diff --git a/meshtastic/__init__.py b/meshtastic/__init__.py
index 382eb31..81d9fa1 100644
--- a/meshtastic/__init__.py
+++ b/meshtastic/__init__.py
@@ -89,8 +89,6 @@ LOCAL_ADDR = "^local"
 # if using 8 bit nodenums this will be shortend on the target
 BROADCAST_NUM = 0xffffffff
 
-MY_CONFIG_ID = 42
-
 """The numeric buildnumber (shared with android apps) specifying the level of device code we are guaranteed to understand
 
 format is Mmmss (where M is 1+the numeric major number. i.e. 20120 means 1.1.20
@@ -357,11 +355,20 @@ class MeshInterface:
     def showInfo(self):
         """Show human readable summary about this object"""
         print(self.myInfo)
-        self.localNode.showInfo()
         print("Nodes in mesh:")
         for n in self.nodes.values():
             print(stripnl(n))
 
+    def getNode(self, nodeId):
+        """Return a node object which contains device settings and channel info"""
+        if nodeId == LOCAL_ADDR:
+            return self.localNode
+        else:
+            n = Node(self, nodeId)
+            n.requestConfig()
+            n.waitForConfig()
+            return n
+
     def sendText(self, text: AnyStr,
                  destinationId=BROADCAST_ADDR,
                  wantAck=False,
@@ -569,7 +576,8 @@ class MeshInterface:
         self.nodesByNum = {}  # nodes keyed by nodenum
 
         startConfig = mesh_pb2.ToRadio()
-        startConfig.want_config_id = MY_CONFIG_ID  # we don't use this value
+        self.configId = random.randint(0, 0xffffffff)
+        startConfig.want_config_id = self.configId  
         self._sendToRadio(startConfig)
 
     def _sendToRadio(self, toRadio):
@@ -632,7 +640,7 @@ class MeshInterface:
                 self.nodes[node["user"]["id"]] = node
             pub.sendMessage("meshtastic.node.updated",
                             node=node, interface=self)
-        elif fromRadio.config_complete_id == MY_CONFIG_ID:
+        elif fromRadio.config_complete_id == self.configId:
             # we ignore the config_complete_id, it is unneeded for our stream API fromRadio.config_complete_id
             self._handleConfigComplete()
         elif fromRadio.HasField("packet"):
diff --git a/meshtastic/__main__.py b/meshtastic/__main__.py
index 6d24327..3448e65 100644
--- a/meshtastic/__main__.py
+++ b/meshtastic/__main__.py
@@ -174,7 +174,9 @@ def onConnected(interface):
     try:
         global args
         print("Connected to radio")
-        prefs = interface.localNode.radioConfig.preferences
+
+        def getNode():
+            return interface.getNode(args.destOrLocal)
 
         if args.settime or args.setlat or args.setlon or args.setalt:
             closeNow = True
@@ -183,6 +185,7 @@ def onConnected(interface):
             lat = 0.0
             lon = 0.0
             time = 0
+            prefs = interface.localNode.radioConfig.preferences
             if args.settime:
                 time = int(args.settime)
             if args.setalt:
@@ -201,7 +204,7 @@ def onConnected(interface):
             print("Setting device time/position")
             # can include lat/long/alt etc: latitude = 37.5, longitude = -122.1
             interface.sendPosition(lat, lon, alt, time)
-            interface.writeConfig()
+            interface.localNode.writeConfig()
 
         if args.setowner:
             closeNow = True
@@ -246,6 +249,7 @@ def onConnected(interface):
         # handle settings
         if args.set:
             closeNow = True
+            prefs = getNode().radioConfig.preferences            
 
             # Handle the int/float/bool arguments
             for pref in args.set:
@@ -253,17 +257,17 @@ def onConnected(interface):
                     prefs, pref[0], pref[1])
 
             print("Writing modified preferences to device")
-            interface.localNode.writeConfig()
+            getNode().writeConfig()
 
         if args.seturl:
             closeNow = True
-            interface.localNode.setURL(args.seturl)
+            getNode().setURL(args.seturl)
 
         # handle changing channels
         if args.setchan or args.setch_longslow or args.setch_shortfast:
             closeNow = True
 
-            ch = interface.localNode.channels[channelIndex]
+            ch = getNode().channels[channelIndex]
 
             def setSimpleChannel(modem_config):
                 """Set one of the simple modem_config only based channels"""
@@ -289,11 +293,12 @@ def onConnected(interface):
                 setPref(ch.settings, pref[0], pref[1])
 
             print("Writing modified channels to device")
-            interface.localNode.writeChannel(channelIndex)
+            getNode().writeChannel(channelIndex)
 
         if args.info:
             closeNow = True
             interface.showInfo()
+            getNode().showInfo()
 
         if args.nodes:
             closeNow = True