diff --git a/cluster_config/cfgsync-template.yaml b/cluster_config/cfgsync-template.yaml
index 308c315..59e93e6 100644
--- a/cluster_config/cfgsync-template.yaml
+++ b/cluster_config/cfgsync-template.yaml
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ num_samples: 1
 num_subnets: 2
 old_blobs_check_interval_secs: 5
 blobs_validity_duration_secs: 60
+balancer_interval_secs: 1
 global_params_path: "/kzgrs_test_params"
 
 # Tracing
diff --git a/cluster_config/cfgsync.yaml b/cluster_config/cfgsync.yaml
index 64b1df0..e1a0fad 100644
--- a/cluster_config/cfgsync.yaml
+++ b/cluster_config/cfgsync.yaml
@@ -7,12 +7,13 @@ security_param: 10
 active_slot_coeff: 0.9
 
 # DaConfig related parameters
-subnetwork_size: 1024
+subnetwork_size: 2
 dispersal_factor: 2
 num_samples: 1
 num_subnets: 2
 old_blobs_check_interval_secs: 5
 blobs_validity_duration_secs: 60
+balancer_interval_secs: 1
 global_params_path: "/kzgrs_test_params"
 
 # Tracing
diff --git a/src/env_vars.py b/src/env_vars.py
index 1c05782..01706e0 100644
--- a/src/env_vars.py
+++ b/src/env_vars.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ NOMOS = "nomos"
 NOMOS_EXECUTOR = "nomos_executor"
 CFGSYNC = "cfgsync"
 
-DEFAULT_IMAGE = "ghcr.io/logos-co/nomos-node:latest"
+DEFAULT_IMAGE = "ghcr.io/logos-co/nomos-node:testnet"
 
 NODE_1 = get_env_var("NODE_1", NOMOS)
 NODE_2 = get_env_var("NODE_2", NOMOS_EXECUTOR)
diff --git a/src/libs/common.py b/src/libs/common.py
index 8f2961c..d9209de 100644
--- a/src/libs/common.py
+++ b/src/libs/common.py
@@ -38,3 +38,7 @@ def to_app_id(n: int) -> list:
     if n < 0:
         raise ValueError("Input must be an unsigned integer (non-negative)")
     return list(n.to_bytes(32, byteorder="big"))
+
+
+def generate_random_bytes(n=31):
+    return os.urandom(n)
diff --git a/src/node/nomos_node.py b/src/node/nomos_node.py
index a46ce26..86c5658 100644
--- a/src/node/nomos_node.py
+++ b/src/node/nomos_node.py
@@ -123,6 +123,9 @@ class NomosNode:
     def node_type(self):
         return self._node_type
 
+    def name(self):
+        return self._container_name
+
     def check_nomos_log_errors(self, whitelist=None):
         keywords = LOG_ERROR_KEYWORDS
 
diff --git a/src/steps/common.py b/src/steps/common.py
index 2ba7c8a..dcd593a 100644
--- a/src/steps/common.py
+++ b/src/steps/common.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import shutil
 import pytest
 
 from src.env_vars import CFGSYNC, NOMOS, NOMOS_EXECUTOR
+from src.libs.common import delay
 from src.libs.custom_logger import get_custom_logger
 from src.node.nomos_node import NomosNode
 
@@ -65,6 +66,8 @@ class StepsCommon:
             logger.error(f"REST service did not become ready in time: {ex}")
             raise
 
+        delay(5)
+
     @pytest.fixture(scope="function")
     def setup_4_node_cluster(self, request):
         logger.debug(f"Running fixture setup: {inspect.currentframe().f_code.co_name}")
@@ -82,3 +85,5 @@ class StepsCommon:
         except Exception as ex:
             logger.error(f"REST service did not become ready in time: {ex}")
             raise
+
+        delay(5)
diff --git a/src/steps/da.py b/src/steps/da.py
index 779742b..5aaaa98 100644
--- a/src/steps/da.py
+++ b/src/steps/da.py
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@ import allure
 from tenacity import retry, stop_after_delay, wait_fixed
 
 from src.env_vars import NOMOS_EXECUTOR
+from src.libs.custom_logger import get_custom_logger
 from src.steps.common import StepsCommon
 
+logger = get_custom_logger(__name__)
+
 
 def add_padding(orig_bytes):
     """
@@ -46,10 +49,17 @@ def remove_padding(padded_bytes):
     return padded_bytes[:-padding_len]
 
 
-def prepare_dispersal_request(data, app_id, index):
-    data_bytes = data.encode("utf-8")
-    padded_bytes = add_padding(list(data_bytes))
-    dispersal_data = {"data": padded_bytes, "metadata": {"app_id": app_id, "index": index}}
+def prepare_dispersal_request(data, app_id, index, utf8=True, padding=True):
+    if utf8:
+        data_bytes = data.encode("utf-8")
+    else:
+        data_bytes = bytes(data)
+
+    data_list = list(data_bytes)
+    if padding:
+        data_list = add_padding(data_list)
+
+    dispersal_data = {"data": data_list, "metadata": {"app_id": app_id, "index": index}}
     return dispersal_data
 
 
@@ -76,9 +86,9 @@ class StepsDataAvailability(StepsCommon):
 
     @allure.step
     @retry(stop=stop_after_delay(65), wait=wait_fixed(1), reraise=True)
-    def disperse_data(self, data, app_id, index):
+    def disperse_data(self, data, app_id, index, utf8=True, padding=True):
         response = []
-        request = prepare_dispersal_request(data, app_id, index)
+        request = prepare_dispersal_request(data, app_id, index, utf8=utf8, padding=padding)
         executor = self.find_executor_node()
         try:
             response = executor.send_dispersal_request(request)
diff --git a/tests/data_integrity/test_data_integrity.py b/tests/data_integrity/test_data_integrity.py
index 9e5ed9c..40eae4a 100644
--- a/tests/data_integrity/test_data_integrity.py
+++ b/tests/data_integrity/test_data_integrity.py
@@ -17,21 +17,25 @@ class TestDataIntegrity(StepsDataAvailability):
 
     @pytest.mark.usefixtures("setup_4_node_cluster")
     def test_da_identify_retrieve_missing_columns(self):
-        delay(5)
         self.disperse_data(DATA_TO_DISPERSE[1], to_app_id(1), to_index(0))
         delay(5)
-        # Select one target node at random to get blob data for 1/2 columns
-        selected_node = self.main_nodes[random.randint(1, 3)]
-        rcv_data = self.get_data_range(selected_node, to_app_id(1), to_index(0), to_index(5))
-        rcv_data_json = json.dumps(rcv_data)
+        test_results = []
+        # Iterate through standard nodes to get blob data for 1/2 columns
+        for node in self.main_nodes[1:4]:
+            rcv_data = self.get_data_range(node, to_app_id(1), to_index(0), to_index(5))
+            rcv_data_json = json.dumps(rcv_data)
 
-        reconstructed_data = NomosCli(command="reconstruct").run(input_values=[rcv_data_json])
+            reconstructed_data = NomosCli(command="reconstruct").run(input_values=[rcv_data_json])
 
-        assert DATA_TO_DISPERSE[1] == reconstructed_data, "Reconstructed data are not same with original data"
+            if DATA_TO_DISPERSE[1] == reconstructed_data:
+                test_results.append(node.name())
+
+        assert len(test_results) > 0, "Dispersed data were not received by any node"
+
+        logger.info(f"Dispersed data received by : {test_results}")
 
     @pytest.mark.usefixtures("setup_2_node_cluster")
     def test_da_sampling_determines_data_presence(self):
-        delay(5)
         self.disperse_data(DATA_TO_DISPERSE[1], to_app_id(1), to_index(0))
         delay(5)
         rcv_data = self.get_data_range(self.node2, to_app_id(1), to_index(0), to_index(5))
diff --git a/tests/e2e/test_2node_alive.py b/tests/e2e/test_2node_alive.py
index fbf87d9..e6137e4 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/test_2node_alive.py
+++ b/tests/e2e/test_2node_alive.py
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 import pytest
 
-from src.env_vars import CFGSYNC, NOMOS, NOMOS_EXECUTOR
 from src.libs.custom_logger import get_custom_logger
-from src.node.nomos_node import NomosNode
 from src.steps.common import StepsCommon
 
 logger = get_custom_logger(__name__)
diff --git a/tests/networking_privacy/test_networking_privacy.py b/tests/networking_privacy/test_networking_privacy.py
index 30ae389..2ae100e 100644
--- a/tests/networking_privacy/test_networking_privacy.py
+++ b/tests/networking_privacy/test_networking_privacy.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import pytest
 import psutil
 
-from src.libs.common import delay, to_app_id, to_index
+from src.libs.common import delay, to_app_id, to_index, generate_random_bytes
 from src.libs.custom_logger import get_custom_logger
 from src.steps.da import StepsDataAvailability
 from src.test_data import DATA_TO_DISPERSE
@@ -12,9 +12,8 @@ logger = get_custom_logger(__name__)
 class TestNetworkingPrivacy(StepsDataAvailability):
     main_nodes = []
 
-    @pytest.mark.parametrize("setup_2_node_cluster", [2], indirect=True)
+    @pytest.mark.usefixtures("setup_2_node_cluster")
     def test_consumed_bandwidth_dispersal(self, setup_2_node_cluster):
-        delay(5)
         net_io = psutil.net_io_counters()
         prev_total = net_io.bytes_sent + net_io.bytes_recv
 
@@ -42,3 +41,36 @@ class TestNetworkingPrivacy(StepsDataAvailability):
         overhead = (consumed - data_sent) / data_sent
 
         assert overhead < 400, "Dispersal overhead is too high"
+
+    @pytest.mark.usefixtures("setup_2_node_cluster")
+    def test_consumed_bandwidth_random_data_dispersal(self):
+        net_io = psutil.net_io_counters()
+        prev_total = net_io.bytes_sent + net_io.bytes_recv
+
+        data_to_disperse = generate_random_bytes()
+        logger.debug(f"Using random data to disperse: {list(data_to_disperse)}")
+
+        successful_dispersals = 0
+        for i in range(20):
+            try:
+                self.disperse_data(data_to_disperse, to_app_id(1), to_index(0), utf8=False, padding=False)
+                successful_dispersals += 1
+            except Exception as ex:
+                logger.warning(f"Dispersal #{i} was not successful with error {ex}")
+
+            if successful_dispersals == 10:
+                break
+
+            delay(0.1)
+
+        net_io = psutil.net_io_counters()
+        curr_total = net_io.bytes_sent + net_io.bytes_recv
+
+        consumed = curr_total - prev_total
+
+        assert successful_dispersals == 10, "Unable to finish 10 successful dispersals"
+
+        data_sent = 2 * successful_dispersals * len(data_to_disperse)
+        overhead = (consumed - data_sent) / data_sent
+
+        assert overhead < 400, "Dispersal overhead is too high"