diff --git a/common/kademlia/kademlia.go b/common/kademlia/kademlia.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..784ea850ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/kademlia/kademlia.go
@@ -0,0 +1,801 @@
+package kademlia
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"math/rand"
+	"os"
+	"sort"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/logger/glog"
+)
+
+const (
+	bucketSize   = 20
+	maxProx      = 255
+	connRetryExp = 2
+)
+
+var (
+	purgeInterval        = 42 * time.Hour
+	initialRetryInterval = 42 * 100 * time.Millisecond
+)
+
+type Kademlia struct {
+	// immutable baseparam
+	addr Address
+
+	// adjustable parameters
+	MaxProx              int
+	ProxBinSize          int
+	BucketSize           int
+	PurgeInterval        time.Duration
+	InitialRetryInterval time.Duration
+	ConnRetryExp         int
+
+	nodeDB    [][]*NodeRecord
+	nodeIndex map[Address]*NodeRecord
+	dbcursors []int
+	// state
+	proxLimit int
+	proxSize  int
+
+	//
+	count   int
+	buckets []*bucket
+
+	dblock sync.RWMutex
+	lock   sync.RWMutex
+	quitC  chan bool
+}
+
+type Address common.Hash
+
+func (a Address) String() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%x", a[:])
+}
+
+type Node interface {
+	Addr() Address
+	Url() string
+	LastActive() time.Time
+	Drop()
+}
+
+// allow inactive peers under
+type NodeRecord struct {
+	Addr    Address `json:address`
+	Url     string  `json:url`
+	Active  int64   `json:active`
+	After   int64   `json:after`
+	after   time.Time
+	checked time.Time
+	node    Node
+}
+
+func (self *NodeRecord) setActive() {
+	if self.node != nil {
+		self.Active = self.node.LastActive().Unix()
+	}
+}
+
+func (self *NodeRecord) setChecked() {
+	self.checked = time.Now()
+}
+
+// persisted node record database ()
+type kadDB struct {
+	Address Address         `json:address`
+	Nodes   [][]*NodeRecord `json:nodes`
+}
+
+// public constructor
+// hash is a byte slice of length equal to self.HashBytes
+func New() *Kademlia {
+	return &Kademlia{}
+}
+
+// accessor for KAD self address
+func (self *Kademlia) Addr() Address {
+	return self.addr
+}
+
+// accessor for KAD self count
+// TODO: either memoize or lock
+func (self *Kademlia) Count() (sum int) {
+	for _, b := range self.buckets {
+		sum += len(b.nodes)
+	}
+	return
+	// return self.count
+}
+
+// accessor for KAD offline db count
+func (self *Kademlia) DBCount() int {
+	return len(self.nodeIndex)
+}
+
+// kademlia table + kaddb table displayed with ascii
+func (self *Kademlia) String() string {
+
+	var rows []string
+	// rows = append(rows, fmt.Sprintf("KΛÐΞMLIΛ basenode address: %064x\n population: %d (%d)", self.addr[:], self.Count(), self.DBCount()))
+	rows = append(rows, "=========================================================================")
+	rows = append(rows, fmt.Sprintf("%v : MaxProx: %d, ProxBinSize: %d, BucketSize: %d, proxLimit: %d, proxSize: %d", time.Now(), self.MaxProx, self.ProxBinSize, self.BucketSize, self.proxLimit, self.proxSize))
+
+	for i, b := range self.buckets {
+
+		if i == self.proxLimit {
+			rows = append(rows, fmt.Sprintf("===================== PROX LIMIT: %d =================================", i))
+		}
+		row := []string{fmt.Sprintf("%03d", i), fmt.Sprintf("%2d", len(b.nodes))}
+		var k int
+		c := self.dbcursors[i]
+		for ; k < len(b.nodes); k++ {
+			p := b.nodes[(c+k)%len(b.nodes)]
+			row = append(row, fmt.Sprintf("%s", p.Addr().String()[:8]))
+			if k == 3 {
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		for ; k < 3; k++ {
+			row = append(row, "        ")
+		}
+		row = append(row, fmt.Sprintf("| %2d %2d", len(self.nodeDB[i]), self.dbcursors[i]))
+
+		for j, p := range self.nodeDB[i] {
+			row = append(row, fmt.Sprintf("%08x", p.Addr[:4]))
+			if j == 2 {
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		rows = append(rows, strings.Join(row, " "))
+		if i == self.MaxProx {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	rows = append(rows, "=========================================================================")
+	return strings.Join(rows, "\n")
+}
+
+// Start brings up a pool of entries potentially from an offline persisted source
+// and sets default values for optional parameters
+func (self *Kademlia) Start(addr Address) error {
+	self.lock.Lock()
+	defer self.lock.Unlock()
+	if self.quitC != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	self.addr = addr
+	if self.MaxProx == 0 {
+		self.MaxProx = maxProx
+	}
+	if self.BucketSize == 0 {
+		self.BucketSize = bucketSize
+	}
+	if self.InitialRetryInterval == 0 {
+		self.InitialRetryInterval = initialRetryInterval
+	}
+	if self.PurgeInterval == 0 {
+		self.PurgeInterval = purgeInterval
+	}
+	if self.ConnRetryExp == 0 {
+		self.ConnRetryExp = connRetryExp
+	}
+	// runtime parameters
+	if self.ProxBinSize == 0 {
+		self.ProxBinSize = self.BucketSize
+	}
+
+	self.buckets = make([]*bucket, self.MaxProx+1)
+	for i, _ := range self.buckets {
+		self.buckets[i] = &bucket{size: self.BucketSize} // will initialise bucket{int(0),[]Node(nil),sync.Mutex}
+	}
+
+	self.nodeDB = make([][]*NodeRecord, self.MaxProx+1)
+	self.dbcursors = make([]int, self.MaxProx+1)
+	self.nodeIndex = make(map[Address]*NodeRecord)
+
+	self.quitC = make(chan bool)
+	glog.V(logger.Info).Infof("[KΛÐ] started")
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Stop saves the routing table into a persistant form
+func (self *Kademlia) Stop(path string) (err error) {
+	self.lock.Lock()
+	defer self.lock.Unlock()
+	if self.quitC == nil {
+		return
+	}
+	close(self.quitC)
+	self.quitC = nil
+
+	if len(path) > 0 {
+		err = self.Save(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			glog.V(logger.Warn).Infof("[KΛÐ]: unable to save node records: %v", err)
+		} else {
+			glog.V(logger.Info).Infof("[KΛÐ]: node records saved to '%v'", path)
+		}
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+// RemoveNode is the entrypoint where nodes are taken offline
+func (self *Kademlia) RemoveNode(node Node) (err error) {
+	self.lock.Lock()
+	defer self.lock.Unlock()
+	var found bool
+	index := self.proximityBin(node.Addr())
+	bucket := self.buckets[index]
+	for i := 0; i < len(bucket.nodes); i++ {
+		if node.Addr() == bucket.nodes[i].Addr() {
+			found = true
+			bucket.nodes = append(bucket.nodes[:i], bucket.nodes[(i+1):]...)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if found {
+		glog.V(logger.Info).Infof("[KΛÐ]: remove node %v from table", node)
+
+		self.count--
+		if len(bucket.nodes) < bucket.size {
+			err = fmt.Errorf("insufficient nodes (%v) in bucket %v", len(bucket.nodes), index)
+		}
+		self.adjustProxLess(index)
+
+		r := self.nodeIndex[node.Addr()]
+		r.node = nil
+		now := time.Now()
+		r.after = now
+		r.After = now.Unix()
+		r.Active = now.Unix()
+
+	}
+
+	return
+}
+
+// AddNode is the entry point where new nodes are registered
+func (self *Kademlia) AddNode(node Node) (err error) {
+
+	self.lock.Lock()
+	defer self.lock.Unlock()
+
+	index := self.proximityBin(node.Addr())
+
+	// insert in kademlia table of active nodes
+	bucket := self.buckets[index]
+	// if bucket is full insertion replaces the worst node
+	// TODO probably should give priority to peers with active traffic
+	if worst, pos := bucket.insert(node); worst != nil {
+		glog.V(logger.Info).Infof("[KΛÐ]: replace node %v (%d) with node %v", worst, pos, node)
+		// no prox adjustment needed
+		// do not change count
+	} else {
+		glog.V(logger.Info).Infof("[KΛÐ]: add new node %v to table", node)
+		self.count++
+		self.adjustProxMore(index)
+	}
+
+	// insert in kaddb, kademlia node record database
+	self.dblock.Lock()
+	defer self.dblock.Unlock()
+	record, found := self.nodeIndex[node.Addr()]
+	if !found {
+		glog.V(logger.Info).Infof("[KΛÐ]: add new record %v to node db", node)
+		record = &NodeRecord{
+			Addr: node.Addr(),
+			Url:  node.Url(),
+		}
+		self.nodeIndex[node.Addr()] = record
+		self.nodeDB[index] = append(self.nodeDB[index], record)
+	}
+	record.node = node
+	record.setActive()
+	record.setChecked()
+
+	return
+
+}
+
+// proxLimit is dynamically adjusted so that 1) there is no
+// empty buckets in bin < proxLimit and 2) the sum of all items are the maximum
+// possible but lower than ProxBinSize
+// adjust Prox (proxLimit and proxSize after an insertion of add nodes into bucket r)
+func (self *Kademlia) adjustProxMore(r int) {
+	if r >= self.proxLimit {
+		exLimit := self.proxLimit
+		exSize := self.proxSize
+		self.proxSize++
+
+		var i int
+		for i = self.proxLimit; i < self.MaxProx && len(self.buckets[i].nodes) > 0 && self.proxSize-len(self.buckets[i].nodes) > self.ProxBinSize; i++ {
+			self.proxSize -= len(self.buckets[i].nodes)
+		}
+		self.proxLimit = i
+
+		glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("[KΛÐ]: Max Prox Bin: Lower Limit: %v (was %v): Bin Size: %v (was %v)", self.proxLimit, exLimit, self.proxSize, exSize)
+	}
+}
+
+func (self *Kademlia) adjustProxLess(r int) {
+	exLimit := self.proxLimit
+	exSize := self.proxSize
+	if r >= self.proxLimit {
+		self.proxSize--
+	}
+
+	if r < self.proxLimit && len(self.buckets[r].nodes) == 0 {
+		for i := self.proxLimit - 1; i > r; i-- {
+			self.proxSize += len(self.buckets[i].nodes)
+		}
+		self.proxLimit = r
+	} else if self.proxLimit > 0 && r >= self.proxLimit-1 {
+		var i int
+		for i = self.proxLimit - 1; i > 0 && len(self.buckets[i].nodes)+self.proxSize <= self.ProxBinSize; i-- {
+			self.proxSize += len(self.buckets[i].nodes)
+		}
+		self.proxLimit = i
+	}
+
+	if exLimit != self.proxLimit || exSize != self.proxSize {
+		glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("[KΛÐ]: Max Prox Bin: Lower Limit: %v (was %v): Bin Size: %v (was %v)", self.proxLimit, exLimit, self.proxSize, exSize)
+	}
+}
+
+/*
+GetNodes(target) returns the list of nodes belonging to the same proximity bin
+as the target. The most proximate bin will be the union of the bins between
+proxLimit and MaxProx.
+*/
+func (self *Kademlia) GetNodes(target Address, max int) []Node {
+	return self.getNodes(target, max).nodes
+}
+
+func (self *Kademlia) getNodes(target Address, max int) (r nodesByDistance) {
+	self.lock.RLock()
+	defer self.lock.RUnlock()
+	r.target = target
+	index := self.proximityBin(target)
+	start := index
+	var down bool
+	if index >= self.proxLimit {
+		index = self.proxLimit
+		start = self.MaxProx
+		down = true
+	}
+	var n int
+	limit := max
+	if max == 0 {
+		limit = 1000
+	}
+	for {
+		bucket := self.buckets[start].nodes
+		for i := 0; i < len(bucket); i++ {
+			r.push(bucket[i], limit)
+			n++
+		}
+		if max == 0 && start <= index && (n > 0 || start == 0) ||
+			max > 0 && down && start <= index && (n >= limit || n == self.Count() || start == 0) {
+			break
+		}
+		if down {
+			start--
+		} else {
+			if start == self.MaxProx {
+				if index == 0 {
+					break
+				}
+				start = index - 1
+				down = true
+			} else {
+				start++
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("[KΛÐ]: serve %d (=<%d) nodes for target lookup %v (PO%d)", n, self.MaxProx, target, index)
+	return
+}
+
+// AddNodeRecords adds node records to kaddb (persisted node record db)
+func (self *Kademlia) AddNodeRecords(nrs []*NodeRecord) {
+	self.dblock.Lock()
+	defer self.dblock.Unlock()
+	var n int
+	var nodes []*NodeRecord
+	for _, node := range nrs {
+		_, found := self.nodeIndex[node.Addr]
+		if !found && node.Addr != self.addr {
+			node.setChecked()
+			self.nodeIndex[node.Addr] = node
+			index := self.proximityBin(node.Addr)
+			dbcursor := self.dbcursors[index]
+			nodes = self.nodeDB[index]
+			newnodes := make([]*NodeRecord, len(nodes)+1)
+			copy(newnodes[:], nodes[:dbcursor])
+			newnodes[dbcursor] = node
+			copy(newnodes[dbcursor+1:], nodes[dbcursor:])
+			self.nodeDB[index] = newnodes
+			n++
+		}
+	}
+	glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("[KΛÐ]: received %d node records, added %d new", len(nrs), n)
+}
+
+/*
+GetNodeRecord return one node record with the highest priority for desired
+connection.
+This is used to pick candidates for live nodes that are most wanted for
+a higly connected low centrality network structure for Swarm which best suits
+for a Kademlia-style routing.
+
+The candidate is chosen using the following strategy.
+We check for missing online nodes in the buckets for 1 upto Max BucketSize rounds.
+On each round we proceed from the low to high proximity order buckets.
+If the number of active nodes (=connected peers) is < rounds, then start looking
+for a known candidate. To determine if there is a candidate to recommend the
+node record database row corresponding to the bucket is checked.
+If the row cursor is on position i, the ith element in the row is chosen.
+If the record is scheduled not to be retried before NOW, the next element is taken.
+If the record is scheduled can be retried, it is set as checked, scheduled for
+checking and is returned. The time of the next check is in X (duration) such that
+X = ConnRetryExp * delta where delta is the time past since the last check and
+ConnRetryExp is constant obsoletion factor. (Note that when node records are added
+from peer messages, they are marked as checked and placed at the cursor, ie.
+given priority over older entries). Entries which were checked more than
+purgeInterval ago are deleted from the kaddb row. If no candidate is found after
+a full round of checking the next bucket up is considered. If no candidate is
+found when we reach the maximum-proximity bucket, the next round starts.
+
+node record a is more favoured to b a > b iff a is a passive node (record of
+offline past peer)
+|proxBin(a)| < |proxBin(b)|
+|| (proxBin(a) < proxBin(b) && |proxBin(a)| == |proxBin(b)|)
+|| (proxBin(a) == proxBin(b) && lastChecked(a) < lastChecked(b))
+
+This has double role. Starting as naive node with empty db, this implements
+Kademlia bootstrapping
+As a mature node, it fills short lines. All on demand.
+
+The second argument returned names the first missing slot found
+*/
+func (self *Kademlia) GetNodeRecord() (node *NodeRecord, proxLimit int) {
+	// return value -1 indicates that buckets are filled in all
+	proxLimit = -1
+	self.dblock.RLock()
+	defer self.dblock.RUnlock()
+
+	for rounds := 1; rounds <= self.BucketSize; rounds++ {
+	ROUND:
+		for po, dbrow := range self.nodeDB {
+			if po > self.MaxProx {
+				break ROUND
+			}
+			bin := self.buckets[po]
+			bin.lock.Lock()
+			if len(bin.nodes) < rounds {
+				if proxLimit < 0 {
+					proxLimit = po
+				}
+				var count int
+				var purge []int
+				n := self.dbcursors[po]
+
+				// try node records in the relavant kaddb row (of identical prox order)
+				// if they are ripe for checking
+			ROW:
+				for count < len(dbrow) {
+					node = dbrow[n]
+					if (node.after == time.Time{}) {
+						node.after = time.Unix(node.After, 0)
+					}
+
+					glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("[KΛÐ]: kaddb record %v (PO%03d:%d) not to be retried before %d %v", node.Addr, po, n, node.After, node.after)
+
+					// time since last known connection attempt
+					delta := node.checked.Unix() - node.After
+					if delta < 4 {
+						node.After = 0
+					}
+
+					if node.node == nil && node.after.Before(time.Now()) {
+						if node.checked.Add(self.PurgeInterval).Before(time.Now()) {
+							// delete node
+							purge = append(purge, n)
+							glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("[KΛÐ]: inactive node record %v (PO%03d:%d) last check: %v, next check: %v", node.Addr, po, n, node.checked, node.after)
+						} else {
+							// scheduling next check
+							if node.After == 0 {
+								node.after = time.Now().Add(self.InitialRetryInterval)
+								node.After = node.after.Unix()
+							} else {
+								node.After = delta*int64(self.ConnRetryExp) + node.After
+								node.after = time.Unix(node.After, 0)
+							}
+
+							glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("[KΛÐ]: serve node record %v (PO%03d:%d), last check: %v,  next check: %v", node.Addr, po, n, node.checked, node.after)
+						}
+						break ROW
+					}
+					glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("[KΛÐ]: kaddb record %v (PO%03d:%d) not ready. skipped. not to be retried before: %v", node.Addr, po, n, node.after)
+					n++
+					count++
+					// cycle: n = n %  len(dbrow)
+					if n >= len(dbrow) {
+						n = 0
+					}
+				}
+				self.dbcursors[po] = n
+				self.deleteNodeRecords(po, purge...)
+				if node != nil {
+					glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("[KΛÐ]: rounds %d: prox limit: PO%03d\n%v", rounds, proxLimit, node)
+					node.setChecked()
+					bin.lock.Unlock()
+					return
+				}
+			} // if len < rounds
+			bin.lock.Unlock()
+		} // for po-s
+		glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("[KΛÐ]: rounds %d: proxlimit: PO%03d", rounds, proxLimit)
+		if proxLimit == 0 || proxLimit < 0 && self.BucketSize == rounds {
+			return
+		}
+	} // for round
+
+	return
+}
+
+// deletes the noderecords of a kaddb row corresponding to the indexes
+// caller must hold the dblock,
+// the call is unsafe, no index checks
+func (self *Kademlia) deleteNodeRecords(row int, indexes ...int) {
+	var prev int
+	var nodes []*NodeRecord
+	dbrow := self.nodeDB[row]
+	for _, next := range indexes {
+		// need to adjust dbcursor
+		if next > 0 {
+			if next <= self.dbcursors[row] {
+				self.dbcursors[row]--
+			}
+			nodes = append(nodes, dbrow[prev:next]...)
+		}
+		prev = next + 1
+		delete(self.nodeIndex, dbrow[next].Addr)
+	}
+	self.nodeDB[row] = append(nodes, dbrow[prev:]...)
+}
+
+// in situ mutable bucket
+type bucket struct {
+	size  int
+	nodes []Node
+	lock  sync.RWMutex
+}
+
+// nodesByDistance is a list of nodes, ordered by distance to target.
+type nodesByDistance struct {
+	nodes  []Node
+	target Address
+}
+
+func sortedByDistanceTo(target Address, slice []Node) bool {
+	var last Address
+	for i, node := range slice {
+		if i > 0 {
+			if target.ProxCmp(node.Addr(), last) < 0 {
+				return false
+			}
+		}
+		last = node.Addr()
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+// push(node, max) adds the given node to the list, keeping the total size
+// below max elements.
+func (h *nodesByDistance) push(node Node, max int) {
+	// returns the firt index ix such that func(i) returns true
+	ix := sort.Search(len(h.nodes), func(i int) bool {
+		return h.target.ProxCmp(h.nodes[i].Addr(), node.Addr()) >= 0
+	})
+
+	if len(h.nodes) < max {
+		h.nodes = append(h.nodes, node)
+	}
+	if ix < len(h.nodes) {
+		copy(h.nodes[ix+1:], h.nodes[ix:])
+		h.nodes[ix] = node
+	}
+}
+
+// insert adds a peer to a bucket either by appending to existing items if
+// bucket length does not exceed bucketSize, or by replacing the worst
+// Node in the bucket
+func (self *bucket) insert(node Node) (dropped Node, pos int) {
+	self.lock.Lock()
+	defer self.lock.Unlock()
+	if len(self.nodes) >= self.size { // >= allows us to add peers beyond the bucketsize limitation
+		dropped, pos = self.worstNode()
+		if dropped != nil {
+			self.nodes[pos] = node
+			glog.V(logger.Info).Infof("[KΛÐ] dropping node %v (%d)", dropped, pos)
+			dropped.Drop()
+			return
+		}
+	}
+	self.nodes = append(self.nodes, node)
+	return
+}
+
+// worst expunges the single worst node in a row, where worst entry is the node
+// that has been inactive for the longests time
+func (self *bucket) worstNode() (node Node, pos int) {
+	var oldest time.Time
+	for p, n := range self.nodes {
+		if (oldest == time.Time{}) || !oldest.Before(n.LastActive()) {
+			oldest = n.LastActive()
+			node = n
+			pos = p
+		}
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+/*
+Taking the proximity order relative to a fix point x classifies the points in
+the space (n byte long byte sequences) into bins. Items in each are at
+most half as distant from x as items in the previous bin. Given a sample of
+uniformly distributed items (a hash function over arbitrary sequence) the
+proximity scale maps onto series of subsets with cardinalities on a negative
+exponential scale.
+
+It also has the property that any two item belonging to the same bin are at
+most half as distant from each other as they are from x.
+
+If we think of random sample of items in the bins as connections in a network of interconnected nodes than relative proximity can serve as the basis for local
+decisions for graph traversal where the task is to find a route between two
+points. Since in every hop, the finite distance halves, there is
+a guaranteed constant maximum limit on the number of hops needed to reach one
+node from the other.
+*/
+
+func (self *Kademlia) proximityBin(other Address) (ret int) {
+	ret = proximity(self.addr, other)
+	if ret > self.MaxProx {
+		ret = self.MaxProx
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+/*
+Proximity(x, y) returns the proximity order of the MSB distance between x and y
+
+The distance metric MSB(x, y) of two equal length byte sequences x an y is the
+value of the binary integer cast of the x^y, ie., x and y bitwise xor-ed.
+the binary cast is big endian: most significant bit first (=MSB).
+
+Proximity(x, y) is a discrete logarithmic scaling of the MSB distance.
+It is defined as the reverse rank of the integer part of the base 2
+logarithm of the distance.
+It is calculated by counting the number of common leading zeros in the (MSB)
+binary representation of the x^y.
+
+(0 farthest, 255 closest, 256 self)
+*/
+func proximity(one, other Address) (ret int) {
+	for i := 0; i < len(one); i++ {
+		oxo := one[i] ^ other[i]
+		for j := 0; j < 8; j++ {
+			if (uint8(oxo)>>uint8(7-j))&0x1 != 0 {
+				return i*8 + j
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return len(one) * 8
+}
+
+// the string form of the binary representation of an address
+func (a Address) Bin() string {
+	var bs []string
+	for _, b := range a[:] {
+		bs = append(bs, fmt.Sprintf("%08b", b))
+	}
+	return strings.Join(bs, "")
+}
+
+// Address.ProxCmp compares the distances a->target and b->target.
+// Returns -1 if a is closer to target, 1 if b is closer to target
+// and 0 if they are equal.
+func (target Address) ProxCmp(a, b Address) int {
+	for i := range target {
+		da := a[i] ^ target[i]
+		db := b[i] ^ target[i]
+		if da > db {
+			return 1
+		} else if da < db {
+			return -1
+		}
+	}
+	return 0
+}
+
+// save persists kaddb on disk (written to file on path in json format.
+// save is called by Kademlia.Stop()
+func (self *Kademlia) Save(path string) error {
+
+	kad := kadDB{
+		Address: self.addr,
+		Nodes:   self.nodeDB,
+	}
+
+	for _, b := range kad.Nodes {
+		for _, node := range b {
+			node.setActive()
+		}
+	}
+
+	data, err := json.MarshalIndent(&kad, "", " ")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return ioutil.WriteFile(path, data, os.ModePerm)
+}
+
+// Load(path) loads the node record database (kaddb) from file on path.
+// TODO: urls will be supported and handled with bzz-enabled dox clienta
+func (self *Kademlia) Load(path string) (err error) {
+	var data []byte
+	data, err = ioutil.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	var kad kadDB
+	err = json.Unmarshal(data, &kad)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	if self.addr != kad.Address {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid kad db: address mismatch, expected %v, got %v", self.addr, kad.Address)
+	}
+	self.nodeDB = kad.Nodes
+	return
+}
+
+// randomAddressAt(address, prox) generates a random address
+// at proximity order prox relative to address
+// if prox is negative a random address is generated
+func RandomAddressAt(self Address, prox int) (addr Address) {
+	addr = self
+	var pos int
+	if prox >= 0 {
+		pos = prox / 8
+		trans := prox % 8
+		transbytea := byte(0)
+		for j := 0; j <= trans; j++ {
+			transbytea |= 1 << uint8(7-j)
+		}
+		flipbyte := byte(1 << uint8(7-trans))
+		transbyteb := transbytea ^ byte(255)
+		randbyte := byte(rand.Intn(255))
+		addr[pos] = ((addr[pos] & transbytea) ^ flipbyte) | randbyte&transbyteb
+	}
+	for i := pos + 1; i < len(addr); i++ {
+		addr[i] = byte(rand.Intn(255))
+	}
+
+	return
+}
+
+// randomAddressAt() generates a random address
+func RandomAddress() Address {
+	return RandomAddressAt(Address{}, -1)
+}
diff --git a/common/kademlia/kademlia_test.go b/common/kademlia/kademlia_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cd9b5f3b82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/kademlia/kademlia_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,408 @@
+package kademlia
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"math/rand"
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+	"testing/quick"
+	"time"
+)
+
+var (
+	quickrand         = rand.New(rand.NewSource(time.Now().Unix()))
+	quickcfgGetNodes  = &quick.Config{MaxCount: 5000, Rand: quickrand}
+	quickcfgBootStrap = &quick.Config{MaxCount: 1000, Rand: quickrand}
+)
+
+type testNode struct {
+	addr Address
+}
+
+func (n *testNode) String() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%x", n.addr[:])
+}
+
+func (n *testNode) Addr() Address {
+	return n.addr
+}
+
+func (n *testNode) Drop() {
+}
+
+func (n *testNode) Url() string {
+	return ""
+}
+
+func (n *testNode) LastActive() time.Time {
+	return time.Now()
+}
+
+func (n *testNode) Add(a Address) (err error) {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func TestAddNode(t *testing.T) {
+	addr, ok := gen(Address{}, quickrand).(Address)
+	other, ok := gen(Address{}, quickrand).(Address)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Errorf("oops")
+	}
+	kad := New()
+	kad.Start(addr)
+	err := kad.AddNode(&testNode{addr: other})
+	_ = err
+}
+
+func TestBootstrap(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	r := rand.New(rand.NewSource(time.Now().UnixNano()))
+
+	test := func(test *bootstrapTest) bool {
+		// for any node kad.le, Target and N
+		kad := New()
+		kad.MaxProx = test.MaxProx
+		kad.BucketSize = test.BucketSize
+		kad.Start(test.Self)
+		var err error
+
+		// t.Logf("bootstapTest MaxProx: %v BucketSize: %v\n", test.MaxProx, test.BucketSize)
+
+		addr := gen(Address{}, r).(Address)
+		prox := proximity(addr, test.Self)
+
+		for p := 0; p <= prox; p++ {
+			var nrs []*NodeRecord
+			for i := 0; i < test.BucketSize; i++ {
+				nrs = append(nrs, &NodeRecord{
+					Addr: RandomAddressAt(test.Self, p),
+				})
+			}
+			kad.AddNodeRecords(nrs)
+		}
+
+		node := &testNode{addr}
+
+		n := 0
+		for n < 100 {
+			err = kad.AddNode(node)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Errorf("backend not accepting node")
+				return false
+			}
+			var nrs []*NodeRecord
+			prox := proximity(node.addr, test.Self)
+			for i := 0; i < test.BucketSize; i++ {
+				nrs = append(nrs, &NodeRecord{
+					Addr: RandomAddressAt(test.Self, prox+1),
+				})
+			}
+			kad.AddNodeRecords(nrs)
+
+			var lens []int
+			for i := 0; i <= test.MaxProx; i++ {
+				lens = append(lens, len(kad.buckets[i].nodes))
+			}
+
+			record, _ := kad.GetNodeRecord()
+			if record == nil {
+				// t.Logf("after round %d, no more node records needed", n)
+				break
+			}
+			node = &testNode{record.Addr}
+			n++
+		}
+		exp := test.BucketSize * (test.MaxProx + 1)
+		if kad.Count() != exp {
+			t.Errorf("incorrect number of peers, expected %d, got %d\n%v", exp, kad.Count(), kad)
+			return false
+		}
+		return true
+	}
+	if err := quick.Check(test, quickcfgBootStrap); err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+
+}
+
+func TestGetNodes(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	test := func(test *getNodesTest) bool {
+		// for any node kad.le, Target and N
+		kad := New()
+		kad.MaxProx = 10
+		kad.Start(test.Self)
+		var err error
+		// t.Logf("getNodesTest %v: %v\n", len(test.All), test)
+		for _, node := range test.All {
+			err = kad.AddNode(node)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Errorf("backend not accepting node")
+				return false
+			}
+		}
+
+		if len(test.All) == 0 || test.N == 0 {
+			return true
+		}
+		nodes := kad.GetNodes(test.Target, test.N)
+
+		// check that the number of results is min(N, kad.len)
+		wantN := test.N
+		if tlen := kad.Count(); tlen < test.N {
+			wantN = tlen
+		}
+
+		if len(nodes) != wantN {
+			t.Errorf("wrong number of nodes: got %d, want %d", len(nodes), wantN)
+			return false
+		}
+
+		if hasDuplicates(nodes) {
+			t.Errorf("result contains duplicates")
+			return false
+		}
+
+		if !sortedByDistanceTo(test.Target, nodes) {
+			t.Errorf("result is not sorted by distance to target")
+			return false
+		}
+
+		// check that the result nodes have minimum distance to target.
+		farthestResult := nodes[len(nodes)-1].Addr()
+		for i, b := range kad.buckets {
+			for j, n := range b.nodes {
+				if contains(nodes, n.Addr()) {
+					continue // don't run the check below for nodes in result
+				}
+				if test.Target.ProxCmp(n.Addr(), farthestResult) < 0 {
+					_ = i * j
+					t.Errorf("kad.le contains node that is closer to target but it's not in result")
+					// t.Logf("bucket %v, item %v\n", i, j)
+					// t.Logf("  Target:          %x", test.Target)
+					// t.Logf("  Farthest Result: %x", farthestResult)
+					// t.Logf("  ID:              %x (%d)", n.Addr(), kad.proximityBin(n.Addr()))
+					return false
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		return true
+	}
+	if err := quick.Check(test, quickcfgGetNodes); err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+}
+
+type proxTest struct {
+	add   bool
+	index int
+	addr  Address
+}
+
+var (
+	addresses []Address
+)
+
+func TestProxAdjust(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+	r := rand.New(rand.NewSource(time.Now().UnixNano()))
+	self := gen(Address{}, r).(Address)
+
+	kad := New()
+	kad.MaxProx = 10
+	kad.Start(self)
+	var err error
+	for i := 0; i < 100; i++ {
+		a := gen(Address{}, r).(Address)
+		addresses = append(addresses, a)
+		err = kad.AddNode(&testNode{addr: a})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("backend not accepting node")
+			return
+		}
+		if !kad.proxCheck(t) {
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
+	test := func(test *proxTest) bool {
+		node := &testNode{test.addr}
+		if test.add {
+			kad.AddNode(node)
+		} else {
+			kad.RemoveNode(node)
+		}
+		return kad.proxCheck(t)
+	}
+	if err := quick.Check(test, quickcfgGetNodes); err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSaveLoad(t *testing.T) {
+	r := rand.New(rand.NewSource(time.Now().UnixNano()))
+	addresses := gen([]Address{}, r).([]Address)
+	self := addresses[0]
+	kad := New()
+	kad.MaxProx = 10
+	kad.Start(self)
+	var err error
+	for _, a := range addresses[1:] {
+		err = kad.AddNode(&testNode{addr: a})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("backend not accepting node")
+			return
+		}
+	}
+	nodes := kad.GetNodes(self, 100)
+	path := "/tmp/bzz.peers"
+	kad.Stop(path)
+	kad = New()
+	kad.Start(self)
+	kad.Load(path)
+	for _, b := range kad.nodeDB {
+		for _, node := range b {
+			node.node = &testNode{node.Addr}
+			err = kad.AddNode(node.node)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Errorf("backend not accepting node")
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	loadednodes := kad.GetNodes(self, 100)
+	for i, node := range loadednodes {
+		if nodes[i].Addr() != node.Addr() {
+			t.Errorf("node mismatch at %d/%d", i, len(nodes))
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (self *Kademlia) proxCheck(t *testing.T) bool {
+	var sum, i int
+	var b *bucket
+	for i, b = range self.buckets {
+		l := len(b.nodes)
+		// if we are in the high prox multibucket
+		if i >= self.proxLimit {
+			sum += l
+		} else if l == 0 {
+			t.Errorf("bucket %d empty, yet proxLimit is %d\n%v", len(b.nodes), self.proxLimit, self)
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	// check if merged high prox bucket does not exceed size
+	if sum > 0 {
+		// if sum > self.ProxBinSize {
+		// 	t.Errorf("bucket %d is empty, yet proxSize is %d\n%v", i, self.proxSize, self)
+		// 	return false
+		// }
+		if sum != self.proxSize {
+			t.Errorf("proxSize incorrect, expected %v, got %v", sum, self.proxSize)
+			return false
+		}
+		if self.proxLimit > 0 && sum+len(self.buckets[self.proxLimit-1].nodes) < self.ProxBinSize {
+			t.Errorf("proxBinSize incorrect, expected %v got %v", sum, self.proxSize)
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+type bootstrapTest struct {
+	MaxProx    int
+	BucketSize int
+	Self       Address
+}
+
+func (*bootstrapTest) Generate(rand *rand.Rand, size int) reflect.Value {
+	t := &bootstrapTest{
+		Self:       gen(Address{}, rand).(Address),
+		MaxProx:    10 + rand.Intn(3),
+		BucketSize: rand.Intn(3) + 1,
+	}
+	return reflect.ValueOf(t)
+}
+
+type getNodesTest struct {
+	Self   Address
+	Target Address
+	All    []Node
+	N      int
+}
+
+func (c getNodesTest) String() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("A: %064x\nT: %064x\n(%d)\n", c.Self[:], c.Target[:], c.N)
+}
+
+func (*getNodesTest) Generate(rand *rand.Rand, size int) reflect.Value {
+	t := &getNodesTest{
+		Self:   gen(Address{}, rand).(Address),
+		Target: gen(Address{}, rand).(Address),
+		N:      rand.Intn(bucketSize),
+	}
+	for _, a := range gen([]Address{}, rand).([]Address) {
+		t.All = append(t.All, &testNode{addr: a})
+	}
+	return reflect.ValueOf(t)
+}
+
+func (*proxTest) Generate(rand *rand.Rand, size int) reflect.Value {
+	var add bool
+	if rand.Intn(1) == 0 {
+		add = true
+	}
+	var t *proxTest
+	if add {
+		t = &proxTest{
+			addr: gen(Address{}, rand).(Address),
+			add:  add,
+		}
+	} else {
+		t = &proxTest{
+			index: rand.Intn(len(addresses)),
+			add:   add,
+		}
+	}
+	return reflect.ValueOf(t)
+}
+
+func hasDuplicates(slice []Node) bool {
+	seen := make(map[Address]bool)
+	for _, node := range slice {
+		if seen[node.Addr()] {
+			return true
+		}
+		seen[node.Addr()] = true
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+func contains(nodes []Node, addr Address) bool {
+	for _, n := range nodes {
+		if n.Addr() == addr {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// gen wraps quick.Value so it's easier to use.
+// it generates a random value of the given value's type.
+func gen(typ interface{}, rand *rand.Rand) interface{} {
+	v, ok := quick.Value(reflect.TypeOf(typ), rand)
+	if !ok {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("couldn't generate random value of type %T", typ))
+	}
+	return v.Interface()
+}
+
+func (Address) Generate(rand *rand.Rand, size int) reflect.Value {
+	var id Address
+	// m := rand.Intn(len(id))
+	for i := 0; i < len(id); i++ {
+		id[i] = byte(rand.Uint32())
+	}
+	return reflect.ValueOf(id)
+}