diff --git a/markdown/bitburner.darknet.unleashstormseed.md b/markdown/bitburner.darknet.unleashstormseed.md
index 274faa2c6..276eea6cb 100644
--- a/markdown/bitburner.darknet.unleashstormseed.md
+++ b/markdown/bitburner.darknet.unleashstormseed.md
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ unleashStormSeed(): DarknetResult;
 
 [DarknetResult](./bitburner.darknetresult.md)
 
-A promise that resolves to a [DarknetResult](./bitburner.darknetresult.md) object.
+A [DarknetResult](./bitburner.darknetresult.md) object.
 
 ## Remarks
 
diff --git a/markdown/bitburner.ns.getserverusedram.md b/markdown/bitburner.ns.getserverusedram.md
index 85bf28dff..9c3845b18 100644
--- a/markdown/bitburner.ns.getserverusedram.md
+++ b/markdown/bitburner.ns.getserverusedram.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 ## NS.getServerUsedRam() method
 
-Get the used RAM on a server.
+Get the used RAM on a server. This includes ram used by running scripts as well as blocked ram on darknet servers.
 
 **Signature:**
 
diff --git a/markdown/bitburner.ns.md b/markdown/bitburner.ns.md
index 43c291e42..83d3074f3 100644
--- a/markdown/bitburner.ns.md
+++ b/markdown/bitburner.ns.md
@@ -1037,7 +1037,7 @@ Get server security level.
 
 </td><td>
 
-Get the used RAM on a server.
+Get the used RAM on a server. This includes ram used by running scripts as well as blocked ram on darknet servers.
 
 
 </td></tr>
diff --git a/markdown/bitburner.ns.scp.md b/markdown/bitburner.ns.scp.md
index d625135d1..5f7f5e622 100644
--- a/markdown/bitburner.ns.scp.md
+++ b/markdown/bitburner.ns.scp.md
@@ -112,5 +112,5 @@ const server = ns.args[0];
 const files = ["hack.js", "weaken.js", "grow.js"];
 ns.scp(files, server, "home");
 ```
-For password-protected servers (such as darknet servers), a session must be established with the destination server before using this function.
+For password-protected servers (such as darknet servers), a session must be established with the destination server before using this function. (The source server does not require a session.)
 
diff --git a/src/DarkNet/controllers/NetworkGenerator.ts b/src/DarkNet/controllers/NetworkGenerator.ts
index e0e8f1add..957f5172b 100644
--- a/src/DarkNet/controllers/NetworkGenerator.ts
+++ b/src/DarkNet/controllers/NetworkGenerator.ts
@@ -181,17 +181,19 @@ export const addRandomConnections = (server: DarknetServer) => {
   const x = server.depth;
   const y = server.leftOffset;
   const horizontalNeighbors = getNeighborsOnRow(x, y);
+  const lateralConnectionChance = HORIZONTAL_CONNECTION_CHANCE * (1.1 - server.depth * 0.01);
   horizontalNeighbors.forEach((neighbor) => {
-    if (Math.random() < HORIZONTAL_CONNECTION_CHANCE) {
+    if (Math.random() < lateralConnectionChance) {
       connectServers(server, neighbor);
     }
   });
 
   const serversAbove = getServersOnRowAbove(x);
   const serversBelow = getServersOnRowBelow(x);
+  const verticalConnectionChance = VERTICAL_CONNECTION_CHANCE * (1.1 - server.depth * 0.01);
   [...serversAbove, ...serversBelow].forEach((neighbor) => {
     const distance = Math.abs(neighbor.depth ?? x - x) + 1;
-    if (Math.random() < VERTICAL_CONNECTION_CHANCE / distance) {
+    if (Math.random() < verticalConnectionChance / distance) {
       connectServers(server, neighbor);
     }
   });
diff --git a/src/DarkNet/controllers/NetworkMovement.ts b/src/DarkNet/controllers/NetworkMovement.ts
index 1e00b8750..e40ab05c0 100644
--- a/src/DarkNet/controllers/NetworkMovement.ts
+++ b/src/DarkNet/controllers/NetworkMovement.ts
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ export const mutateDarknet = (): void => {
     restartRandomServer();
   }
 
-  if (Math.random() < 0.5) {
+  if (Math.random() < 0.3) {
     moveRandomDarknetServers(3);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/DarkNet/effects/effects.ts b/src/DarkNet/effects/effects.ts
index 59a172595..fbfff3dca 100644
--- a/src/DarkNet/effects/effects.ts
+++ b/src/DarkNet/effects/effects.ts
@@ -62,22 +62,24 @@ export const handleFailedAuth = (server: DarknetServer, threads: number) => {
  * @param person - the player's character
  * @param attemptedPassword - the password being attempted
  * @param threads - the number of threads used for the password attempt (which speeds up the process)
+ * @param linear - if true, the time scaling is linear with the number of threads instead of having diminishing returns
  */
 export const calculateAuthenticationTime = (
   darknetServerData: DarknetServerData,
   person: IPerson = Player,
   threads = 1,
   attemptedPassword = "",
+  linear = false,
 ) => {
   const chaRequired = darknetServerData.requiredCharismaSkill;
   const difficulty = darknetServerData.difficulty;
 
   const baseDiff = (difficulty + 1) * 100;
   const diffFactor = 5;
-  const baseTime = 500;
+  const baseTime = 850;
 
-  const threadsFactor = 1 / (1 + 0.2 * (threads - 1));
-  const skillFactor = (diffFactor * chaRequired + baseDiff) / (person.skills.charisma + 100);
+  const threadsFactor = 1 / (linear ? threads : 1 + 0.2 * (threads - 1));
+  const skillFactor = (diffFactor * chaRequired + baseDiff) / (person.skills.charisma + 150);
   const backdoorFactor = getBackdoorAuthTimeDebuff();
   const applyUnderleveledFactor = person.skills.charisma <= chaRequired && darknetServerData.depth > 1;
   const underleveledFactor = applyUnderleveledFactor ? 1.5 + (chaRequired + 50) / (person.skills.charisma + 50) : 1;
@@ -128,10 +130,9 @@ export const getMultiplierFromCharisma = (scalar = 1) => {
   );
 };
 
-// TODO: balance xp gain
 export const calculatePasswordAttemptChaGain = (server: DarknetServerData, threads: number = 1, success = false) => {
   const baseXpGain = 3;
-  const difficultyBase = 1.12;
+  const difficultyBase = 0.8;
   const xpGain = baseXpGain + difficultyBase ** server.difficulty;
   const alreadyHackedMult = server.hasAdminRights ? 0.2 : 1;
   const successMult = success && !server.hasAdminRights ? 10 : 1;
diff --git a/src/DarkNet/models/packetSniffing.ts b/src/DarkNet/models/packetSniffing.ts
index 3f40ec04e..488e7bf71 100644
--- a/src/DarkNet/models/packetSniffing.ts
+++ b/src/DarkNet/models/packetSniffing.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { generateDarknetServerName, isPasswordResponse, type PasswordResponse }
 import { LocationName } from "@enums";
 import { getServerState, LogEntry } from "./DarknetState";
 import { ModelIds } from "../Enums";
-import { getDarknetServer } from "../utils/darknetServerUtils";
+import { getDarknetServer, getDarknetServerOrThrow } from "../utils/darknetServerUtils";
 import { getAllMovableDarknetServers } from "../utils/darknetNetworkUtils";
 import { getExactCorrectChars, getTwoCharsInPassword } from "../utils/darknetAuthUtils";
 import type { DarknetServer } from "../../Server/DarknetServer";
@@ -200,8 +200,8 @@ const getLogNoise = (server: DarknetServer, logDate: Date): LogEntry => {
     return log(`--${randomServer.password}--`);
   }
 
-  if (server.modelId === ModelIds.packetSniffer && Math.random() < 0.5 / (server.difficulty + 1)) {
-    return log("Authentication successful: " + server.password);
+  if (server.modelId === ModelIds.packetSniffer && Math.random() < 0.7 - server.difficulty * 0.01) {
+    return addPacketSnifferNoise(server);
   }
 
   return log(`${logDate.toLocaleTimeString()}: ${server.hostname} - heartbeat check (alive)`);
@@ -212,6 +212,18 @@ const log = (message: string, pid = -1) => ({
   pid,
 });
 
+const addPacketSnifferNoise = (server: DarknetServer) => {
+  const connectedServers = server.serversOnNetwork;
+  // If the server becomes disconnected while the UI is open and has no neighbors but still
+  // has logs being populated, fall back to showing the current password
+  if (Math.random() < 0.3 || connectedServers.length === 0) {
+    return log(`Logging in with passcode: ${server.password} ...`);
+  }
+  const randomServerName = connectedServers[Math.floor(Math.random() * connectedServers.length)];
+  const randomServer = getDarknetServerOrThrow(randomServerName);
+  return log(`Connecting to ${randomServer.hostname}:${randomServer.password} ...`);
+};
+
 export const getMostRecentAuthLog = (hostname: string) => {
   for (const log of getServerState(hostname).serverLogs) {
     if (!isPasswordResponse(log.message)) {
diff --git a/src/DarkNet/utils/darknetNetworkUtils.ts b/src/DarkNet/utils/darknetNetworkUtils.ts
index 8415598f9..d330b3b60 100644
--- a/src/DarkNet/utils/darknetNetworkUtils.ts
+++ b/src/DarkNet/utils/darknetNetworkUtils.ts
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@ import { AIR_GAP_DEPTH, MS_PER_MUTATION_PER_ROW, NET_WIDTH } from "../Enums";
 import { GetAllServers } from "../../Server/AllServers";
 import { getNetDepth } from "../effects/labyrinth";
 import { CONSTANTS } from "../../Constants";
+import { Player } from "@player";
 
 export const getDarknetCyclesPerMutation = () => {
   const depth = getNetDepth();
   const cycleRate = MS_PER_MUTATION_PER_ROW / CONSTANTS.MilliPerCycle;
-  return cycleRate / depth;
+  const rateMultiplier = Player.bitNodeN !== 15 ? 2 : 1;
+  return (rateMultiplier * cycleRate) / depth;
 };
 
 export const getAllOpenPositions = (minDepth: number, maxDepth: number): [number, number][] => {
diff --git a/src/NetscriptFunctions/Darknet.ts b/src/NetscriptFunctions/Darknet.ts
index 3489a0504..7c41332d5 100644
--- a/src/NetscriptFunctions/Darknet.ts
+++ b/src/NetscriptFunctions/Darknet.ts
@@ -425,7 +425,8 @@ export function NetscriptDarknet(): InternalAPI<DarknetAPI> {
       }
 
       const server = serverCheck.server;
-      const networkDelay = calculateAuthenticationTime(server, Player, ctx.workerScript.scriptRef.threads) * 4;
+      const networkDelay =
+        calculateAuthenticationTime(server, Player, ctx.workerScript.scriptRef.threads, "", true) * 4;
       const xp = formatNumber(calculatePasswordAttemptChaGain(server, ctx.workerScript.scriptRef.threads), 1);
 
       logger(ctx)(`Captured some outgoing transmissions from ${server.hostname}. (Gained ${xp} cha xp)`);
diff --git a/src/ScriptEditor/NetscriptDefinitions.d.ts b/src/ScriptEditor/NetscriptDefinitions.d.ts
index 26f9afd2f..b0cbeac96 100644
--- a/src/ScriptEditor/NetscriptDefinitions.d.ts
+++ b/src/ScriptEditor/NetscriptDefinitions.d.ts
@@ -4619,7 +4619,7 @@ export interface Darknet {
    * @remarks
    * RAM cost: 0.1 GB
    *
-   * @returns A promise that resolves to a {@link DarknetResult} object.
+   * @returns A {@link DarknetResult} object.
    */
   unleashStormSeed(): DarknetResult;
 
@@ -7953,7 +7953,7 @@ export interface NS {
    * ns.scp(files, server, "home");
    * ```
    *
-   * For password-protected servers (such as darknet servers), a session must be established with the destination server before using this function.
+   * For password-protected servers (such as darknet servers), a session must be established with the destination server before using this function. (The source server does not require a session.)
    *
    * @param files - Filename or an array of filenames of script/literature files to copy. Note that if a file is located in a subdirectory, the filename must include the leading `/`.
    * @param destination - Hostname/IP of the destination server, which is the server to which the file will be copied.
@@ -8185,7 +8185,7 @@ export interface NS {
    */
   getServerMaxRam(host?: string): number;
   /**
-   * Get the used RAM on a server.
+   * Get the used RAM on a server. This includes ram used by running scripts as well as blocked ram on darknet servers.
    * @remarks
    * RAM cost: 0.05 GB
    *
diff --git a/test/jest/Netscript/Darknet.test.ts b/test/jest/Netscript/Darknet.test.ts
index ae91f3779..15da05e4a 100644
--- a/test/jest/Netscript/Darknet.test.ts
+++ b/test/jest/Netscript/Darknet.test.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import {
 } from "../Utilities";
 import type { ScriptFilePath } from "../../../src/Paths/ScriptFilePath";
 import { DarknetState, getServerState, triggerNextUpdate } from "../../../src/DarkNet/models/DarknetState";
-import { getDarknetServerOrThrow } from "../../../src/DarkNet/utils/darknetServerUtils";
+import { getDarknetServer, getDarknetServerOrThrow } from "../../../src/DarkNet/utils/darknetServerUtils";
 import { ModelIds, ResponseCodeEnum } from "../../../src/DarkNet/Enums";
 import { getAllMovableDarknetServers } from "../../../src/DarkNet/utils/darknetNetworkUtils";
 import { expectRunningOnDarknetServer } from "../../../src/DarkNet/effects/offlineServerHandling";
@@ -878,9 +878,19 @@ describe("Non-darkweb darknet server", () => {
   test("authenticate from darkweb", async () => {
     const ns = getNsOnDarkWeb();
     const target = getFirstDarknetServerAdjacentToDarkWeb();
-    const result = await ns.dnet.authenticate(target, getDarknetServerOrThrow(target).password);
-    expect(result.success).toStrictEqual(true);
+    const server = getDarknetServerOrThrow(target);
+    const result = await ns.dnet.authenticate(target, server.password);
+    // Logging details for debugging flaky test
+    if (!result.success) {
+      console.log("Server details grabbed before auth:");
+      console.log(server);
+      console.log("result:");
+      console.log(result);
+      console.log("currentServerDetails:");
+      console.log(getDarknetServer(target));
+    }
     expect(result.code).toStrictEqual(ResponseCodeEnum.Success);
+    expect(result.success).toStrictEqual(true);
   });
   test("authenticate itself", async () => {
     const ns = getNsOnNonDarkwebDarknetServer();