diff --git a/daemon/core/broker.py b/daemon/core/broker.py
index 20605056..cdbbb124 100644
--- a/daemon/core/broker.py
+++ b/daemon/core/broker.py
@@ -437,6 +437,7 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
         """
         try:
             net = self.session.get_object(node_id)
+            logger.info("adding net tunnel for: id(%s) %s", node_id, net)
         except KeyError:
             raise KeyError("network node %s not found" % node_id)
 
@@ -583,7 +584,9 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
         :param int nodenum: node id to add
         :return: nothing
         """
+        logger.info("adding net to broker: %s", nodenum)
         self.network_nodes.add(nodenum)
+        logger.info("broker network nodes: %s", self.network_nodes)
 
     def addphys(self, nodenum):
         """
@@ -1010,10 +1013,10 @@ class CoreBroker(ConfigurableManager):
                 for server in servers:
                     if server.name == "localhost":
                         continue
-                    try:
+
+                    lhost, lport = None, None
+                    if server.sock:
                         lhost, lport = server.sock.getsockname()
-                    except IOError:
-                        lhost, lport = None, None
                     f.write("%s %s %s %s %s\n" % (server.name, server.host, server.port, lhost, lport))
         except IOError:
             logger.exception("error writing server list to the file: %s" % filename)
diff --git a/daemon/core/coreobj.py b/daemon/core/coreobj.py
index f82cf194..4cee157c 100644
--- a/daemon/core/coreobj.py
+++ b/daemon/core/coreobj.py
@@ -273,16 +273,6 @@ class PyCoreNode(PyCoreObj):
         self.nodedir = None
         self.tmpnodedir = False
 
-    # TODO: getter method that should not be needed
-    def nodeid(self):
-        """
-        Retrieve node id.
-
-        :return: node id
-        :rtype: int
-        """
-        return self.objid
-
     def addservice(self, service):
         """
         Add a services to the service list.
@@ -465,35 +455,6 @@ class PyCoreNet(PyCoreObj):
         with self._linked_lock:
             del self._linked[netif]
 
-    # TODO: needs to be abstracted out, seems like it may be ok to remove
-    def netifparamstolink(self, netif):
-        """
-        Helper for tolinkmsgs() to build TLVs having link parameters from interface parameters.
-
-        :param PyCoreNetIf netif: network interface to retrieve params from
-        :return: tlv data
-        """
-
-        delay = netif.getparam("delay")
-        bw = netif.getparam("bw")
-        loss = netif.getparam("loss")
-        duplicate = netif.getparam("duplicate")
-        jitter = netif.getparam("jitter")
-
-        tlvdata = ""
-        if delay is not None:
-            tlvdata += coreapi.CoreLinkTlv.pack(LinkTlvs.DELAY.value, delay)
-        if bw is not None:
-            tlvdata += coreapi.CoreLinkTlv.pack(LinkTlvs.BANDWIDTH.value, bw)
-        if loss is not None:
-            tlvdata += coreapi.CoreLinkTlv.pack(LinkTlvs.PER.value, str(loss))
-        if duplicate is not None:
-            tlvdata += coreapi.CoreLinkTlv.pack(LinkTlvs.DUP.value, str(duplicate))
-        if jitter is not None:
-            tlvdata += coreapi.CoreLinkTlv.pack(LinkTlvs.JITTER.value, jitter)
-
-        return tlvdata
-
     def all_link_data(self, flags):
         """
         Build link data objects for this network. Each link object describes a link
diff --git a/daemon/core/xml/xmlwriter0.py b/daemon/core/xml/xmlwriter0.py
index af9e2bd4..3b3c7b04 100644
--- a/daemon/core/xml/xmlwriter0.py
+++ b/daemon/core/xml/xmlwriter0.py
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ class CoreDocumentWriter0(Document):
         n = self.createElement("Node")
         self.np.appendChild(n)
         n.setAttribute("name", node.name)
-        n.setAttribute("id", "%s" % node.nodeid())
+        n.setAttribute("id", "%s" % node.objid)
         if node.type:
             n.setAttribute("type", node.type)
         self.addinterfaces(n, node)
diff --git a/daemon/requirements.txt b/daemon/requirements.txt
index 9aa8fc3c..d626b47d 100644
--- a/daemon/requirements.txt
+++ b/daemon/requirements.txt
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 enum34==1.1.6
 grpcio==1.0.0
 grpcio-tools==1.0.0
+mock==1.3.0
 pycco==0.5.1
+pytest==3.0.7
+pytest-cov==2.5.1
+pytest-runner==2.11.1
 sphinx==1.4.8
 sphinx_rtd_theme==0.1.9
-pytest==3.0.7
-pytest-runner==2.11.1
-pytest-cov==2.5.1
diff --git a/daemon/setup.py b/daemon/setup.py
index fdaaf62b..2931f02c 100644
--- a/daemon/setup.py
+++ b/daemon/setup.py
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ setup(name="core-python",
       ],
       tests_require=[
           "pytest",
-          "pytest-cov"
+          "pytest-cov",
+          "mock"
       ],
       description="Python components of CORE",
       url="http://www.nrl.navy.mil/itd/ncs/products/core",
diff --git a/daemon/test.py b/daemon/test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9274613a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/daemon/test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import pytest
+
+pytest.main([
+    "-v",
+    "--cov-report",
+    "xml",
+    "--cov=.",
+    "tests/test_core.py"
+])
diff --git a/daemon/tests/test_core.py b/daemon/tests/test_core.py
index dce645d7..ab1d721e 100644
--- a/daemon/tests/test_core.py
+++ b/daemon/tests/test_core.py
@@ -4,14 +4,66 @@ Unit tests for testing with a CORE switch.
 
 import time
 
+from mock import MagicMock
+
 from conftest import EMANE_SERVICES
+from core.enumerations import MessageFlags
 from core.mobility import BasicRangeModel
 from core.netns import nodes
 from core.phys.pnodes import PhysicalNode
 
 
 class TestCore:
-    def skip_test_physical(self, core):
+
+    def test_netif(self, core):
+        """
+        Test netif methods.
+
+        :param conftest.Core core: core fixture to test with
+        """
+
+        # create ptp
+        ptp_node = core.session.add_object(cls=nodes.PtpNet)
+
+        # create nodes
+        core.create_node("n1")
+        core.create_node("n2")
+
+        # add interfaces
+        n1_interface = core.add_interface(ptp_node, "n1")
+        n2_interface = core.add_interface(ptp_node, "n2")
+
+        # get nodes
+        n1 = core.get_node("n1")
+        n2 = core.get_node("n2")
+
+        # instantiate session
+        core.session.instantiate()
+
+        # assert node directories created
+        core.assert_nodes()
+
+        # check link data gets generated
+        assert ptp_node.all_link_data(MessageFlags.ADD.value)
+
+        # check common nets exist between linked nodes
+        assert n1.commonnets(n2)
+        assert n2.commonnets(n1)
+
+        # check we can retrieve netif index
+        assert n1.getifindex(n1_interface) == 0
+        assert n2.getifindex(n2_interface) == 0
+
+        # check interface parameters
+        n1_interface.setparam("test", 1)
+        assert n1_interface.getparam("test") == 1
+        assert n1_interface.getparams()
+
+        # delete netif and test that if no longer exists
+        n1.delnetif(0)
+        assert not n1.netif(0)
+
+    def test_physical(self, core):
         """
         Test physical node network.
 
@@ -22,8 +74,11 @@ class TestCore:
         switch_node = core.session.add_object(cls=nodes.SwitchNode)
 
         # create a physical node
-        physical_node = core.session.add_object(cls=PhysicalNode, name="p1")
-        core.nodes[physical_node.name] = physical_node
+        core.create_node(cls=PhysicalNode, name="p1")
+
+        # mock method that will not work
+        physical_node = core.get_node("p1")
+        physical_node.newnetif = MagicMock(return_value=0)
 
         # create regular node
         core.create_node("n1")
@@ -38,10 +93,6 @@ class TestCore:
         # assert node directories created
         core.assert_nodes()
 
-        # ping n2 from n1 and assert success
-        status = core.ping("n1", "p1")
-        assert not status
-
     def test_ptp(self, core):
         """
         Test ptp node network.