diff --git a/fenn/remote/client.py b/fenn/remote/client.py
index 99bbda0..6102399 100644
--- a/fenn/remote/client.py
+++ b/fenn/remote/client.py
@@ -121,10 +121,10 @@ def _request(self, method: str, path: str, **kwargs):
         kwargs.setdefault("timeout", (_CONNECT_TIMEOUT, _REQUEST_TIMEOUT))
         try:
             response = self._session.request(method, self._url(path), **kwargs)
-        except requests.exceptions.SSLError:
-            raise
-        except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError:
-            raise
+        except requests.exceptions.SSLError as exc:
+            raise NetworkError(f"TLS error connecting to {self._host}: {exc}") from exc
+        except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError as exc:
+            raise NetworkError(f"Could not connect to {self._host}: {exc}") from exc
         except requests.exceptions.Timeout as exc:
             raise NetworkError(f"Request to {self._host} timed out: {exc}") from exc
         self._raise_for_status(response)
diff --git a/tests/unit/remote/__init__.py b/tests/unit/remote/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/tests/unit/remote/test_client.py b/tests/unit/remote/test_client.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7429d3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/remote/test_client.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+"""Tests for `fenn.remote.client.RemoteClient._request` error handling."""
+
+from unittest.mock import Mock
+
+import pytest
+import requests
+
+from fenn.exceptions import AuthError, InsufficientCreditsError, NetworkError
+from fenn.remote.client import RemoteClient
+
+
+def _client(response_or_exc) -> RemoteClient:
+    client = RemoteClient(host="https://example.test", api_key="fk_test")
+    if isinstance(response_or_exc, BaseException):
+        client._session.request = Mock(side_effect=response_or_exc)
+    else:
+        client._session.request = Mock(return_value=response_or_exc)
+    return client
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "exc",
+    [
+        requests.exceptions.ConnectionError("connection refused"),
+        requests.exceptions.SSLError("certificate verify failed"),
+        requests.exceptions.ConnectTimeout("connect timed out"),
+        requests.exceptions.ReadTimeout("read timed out"),
+    ],
+    ids=["connection", "ssl", "connect-timeout", "read-timeout"],
+)
+def test_request_wraps_transport_errors_as_network_error(exc):
+    client = _client(exc)
+
+    with pytest.raises(NetworkError):
+        client.me()
+
+
+def test_request_returns_response_on_success():
+    ok = Mock(status_code=200)
+    ok.json.return_value = {"credits": 10}
+
+    assert _client(ok).me() == {"credits": 10}
+
+
+def test_request_maps_http_status_to_typed_errors():
+    unauthorized = Mock(status_code=401)
+    unauthorized.json.return_value = {"detail": "revoked"}
+    with pytest.raises(AuthError):
+        _client(unauthorized).me()
+
+    broke = Mock(status_code=402)
+    broke.json.return_value = {"detail": "no credits"}
+    with pytest.raises(InsufficientCreditsError):
+        _client(broke).me()