diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 47ec90b75..79c78c005 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -110,4 +110,4 @@ wakunode: | build deps
 
 wakusim: | build deps wakunode
 	echo -e $(BUILD_MSG) "build/$@" && \
-		$(ENV_SCRIPT) nim quicksim $(NIM_PARAMS) nimbus.nims
+		$(ENV_SCRIPT) nim wakusim $(NIM_PARAMS) nimbus.nims
diff --git a/nimbus.nimble b/nimbus.nimble
index 67be84c5d..868f1d0bd 100644
--- a/nimbus.nimble
+++ b/nimbus.nimble
@@ -43,5 +43,6 @@ task nimbus, "Build Nimbus":
 task wakunode, "Build Waku node":
   buildBinary "wakunode", "waku/", "-d:chronicles_log_level=TRACE"
 
-task quicksim, "Build quicksim":
+task wakusim, "Build Waku simulation tools":
   buildBinary "quicksim", "waku/", "-d:chronicles_log_level=INFO"
+  buildBinary "start_network", "waku/", "-d:chronicles_log_level=DEBUG"
diff --git a/waku/quicksim.nim b/waku/quicksim.nim
index 7e9bcd4ce..b4bec02d6 100644
--- a/waku/quicksim.nim
+++ b/waku/quicksim.nim
@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ let
   lightWakuNode = newRpcHttpClient()
   lightNode = newRpcHttpClient()
 
-waitFor lightWakuNode.connect("localhost", Port(8546))
-waitFor lightNode.connect("localhost", Port(8547))
-waitFor trafficNode.connect("localhost", Port(8549))
+waitFor lightWakuNode.connect("localhost", Port(8545))
+waitFor lightNode.connect("localhost", Port(8546))
+waitFor trafficNode.connect("localhost", Port(8548))
 
 proc generateTopics(amount = 100): seq[waku_protocol.Topic] =
   var topic: waku_protocol.Topic
diff --git a/waku/start_network.nim b/waku/start_network.nim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9446a3bfd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/waku/start_network.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+import
+  strformat, osproc, net, confutils, strformat, chronicles,
+  eth/keys, eth/p2p/enode
+
+const
+  defaults ="--log-level:DEBUG --log-metrics --metrics-server --rpc"
+  wakuNodeBin = "./build/wakunode"
+  portOffset = 2
+
+type
+  NodeType = enum
+    FullNode = "--waku-mode:WakuSan",
+    LightNode = "--light-node:on",
+    WakuNode = "--light-node:on --waku-mode:WakuChan"
+
+  Topology = enum
+    Star,
+    FullMesh,
+    DiscoveryBased # Whatever topology the discovery brings
+
+  WakuNetworkConf* = object
+    topology* {.
+      desc: "Set the network topology."
+      defaultValue: Star
+      name: "topology" }: Topology
+
+    amount* {.
+      desc: "Amount of full nodes to be started."
+      defaultValue: 4
+      name: "amount" }: int
+
+    testNodePeers* {.
+      desc: "Amount of peers a test node should connect to."
+      defaultValue: 1
+      name: "test-node-peers" }: int
+
+  NodeInfo* = object
+    cmd: string
+    master: bool
+    enode: string
+    label: string
+
+proc initNodeCmd(nodeType: NodeType, shift: int, staticNodes: seq[string] = @[],
+    discovery = false, bootNodes: seq[string] = @[], master = false,
+    label: string): NodeInfo =
+  let
+    keypair = newKeyPair()
+    address = Address(ip: parseIpAddress("127.0.0.1"),
+      udpPort: (30303 + shift).Port, tcpPort: (30303 + shift).Port)
+    enode = ENode(pubkey: keypair.pubkey, address: address)
+
+  result.cmd = wakuNodeBin & " " & defaults & " "
+  result.cmd &= $nodeType & " "
+  result.cmd &= "--nodekey:" & $keypair.seckey & " "
+  result.cmd &= "--ports-shift:" & $shift & " "
+  if discovery:
+    result.cmd &= "--discovery:on" & " "
+    if bootNodes.len > 0:
+      for bootNode in bootNodes:
+        result.cmd &= "--bootnodes:" & bootNode & " "
+  else:
+    result.cmd &= "--discovery:off" & " "
+  if staticNodes.len > 0:
+    for staticNode in staticNodes:
+      result.cmd &= "--staticnodes:" & staticNode & " "
+
+  result.master = master
+  result.enode = $enode
+  result.label = label
+
+  debug "Node command created.", cmd=result.cmd
+
+proc starNetwork(amount: int): seq[NodeInfo] =
+  let masterNode = initNodeCmd(FullNode, portOffset, master = true,
+    label = "master node")
+  result.add(masterNode)
+  for i in 1..<amount:
+    result.add(initNodeCmd(FullNode, portOffset + i, @[masterNode.enode],
+      label = "full node"))
+
+proc fullMeshNetwork(amount: int): seq[NodeInfo] =
+  debug "amount", amount
+  for i in 0..<amount:
+    var staticnodes: seq[string]
+    for item in result:
+      staticnodes.add(item.enode)
+    result.add(initNodeCmd(FullNode, portOffset + i, staticnodes,
+      label = "full node"))
+
+proc discoveryNetwork(amount: int): seq[NodeInfo] =
+  let bootNode = initNodeCmd(FullNode, portOffset, discovery = true,
+    master = true, label = "boot node")
+  result.add(bootNode)
+  for i in 1..<amount:
+    result.add(initNodeCmd(FullNode, portOffset + i, label = "full node",
+      discovery = true, bootNodes = @[bootNode.enode]))
+
+let conf = WakuNetworkConf.load()
+
+var nodes: seq[NodeInfo]
+case conf.topology:
+  of Star:
+    nodes = starNetwork(conf.amount)
+  of FullMesh:
+    nodes = fullMeshNetwork(conf.amount)
+  of DiscoveryBased:
+    nodes = discoveryNetwork(conf.amount)
+
+var staticnodes: seq[string]
+for i in 0..<conf.testNodePeers:
+  staticnodes.add(nodes[i].enode)
+# Waku light node
+nodes.add(initNodeCmd(WakuNode, 0, staticnodes, label = "light Waku node"))
+# Regular light node
+nodes.add(initNodeCmd(LightNode, 1, staticnodes, label = "light node"))
+
+var commandStr = "multitail -s 2 -M 0 -x \"Waku Simulation\""
+var count = 0
+var sleepDuration = 0
+for node in nodes:
+  if conf.topology in {Star, DiscoveryBased}:
+    sleepDuration = if node.master: 0
+                    else: 1
+  commandStr &= &" -cT ansi -t 'node #{count} {node.label}' -l 'sleep {sleepDuration}; {node.cmd}; echo [node execution completed]; while true; do sleep 100; done'"
+  if conf.topology == FullMesh:
+    sleepDuration += 1
+  count += 1
+
+let errorCode = execCmd(commandStr)
+if errorCode != 0:
+  error "launch command failed", command=commandStr
diff --git a/waku/start_network.sh b/waku/start_network.sh
index 74484e643..403980f2c 100755
--- a/waku/start_network.sh
+++ b/waku/start_network.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ set -e
 # TODO: improve this bin location
 WAKU_NODE_BIN="./build/wakunode"
 NODE_PK="5dc5381cae54ba3174dc0d46040fe11614d0cc94d41185922585198b4fcef9d3"
-NODE_ENODE="enode://e5fd642a0f630bbb1e4cd7df629d7b8b019457a9a74f983c0484a045cebb176def86a54185b50bbba6bbf97779173695e92835d63109c23471e6da382f922fdb@0.0.0.0:30303"
+NODE_ENODE="enode://e5fd642a0f630bbb1e4cd7df629d7b8b019457a9a74f983c0484a045cebb176def86a54185b50bbba6bbf97779173695e92835d63109c23471e6da382f922fdb@0.0.0.0:30305"
 DEFAULTS="--log-level:DEBUG --discovery:off --log-metrics --metrics-server"
 LIGHT_NODE="--light-node:1"
 WAKU_LIGHT_NODE="--waku-mode:WakuChan ${LIGHT_NODE}"
@@ -56,15 +56,15 @@ if [[ "$USE_MULTITAIL" != "no" ]]; then
   SLEEP=0
   # Direct connect with staticnodes, simple star topology for now
   # Master node to connect to
-  CMD="$WAKU_NODE_BIN $DEFAULTS --rpc --nodekey:${NODE_PK} --waku-mode:WakuSan"
+  CMD="$WAKU_NODE_BIN $DEFAULTS --rpc --nodekey:${NODE_PK} --ports-shift:2 --waku-mode:WakuSan"
   COMMANDS+=( " -cT ansi -t 'master node' -l 'sleep $SLEEP; $CMD; echo [node execution completed]; while true; do sleep 100; done'" )
 
   SLEEP=1
   # Node under test 1: light waku node (topics)
-  CMD="$WAKU_NODE_BIN $DEFAULTS --rpc --staticnodes:${NODE_ENODE} --ports-shift:1 ${WAKU_LIGHT_NODE}"
+  CMD="$WAKU_NODE_BIN $DEFAULTS --rpc --staticnodes:${NODE_ENODE} --ports-shift:0 ${WAKU_LIGHT_NODE}"
   COMMANDS+=( " -cT ansi -t 'light waku node' -l 'sleep $SLEEP; $CMD; echo [node execution completed]; while true; do sleep 100; done'" )
   # Node under test 2: light node (bloomfilter)
-  CMD="$WAKU_NODE_BIN $DEFAULTS --rpc --staticnodes:${NODE_ENODE} --ports-shift:2 ${LIGHT_NODE}"
+  CMD="$WAKU_NODE_BIN $DEFAULTS --rpc --staticnodes:${NODE_ENODE} --ports-shift:1 ${LIGHT_NODE}"
   COMMANDS+=( " -cT ansi -t 'light node' -l 'sleep $SLEEP; $CMD; echo [node execution completed]; while true; do sleep 100; done'" )
   # Node under test 3: full node
   CMD="$WAKU_NODE_BIN $DEFAULTS --rpc --staticnodes:${NODE_ENODE} --ports-shift:3"