diff --git a/implementations/Libp2pComponent.ts b/implementations/Libp2pComponent.ts
index 23657e3..6a5fe63 100644
--- a/implementations/Libp2pComponent.ts
+++ b/implementations/Libp2pComponent.ts
@@ -242,12 +242,16 @@ export class Libp2pComponent implements ILibp2pComponent {
   }
 
   async start(): Promise<void> {
+    logger.info('[TypeScript] start() called, _started:', this._started, '_starting:', this._starting);
+
     if (this._started || this._starting) {
+      logger.info('[TypeScript] Already started or starting, returning early');
       return; // Already started or starting
     }
 
     this._starting = true;
     this._error = null;
+    logger.info('[TypeScript] Setting _starting to true, proceeding with start');
 
     try {
       // Register protocols if any
@@ -281,7 +285,18 @@ export class Libp2pComponent implements ILibp2pComponent {
         config.privateKey = Buffer.from(privateKeyBytes).toString('base64');
       }
 
-      const result = await this.nativeModule.startLibp2p(config);
+      logger.debug('[Libp2pComponent] About to call nativeModule.startLibp2p with config:', config);
+      logger.debug('[Libp2pComponent] nativeModule exists:', !!this.nativeModule);
+      logger.debug('[Libp2pComponent] nativeModule.startLibp2p exists:', !!this.nativeModule?.startLibp2p);
+
+      let result;
+      try {
+        result = await this.nativeModule.startLibp2p(config);
+        logger.info('[Libp2pComponent] startLibp2p returned:', result);
+      } catch (error) {
+        logger.error('[Libp2pComponent] startLibp2p failed:', error);
+        throw error;
+      }
 
       // Update internal state from result
       if (result.peerId) {
@@ -348,22 +363,46 @@ export class Libp2pComponent implements ILibp2pComponent {
   }
 
   async dial(multiaddr: string): Promise<Connection> {
-    await this.nativeModule.connectToPeer(multiaddr);
+    console.log(`[Libp2pComponent] dial() called with multiaddr: ${multiaddr}`);
 
-    // Create connection object
-    const peerId = multiaddr.match(/\/p2p\/([^/]+)/)?.[1] || '';
-    return {
-      id: `${peerId}-${Date.now()}`,
-      remotePeer: new SimplePeerId(peerId),
-      remoteAddr: new SimpleMultiaddr(multiaddr),
-      stat: {
-        direction: 'outbound',
-        status: 'open',
-        timeline: {
-          open: Date.now(),
+    try {
+      const result = await this.nativeModule.connectToPeer(multiaddr);
+      console.log('[Libp2pComponent] connectToPeer result:', result);
+
+      // Create connection object
+      // Try to extract peer ID from result or multiaddr
+      let peerId = result?.peer_id || result?.peerId || '';
+      if (!peerId) {
+        // Try to extract from multiaddr if not in result
+        peerId = multiaddr.match(/\/p2p\/([^/]+)/)?.[1] || '';
+      }
+
+      // If still no peer ID, this might be a connection without known peer ID
+      // The real peer ID will be determined during handshake
+      if (!peerId || peerId === 'pending') {
+        console.log('[Libp2pComponent] Dialing without known peer ID, will be determined during handshake');
+        peerId = 'pending';
+      }
+
+      const connection = {
+        id: `${peerId}-${Date.now()}`,
+        remotePeer: new SimplePeerId(peerId),
+        remoteAddr: new SimpleMultiaddr(multiaddr),
+        stat: {
+          direction: 'outbound' as const,
+          status: 'open' as const,
+          timeline: {
+            open: Date.now(),
+          },
         },
-      },
-    };
+      };
+
+      console.log('[Libp2pComponent] Returning connection:', connection);
+      return connection;
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('[Libp2pComponent] dial error:', error);
+      throw error;
+    }
   }
 
   async hangUp(peerId: string): Promise<void> {