diff --git a/projects/test_ping/main.c b/projects/test_ping/main.c
index bf9e8c6a0e..a2eab0b0cd 100644
--- a/projects/test_ping/main.c
+++ b/projects/test_ping/main.c
@@ -42,9 +42,10 @@ const shell_command_t shell_commands[] =
                 { "init",
                         "Initializes this node with an address and a channel.",
                         init },
+                { "broadcast", "Puts this node into broadcast mode", broadcast },
                 { "ping", "Makes this node a pinging node", ping },
                 { "stop", "Stops the current node's pings and prints a summary",
-                        stop_pings },
+                        stop },
                 { NULL, NULL, NULL }
         };
 
@@ -144,6 +145,37 @@ void help(char* cmdname) {
     }
 }
 
+// see header for documentation
+void broadcast(char* arg) {
+    uint16_t duration;
+
+    if (!isinit) {
+        // don't try to send without proper init
+        puts("[ERROR] Cannot broadcast while radio is not initialized!");
+        return;
+    }
+
+    int res = sscanf(arg, "broadcast %hu", &duration);
+
+    if (res > 0) {
+        if (duration < MAX_ADDR) {
+            printf("Ready to broadcast for a duration of %d seconds\n",
+                    duration);
+
+            broadcast_without_ack(duration);
+
+        } else {
+            printf("ERROR: Please give a duration which is in range %d to %d.",
+                    MIN_DURATION, MAX_DURATION);
+        }
+    } else {
+        puts("ERROR: Please give a duration for which you wish to broadcast.");
+        puts(
+                "For more information on how to use broadcast, type 'help broadcast'.");
+    }
+
+}
+
 // see header for documentation
 void ping(char* arg) {
     uint16_t addr;
@@ -207,8 +239,11 @@ void set_radio_channel(uint8_t channel) {
 }
 
 // see header for documentation
-void stop_pings(char* unused) {
-    stop();
+void stop(char* unused) {
+    //TODO doesn't work, since broadcasting runs in the same thread, either del
+    //or make the whole thing threaded
+    puts("calling stop_now");
+    stop_now();
 }
 
 // see header for documentation
diff --git a/projects/test_ping/main.h b/projects/test_ping/main.h
index 70830b474c..aa0d2f2c35 100644
--- a/projects/test_ping/main.h
+++ b/projects/test_ping/main.h
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@
 #define MIN_CHAN MIN_CHANNR
 #define MAX_CHAN MAX_CHANNR
 
+/**
+ * Maximum and minimum duration times
+ * TODO change min duration to 0 once stopping works as intended
+ */
+#define MIN_DURATION 1
+#define MAX_DURATION UINT16_MAX
+
 /**
  * Receive- and send-buffer size
  */
@@ -40,6 +47,17 @@ void help(char * commandname);
  */
 void init(char * arg);
 
+/**
+ * @brief broadcasts for a specified duration
+ *
+ * Broadcasts a pingmessage from this node in a continuous manner until the
+ * duration (in seconds) is over or the stop command is used.
+ * If the duration is set to 0, it broadcasts endlessly until the stop command
+ * is used.
+ * @param arg
+ */
+void broadcast(char* arg);
+
 /**
  * @brief Pings another node.
  *
@@ -73,7 +91,7 @@ void set_radio_address(uint8_t addr);
 void set_radio_channel(uint8_t chan);
 
 /**
- * @brief Stops this node from pinging.
+ * @brief Stops this node from sending broadcasts or pings.
  *
  * Stops any current pinging-action by this node and prints a summary of how
  * many pings got returned.
@@ -82,7 +100,7 @@ void set_radio_channel(uint8_t chan);
  *
  * @param arg unused
  */
-void stop_pings(char * arg);
+void stop(char * arg);
 
 /**
  * @brief The thread for the processing of received radio-packets.
diff --git a/projects/test_ping/pingpong.c b/projects/test_ping/pingpong.c
index 610616dbfa..5060e6ba58 100644
--- a/projects/test_ping/pingpong.c
+++ b/projects/test_ping/pingpong.c
@@ -30,11 +30,12 @@ msg_t mesg;
 // see header for documentation
 void stop_after_time() {
     vtimer_usleep(time * SECOND);
-    stop();
+    stop_now();
 }
 
 // see header for documentation
-void stop() {
+void stop_now() {
+    puts("stopping now");
     cont_ping = false;
 }
 
@@ -75,8 +76,10 @@ void wait_pong() {
 
 // see header for documentation
 void broadcast_without_ack(uint16_t duration) {
+    cont_ping = true;
     time = duration;
 
+    puts("Setting up broadcast");
     if (time) {
         //A time has been given after which pings should not be sent anymore
         thread_create(stack_stop, XS_STACK, PRIORITY_MAIN - 2, 0,
@@ -84,9 +87,11 @@ void broadcast_without_ack(uint16_t duration) {
     }
 
     while (cont_ping) {
+    puts("Setting up packet");
+        //TODO replace swtimer with vtimer
         start = swtimer_now();
         send_broadcast();
-        vtimer_usleep(500 * 1000);
+        vtimer_usleep(1 * SECOND);
     }
 }
 
@@ -167,6 +172,7 @@ void send_ack(uint8_t addr) {
 
 // see header for documentation
 void send_broadcast() {
+    puts("Preparing broadcast ping");
     mesg.type = SND_PKT;
     mesg.content.ptr = (char*) &tcmd;
 
diff --git a/projects/test_ping/pingpong.h b/projects/test_ping/pingpong.h
index e388c2b894..267164ad7d 100644
--- a/projects/test_ping/pingpong.h
+++ b/projects/test_ping/pingpong.h
@@ -96,12 +96,12 @@ void send_broadcast();
 void calc_rtt(void);
 
 /**
- * @brief The internal method to stop this node from pinging a target.
+ * @brief The internal method to stop this node from pinging or broadcasting.
  *
  * This method should be used for example if a ping was given without a
  * duration, so without manually stopping the node it would send endlessly.
  */
-void stop(void);
+void stop_now(void);
 
 /**
  * @brief The internal thread that stops this node from pinging a target after a