diff --git a/src/gba/GBALink.cpp b/src/gba/GBALink.cpp
index 5ec79895..1900d1b8 100644
--- a/src/gba/GBALink.cpp
+++ b/src/gba/GBALink.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #define snprintf _snprintf
 #endif
 
-int vbaid = 0;
+static int vbaid = 0;
 const char *MakeInstanceFilename(const char *Input)
 {
 	if (vbaid == 0)
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ static sf::IPAddress joybusHostAddr = sf::IPAddress::LocalHost;
 u8 tspeed = 3;
 u8 transfer = 0;
 static LINKDATA *linkmem = NULL;
-int linkid = 0;
+static int linkid = 0;
 #if (defined __WIN32__ || defined _WIN32)
 HANDLE linksync[4];
 #else
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ char linkevent[] =
 #endif
 	"VBA link event  ";
 static int i, j;
-int linktimeout = 1000;
+static int linktimeout = 1000;
 static LANLINKDATA lanlink;
 u16 linkdata[4];
 static lserver ls;
@@ -1343,6 +1343,20 @@ void GetLinkServerHost(char * const host, size_t size) {
 		strncpy(host, lc.serveraddr.ToString().c_str(), size);
 }
 
+void SetLinkTimeout(int value) {
+	linktimeout = value;
+}
+
+int GetLinkPlayerId() {
+	if (GetLinkMode() == LINK_DISCONNECTED) {
+		return -1;
+	} else if (linkid > 0) {
+		return linkid;
+	} else {
+		return vbaid;
+	}
+}
+
 static void ReInitLink()
 {
 	int f = linkmem->linkflags;
diff --git a/src/gba/GBALink.h b/src/gba/GBALink.h
index fcc06ea7..609f404c 100644
--- a/src/gba/GBALink.h
+++ b/src/gba/GBALink.h
@@ -79,6 +79,14 @@ extern bool SetLinkServerHost(const char *host);
  */
 extern void GetLinkServerHost(char * const host, size_t size);
 
+/**
+ * Set the value in milliseconds of the timeout after which a connection is
+ * deemed lost.
+ *
+ * @param value timeout
+ */
+extern void SetLinkTimeout(int value);
+
 /**
  * Verify that the link between the emulators is still active
  */
@@ -89,6 +97,13 @@ extern void CheckLinkConnection();
  */
 extern void CloseLink();
 
+/**
+ * Get the id of the player of this VBA instance
+ *
+ * @return id. -1 means disconnected, 0 means master, > 0 means slave
+ */
+extern int GetLinkPlayerId();
+
 // register definitions
 #define COMM_SIODATA32_L	0x120
 #define COMM_SIODATA32_H	0x122
@@ -126,9 +141,6 @@ extern void StartLink(u16);
 extern void StartGPLink(u16);
 extern void LinkUpdate(int);
 extern void CleanLocalLink();
-extern int vbaid;
-extern int linktimeout;
-extern int linkid;
 
 #else
 
diff --git a/src/wx/cmdevents.cpp b/src/wx/cmdevents.cpp
index 0a01d393..88b7c84a 100644
--- a/src/wx/cmdevents.cpp
+++ b/src/wx/cmdevents.cpp
@@ -2134,6 +2134,8 @@ EVT_HANDLER(LinkConfigure, "Link options...")
 
     update_opts();
     
+    SetLinkTimeout(gopts.linktimeout);
+
     LinkMode oldLinkMode = GetLinkMode();
     LinkMode newLinkMode = getOptionsLinkMode();
     bool dolphinHostChanged = jh != gopts.joybus_host;
diff --git a/src/wx/guiinit.cpp b/src/wx/guiinit.cpp
index 40c7a781..b0551bb9 100644
--- a/src/wx/guiinit.cpp
+++ b/src/wx/guiinit.cpp
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ public:
 	wxString connmsg;
 	wxString title;
 
+	SetLinkTimeout(gopts.linktimeout);
 	EnableSpeedHacks(gopts.lanlink_speed);
 	EnableLinkServer(server, n_players - 1);
 
@@ -2971,7 +2972,7 @@ bool MainFrame::InitMore(void)
 	addbe(cb);
 	getlab("LinkTimeoutLab");
 	addbe(lab);
-	getsc("LinkTimeout", linktimeout);
+	getsc("LinkTimeout", gopts.linktimeout);
 	addbe(sc);
     }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/wx/panel.cpp b/src/wx/panel.cpp
index cde52bc6..98477511 100644
--- a/src/wx/panel.cpp
+++ b/src/wx/panel.cpp
@@ -279,9 +279,10 @@ void GameArea::LoadGame(const wxString &name)
 	wxString bname = loaded_game.GetFullName();
 #ifndef NO_LINK
 	// MakeInstanceFilename doesn't do wxString, so just add slave ID here
-	if(vbaid) {
+	int playerId = GetLinkPlayerId();
+	if(playerId >= 0) {
 	    bname.append(wxT('-'));
-	    bname.append(wxChar(wxT('1') + vbaid));
+	    bname.append(wxChar(wxT('1') + playerId));
 	}
 #endif
 	bname.append(wxT(".sav"));
@@ -331,10 +332,11 @@ void GameArea::SetFrameTitle()
     } else
 	tit = wxT("VisualBoyAdvance-M " VERSION);
 #ifndef NO_LINK
-    if(vbaid > 0 || linkid > 0) {
-	tit.append(_(" player "));
-	tit.append(wxChar(wxT('1') + (linkid > 0 ? linkid : vbaid)));
-    }
+	int playerId = GetLinkPlayerId();
+	if (playerId >= 0) {
+		tit.append(_(" player "));
+		tit.append(wxChar(wxT('1') + playerId));
+	}
 #endif
     wxGetApp().frame->SetTitle(tit);
 }
@@ -516,10 +518,11 @@ void GameArea::SaveBattery(bool quiet)
     // MakeInstanceFilename doesn't do wxString, so just add slave ID here
     wxString bname = game_name();
 #ifndef NO_LINK
-    if(vbaid) {
-	bname.append(wxT('-'));
-	bname.append(wxChar(wxT('1') + vbaid));
-    }
+	int playerId = GetLinkPlayerId();
+	if (playerId >= 0) {
+		bname.append(wxT('-'));
+		bname.append(wxChar(wxT('1') + playerId));
+	}
 #endif
     bname.append(wxT(".sav"));
     wxFileName bat(batdir, bname);