diff --git a/runtime/nodes.go b/runtime/nodes.go
index 7e25eb5..448c372 100644
--- a/runtime/nodes.go
+++ b/runtime/nodes.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/bdlm/log"
+	ping "github.com/digineo/go-ping"
 
 	"github.com/FreifunkBremen/yanic/data"
 	"github.com/FreifunkBremen/yanic/lib/jsontime"
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ type Nodes struct {
 	List          map[string]*Node  `json:"nodes"` // the current nodemap, indexed by node ID
 	ifaceToNodeID map[string]string // mapping from MAC address to NodeID
 	config        *NodesConfig
+	pinger          *ping.Pinger
 	sync.RWMutex
 }
 
@@ -27,6 +29,11 @@ func NewNodes(config *NodesConfig) *Nodes {
 		ifaceToNodeID: make(map[string]string),
 		config:        config,
 	}
+	p, err := ping.New("", "::")
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("ping bind failed: %s", err)
+	}
+	nodes.pinger = p
 
 	if config.StatePath != "" {
 		nodes.load()
@@ -83,7 +90,7 @@ func (nodes *Nodes) Update(nodeID string, res *data.ResponseData) *Node {
 	node.Nodeinfo = res.Nodeinfo
 	node.Statistics = res.Statistics
 	node.Neighbours = res.Neighbours
-	node.NoRespondd = res.Statistics == nil && res.Neighbours == nil
+	node.NoRespondd = false
 
 	return node
 }
@@ -185,9 +192,6 @@ func (nodes *Nodes) expire() {
 				if nodes.config.PingCount > 0 && nodes.ping(node) {
 					node.Online = true
 					node.NoRespondd = true
-
-					node.Statistics = nil
-					node.Neighbours = nil
 				} else {
 					node.Online = false
 					node.NoRespondd = false
@@ -196,7 +200,7 @@ func (nodes *Nodes) expire() {
 		}
 	}
 	wg.Wait()
-	log.WithField("nodes", "expire").Debug("end")
+	log.WithField("nodes", "expire").Info("end")
 }
 
 // adds the nodes interface addresses to the internal map
@@ -258,7 +262,7 @@ func (nodes *Nodes) save() {
 
 	// serialize nodes
 	SaveJSON(nodes, nodes.config.StatePath)
-	log.WithField("nodes", "save").Debug("end")
+	log.WithField("nodes", "save").Info("end")
 }
 
 // SaveJSON to path
diff --git a/runtime/nodes_ping.go b/runtime/nodes_ping.go
index 9198178..e76aa58 100644
--- a/runtime/nodes_ping.go
+++ b/runtime/nodes_ping.go
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 package runtime
 
 import (
+	"net"
+
 	"github.com/bdlm/log"
-	"github.com/sparrc/go-ping"
 )
 
 func (nodes *Nodes) ping(node *Node) bool {
@@ -10,38 +11,29 @@ func (nodes *Nodes) ping(node *Node) bool {
 	if node.Nodeinfo != nil {
 		logNode = logNode.WithField("node_id", node.Nodeinfo.NodeID)
 	}
-	var addr string
+	var addr *net.IPAddr
 	if node.Address != nil {
-		addr = node.Address.IP.String()
-		if node.Address.IP.IsLinkLocalUnicast() {
-			addr += "%" + node.Address.Zone
-		}
+		addr = &net.IPAddr{IP:node.Address.IP, Zone: node.Address.Zone}
 	} else {
 		logNode.Debug("error no address found")
 		if node.Nodeinfo != nil {
-			for _, addrMaybe := range node.Nodeinfo.Network.Addresses {
-				if len(addrMaybe) >= 5 && addrMaybe[:5] != "fe80:" {
-					addr = addrMaybe
+			for _, addrMaybeString := range node.Nodeinfo.Network.Addresses {
+				if len(addrMaybeString) >= 5 && addrMaybeString[:5] != "fe80:" {
+					addrMaybe, err := net.ResolveIPAddr("ip6", addrMaybeString)
+					if err == nil {
+						addr = addrMaybe
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	logAddr := logNode.WithField("addr", addr)
+	logAddr := logNode.WithField("addr", addr.String())
+
+	_, err := nodes.pinger.PingAttempts(addr, nodes.config.PingTimeout.Duration, nodes.config.PingCount)
 
-	pinger, err := ping.NewPinger(addr)
-	if err != nil {
-		logAddr.Debugf("error during ping: %s", err)
-		return false
-	}
-	pinger.SetPrivileged(true)
-	pinger.Count = nodes.config.PingCount
-	pinger.Timeout = nodes.config.PingTimeout.Duration
-	pinger.Interval =  pinger.Timeout / pinger.Count
-	pinger.Run() // blocks until finished
-	stats := pinger.Statistics()
 	logAddr.WithFields(map[string]interface{}{
-		"pkg_lost": stats.PacketLoss,
+		"success": err == nil,
 	}).Debug("pong")
-	return stats.PacketLoss < 100
+	return err == nil
 }
diff --git a/runtime/nodes_ping_test.go b/runtime/nodes_ping_test.go
index 23f43a2..ba212f7 100644
--- a/runtime/nodes_ping_test.go
+++ b/runtime/nodes_ping_test.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func TestPing(t *testing.T) {
 		ifaceToNodeID: make(map[string]string),
 	}
 
-	node := nodes.Update("expire", &data.ResponseData{NodeInfo: &data.NodeInfo{
+	node := nodes.Update("expire", &data.ResponseData{Nodeinfo: &data.Nodeinfo{
 		NodeID:  "nodeID-Lola",
 		Network: data.Network{Addresses: []string{"fe80::1", "fd2f::1"}},
 	}})