("disconnected")
 
+    def reconnect(self):
+        """Disconnect and reconnect to the same server.
+
+        Raises:
+            ConnectionFailed: On connection failure (see ``connect``).
+        """
+        self.disconnect()
+        self._mumble = None
+        self.connect()
+
     # -- actions -------------------------------------------------------------
 
     def send_text(self, message: str):
diff --git a/tests/test_client.py b/tests/test_client.py
index 020c58d..6bc597c 100644
--- a/tests/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_client.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 """Tests for MumbleClient dispatcher and callback wiring."""
 
-from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
 
-from tuimble.client import MumbleClient
+from tuimble.client import ConnectionFailed, MumbleClient
 
 
 def test_default_state():
@@ -83,3 +83,40 @@ def test_cert_custom():
     )
     assert client._certfile == "/path/cert.pem"
     assert client._keyfile == "/path/key.pem"
+
+
+def test_connection_failed_retryable():
+    exc = ConnectionFailed("network error", retryable=True)
+    assert str(exc) == "network error"
+    assert exc.retryable is True
+
+
+def test_connection_failed_not_retryable():
+    exc = ConnectionFailed("auth rejected", retryable=False)
+    assert str(exc) == "auth rejected"
+    assert exc.retryable is False
+
+
+def test_connection_failed_default_retryable():
+    exc = ConnectionFailed("something broke")
+    assert exc.retryable is True
+
+
+def test_reconnect_resets_state():
+    client = MumbleClient(host="localhost")
+    client._connected = True
+    client._mumble = MagicMock()
+
+    with patch.object(client, "connect"):
+        client.reconnect()
+
+    # disconnect should have cleared _mumble before connect
+    assert client._connected is False
+
+
+def test_disconnect_clears_connected():
+    client = MumbleClient(host="localhost")
+    client._connected = True
+    client._mumble = MagicMock()
+    client.disconnect()
+    assert client.connected is False