Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described that support node connection techniques in wireless systems, such as relay node connections in a wireless backhaul network. A first node, which may be a new node or a node seeking to re-establish a connection, may initiate a connection establishment through transmission of a synchronization signal (SS). The first node, responsive to the SS transmission, may receive a response signal from one of the other nodes, and may establish a link with the other node. In some cases, the response signal may be an SS transmission from the other node, and the first node may transmit a random access request to the other node to initiate establishment of the link. In other cases, the response signal may be a random access request from the other node to initiate establishment of the link.