diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0112e1f..29f6544 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ The simulator strives to abstract from most of the details in network programmin
 The distributed algorithm simulation is controlled by an instance of class `Simulator`:
 
 ```Java
-    Simulator s = new Simulator(numberOfNodes);
+    Simulator s = new Simulator(numberOfNodes, TimestampType.NONE, 0);
     for (int id = 0; id<numberOfNodes; id++) {
       Node n = new ApplicationNode(s, id);
       s.attachNode(n);
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ The distributed algorithm simulation is controlled by an instance of class `Simu
     s.runSimulation(duration);
 ```
 
-By instantiating a Simulator object, a network of `numberOfNodes` nodes is created. For each node `id` between `[0, numberOfNodes)` the code for the given `id` must be attached to the simulator. This `ApplicationNode` is derived from the abstract class `Node` which provides all the required functionality for implementing the algorithm simulation (see below). Finally, the simulation can be executed for `duration` seconds.
+By instantiating a Simulator object, a network of `numberOfNodes` nodes is created. For each node `id` between `[0, numberOfNodes)` the code for the given `id` must be attached to the simulator. This `ApplicationNode` is derived from the abstract class `Node` which provides all the required functionality for implementing the algorithm simulation (see below). Finally, the simulation can be executed for `duration` milliseconds.
 
 Extending class `Node` enables the implementation of the intended distributed algorithm by implementing the method `run`:
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/Node.java b/src/main/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/Node.java
index e8ae046..ff9a62a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/Node.java
+++ b/src/main/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/Node.java
@@ -7,25 +7,27 @@
 
 public abstract class Node implements Runnable {
     
-    protected final int id;
+    private final Random random = new Random();
     private final MessageQueue messageQueue = new MessageQueue();
+    
+    protected final int id;
     private final Simulator simulator;
-    private final Thread thread = new Thread(this);
-    private final Random random = new Random();
+    private final Thread thread;
     
     private LogicalTimestamp localTimestamp;
     
     public Node(Simulator simulator, int id) {
         this.simulator = simulator;
         this.id = id;
+        thread = new Thread(this, "Node-"+id);
         localTimestamp = simulator.getInitialTimestamp(id);
     }
     
-    public void start() {
+    void start() {
         thread.start();
     }
     
-    public void stop() {
+    void stop() {
         thread.interrupt(); // Stop waiting in receive
         try {
             thread.join();
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ protected boolean isStillSimulating() {
         return simulator.isStillSimulating();
     }
     
-    public LogicalTimestamp getLocalTimestamp() {
+    protected LogicalTimestamp getLocalTimestamp() {
         return localTimestamp;
     }
     
@@ -75,8 +77,10 @@ protected Message receive() {
             incrementLocalTimestamp(); // receive-event
             if (localTimestamp!=null && m.getTimestamp()!=null)
                 localTimestamp = localTimestamp.getAdjusted(m.getTimestamp()); // forward local clock if necessary
-            String messageTypeString = m.getType()==MessageType.BROADCAST ? "Broadcast" : "Unicast";
-            simulator.emitToTracer("Receive %s:%d<-%d", messageTypeString, m.getReceiverId(), m.getSenderId());
+            if (simulator.isTraceMessages()) {
+                String messageTypeString = m.getType()==MessageType.BROADCAST ? "Broadcast" : "Unicast";
+                simulator.emitToTracer("Receive %s:%d<-%d", messageTypeString, m.getReceiverId(), m.getSenderId());
+            }
         }
         return m;
     }
@@ -104,7 +108,11 @@ private void put(Message message) {
         }
         private Message await() {
             try {
-                return queue.take().message;
+                Message m = queue.take().message;
+                int maxLatency = simulator.getMaxMessageLatency();
+                if (maxLatency>0)
+                    Thread.sleep(random.nextInt(maxLatency)); // simulate latencies by sleeping for a random duration
+                return m;
             } catch (InterruptedException ignored) {}
             return null; // Simulation time ended before a message was received
         }
@@ -113,7 +121,7 @@ private class MessageWithPriority implements Comparable<MessageWithPriority> {
             private final int priority;
             private MessageWithPriority(Message message) {
                 this.message = message;
-                this.priority = random.nextInt(100); //limit range to avoid int overflows when comparing
+                this.priority = random.nextInt(100); // limit range to avoid int overflows when comparing
             }
             @Override
             public int compareTo(MessageWithPriority other) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/Simulator.java b/src/main/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/Simulator.java
index e4e8692..b06070e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/Simulator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/Simulator.java
@@ -11,26 +11,26 @@ public class Simulator {
     private final Node[] nodes;
     private final Tracer tracer;
     private final TimestampType timestampType;
+    private final int maxMessageLatency;
+    private final boolean traceMessages;
     
     // This is only changed to false once in the main thread, but still needs to be volatile
     // to ensure that all Node threads can actually see that change.
     private volatile boolean stillSimulating = true;
     
-    public Simulator(int numberOfNodes, TimestampType timestampType, String name,
-                     boolean orderedTracing, boolean useLog4j2, PrintStream alternativeTracingDestination) {
+    public Simulator(int numberOfNodes, TimestampType timestampType, int maxMessageLatency) { // without tracing
+        this(numberOfNodes, timestampType, maxMessageLatency, null, false, null, false);
+    }
+    
+    public Simulator(int numberOfNodes, TimestampType timestampType, int maxMessageLatency, String tracerName,
+                     boolean useLog4j2, PrintStream alternativeTracingDestination, boolean traceMessages) {
         nodes = new Node[numberOfNodes];
         if (useLog4j2 || alternativeTracingDestination!=null)
-            tracer = new Tracer(name, orderedTracing, useLog4j2, alternativeTracingDestination);
+            tracer = new Tracer(tracerName, false, useLog4j2, alternativeTracingDestination);
         else tracer = null; //no tracing
         this.timestampType = timestampType;
-    }
-    
-    public static Simulator createDefaultSimulator(int numberOfNodes) {
-        return new Simulator(numberOfNodes, TimestampType.EXTENDED_LAMPORT, "sim4da", true, true, System.out);
-    }
-    
-    public static Simulator createSimulatorUsingLog4j2(int numberOfNodes) {
-        return new Simulator(numberOfNodes, TimestampType.EXTENDED_LAMPORT, "sim4da", true, true, null);
+        this.maxMessageLatency = maxMessageLatency;
+        this.traceMessages = traceMessages;
     }
     
     public void attachNode(Node node) throws IllegalArgumentException {
@@ -47,12 +47,12 @@ public void runSimulation(int duration) throws InstantiationException {
         for (Node node : nodes) {
             if (node==null) throw new InstantiationException();
         }
-        emitToTracer("Simulator::runSimulation with %d nodes for %d seconds", nodes.length, duration);
+        emitToTracer("Simulator::runSimulation with %d nodes for %d ms", nodes.length, duration);
         for (Node node : nodes) {
             node.start();
         }
         try {
-            Thread.sleep(duration*1000L); // Wait for the required duration
+            Thread.sleep(duration); // Wait for the required duration
         } catch (InterruptedException ignored) {}
         stillSimulating=false;
         for (Node node : nodes) { // Tell all nodes to stop and wait for the threads to terminate
@@ -65,30 +65,38 @@ public int getNumberOfNodes() {
         return nodes.length;
     }
     
+    public int getMaxMessageLatency() {
+        return maxMessageLatency;
+    }
+    
+    public boolean isTraceMessages() {
+        return traceMessages;
+    }
+    
     public boolean isStillSimulating() {
         return stillSimulating;
     }
     
     public void sendUnicast(int senderId, int receiverId, LogicalTimestamp timestamp, String payload) {
         if (receiverId<0 || receiverId>=nodes.length) {
-            System.err.printf("Simulator::sendUnicast: unknown receiverId %d\n", receiverId);
+            emitToTracer("Simulator::sendUnicast: unknown receiverId %d", receiverId);
             return;
         }
         if (senderId<0 || senderId>=nodes.length) {
-            System.err.printf("Simulator::sendUnicast: unknown senderId %d\n", senderId);
+            emitToTracer("Simulator::sendUnicast: unknown senderId %d", senderId);
             return;
         }
-        emitToTracer("Unicast:%d->%d", senderId, receiverId);
+        if (traceMessages) emitToTracer("Unicast:%d->%d", senderId, receiverId);
         Message raw = new Message(senderId, receiverId, MessageType.UNICAST, timestamp, payload);
         nodes[receiverId].putInMessageQueue(raw);
     }
     
     public void sendBroadcast(int senderId, LogicalTimestamp timestamp, String payload) {
         if (senderId<0 || senderId>=nodes.length) {
-            System.err.printf("Simulator::sendBroadcast: unknown senderId %d\n", senderId);
+            emitToTracer("Simulator::sendBroadcast: unknown senderId %d", senderId);
             return;
         }
-        emitToTracer("Broadcast:%d->0..%d", senderId, nodes.length-1);
+        if (traceMessages) emitToTracer("Broadcast:%d->0..%d", senderId, nodes.length-1);
         Message raw = new Message(senderId, -1, MessageType.BROADCAST, timestamp, payload);
         for (int i = 0; i<nodes.length; i++) {
             if (i==senderId) continue; //don't send broadcast back to sender
diff --git a/src/main/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/Tracer.java b/src/main/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/Tracer.java
index 8806032..bde4d83 100644
--- a/src/main/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/Tracer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/Tracer.java
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@
 
 public class Tracer {
     
-    @SuppressWarnings({"unused", "FieldCanBeLocal"})
-    private final String name;
     @SuppressWarnings({"unused", "FieldCanBeLocal"})
     private final boolean orderedTracing; //currently unused
     private final boolean useLog4j2;
@@ -17,18 +15,21 @@ public class Tracer {
     
     public Tracer(String name, boolean orderedTracing, boolean useLog4j2,
                   PrintStream alternativeTracingDestination) {
-        this.name = name;
         this.orderedTracing = orderedTracing;
         this.useLog4j2 = useLog4j2;
         this.alternativeTracingDestination = alternativeTracingDestination;
-        log4j2Logger = LogManager.getFormatterLogger(name);
+        if (useLog4j2) log4j2Logger = LogManager.getFormatterLogger(name);
+        else log4j2Logger = null; //must initialize final fields
     }
     
     public void emit(String format, Object... args) {
         if (useLog4j2) log4j2Logger.trace(format, args);
         if (alternativeTracingDestination!=null) {
-            alternativeTracingDestination.printf(format, args);
-            alternativeTracingDestination.println();
+            synchronized (alternativeTracingDestination) { //to ensure that the line termination always comes
+                            //immediately after the printed string and that no other thread can write data in between
+                alternativeTracingDestination.printf(format, args);
+                alternativeTracingDestination.println();
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/BroadcastMessageCopiesTest.java b/src/test/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/BroadcastMessageCopiesTest.java
index 5a6dd25..727a913 100644
--- a/src/test/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/BroadcastMessageCopiesTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/BroadcastMessageCopiesTest.java
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@
 public class BroadcastMessageCopiesTest {
     
     private static final int NUMBER_OF_NODES = 5;
-    private static final int DURATION = 2;
+    private static final int DURATION = 2000;
     
     @Test
     public void areMessagesCopied () {
-        Simulator s = new Simulator(NUMBER_OF_NODES, TimestampType.EXTENDED_LAMPORT, "amc", true, true, System.out);
+        Simulator s = new Simulator(NUMBER_OF_NODES, TimestampType.EXTENDED_LAMPORT, 0, "amc", true, System.out, true);
         for (int id = 0; id<NUMBER_OF_NODES; id++) {
             Node n = new TestNode(s, id);
             s.attachNode(n);
diff --git a/src/test/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/LeLannTest.java b/src/test/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/LeLannTest.java
index 287d395..5a999f5 100644
--- a/src/test/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/LeLannTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/LeLannTest.java
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@
 public class LeLannTest {
     
     private static final int NUMBER_OF_NODES = 3;
-    private static final int DURATION = 2;
+    private static final int DURATION = 2000;
     
     @Test
     public void runLeLannSimulation() {
-        Simulator s = new Simulator(NUMBER_OF_NODES, TimestampType.VECTOR, "LeLann", true, true, System.out);
+        Simulator s = new Simulator(NUMBER_OF_NODES, TimestampType.VECTOR, 100, "LeLann", true, System.out, true);
         for (int id = 0; id<NUMBER_OF_NODES; id++) {
             Node n = new LeLannNode(s, id);
             s.attachNode(n);
diff --git a/src/test/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/SimulatorTest.java b/src/test/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/SimulatorTest.java
index 63406e7..f1c940d 100644
--- a/src/test/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/SimulatorTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/dev/oxoo2a/sim4da/SimulatorTest.java
@@ -1,17 +1,18 @@
 package dev.oxoo2a.sim4da;
 
+import dev.oxoo2a.sim4da.Simulator.TimestampType;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 
 public class SimulatorTest {
     
     private static final int NUMBER_OF_NODES = 3;
-    private static final int DURATION = 2;
+    private static final int DURATION = 2000;
     
     @Test
     public void simpleSimulation() {
         Assertions.assertEquals(NUMBER_OF_NODES, 3);
-        Simulator s = Simulator.createDefaultSimulator(NUMBER_OF_NODES);
+        Simulator s = new Simulator(NUMBER_OF_NODES, TimestampType.NONE, 0);
         for (int id = 0; id<NUMBER_OF_NODES; id++) {
             Node n = new BroadcastNode(s, id);
             s.attachNode(n);
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ public void simpleSimulation() {
     
     @Test
     public void someNodesNotInstantiated () {
-        Simulator s = Simulator.createDefaultSimulator(NUMBER_OF_NODES);
+        Simulator s = new Simulator(NUMBER_OF_NODES, TimestampType.NONE, 0);
         s.attachNode(new BroadcastNode(s, 0));
         s.attachNode(new BroadcastNode(s, 1));
         Assertions.assertThrows(InstantiationException.class,() -> s.runSimulation(DURATION));