diff --git a/p2p/dial.go b/p2p/dial.go
index 2d9e3a0edc..8ca3dc5a16 100644
--- a/p2p/dial.go
+++ b/p2p/dial.go
@@ -291,11 +291,14 @@ func (t *dialTask) Do(srv *Server) {
 			return
 		}
 	}
-	success := t.dial(srv, t.dest)
-	// Try resolving the ID of static nodes if dialing failed.
-	if !success && t.flags&staticDialedConn != 0 {
-		if t.resolve(srv) {
-			t.dial(srv, t.dest)
+	err := t.dial(srv, t.dest)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Trace("Dial error", "task", t, "err", err)
+		// Try resolving the ID of static nodes if dialing failed.
+		if _, ok := err.(*dialError); ok && t.flags&staticDialedConn != 0 {
+			if t.resolve(srv) {
+				t.dial(srv, t.dest)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -334,16 +337,18 @@ func (t *dialTask) resolve(srv *Server) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+type dialError struct {
+	error
+}
+
 // dial performs the actual connection attempt.
-func (t *dialTask) dial(srv *Server, dest *discover.Node) bool {
+func (t *dialTask) dial(srv *Server, dest *discover.Node) error {
 	fd, err := srv.Dialer.Dial(dest)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Trace("Dial error", "task", t, "err", err)
-		return false
+		return &dialError{err}
 	}
 	mfd := newMeteredConn(fd, false)
-	srv.SetupConn(mfd, t.flags, dest)
-	return true
+	return srv.SetupConn(mfd, t.flags, dest)
 }
 
 func (t *dialTask) String() string {
diff --git a/p2p/peer.go b/p2p/peer.go
index ebf7490c68..4916bdc05b 100644
--- a/p2p/peer.go
+++ b/p2p/peer.go
@@ -158,6 +158,11 @@ func (p *Peer) String() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("Peer %x %v", p.rw.id[:8], p.RemoteAddr())
 }
 
+// Inbound returns true if the peer is an inbound connection
+func (p *Peer) Inbound() bool {
+	return p.rw.flags&inboundConn != 0
+}
+
 func newPeer(conn *conn, protocols []Protocol) *Peer {
 	protomap := matchProtocols(protocols, conn.caps, conn)
 	p := &Peer{
diff --git a/p2p/rlpx.go b/p2p/rlpx.go
index b2775cacdc..7904316950 100644
--- a/p2p/rlpx.go
+++ b/p2p/rlpx.go
@@ -102,8 +102,9 @@ func (t *rlpx) close(err error) {
 	// Tell the remote end why we're disconnecting if possible.
 	if t.rw != nil {
 		if r, ok := err.(DiscReason); ok && r != DiscNetworkError {
-			t.fd.SetWriteDeadline(time.Now().Add(discWriteTimeout))
-			SendItems(t.rw, discMsg, r)
+			if err = t.fd.SetWriteDeadline(time.Now().Add(discWriteTimeout)); err == nil {
+				SendItems(t.rw, discMsg, r)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	t.fd.Close()
diff --git a/p2p/server.go b/p2p/server.go
index d1d578401b..d546c88c6e 100644
--- a/p2p/server.go
+++ b/p2p/server.go
@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ type conn struct {
 	transport
 	flags connFlag
 	cont  chan error      // The run loop uses cont to signal errors to SetupConn.
+	self  discover.NodeID // the host ID for logging in multinode simulation
 	id    discover.NodeID // valid after the encryption handshake
 	caps  []Cap           // valid after the protocol handshake
 	name  string          // valid after the protocol handshake
@@ -484,12 +485,13 @@ func (srv *Server) run(dialstate dialer) {
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	clog := log.New("self", srv.Self().ID)
 	// starts until max number of active tasks is satisfied
 	startTasks := func(ts []task) (rest []task) {
 		i := 0
 		for ; len(runningTasks) < maxActiveDialTasks && i < len(ts); i++ {
 			t := ts[i]
-			log.Trace("New dial task", "task", t)
+			clog.Trace("New dial task", "task", t)
 			go func() { t.Do(srv); taskdone <- t }()
 			runningTasks = append(runningTasks, t)
 		}
@@ -518,12 +520,15 @@ running:
 			// ephemeral static peer list. Add it to the dialer,
 			// it will keep the node connected.
 			log.Debug("Adding static node", "node", n)
-			dialstate.addStatic(n)
+			// FIXME: this is a hack, redial does not work
+			// in simulations if addstatic is used
+			// dialstate.addStatic(n)
+			queuedTasks = append(queuedTasks, &dialTask{flags: staticDialedConn, dest: n})
 		case n := <-srv.removestatic:
 			// This channel is used by RemovePeer to send a
 			// disconnect request to a peer and begin the
 			// stop keeping the node connected
-			log.Debug("Removing static node", "node", n)
+			clog.Debug("Removing static node", "node", n)
 			dialstate.removeStatic(n)
 			if p, ok := peers[n.ID]; ok {
 				p.Disconnect(DiscRequested)
@@ -536,7 +541,7 @@ running:
 			// A task got done. Tell dialstate about it so it
 			// can update its state and remove it from the active
 			// tasks list.
-			log.Trace("Dial task done", "task", t)
+			clog.Trace("Dial task done", "task", t)
 			dialstate.taskDone(t, time.Now())
 			delTask(t)
 		case c := <-srv.posthandshake:
@@ -565,7 +570,7 @@ running:
 					p.events = &srv.peerFeed
 				}
 				name := truncateName(c.name)
-				log.Debug("Adding p2p peer", "id", c.id, "name", name, "addr", c.fd.RemoteAddr(), "peers", len(peers)+1)
+				clog.Debug("Adding p2p peer", "name", name, "addr", c.fd.RemoteAddr(), "peers", len(peers)+1)
 				peers[c.id] = p
 				go srv.runPeer(p)
 			}
@@ -698,55 +703,65 @@ func (srv *Server) listenLoop() {
 // SetupConn runs the handshakes and attempts to add the connection
 // as a peer. It returns when the connection has been added as a peer
 // or the handshakes have failed.
-func (srv *Server) SetupConn(fd net.Conn, flags connFlag, dialDest *discover.Node) {
+func (srv *Server) SetupConn(fd net.Conn, flags connFlag, dialDest *discover.Node) error {
+	self := srv.Self()
+	if self == nil {
+		return errors.New("shutdown")
+	}
+	c := &conn{self: srv.Self().ID, fd: fd, transport: srv.newTransport(fd), flags: flags, cont: make(chan error)}
+	err := srv.setupConn(c, flags, dialDest)
+	if err != nil {
+		c.close(err)
+		log.Trace("Setting up connection failed", "self", c.self, "id", c.id, "err", err)
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+func (srv *Server) setupConn(c *conn, flags connFlag, dialDest *discover.Node) error {
 	// Prevent leftover pending conns from entering the handshake.
 	srv.lock.Lock()
 	running := srv.running
 	srv.lock.Unlock()
-	c := &conn{fd: fd, transport: srv.newTransport(fd), flags: flags, cont: make(chan error)}
 	if !running {
-		c.close(errServerStopped)
-		return
+		return errServerStopped
 	}
+	clog := log.New("self", c.self, "id", c.id, "addr", c.fd.RemoteAddr(), "conn", c.flags)
 	// Run the encryption handshake.
 	var err error
 	if c.id, err = c.doEncHandshake(srv.PrivateKey, dialDest); err != nil {
-		log.Trace("Failed RLPx handshake", "addr", c.fd.RemoteAddr(), "conn", c.flags, "err", err)
-		c.close(err)
-		return
+		clog.Trace("Failed RLPx handshake", "addr", c.fd.RemoteAddr(), "conn", c.flags, "err", err)
+		return err
 	}
-	clog := log.New("id", c.id, "addr", c.fd.RemoteAddr(), "conn", c.flags)
 	// For dialed connections, check that the remote public key matches.
 	if dialDest != nil && c.id != dialDest.ID {
-		c.close(DiscUnexpectedIdentity)
 		clog.Trace("Dialed identity mismatch", "want", c, dialDest.ID)
-		return
+		return DiscUnexpectedIdentity
 	}
-	if err := srv.checkpoint(c, srv.posthandshake); err != nil {
+	err = srv.checkpoint(c, srv.posthandshake)
+	if err != nil {
 		clog.Trace("Rejected peer before protocol handshake", "err", err)
-		c.close(err)
-		return
+		return err
 	}
 	// Run the protocol handshake
 	phs, err := c.doProtoHandshake(srv.ourHandshake)
 	if err != nil {
 		clog.Trace("Failed proto handshake", "err", err)
-		c.close(err)
-		return
+		return err
 	}
 	if phs.ID != c.id {
 		clog.Trace("Wrong devp2p handshake identity", "err", phs.ID)
-		c.close(DiscUnexpectedIdentity)
-		return
+		return DiscUnexpectedIdentity
 	}
 	c.caps, c.name = phs.Caps, phs.Name
-	if err := srv.checkpoint(c, srv.addpeer); err != nil {
+	err = srv.checkpoint(c, srv.addpeer)
+	if err != nil {
 		clog.Trace("Rejected peer", "err", err)
-		c.close(err)
-		return
+		return err
 	}
 	// If the checks completed successfully, runPeer has now been
 	// launched by run.
+	clog.Trace("connection set up", "err", err, "inbound", dialDest == nil)
+	return nil
 }
 
 func truncateName(s string) string {
diff --git a/p2p/simulations/adapters/types.go b/p2p/simulations/adapters/types.go
index ed6cfc5046..5b4b47fe2f 100644
--- a/p2p/simulations/adapters/types.go
+++ b/p2p/simulations/adapters/types.go
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ type NodeConfig struct {
 	// stack to encrypt communications
 	PrivateKey *ecdsa.PrivateKey
 
+	// Enable peer events for Msgs
+	EnableMsgEvents bool
+
 	// Name is a human friendly name for the node like "node01"
 	Name string
 
@@ -91,6 +94,9 @@ type NodeConfig struct {
 	// contained in SimAdapter.services, for other nodes it should be
 	// services registered by calling the RegisterService function)
 	Services []string
+
+	// function to sanction or prevent suggesting a peer
+	Reachable func(id discover.NodeID) bool
 }
 
 // nodeConfigJSON is used to encode and decode NodeConfig as JSON by encoding
diff --git a/p2p/simulations/network.go b/p2p/simulations/network.go
index 06890ffcf2..fd8777673e 100644
--- a/p2p/simulations/network.go
+++ b/p2p/simulations/network.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/event"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
@@ -30,6 +31,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/p2p/simulations/adapters"
 )
 
+var dialBanTimeout = 200 * time.Millisecond
+
 // NetworkConfig defines configuration options for starting a Network
 type NetworkConfig struct {
 	ID             string `json:"id"`
@@ -95,6 +98,12 @@ func (self *Network) NewNodeWithConfig(conf *adapters.NodeConfig) (*Node, error)
 		conf.PrivateKey = c.PrivateKey
 	}
 	id := conf.ID
+	if conf.Reachable == nil {
+		conf.Reachable = func(otherID discover.NodeID) bool {
+			_, err := self.InitConn(conf.ID, otherID)
+			return err == nil
+		}
+	}
 
 	// assign a name to the node if not set
 	if conf.Name == "" {
@@ -271,16 +280,10 @@ func (self *Network) Stop(id discover.NodeID) error {
 // method on the "one" node so that it connects to the "other" node
 func (self *Network) Connect(oneID, otherID discover.NodeID) error {
 	log.Debug(fmt.Sprintf("connecting %s to %s", oneID, otherID))
-	conn, err := self.GetOrCreateConn(oneID, otherID)
+	conn, err := self.InitConn(oneID, otherID)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if conn.Up {
-		return fmt.Errorf("%v and %v already connected", oneID, otherID)
-	}
-	if err := conn.nodesUp(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
 	client, err := conn.one.Client()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -324,14 +327,15 @@ func (self *Network) DidConnect(one, other discover.NodeID) error {
 // DidDisconnect tracks the fact that the "one" node disconnected from the
 // "other" node
 func (self *Network) DidDisconnect(one, other discover.NodeID) error {
-	conn, err := self.GetOrCreateConn(one, other)
-	if err != nil {
+	conn := self.GetConn(one, other)
+	if conn == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("connection between %v and %v does not exist", one, other)
 	}
 	if !conn.Up {
 		return fmt.Errorf("%v and %v already disconnected", one, other)
 	}
 	conn.Up = false
+	conn.initiated = time.Now().Add(-dialBanTimeout)
 	self.events.Send(NewEvent(conn))
 	return nil
 }
@@ -396,10 +400,13 @@ func (self *Network) getNodeByName(name string) *Node {
 }
 
 // GetNodes returns the existing nodes
-func (self *Network) GetNodes() []*Node {
+func (self *Network) GetNodes() (nodes []*Node) {
 	self.lock.Lock()
 	defer self.lock.Unlock()
-	return self.Nodes
+	for _, node := range self.Nodes {
+		nodes = append(nodes, node)
+	}
+	return nodes
 }
 
 // GetConn returns the connection which exists between "one" and "other"
@@ -415,6 +422,10 @@ func (self *Network) GetConn(oneID, otherID discover.NodeID) *Conn {
 func (self *Network) GetOrCreateConn(oneID, otherID discover.NodeID) (*Conn, error) {
 	self.lock.Lock()
 	defer self.lock.Unlock()
+	return self.getOrCreateConn(oneID, otherID)
+}
+
+func (self *Network) getOrCreateConn(oneID, otherID discover.NodeID) (*Conn, error) {
 	if conn := self.getConn(oneID, otherID); conn != nil {
 		return conn, nil
 	}
@@ -448,6 +459,38 @@ func (self *Network) getConn(oneID, otherID discover.NodeID) *Conn {
 	return self.Conns[i]
 }
 
+// InitConn(one, other) retrieves the connectiton model for the connection between
+// peers one and other, or creates a new one if it does not exist
+// the order of nodes does not matter, i.e., Conn(i,j) == Conn(j, i)
+// it checks if the connection is already up, and if the nodes are running
+// NOTE:
+// it also checks whether there has been recent attempt to connect the peers
+// this is cheating as the simulation is used as an oracle and know about
+// remote peers attempt to connect to a node which will then not initiate the connection
+func (self *Network) InitConn(oneID, otherID discover.NodeID) (*Conn, error) {
+	self.lock.Lock()
+	defer self.lock.Unlock()
+	if oneID == otherID {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("refusing to connect to self %v", oneID)
+	}
+	conn, err := self.getOrCreateConn(oneID, otherID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if time.Now().Sub(conn.initiated) < dialBanTimeout {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("connection between %v and %v recently attempted", oneID, otherID)
+	}
+	if conn.Up {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%v and %v already connected", oneID, otherID)
+	}
+	err = conn.nodesUp()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("nodes not up: %v", err)
+	}
+	conn.initiated = time.Now()
+	return conn, nil
+}
+
 // Shutdown stops all nodes in the network and closes the quit channel
 func (self *Network) Shutdown() {
 	for _, node := range self.Nodes {
@@ -516,6 +559,8 @@ type Conn struct {
 
 	// Up tracks whether or not the connection is active
 	Up bool `json:"up"`
+	// Registers when the connection was grabbed to dial
+	initiated time.Time
 
 	one   *Node
 	other *Node