diff --git a/networking/src/main/java/ch/dissem/bitmessage/networking/Connection.java b/networking/src/main/java/ch/dissem/bitmessage/networking/Connection.java
index e3dc251..91bbc61 100644
--- a/networking/src/main/java/ch/dissem/bitmessage/networking/Connection.java
+++ b/networking/src/main/java/ch/dissem/bitmessage/networking/Connection.java
@@ -50,9 +50,9 @@ import static ch.dissem.bitmessage.networking.Connection.State.*;
  * A connection to a specific node
  */
 public class Connection implements Runnable {
+    public static final int READ_TIMEOUT = 2000;
     private final static Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(Connection.class);
-    private static final int CONNECT_TIMEOUT = 10000;
-
+    private static final int CONNECT_TIMEOUT = 5000;
     private InternalContext ctx;
 
     private Mode mode;
@@ -106,8 +106,10 @@ public class Connection implements Runnable {
     public void run() {
         try (Socket socket = this.socket) {
             if (!socket.isConnected()) {
+                LOG.debug("Trying to connect to node " + node);
                 socket.connect(new InetSocketAddress(node.toInetAddress(), node.getPort()), CONNECT_TIMEOUT);
             }
+            socket.setSoTimeout(READ_TIMEOUT);
             this.in = socket.getInputStream();
             this.out = socket.getOutputStream();
             if (mode == CLIENT) {
@@ -171,8 +173,8 @@ public class Connection implements Runnable {
                 }
             }
         } catch (IOException | NodeException e) {
-            LOG.debug("disconnection from node " + node + ": " + e.getMessage(), e);
             disconnect();
+            LOG.debug("Disconnected from node " + node + ": " + e.getMessage());
         } catch (RuntimeException e) {
             disconnect();
             throw e;
@@ -180,6 +182,7 @@ public class Connection implements Runnable {
     }
 
     private void activateConnection() {
+        LOG.info("Successfully established connection with node " + node);
         state = ACTIVE;
         sendAddresses();
         sendInventory();
@@ -188,7 +191,9 @@ public class Connection implements Runnable {
     }
 
     private void sendQueue() {
-        LOG.debug("Sending " + sendingQueue.size() + " messages to node " + node);
+        if (sendingQueue.size() > 0) {
+            LOG.debug("Sending " + sendingQueue.size() + " messages to node " + node);
+        }
         for (MessagePayload msg = sendingQueue.poll(); msg != null; msg = sendingQueue.poll()) {
             send(msg);
         }
diff --git a/networking/src/main/java/ch/dissem/bitmessage/networking/NetworkNode.java b/networking/src/main/java/ch/dissem/bitmessage/networking/NetworkNode.java
index e8e32ab..47c01f6 100644
--- a/networking/src/main/java/ch/dissem/bitmessage/networking/NetworkNode.java
+++ b/networking/src/main/java/ch/dissem/bitmessage/networking/NetworkNode.java
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ public class NetworkNode implements NetworkHandler, ContextHolder {
                 c.disconnect();
             }
         }
-        pool.shutdownNow();
+        pool.shutdown();
     }
 
     private void startConnection(Connection c) {
diff --git a/repositories/src/main/java/ch/dissem/bitmessage/repository/JdbcConfig.java b/repositories/src/main/java/ch/dissem/bitmessage/repository/JdbcConfig.java
index c991bb7..80e079b 100644
--- a/repositories/src/main/java/ch/dissem/bitmessage/repository/JdbcConfig.java
+++ b/repositories/src/main/java/ch/dissem/bitmessage/repository/JdbcConfig.java
@@ -45,11 +45,7 @@ public class JdbcConfig {
         this("jdbc:h2:~/jabit;AUTO_SERVER=TRUE", "sa", null);
     }
 
-    public Connection getConnection() {
-        try {
-            return DriverManager.getConnection(dbUrl, dbUser, dbPassword);
-        } catch (SQLException e) {
-            throw new RuntimeException(e);
-        }
+    public Connection getConnection() throws SQLException {
+        return DriverManager.getConnection(dbUrl, dbUser, dbPassword);
     }
 }