diff --git a/examples/canvas/src/index.ts b/examples/canvas/src/index.ts
index 1a319322..1eb66e79 100644
--- a/examples/canvas/src/index.ts
+++ b/examples/canvas/src/index.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,14 @@ import { Pixel } from "./objects/pixel";
 import { GCounter } from "@topology-foundation/crdt";
 import { handleCanvasMessages } from "./handlers";
 
+// all libp2p debug logs
+localStorage.setItem("debug", "libp2p:*"); // then refresh the page to ensure the libraries can read this when spinning up.
+// networking debug logs
+localStorage.setItem(
+  "debug",
+  "libp2p:websockets,libp2p:webtransport,libp2p:kad-dht,libp2p:dialer",
+);
+
 const node = new TopologyNode();
 let canvasCRO: ICanvas;
 let peers: string[] = [];
diff --git a/examples/canvas/webpack.config.js b/examples/canvas/webpack.config.js
index d15d89b4..46ac5e36 100644
--- a/examples/canvas/webpack.config.js
+++ b/examples/canvas/webpack.config.js
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ module.exports = {
   entry: path.resolve(__dirname, "./src/index.ts"),
   devServer: {
     allowedHosts: "all",
+    client: {
+      overlay: false,
+    },
     static: {
       directory: path.join(__dirname, "public"),
     },
diff --git a/examples/canvas/yarn.lock b/examples/canvas/yarn.lock
index a6a7679d..c74ebda3 100644
--- a/examples/canvas/yarn.lock
+++ b/examples/canvas/yarn.lock
@@ -256,6 +256,21 @@
     uint8arraylist "^2.4.8"
     uint8arrays "^5.1.0"
 
+"@libp2p/dcutr@^1.1.0":
+  version "1.1.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@libp2p/dcutr/-/dcutr-1.1.0.tgz#0a73881361bb265ad6b43f0acffb5b41158fdb4d"
+  integrity sha512-C8tBevJxb6D8c8Qb2N14/nzSGJY84MyTwzAhf8cwKp7Um17RouTljUJEOakk+TRCp/UrPx3tbbVDOb2cmUR1Tg==
+  dependencies:
+    "@libp2p/interface" "^1.5.0"
+    "@libp2p/interface-internal" "^1.2.4"
+    "@libp2p/utils" "^5.4.4"
+    "@multiformats/multiaddr" "^12.2.3"
+    "@multiformats/multiaddr-matcher" "^1.2.1"
+    delay "^6.0.0"
+    it-protobuf-stream "^1.1.3"
+    protons-runtime "^5.4.0"
+    uint8arraylist "^2.4.8"
+
 "@libp2p/identify@^2.0.2":
   version "2.0.2"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@libp2p/identify/-/identify-2.0.2.tgz#a11c566dbbcdfda15a1e3762e6b8e88188c4f48b"
@@ -739,6 +754,7 @@
 "@topology-foundation/node@file:../../packages/node":
   version "0.0.7"
   dependencies:
+    "@libp2p/dcutr" "^1.1.0"
     "@topology-foundation/crdt" "0.0.7"
     "@topology-foundation/network" "0.0.7"
     "@topology-foundation/object" "0.0.7"
diff --git a/packages/network/src/node.ts b/packages/network/src/node.ts
index ab1d8c31..aef034b6 100644
--- a/packages/network/src/node.ts
+++ b/packages/network/src/node.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
 import { noise } from "@chainsafe/libp2p-noise";
 import { yamux } from "@chainsafe/libp2p-yamux";
 import { circuitRelayTransport } from "@libp2p/circuit-relay-v2";
+import { dcutr } from "@libp2p/dcutr";
 import { identify } from "@libp2p/identify";
 import { EventHandler, PubSub, Stream, StreamHandler } from "@libp2p/interface";
 import { pubsubPeerDiscovery } from "@libp2p/pubsub-peer-discovery";
@@ -16,6 +17,8 @@ import { Libp2p, createLibp2p } from "libp2p";
 import { stringToStream } from "./stream";
 import { webTransport } from "@libp2p/webtransport";
 import { bootstrap } from "@libp2p/bootstrap";
+import { fromString as uint8ArrayFromString } from "uint8arrays/from-string";
+import { toString as uint8ArrayToString } from "uint8arrays/to-string";
 
 export interface TopologyNetworkNodeConfig {}
 
@@ -34,7 +37,8 @@ export class TopologyNetworkNode {
     this._node = await createLibp2p({
       addresses: {
         listen: [
-          "/webrtc",
+          // disabled to test connections through relay
+          // "/webrtc",
           "/dns4/relay.droak.sh/tcp/443/wss/p2p/Qma3GsJmB47xYuyahPZPSadh1avvxfyYQwk8R3UnFrQ6aP/p2p-circuit",
         ],
       },
@@ -46,8 +50,7 @@ export class TopologyNetworkNode {
       },
       peerDiscovery: [
         pubsubPeerDiscovery({
-          interval: 10_000,
-          listenOnly: false,
+          interval: 5_000,
         }),
         bootstrap({
           list: [
@@ -60,10 +63,13 @@ export class TopologyNetworkNode {
         pubsub: gossipsub({
           allowPublishToZeroTopicPeers: true,
         }),
+        dcutr: dcutr(),
       },
       streamMuxers: [yamux()],
       transports: [
-        circuitRelayTransport(),
+        circuitRelayTransport({
+          discoverRelays: 1,
+        }),
         webRTC({
           rtcConfiguration: {
             iceServers: [
@@ -86,14 +92,35 @@ export class TopologyNetworkNode {
     this._pubsub = this._node.services.pubsub as PubSub<GossipsubEvents>;
     this.peerId = this._node.peerId.toString();
 
+    this._pubsub.subscribe("topology::object::announcements");
+    this._pubsub?.addEventListener("gossipsub:message", async (message) => {
+      console.log(message.detail.msg);
+      if (message.detail.msg.topic != "topology::object::announcements") return;
+      const group = uint8ArrayToString(new Uint8Array(message.detail.msg.data));
+      console.log("announcing group", group);
+      if (!this._pubsub?.getTopics().includes(group)) return;
+      console.log("dialing", message.detail.propagationSource.toString());
+      await this._node?.dial([
+        multiaddr(`/p2p/${message.detail.propagationSource.toString()}`),
+      ]);
+    });
+
     console.log(
       "topology::network::start: Successfuly started topology network w/ peer_id",
       this.peerId,
     );
 
-    this._node.addEventListener("peer:connect", (evt) => {
-      console.log("topology::network::peer::connect: ", evt.detail.toString());
-    });
+    // TODO remove this or add better logger
+    // we need to keep it now for debugging
+    this._node.addEventListener("peer:connect", (e) =>
+      console.log("peer:connect", e.detail),
+    );
+    this._node.addEventListener("peer:discovery", (e) =>
+      console.log("peer:discovery", e.detail),
+    );
+    this._node.addEventListener("peer:identify", (e) =>
+      console.log("peer:identify", e.detail),
+    );
   }
 
   subscribe(topic: string) {
@@ -106,6 +133,10 @@ export class TopologyNetworkNode {
 
     try {
       this._pubsub?.subscribe(topic);
+      this.broadcastMessage(
+        "topology::object::announcements",
+        uint8ArrayFromString(topic),
+      ).then();
       this._pubsub?.getPeers();
       console.log(
         "topology::network::subscribe: Successfuly subscribed the topic",
diff --git a/packages/node/package.json b/packages/node/package.json
index ffe120c0..f7dbe873 100644
--- a/packages/node/package.json
+++ b/packages/node/package.json
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
     "vitest": "^1.6.0"
   },
   "dependencies": {
+    "@libp2p/dcutr": "^1.1.0",
     "@topology-foundation/crdt": "0.0.7",
     "@topology-foundation/network": "0.0.7",
     "@topology-foundation/object": "0.0.7"
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index eec11d86..82d606cd 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -310,6 +310,21 @@
     uint8arraylist "^2.4.8"
     uint8arrays "^5.1.0"
 
+"@libp2p/dcutr@^1.1.0":
+  version "1.1.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@libp2p/dcutr/-/dcutr-1.1.0.tgz#0a73881361bb265ad6b43f0acffb5b41158fdb4d"
+  integrity sha512-C8tBevJxb6D8c8Qb2N14/nzSGJY84MyTwzAhf8cwKp7Um17RouTljUJEOakk+TRCp/UrPx3tbbVDOb2cmUR1Tg==
+  dependencies:
+    "@libp2p/interface" "^1.5.0"
+    "@libp2p/interface-internal" "^1.2.4"
+    "@libp2p/utils" "^5.4.4"
+    "@multiformats/multiaddr" "^12.2.3"
+    "@multiformats/multiaddr-matcher" "^1.2.1"
+    delay "^6.0.0"
+    it-protobuf-stream "^1.1.3"
+    protons-runtime "^5.4.0"
+    uint8arraylist "^2.4.8"
+
 "@libp2p/identify@^2.0.2":
   version "2.1.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@libp2p/identify/-/identify-2.1.0.tgz#663daa8e1f541326630655a8bd52aba015797017"