diff --git a/include/llarp/path.hpp b/include/llarp/path.hpp
index 8cd57fac0..c5bc32332 100644
--- a/include/llarp/path.hpp
+++ b/include/llarp/path.hpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #define DEFAULT_PATH_LIFETIME (10 * 60 * 1000)
 #define PATH_BUILD_TIMEOUT (30 * 1000)
 #define MESSAGE_PAD_SIZE (512)
+#define PATH_ALIVE_TIMEOUT (10 * 1000)
 
 namespace llarp
 {
diff --git a/include/llarp/profiling.hpp b/include/llarp/profiling.hpp
index 529f9beef..4010c9e91 100644
--- a/include/llarp/profiling.hpp
+++ b/include/llarp/profiling.hpp
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ namespace llarp
     }
 
     bool
-    IsBad(const RouterID& r, uint64_t chances = 8);
+    IsBad(const RouterID& r, uint64_t chances = 2);
 
     void
     MarkSuccess(const RouterID& r);
diff --git a/include/llarp/service/endpoint.hpp b/include/llarp/service/endpoint.hpp
index 8a4f86ce1..4254640b0 100644
--- a/include/llarp/service/endpoint.hpp
+++ b/include/llarp/service/endpoint.hpp
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ namespace llarp
       uint64_t m_CurrentPublishTX       = 0;
       llarp_time_t m_LastPublish        = 0;
       llarp_time_t m_LastPublishAttempt = 0;
-      llarp_time_t m_MinPathLatency     = 10000;
+      llarp_time_t m_MinPathLatency     = (5 * 1000);
       /// our introset
       service::IntroSet m_IntroSet;
       /// pending remote service lookups by id
diff --git a/llarp/config.cpp b/llarp/config.cpp
index 0f9b4201c..0e77ce74f 100644
--- a/llarp/config.cpp
+++ b/llarp/config.cpp
@@ -168,6 +168,10 @@ llarp_generic_ensure_config(std::ofstream &f, std::string basepath)
 void
 llarp_ensure_router_config(std::ofstream &f, std::string basepath)
 {
+  f << "# network settings " << std::endl;
+  f << "[network]" << std::endl;
+  f << "profiles=" << basepath << "profiles.dat" << std::endl;
+  f << std::endl;
   f << "# ROUTERS ONLY: publish network interfaces for handling inbound traffic"
     << std::endl;
   f << "[bind]" << std::endl;
@@ -192,6 +196,7 @@ llarp_ensure_client_config(std::ofstream &f, std::string basepath)
 
   f << "# network settings " << std::endl;
   f << "[network]" << std::endl;
+  f << "profiles=" << basepath << "profiles.dat" << std::endl;
 #ifndef __linux__
   f << "# ";
 #endif
diff --git a/llarp/path.cpp b/llarp/path.cpp
index 9637867f8..e2c00b26f 100644
--- a/llarp/path.cpp
+++ b/llarp/path.cpp
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ namespace llarp
       if(_status == ePathEstablished)
       {
         if(m_LastRecvMessage && now > m_LastRecvMessage
-           && now - m_LastRecvMessage > (20 * 1000))
+           && now - m_LastRecvMessage > PATH_ALIVE_TIMEOUT)
         {
           if(m_CheckForDead)
           {
@@ -441,6 +441,11 @@ namespace llarp
               EnterState(ePathTimeout);
             }
           }
+          else
+          {
+            r->routerProfiling.MarkPathFail(this);
+            EnterState(ePathTimeout);
+          }
         }
         else if(dlt >= 10000 && m_LastRecvMessage == 0)
         {
diff --git a/llarp/router.cpp b/llarp/router.cpp
index 1e3a52bde..be463a156 100644
--- a/llarp/router.cpp
+++ b/llarp/router.cpp
@@ -135,11 +135,6 @@ bool
 llarp_router::HandleRecvLinkMessageBuffer(llarp::ILinkSession *session,
                                           llarp_buffer_t buf)
 {
-  if(!session)
-  {
-    llarp::LogWarn("no link session");
-    return false;
-  }
   return inbound_link_msg_parser.ProcessFrom(session, buf);
 }
 
@@ -648,7 +643,9 @@ void
 llarp_router::Run()
 {
   routerProfiling.Load(routerProfilesFile.string().c_str());
-  llarp::Addr publicAddr(this->ip4addr);
+  // zero out router contact
+  sockaddr *dest = (sockaddr *)&this->ip4addr;
+  llarp::Addr publicAddr(*dest);
   if(this->publicOverride)
   {
     if(publicAddr)
@@ -684,20 +681,14 @@ llarp_router::Run()
     }
     else
     {
-      if(inboundLinks.size())
+      if(!inboundLinks.size())
       {
-        link = inboundLinks[0].get();
-      }
-      else
-      {
-        llarp::LogWarn(
-            "No need to set public ipv4 and port if no external interface "
-            "binds, turning off public override");
-        this->publicOverride = false;
-        link                 = nullptr;
+        llarp::LogError("No inbound links found, aborting");
+        return;
       }
+      link = inboundLinks[0].get();
     }
-    if(link && link->GetOurAddressInfo(this->addrInfo))
+    if(link->GetOurAddressInfo(this->addrInfo))
     {
       // override ip and port
       this->addrInfo.ip   = *publicAddr.addr6();
@@ -769,13 +760,9 @@ llarp_router::Run()
       return;
     }
 
-    // don't create default if we already have some defined
-    if(this->ShouldCreateDefaultHiddenService())
-    {
-      // generate default hidden service
-      if(!CreateDefaultHiddenService())
-        return;
-    }
+    // generate default hidden service
+    if(!CreateDefaultHiddenService())
+      return;
     // delayed connect all for clients
     uint64_t delay = ((llarp_randint() % 10) * 500) + 500;
     llarp_logic_call_later(logic, {delay, this, &ConnectAll});
@@ -788,54 +775,6 @@ llarp_router::Run()
   ScheduleTicker(1000);
 }
 
-bool
-llarp_router::ShouldCreateDefaultHiddenService()
-{
-  // llarp::LogInfo("IfName: ", this->defaultIfName, " defaultIfName: ",
-  // this->defaultIfName);
-  if(this->defaultIfName == "auto" || this->defaultIfName == "auto")
-  {
-    // auto detect if we have any pre-defined endpoints
-    // no if we have a endpoints
-    llarp::LogInfo("Auto mode detected, hasEndpoints: ",
-                   std::to_string(this->hiddenServiceContext.hasEndpoints()));
-    if(this->hiddenServiceContext.hasEndpoints())
-      return false;
-    // we don't have any endpoints, auto configure settings
-
-    // set a default IP range
-    this->defaultIfAddr = llarp::findFreePrivateRange();
-    if(this->defaultIfAddr == "")
-    {
-      llarp::LogError(
-          "Could not find any free lokitun interface names, can't auto set up "
-          "default HS context for client");
-      this->defaultIfAddr = "no";
-      return false;
-    }
-
-    // pick an ifName
-    this->defaultIfName = llarp::findFreeLokiTunIfName();
-    if(this->defaultIfName == "")
-    {
-      llarp::LogError(
-          "Could not find any free private ip ranges, can't auto set up "
-          "default HS context for client");
-      this->defaultIfName = "no";
-      return false;
-    }
-    // auto config'd, go ahead and create it
-    return true;
-  }
-  // not auto mode then just check to make sure it's explicitly disabled
-  if(this->defaultIfAddr != "" && this->defaultIfAddr != "no"
-     && this->defaultIfName != "" && this->defaultIfName != "no")
-  {
-    return true;
-  }
-  return false;
-}
-
 void
 llarp_router::InitServiceNode()
 {
@@ -1133,7 +1072,7 @@ namespace llarp
       }
       if(StrEq(key, "ifname"))
       {
-        self->defaultIfName = val;
+        self->defaultIfAddr = val;
       }
       if(StrEq(key, "enabled"))
       {
@@ -1200,10 +1139,10 @@ namespace llarp
         if(strlen(val) < 17)
         {
           // assume IPv4
-          // inet_pton(AF_INET, val, &self->ip4addr.sin_addr);
+          inet_pton(AF_INET, val, &self->ip4addr.sin_addr);
           // struct sockaddr dest;
-          // sockaddr *dest = (sockaddr *)&self->ip4addr;
-          llarp::Addr a(val);
+          sockaddr *dest = (sockaddr *)&self->ip4addr;
+          llarp::Addr a(*dest);
           llarp::LogInfo("setting public ipv4 ", a);
           self->addrInfo.ip    = *a.addr6();
           self->publicOverride = true;
diff --git a/llarp/service/endpoint.cpp b/llarp/service/endpoint.cpp
index 1c779ee94..ea5f26515 100644
--- a/llarp/service/endpoint.cpp
+++ b/llarp/service/endpoint.cpp
@@ -926,6 +926,29 @@ namespace llarp
     Endpoint::OutboundContext::SwapIntros()
     {
       remoteIntro = m_NextIntro;
+      // prepare next intro
+      auto now = llarp_time_now_ms();
+      for(const auto& intro : currentIntroSet.I)
+      {
+        if(intro.ExpiresSoon(now))
+          continue;
+        if(m_BadIntros.find(intro) == m_BadIntros.end()
+           && remoteIntro.router == intro.router)
+        {
+          m_NextIntro = intro;
+          return;
+        }
+      }
+      for(const auto& intro : currentIntroSet.I)
+      {
+        if(intro.ExpiresSoon(now))
+          continue;
+        if(m_BadIntros.find(intro) == m_BadIntros.end())
+        {
+          m_NextIntro = intro;
+          return;
+        }
+      }
     }
 
     bool