diff --git a/cmd/yggdrasilsim/dial.go b/cmd/yggdrasilsim/dial.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c7892d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/yggdrasilsim/dial.go
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"sort"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/crypto"
+)
+
+func doListen(recvNode *simNode) {
+	// TODO be able to stop the listeners somehow so they don't leak across different tests
+	for {
+		c, err := recvNode.listener.Accept()
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
+		c.Close()
+	}
+}
+
+func dialTest(sendNode, recvNode *simNode) {
+	if sendNode.id == recvNode.id {
+		fmt.Println("Skipping dial to self")
+		return
+	}
+	var mask crypto.NodeID
+	for idx := range mask {
+		mask[idx] = 0xff
+	}
+	for {
+		c, err := sendNode.dialer.DialByNodeIDandMask(nil, &recvNode.nodeID, &mask)
+		if c != nil {
+			c.Close()
+			return
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Println("Dial failed:", err)
+		}
+		time.Sleep(time.Second)
+	}
+}
+
+func dialStore(store nodeStore) {
+	var nodeIdxs []int
+	for idx, n := range store {
+		nodeIdxs = append(nodeIdxs, idx)
+		go doListen(n)
+	}
+	sort.Slice(nodeIdxs, func(i, j int) bool {
+		return nodeIdxs[i] < nodeIdxs[j]
+	})
+	for _, idx := range nodeIdxs {
+		sendNode := store[idx]
+		for _, jdx := range nodeIdxs {
+			recvNode := store[jdx]
+			fmt.Printf("Dialing from node %d to node %d / %d...\n", idx, jdx, len(store))
+			dialTest(sendNode, recvNode)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/yggdrasilsim/main.go b/cmd/yggdrasilsim/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..25504c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/yggdrasilsim/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+package main
+
+func main() {
+	store := makeStoreSquareGrid(4)
+	dialStore(store)
+}
diff --git a/cmd/yggdrasilsim/node.go b/cmd/yggdrasilsim/node.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..65e6a80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/yggdrasilsim/node.go
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+
+	"github.com/gologme/log"
+
+	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/config"
+	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/crypto"
+	"github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/src/yggdrasil"
+)
+
+type simNode struct {
+	core     yggdrasil.Core
+	id       int
+	nodeID   crypto.NodeID
+	dialer   *yggdrasil.Dialer
+	listener *yggdrasil.Listener
+}
+
+func newNode(id int) *simNode {
+	n := simNode{id: id}
+	n.core.Start(config.GenerateConfig(), log.New(ioutil.Discard, "", 0))
+	n.nodeID = *n.core.NodeID()
+	n.dialer, _ = n.core.ConnDialer()
+	n.listener, _ = n.core.ConnListen()
+	return &n
+}
diff --git a/cmd/yggdrasilsim/store.go b/cmd/yggdrasilsim/store.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6fce81a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/yggdrasilsim/store.go
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+package main
+
+type nodeStore map[int]*simNode
+
+func makeStoreSingle() nodeStore {
+	s := make(nodeStore)
+	s[0] = newNode(0)
+	return s
+}
+
+func linkNodes(a *simNode, b *simNode) {
+	la := a.core.NewSimlink()
+	lb := b.core.NewSimlink()
+	la.SetDestination(lb)
+	lb.SetDestination(la)
+	la.Start()
+	lb.Start()
+}
+
+func makeStoreSquareGrid(sideLength int) nodeStore {
+	store := make(nodeStore)
+	nNodes := sideLength * sideLength
+	idxs := make([]int, 0, nNodes)
+	// TODO shuffle nodeIDs
+	for idx := 1; idx <= nNodes; idx++ {
+		idxs = append(idxs, idx)
+	}
+	for _, idx := range idxs {
+		n := newNode(idx)
+		store[idx] = n
+	}
+	for idx := 0; idx < nNodes; idx++ {
+		if (idx % sideLength) != 0 {
+			linkNodes(store[idxs[idx]], store[idxs[idx-1]])
+		}
+		if idx >= sideLength {
+			linkNodes(store[idxs[idx]], store[idxs[idx-sideLength]])
+		}
+	}
+	return store
+}
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/link.go b/src/yggdrasil/link.go
index 733b9ac..7f6b9b5 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/link.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/link.go
@@ -217,9 +217,23 @@ func (intf *linkInterface) handler() error {
 	intf.link.mutex.Unlock()
 	// Create peer
 	shared := crypto.GetSharedKey(myLinkPriv, &meta.link)
+	out := func(msgs [][]byte) {
+		// nil to prevent it from blocking if the link is somehow frozen
+		// this is safe because another packet won't be sent until the link notifies
+		//  the peer that it's ready for one
+		intf.writer.sendFrom(nil, msgs, false)
+	}
+	linkOut := func(bs []byte) {
+		// nil to prevent it from blocking if the link is somehow frozen
+		// FIXME this is hypothetically not safe, the peer shouldn't be sending
+		//  additional packets until this one finishes, otherwise this could leak
+		//  memory if writing happens slower than link packets are generated...
+		//  that seems unlikely, so it's a lesser evil than deadlocking for now
+		intf.writer.sendFrom(nil, [][]byte{bs}, true)
+	}
 	phony.Block(&intf.link.core.peers, func() {
 		// FIXME don't use phony.Block, it's bad practice, even if it's safe here
-		intf.peer = intf.link.core.peers._newPeer(&meta.box, &meta.sig, shared, intf, func() { intf.msgIO.close() })
+		intf.peer = intf.link.core.peers._newPeer(&meta.box, &meta.sig, shared, intf, func() { intf.msgIO.close() }, out, linkOut)
 	})
 	if intf.peer == nil {
 		return errors.New("failed to create peer")
@@ -228,20 +242,6 @@ func (intf *linkInterface) handler() error {
 		// More cleanup can go here
 		intf.peer.Act(nil, intf.peer._removeSelf)
 	}()
-	intf.peer.out = func(msgs [][]byte) {
-		// nil to prevent it from blocking if the link is somehow frozen
-		// this is safe because another packet won't be sent until the link notifies
-		//  the peer that it's ready for one
-		intf.writer.sendFrom(nil, msgs, false)
-	}
-	intf.peer.linkOut = func(bs []byte) {
-		// nil to prevent it from blocking if the link is somehow frozen
-		// FIXME this is hypothetically not safe, the peer shouldn't be sending
-		//  additional packets until this one finishes, otherwise this could leak
-		//  memory if writing happens slower than link packets are generated...
-		//  that seems unlikely, so it's a lesser evil than deadlocking for now
-		intf.writer.sendFrom(nil, [][]byte{bs}, true)
-	}
 	themAddr := address.AddrForNodeID(crypto.GetNodeID(&intf.info.box))
 	themAddrString := net.IP(themAddr[:]).String()
 	themString := fmt.Sprintf("%s@%s", themAddrString, intf.info.remote)
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/peer.go b/src/yggdrasil/peer.go
index 7eef9a1..801691a 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/peer.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/peer.go
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func (ps *peers) _updatePeers() {
 }
 
 // Creates a new peer with the specified box, sig, and linkShared keys, using the lowest unoccupied port number.
-func (ps *peers) _newPeer(box *crypto.BoxPubKey, sig *crypto.SigPubKey, linkShared *crypto.BoxSharedKey, intf *linkInterface, closer func()) *peer {
+func (ps *peers) _newPeer(box *crypto.BoxPubKey, sig *crypto.SigPubKey, linkShared *crypto.BoxSharedKey, intf *linkInterface, closer func(), out func([][]byte), linkOut func([]byte)) *peer {
 	now := time.Now()
 	p := peer{box: *box,
 		sig:        *sig,
@@ -134,6 +134,8 @@ func (ps *peers) _newPeer(box *crypto.BoxPubKey, sig *crypto.SigPubKey, linkShar
 		close:      closer,
 		core:       ps.core,
 		intf:       intf,
+		out:        out,
+		linkOut:    linkOut,
 	}
 	oldPorts := ps.ports
 	newPorts := make(map[switchPort]*peer)
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/router.go b/src/yggdrasil/router.go
index 71d9260..1bb14c4 100644
--- a/src/yggdrasil/router.go
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/router.go
@@ -62,17 +62,17 @@ func (r *router) init(core *Core) {
 		},
 	}
 	var p *peer
-	phony.Block(&r.core.peers, func() {
-		// FIXME don't block here!
-		p = r.core.peers._newPeer(&r.core.boxPub, &r.core.sigPub, &crypto.BoxSharedKey{}, &self, nil)
-	})
-	p.out = func(packets [][]byte) {
+	peerOut := func(packets [][]byte) {
 		r.handlePackets(p, packets)
 		r.Act(p, func() {
 			// after the router handle the packets, notify the peer that it's ready for more
 			p.Act(r, p._handleIdle)
 		})
 	}
+	phony.Block(&r.core.peers, func() {
+		// FIXME don't block here!
+		p = r.core.peers._newPeer(&r.core.boxPub, &r.core.sigPub, &crypto.BoxSharedKey{}, &self, nil, peerOut, nil)
+	})
 	p.Act(r, p._handleIdle)
 	r.out = func(bs []byte) { p.handlePacketFrom(r, bs) }
 	r.nodeinfo.init(r.core)
diff --git a/src/yggdrasil/simlink.go b/src/yggdrasil/simlink.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f830c21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/yggdrasil/simlink.go
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+package yggdrasil
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"github.com/Arceliar/phony"
+)
+
+type Simlink struct {
+	phony.Inbox
+	rch     chan []byte
+	dest    *Simlink
+	link    *linkInterface
+	started bool
+}
+
+func (s *Simlink) readMsg() ([]byte, error) {
+	bs, ok := <-s.rch
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, errors.New("read from closed Simlink")
+	}
+	return bs, nil
+}
+
+func (s *Simlink) _recvMetaBytes() ([]byte, error) {
+	return s.readMsg()
+}
+
+func (s *Simlink) _sendMetaBytes(bs []byte) error {
+	_, err := s.writeMsgs([][]byte{bs})
+	return err
+}
+
+func (s *Simlink) close() error {
+	defer func() { recover() }()
+	close(s.rch)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (s *Simlink) writeMsgs(msgs [][]byte) (int, error) {
+	if s.dest == nil {
+		return 0, errors.New("write to unpaired Simlink")
+	}
+	var size int
+	for _, msg := range msgs {
+		size += len(msg)
+		bs := append([]byte(nil), msg...)
+		phony.Block(s, func() {
+			s.dest.Act(s, func() {
+				defer func() { recover() }()
+				s.dest.rch <- bs
+			})
+		})
+	}
+	return size, nil
+}
+
+func (c *Core) NewSimlink() *Simlink {
+	s := &Simlink{rch: make(chan []byte, 1)}
+	n := "Simlink"
+	var err error
+	s.link, err = c.link.create(s, n, n, n, n, false, true)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	return s
+}
+
+func (s *Simlink) SetDestination(dest *Simlink) error {
+	var err error
+	phony.Block(s, func() {
+		if s.dest != nil {
+			err = errors.New("destination already set")
+		} else {
+			s.dest = dest
+		}
+	})
+	return err
+}
+
+func (s *Simlink) Start() error {
+	var err error
+	phony.Block(s, func() {
+		if s.started {
+			err = errors.New("already started")
+		} else {
+			s.started = true
+			go s.link.handler()
+		}
+	})
+	return err
+}