Basic configuration of peering two machines

[uma_rk]

Env: Jre: 1.6, Activemq 4.1.1:

I am connecting two machines A and B using external brokers as follows:

Machine A:
      External broker at 61616
      Tcp Network connector to B
      Configuration:

       <transportConnectors>
        <transportConnector name="openwire" uri="tcp://localhost:61616"
        />
     </transportConnectors>

     <networkConnectors>
       <networkConnector
             name="remote-broker"
             uri="static://(tcp://A:61616)"
       />
     </networkConnectors>


Machine B: (symmetric to A):
      External broker at 61616
      Tcp Network connector to B
      Configuration:

       <transportConnectors>
        <transportConnector name="openwire" uri="tcp://localhost:61616"
        />
     </transportConnectors>

     <networkConnectors>
       <networkConnector
             name="remote-broker"
             uri="static://(tcp://B:61616)"
       />
     </networkConnectors>

The need is for A to be usable even if B is unavailable.
However, if B is down, ActiveMQ's clients in A freeze while attempting to 
obtain a transport connection.

How do configure both to make sure that A continues to work independent of B 
and vice versa?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions,

/Ur