diff --git a/host/basic_host.py b/host/basic_host.py
index 133571c..09789f6 100644
--- a/host/basic_host.py
+++ b/host/basic_host.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ class BasicHost(IHost):
     # default options constructor
     def __init__(self, _network):
         self.network = _network
+        self.peerstore = self.network.peerstore
         # self.stream_handlers = {}
 
     def get_id(self):
@@ -24,6 +25,12 @@ class BasicHost(IHost):
         """
         return self.network
 
+    def get_peerstore(self):
+        """
+        :return: peerstore of the host (same one as in its network instance)
+        """
+        return self.peerstore
+
     def get_mux(self):
         """
         :return: mux instance of host
diff --git a/libp2p/libp2p.py b/libp2p/libp2p.py
index 4b987cf..8e4e58d 100644
--- a/libp2p/libp2p.py
+++ b/libp2p/libp2p.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-from .config import Config
 from ..peer.peerstore import PeerStore
 from ..network.swarm import Swarm
 from ..host.basic_host import BasicHost
@@ -8,7 +7,7 @@ from Crypto.PublicKey import RSA
 class Libp2p(object):
 
     def __init__(self, idOpt, \
-        transportOpt = ["/ip4/0.0.0.0/tcp/0"], \
+        transportOpt = ["/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/10000"], \
         muxerOpt = ["mplex/6.7.0"], \
         secOpt = ["secio"], \
         peerstore = PeerStore()):
@@ -20,7 +19,7 @@ class Libp2p(object):
             new_key = RSA.generate(2048, e=65537)
             self.idOpt = new_key.publickey().exportKey("PEM")
             self.private_key = new_key.exportKey("PEM")
-            
+      
         self.transportOpt = transportOpt
         self.muxerOpt = muxerOpt
         self.secOpt = secOpt
@@ -36,4 +35,6 @@ class Libp2p(object):
 
         # TODO listen on addrs
 
-        # TODO swarm add transports
\ No newline at end of file
+        # TODO swarm add transports
+
+        # TODO: return host
diff --git a/network/swarm.py b/network/swarm.py
index 2e1800f..edd4446 100644
--- a/network/swarm.py
+++ b/network/swarm.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ class Swarm(INetwork):
 
     def __init__(self, my_peer_id, peerstore):
         self.my_peer_id = my_peer_id
-        self.peer_store = peerstore
+        self.peerstore = peerstore
         self.connections = {}
 
     def set_stream_handler(self, stream_handler):
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class Swarm(INetwork):
         if peer_id in self.connections:
             muxed_connection = self.connections[peer_id]
         else:
-            addrs = self.peer_store.addrs(peer_id)
+            addrs = self.peerstore.addrs(peer_id)
             stream_ip = addrs.get_protocol_value("ip")
             stream_port = addrs.get_protocol_value("port")
             if len(addrs) > 0:
diff --git a/tests/libp2p/__init__.py b/tests/libp2p/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/tests/libp2p/test_libp2p.py b/tests/libp2p/test_libp2p.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6214363
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/libp2p/test_libp2p.py
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+from libp2p.libp2p import Libp2p
+
+
+# TODO: are these connections async? how do we wait on responses?
+def test_simple_messages():
+    lib = Libp2p()
+
+    hostA = lib.new_node()
+    hostB = lib.new_node()
+
+    def stream_handler(stream):
+        print("stream received in host B")
+
+        read_string = stream.read().decode()
+        print("host B received: " + read_string)
+
+        response = "ack: " + read_string
+        stream.write(response.encode())
+
+    hostB.set_stream_handler("/echo/1.0.0", stream_handler)
+
+    # associate the peer with local ip address (see default parameters of Libp2p())
+    hostA.get_peerstore().add_addr("hostB", "/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/10000")
+
+    stream = hostA.new_stream("hostB", "/echo/1.0.0")
+    message = "hello"
+    stream.write(message.encode())
+
+    response = stream.read().decode()
+    assert response == ("ack: " + message)