diff --git a/packages/transport-tcp/src/constants.ts b/packages/transport-tcp/src/constants.ts
index 91477850d0..4bc2fbaab4 100644
--- a/packages/transport-tcp/src/constants.ts
+++ b/packages/transport-tcp/src/constants.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ export const CODE_CIRCUIT = 290
 export const CODE_UNIX = 400
 
 // Time to wait for a connection to close gracefully before destroying it manually
-export const CLOSE_TIMEOUT = 500
+export const CLOSE_TIMEOUT = 250
 
 // Close the socket if there is no activity after this long in ms
 export const SOCKET_TIMEOUT = 2 * 60000 // 2 mins
diff --git a/packages/transport-tcp/src/socket-to-conn.ts b/packages/transport-tcp/src/socket-to-conn.ts
index 9e4203a53f..a75f4e460e 100644
--- a/packages/transport-tcp/src/socket-to-conn.ts
+++ b/packages/transport-tcp/src/socket-to-conn.ts
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ export const toMultiaddrConnection = (socket: Socket, options: ToConnectionOptio
   // by default there is no timeout
   // https://nodejs.org/dist/latest-v16.x/docs/api/net.html#socketsettimeouttimeout-callback
   socket.setTimeout(inactivityTimeout)
-
+  
   socket.once('timeout', () => {
     timedOut = true
     log('%s %s socket read timeout', direction, lOptsStr)
diff --git a/packages/transport-tcp/src/tcp.ts b/packages/transport-tcp/src/tcp.ts
index af2e461a21..f0f94a061f 100644
--- a/packages/transport-tcp/src/tcp.ts
+++ b/packages/transport-tcp/src/tcp.ts
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ export class TCP implements Transport<TCPDialEvents> {
   }
 
   async _connect (ma: Multiaddr, options: TCPDialOptions): Promise<Socket> {
-    options.signal.throwIfAborted()
+    options.signal?.throwIfAborted()
     options.onProgress?.(new CustomProgressEvent('tcp:open-connection'))
 
     let rawSocket: Socket
diff --git a/packages/transport-tcp/test/connection-time.spec.ts b/packages/transport-tcp/test/connection-time.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ec78387f0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/transport-tcp/test/connection-time.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+/* eslint-env mocha */
+
+import { expect } from 'aegir/chai'
+import net from 'node:net'
+import { tcp } from '../src/index.js'
+
+describe('TCP connection time', () => {
+  it('should establish a raw TCP connection quickly', async () => {
+    // Create a simple TCP server
+    const server = net.createServer()
+    const port = 8080 + Math.floor(Math.random() * 1000)
+    
+    await new Promise<void>(resolve => {
+      server.listen(port, '127.0.0.1', () => { resolve() })
+    })
+    
+    try {
+      // Measure connection time
+      const start = Date.now()
+      
+      const socket = await new Promise<net.Socket>((resolve, reject) => {
+        const socket = net.connect(port, '127.0.0.1')
+        socket.on('connect', () => resolve(socket))
+        socket.on('error', reject)
+      })
+      
+      const connectionTime = Date.now() - start
+      console.log(`Raw TCP connection established in ${connectionTime}ms`)
+      
+      // Close the socket
+      socket.end()
+      
+      // Note: This test only verifies local connection speed
+      // The actual issue (#3029) involves connections between data centers
+      // This test serves as a baseline for local development
+    } finally {
+      // Close the server
+      await new Promise<void>(resolve => {
+        server.close(() => { resolve() })
+      })
+    }
+  })
+}) 
\ No newline at end of file