diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 40ebfe8..cee3c32 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 apps/walletshield/walletshield
+docker/node/.env
 genconfig/cmd/genconfig/genconfig
 pki/pki
 server_plugins/cbor_plugins/http_proxy/cmd/http_proxy/http_proxy
diff --git a/docker/Makefile.appchain b/docker/Makefile.appchain
index b2e32e8..f22313b 100644
--- a/docker/Makefile.appchain
+++ b/docker/Makefile.appchain
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 net ?= /tmp/appchain-mixnet
+url_appchain_indexer   ?= http://localhost:8081/graphql
+url_appchain_processor ?= http://localhost:8082/graphql
+url_appchain_sequencer ?= http://localhost:8080/graphql
 dir_base := /mixnet
 dir_bin := /opt/zkn
 docker_image ?= zkn/node:latest
@@ -18,6 +21,20 @@ probe_count ?= 1
 
 export
 
+.PHONY: help
+help:
+	@echo
+	@echo "These make targets allow you to control the test network:"
+	@echo " image   - build node docker image"
+	@echo " config  - generate config for test network nodes"
+	@echo " init    - register and activate a network with local appchain"
+	@echo " start   - start the testnet"
+	@echo " _start  - start the testnet without re-build/config"
+	@echo " stop    - stop the testnet"
+	@echo " wait    - wait for testnet to have consensus"
+	@echo " probe   - send a probe over the testnet"
+	@echo " clean   - stop, remove docker image and config"
+
 $(net):
 	mkdir -vp $(net)
 
@@ -49,8 +66,22 @@ probe: $(net)/run.stamp
 		-config $(dir_base)/client2/client.toml \
 		-log_level DEBUG \
 		-probe \
+		-probe_send_delay 1 \
 		-probe_count $(probe_count)
 
+.PHONY: init
+init: $(net)
+	$(docker_run) \
+		--env URL_APPCHAIN_INDEXER=$(url_appchain_indexer) \
+		--env URL_APPCHAIN_PROCESSOR=$(url_appchain_processor) \
+		--env URL_APPCHAIN_SEQUENCER=$(url_appchain_sequencer) \
+		--volume $(shell readlink -f ./network.yml):/tmp/network.yml \
+		$(docker_image_agent) \
+		bin/network-init.sh \
+			dev-$(shell date +%H%M%S) \
+			/tmp/network.yml \
+			$(dir_base)
+
 .PHONY: stop
 stop:
 	[ -e $(net) ] && cd $(net) && $(docker_compose) down --remove-orphans
@@ -58,5 +89,9 @@ stop:
 
 .PHONY: clean
 clean: stop
-	$(docker) rmi $(docker_image)
 	rm -rfv $(net)
+
+.PHONY: clean-image
+clean-image:
+	$(docker) rmi $(docker_image)
+	rm -fv $(net)/image.stamp
diff --git a/docker/README.md b/docker/README.md
index 9a3f9be..7675bdc 100644
--- a/docker/README.md
+++ b/docker/README.md
@@ -38,30 +38,36 @@ To run the Appchain PKI network, ensure the following components are available:
 ### Example Workflow
 
 ```bash
-# build the appchain-agent docker image
-cd appchain-agent && make image
+# with appchain-agent docker image built, and local appchain running
 
-# start local appchain instance, then:
+# a lil helper to decrease verbosity
+alias makea='net=/tmp/mix make -f Makefile.appchain'
+
+# register and activate a network with the local appchain
+makea init
 
 # build the docker image, configure, start the network, wait for the epoch, then probe
-net=/tmp/appchain-mixnet make -f Makefile.appchain start wait probe
+makea start wait probe
 
 # stop the network and clean up
-net=/tmp/appchain-mixnet make -f Makefile.appchain clean
+makea clean
 
 # build the docker image and configure (without starting network)
 # to inspect or manually edit the configuration files before continuing
-net=/tmp/appchain-mixnet make -f Makefile.appchain config
+makea config
 
 # start the network without rebuilding or reconfiguring, wait for the epoch
-net=/tmp/appchain-mixnet make -f Makefile.appchain _start wait
+makea _start wait
 
 # test the network with a client sending 10 test probes
-net=/tmp/appchain-mixnet probe_count=10 make -f Makefile.appchain probe
+makea probe_count=10 probe
 
 # watch log files
 tail -f /tmp/appchain-mixnet/*/*.log
 
 # stop the network (without cleaning up)
-net=/tmp/appchain-mixnet make -f Makefile.appchain stop
+makea stop
+
+# clean up (remove config files)
+makea clean
 ```
diff --git a/docker/genconfig.sh b/docker/genconfig.sh
index ee819a4..6dbad65 100755
--- a/docker/genconfig.sh
+++ b/docker/genconfig.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ echo "  docker_image_agent: ${docker_image_agent}"
 echo "  num_gateways: ${num_gateways}"
 echo "  num_servicenodes: ${num_servicenodes}"
 echo "  num_mixes: ${num_mixes}"
+echo "  url_appchain_indexer:   ${url_appchain_indexer}"
+echo "  url_appchain_processor: ${url_appchain_processor}"
+echo "  url_appchain_sequencer: ${url_appchain_sequencer}"
 
 gencfg="${docker} run ${docker_args} --rm \
   --volume $(readlink -f ./network.yml):/tmp/network.yml \
@@ -66,6 +69,7 @@ function gencfg_node () {
   ${gencfg} \
     -type ${type} \
     -identifier ${id} \
+    -log-level DEBUG \
     -metrics ${metrics} \
     -port ${port} \
     || exit 1
@@ -79,10 +83,14 @@ function gencfg_node () {
   ${id}-agent:
     <<: *common-service
     image: ${docker_image_agent}
+    environment:
+      - URL_APPCHAIN_INDEXER=${url_appchain_indexer}
+      - URL_APPCHAIN_PROCESSOR=${url_appchain_processor}
+      - URL_APPCHAIN_SEQUENCER=${url_appchain_sequencer}
     command: >
       pnpm run agent \
         --ipfs \
-        --ipfs-data ${dir_base}/ipfs-data \
+        --ipfs-data ${dir_base}/ipfs \
         --listen \
         --key ${dir_base}/${id}-auth/appchain.key \
         --socket ${dir_base}/${id}-auth/appchain.sock \
diff --git a/docker/node/Dockerfile b/docker/node/Dockerfile
index ca24024..6f4af19 100644
--- a/docker/node/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/node/Dockerfile
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ RUN \
   ca-certificates \
   && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*
 
+
 FROM base AS builder
 
 ARG ENABLE_WARPED_EPOCH=false
diff --git a/docker/node/docker-compose.yml b/docker/node/docker-compose.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6d77397
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/node/docker-compose.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+x-common-service: &common-service
+  restart: "no"
+  image: ${IMAGE_NODE}
+  user: ${DOCKER_USER}
+  volumes:
+    - ${VOLUME_MIXNET}:${DIR_BASE}
+  network_mode: host
+
+services:
+  mix-agent:
+    <<: *common-service
+    image: ${IMAGE_AGENT}
+    environment:
+      - URL_APPCHAIN_INDEXER=${URL_APPCHAIN_INDEXER}
+      - URL_APPCHAIN_PROCESSOR=${URL_APPCHAIN_PROCESSOR}
+      - URL_APPCHAIN_SEQUENCER=${URL_APPCHAIN_SEQUENCER}
+    command: >
+      pnpm run agent
+      --ipfs
+      --ipfs-data ${DIR_BASE}/ipfs
+      --listen
+      --key ${DIR_BASE}/${NODE_ID}-auth/appchain.key
+      --socket ${DIR_BASE}/${NODE_ID}-auth/appchain.sock
+      --socket-format cbor
+      --debug
+
+  mix-auth:
+    <<: *common-service
+    command: ${DIR_BIN}/pki -f ${DIR_BASE}/${NODE_ID}-auth/authority.toml
+    depends_on:
+      - mix-agent
+
+  mix:
+    <<: *common-service
+    command: ${DIR_BIN}/server -f ${DIR_BASE}/${NODE_ID}/katzenpost.toml
+    depends_on:
+      - mix-auth
diff --git a/docker/node/env.example b/docker/node/env.example
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fbe427e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/node/env.example
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+NODE_ADDRESS=127.0.0.1
+NODE_ID=mix-1000
+NODE_LOG_LEVEL=INFO
+NODE_METRICS=0.0.0.0:9100
+NODE_PORT=8888
+NODE_TYPE=mix
+VOLUME_MIXNET=/tmp/mix
+
+DIR_BASE=/mixnet
+DIR_BIN=/opt/zkn
+IMAGE_AGENT=ghcr.io/0knowledgenetwork/appchain-agent:latest
+IMAGE_NODE=ghcr.io/0knowledgenetwork/node:latest
+URL_APPCHAIN_INDEXER=http://localhost:8081/graphql
+URL_APPCHAIN_SEQUENCER=http://localhost:8080/graphql
+URL_APPCHAIN_PROCESSOR=http://localhost:8082/graphql
+USE_LOCAL_IMAGES=0
diff --git a/docker/node/node-start.sh b/docker/node/node-start.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..288ebf3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/node/node-start.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+dir_script=$(dirname "$(readlink -f "$0")")
+network_id=${1:-_} # default to active network
+file_env="${2:-${dir_script}/.env}" # default to .env in this script's directory
+
+# Load configuration from the .env file in the same directory as the script
+[ ! -f "${file_env}" ] && echo "Error: .env file not found: ${file_env}" && exit 1
+echo "Loading environment variables from ${file_env}"
+export $(grep -v '^#' "${file_env}" | xargs)
+
+# Verify that required environment variables are set
+for var in \
+  DIR_BASE \
+  DIR_BIN \
+  IMAGE_AGENT \
+  IMAGE_NODE \
+  NODE_ADDRESS \
+  NODE_ID \
+  NODE_LOG_LEVEL \
+  NODE_METRICS \
+  NODE_PORT \
+  NODE_TYPE \
+  URL_APPCHAIN_INDEXER \
+  URL_APPCHAIN_PROCESSOR \
+  URL_APPCHAIN_SEQUENCER \
+  USE_LOCAL_IMAGES \
+  VOLUME_MIXNET \
+; do
+  : "${!var:?Environment variable ${var} is required}"
+done
+
+# Configuration
+file_network="${VOLUME_MIXNET}/network.yml"
+
+# Determine container tool and related settings
+if command -v podman >/dev/null; then
+  docker="podman"
+  docker_user=$(if podman info --format '{{.Host.Security.Rootless}}' | grep -iq "true"; then echo "$(id -u):$(id -g)"; else echo "0:0"; fi)
+  docker_compose_env="DOCKER_USER=${docker_user} DOCKER_HOST=unix://${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR:-/run/user/$(id -u)}/podman/podman.sock"
+else
+  docker="docker"
+  docker_user="${SUDO_UID:-$(id -u)}:${SUDO_GID:-$(id -g)}"
+  docker_compose_env="DOCKER_USER=${docker_user}"
+fi
+docker_compose="${docker_compose_env} docker compose --env-file ${file_env}"
+docker_run="${docker} run \
+  --env URL_APPCHAIN_INDEXER=${URL_APPCHAIN_INDEXER} \
+  --env URL_APPCHAIN_PROCESSOR=${URL_APPCHAIN_PROCESSOR} \
+  --env URL_APPCHAIN_SEQUENCER=${URL_APPCHAIN_SEQUENCER} \
+  --network=host \
+  --rm \
+  --user ${docker_user} \
+  --volume ${VOLUME_MIXNET}:${DIR_BASE}"
+
+# Pull required Docker images
+[ ${USE_LOCAL_IMAGES} -eq "0" ] && echo -e "\nPulling required Docker images..." && eval ${docker_compose} pull
+
+# Fetch network info
+echo -e "\nFetching active network configuration..."
+eval ${docker_run} \
+  ${IMAGE_AGENT} \
+  pnpm run agent \
+    --ipfs \
+    --ipfs-data ${DIR_BASE}/ipfs \
+    networks getNetwork ${network_id} ${DIR_BASE}/network.yml
+[ ! -f "${file_network}" ] && echo "Error: Network configuration file not generated." && exit 1
+echo "Network configuration saved to ${file_network}"
+
+# Generate node configuration
+echo -e "\nGenerating node configuration..."
+eval ${docker_run} \
+  ${IMAGE_NODE} \
+  ${DIR_BIN}/genconfig \
+  -input ${DIR_BASE}/network.yml \
+  -binary-prefix ${DIR_BIN}/ \
+  -dir-base ${DIR_BASE} \
+  -dir-out ${DIR_BASE} \
+  -address ${NODE_ADDRESS} \
+  -identifier ${NODE_ID} \
+  -log-level ${NODE_LOG_LEVEL} \
+  -metrics ${NODE_METRICS} \
+  -port ${NODE_PORT} \
+  -type ${NODE_TYPE}
+echo "Node configuration generated successfully."
+
+# Start services
+echo -e "\nStarting services..."
+eval ${docker_compose} -p ${NODE_ID} up -d
+
+echo -e "\nNode setup and services started successfully."
diff --git a/genconfig/genconfig.go b/genconfig/genconfig.go
index 38e5efc..680e4fc 100644
--- a/genconfig/genconfig.go
+++ b/genconfig/genconfig.go
@@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ func ParseFlags() GenconfigInput {
 	flag.StringVar(&gi.cfgType, "type", "", "Type of config to generate: mix, gateway, servicenode, client1, client2")
 	flag.StringVar(&gi.identifier, "identifier", "", "Node identifier; lowercase alphanumeric with 4 to 20 characters (default -type)")
 	flag.StringVar(&gi.inputNetworkInfo, "input", "network.yml", "Path to network info file")
-	flag.StringVar(&gi.logLevel, "log-level", "DEBUG", "logging level could be set to: DEBUG, INFO, NOTICE, WARNING, ERROR, CRITICAL")
+	flag.StringVar(&gi.logLevel, "log-level", "INFO", "logging level could be set to: DEBUG, INFO, NOTICE, WARNING, ERROR, CRITICAL")
 	flag.StringVar(&gi.metrics, "metrics", metrics, "Metrics endpoint")
 	flag.StringVar(&gi.outDir, "dir-out", "", "Path to write files to")
 	flag.StringVar(&gi.transport, "transport", transport, "Transport protocol: tcp, quic")
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index ac2a35e..bba048e 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module github.com/0KnowledgeNetwork/opt
 go 1.22.3
 
 require (
-	github.com/0KnowledgeNetwork/appchain-agent/clients/go v0.0.0-20241018051950-6cb4d4598933
+	github.com/0KnowledgeNetwork/appchain-agent/clients/go v0.0.0-20250108045135-72cb54760c56
 	github.com/BurntSushi/toml v1.4.0
 	github.com/carlmjohnson/versioninfo v0.22.5
 	github.com/charmbracelet/log v0.4.0
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 0d9b6d6..246e8e7 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ filippo.io/edwards25519 v1.0.0 h1:0wAIcmJUqRdI8IJ/3eGi5/HwXZWPujYXXlkrQogz0Ek=
 filippo.io/edwards25519 v1.0.0/go.mod h1:N1IkdkCkiLB6tki+MYJoSx2JTY9NUlxZE7eHn5EwJns=
 filippo.io/mlkem768 v0.0.0-20240221181710-5ce91625fdc1 h1:xbdqh5aDZeO0XqW896qVjKnAqRji9nkIwmsBEEbCA10=
 filippo.io/mlkem768 v0.0.0-20240221181710-5ce91625fdc1/go.mod h1:mIEHrcJ2xBlJRQwnRO0ujmZ+Rt6m6eNeCPq8E3Wkths=
-github.com/0KnowledgeNetwork/appchain-agent/clients/go v0.0.0-20241018051950-6cb4d4598933 h1:iYk0ECvvvKPGzNg3zAr75wM91H7fh9O9+jDl+TlwBu4=
-github.com/0KnowledgeNetwork/appchain-agent/clients/go v0.0.0-20241018051950-6cb4d4598933/go.mod h1:sMFBunupwopr9TDPw5bxUrs1mSYDn2QPF/vFI7gvWwU=
+github.com/0KnowledgeNetwork/appchain-agent/clients/go v0.0.0-20250108045135-72cb54760c56 h1:CX9n4//lUS6bhHfUJEKPKmY/KFitHfmIn6YYFc3y8Tk=
+github.com/0KnowledgeNetwork/appchain-agent/clients/go v0.0.0-20250108045135-72cb54760c56/go.mod h1:sMFBunupwopr9TDPw5bxUrs1mSYDn2QPF/vFI7gvWwU=
 github.com/BurntSushi/toml v1.4.0 h1:kuoIxZQy2WRRk1pttg9asf+WVv6tWQuBNVmK8+nqPr0=
 github.com/BurntSushi/toml v1.4.0/go.mod h1:ukJfTF/6rtPPRCnwkur4qwRxa8vTRFBF0uk2lLoLwho=
 github.com/aymanbagabas/go-osc52/v2 v2.0.1 h1:HwpRHbFMcZLEVr42D4p7XBqjyuxQH5SMiErDT4WkJ2k=