diff --git a/include/neocomm/channel.hpp b/include/neocomm/channel.hpp
index f5346f9..793698b 100644
--- a/include/neocomm/channel.hpp
+++ b/include/neocomm/channel.hpp
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ public:
 	~channel(); // TODO
 private:
 	const std::string chan_id;
-	std::vector<identity> identities;  // users currently known to be in the channel
 	std::vector<message> msgs; // messages to and from the channel
 };
 
diff --git a/include/neocomm/node.hpp b/include/neocomm/node.hpp
index 9535f5b..d23d3d6 100644
--- a/include/neocomm/node.hpp
+++ b/include/neocomm/node.hpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include "identity.hpp"
 #include "channel.hpp"
 
 #include <vector>
@@ -95,8 +96,11 @@ public:
 	void leave_channel(const std::string &chan_id); // TODO
 
 private:
-	std::vector<channel> channels;
-	dht::DhtRunner dht_node;
+	unsigned int pm_timeout;  // timeout for private message reception confirmation
+	unsigned int chan_timeout;  // timeout for channel presence message
+	std::vector<channel> channels;  // channels connected to via the node
+	std::vector<identity> identities;  // known users on the network
+	dht::DhtRunner dht_node;  // the actual OpenDHT node
 };
 
 }