diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c671236
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+{
+    "files.associations": {
+        "*.module": "php",
+        "*.html": "html",
+        "cctype": "cpp",
+        "clocale": "cpp",
+        "cmath": "cpp",
+        "cstdarg": "cpp",
+        "cstddef": "cpp",
+        "cstdio": "cpp",
+        "cstdlib": "cpp",
+        "cstring": "cpp",
+        "ctime": "cpp",
+        "cwchar": "cpp",
+        "cwctype": "cpp",
+        "array": "cpp",
+        "atomic": "cpp",
+        "strstream": "cpp",
+        "*.tcc": "cpp",
+        "bitset": "cpp",
+        "chrono": "cpp",
+        "complex": "cpp",
+        "cstdint": "cpp",
+        "deque": "cpp",
+        "list": "cpp",
+        "unordered_map": "cpp",
+        "vector": "cpp",
+        "exception": "cpp",
+        "algorithm": "cpp",
+        "functional": "cpp",
+        "iterator": "cpp",
+        "map": "cpp",
+        "memory": "cpp",
+        "memory_resource": "cpp",
+        "numeric": "cpp",
+        "random": "cpp",
+        "ratio": "cpp",
+        "set": "cpp",
+        "string": "cpp",
+        "system_error": "cpp",
+        "tuple": "cpp",
+        "type_traits": "cpp",
+        "utility": "cpp",
+        "fstream": "cpp",
+        "initializer_list": "cpp",
+        "iomanip": "cpp",
+        "iosfwd": "cpp",
+        "iostream": "cpp",
+        "istream": "cpp",
+        "limits": "cpp",
+        "new": "cpp",
+        "ostream": "cpp",
+        "sstream": "cpp",
+        "stdexcept": "cpp",
+        "streambuf": "cpp",
+        "thread": "cpp",
+        "cfenv": "cpp",
+        "cinttypes": "cpp",
+        "typeindex": "cpp",
+        "typeinfo": "cpp"
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/include/MQTTHelper.h b/include/MQTTHelper.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98f18b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/MQTTHelper.h
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+#include <PubSubClient.h>
+#include <Arduino.h>
+#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
+#include <ArduinoJson.h>
+
+class MQTTHelper {
+  private: 
+    String _group = "homedevice";
+    String _identifier = "garagesensor";
+    const char* _user = "homedevice";
+    const char* _password = "WNzAb4VazNFUPlpkn0ED";
+
+    WiFiClient _espClient;
+    PubSubClient _mqttClient;
+    String  _will_topic;
+    
+    void reconnect(int delayMillis = 5000);
+    bool connect();
+    void announce();
+    void callback(char* topic, byte* payload, unsigned int length);
+  public:
+    MQTTHelper() : _espClient(), _mqttClient(_espClient) {
+        auto deviceMac = WiFi.macAddress();
+        deviceMac.replace(":","");
+        _identifier = "etxean-"+deviceMac.substring(6);
+        _will_topic = getTopic("online");
+        _mqttClient.setCallback([this] (char* topic, byte* payload, unsigned int length) { this->callback(topic, payload, length); });
+    }
+
+    String getIdentifier() { return _identifier; }
+    
+    String getTopic(String sensor) {
+        return _group + "/" + _identifier + "/" + sensor;
+    }
+    
+    void Configure(IPAddress server, uint16 port) {
+        Serial.println("Configuring MQTT connection to: "+server.toString()+":"+String(port));
+        _mqttClient.setServer(server, port);
+        if (_mqttClient.connected()) {
+            connect();
+        }
+    }
+    
+    void loop() {
+        static unsigned long lastWill;
+        if (!_mqttClient.connected()) {
+            reconnect();
+        }
+        _mqttClient.loop();
+
+        auto now = millis();
+        if ((now - lastWill) > 1000)
+        {
+            lastWill = now;
+            _mqttClient.publish(_will_topic.c_str(), "true");
+        }
+    }
+
+    template<class T>
+    void publish(String sensor, T payload, bool retained = false) {
+        _mqttClient.publish(getTopic(sensor).c_str(), String(payload).c_str(), retained);
+    }
+};
+
+void MQTTHelper::callback(char* topic, byte* payload, unsigned int length) {
+    Serial.print("Message arrived:");
+    Serial.print(topic);
+    Serial.print(" = ");
+    for (unsigned int i=0;  i<length; i++) {
+        Serial.print((char)payload[i]);
+    }
+    Serial.println();
+}
+
+void MQTTHelper::reconnect(int delayMillis) {
+  // Loop until we're reconnected
+  while (!_mqttClient.connected()) {
+    Serial.print("Attempting MQTT connection...");
+    if (connect()) {
+        Serial.println("connected");
+    } else {
+        auto reconnectSeconds = (int)round(delayMillis/1000.0);
+        Serial.print("failed, rc=");
+        Serial.print(_mqttClient.state());
+        Serial.println(" try again in "+String(reconnectSeconds)+" seconds");
+        // Wait 5 seconds before retrying
+        delay(delayMillis);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+void MQTTHelper::announce() {
+    DynamicJsonDocument doc(1024);
+    doc["id"] = _identifier;
+    doc["ip"] = WiFi.localIP().toString();
+    doc["mac"] = WiFi.macAddress();
+    String payload;
+    serializeJson(doc,payload);
+    publish("settings",payload);
+}
+
+bool MQTTHelper::connect() {
+    // If you do not want to use a username and password, change next line to
+    // if (_mqttClient.connect(_identifier.c_str()) {    
+    if (_mqttClient.connect(_identifier.c_str(), _user, _password, _will_topic.c_str(), 2, false, "false")) {
+        _mqttClient.subscribe((getTopic("settings")+"/get").c_str());
+        announce();
+        return true;
+    } else {
+        return false;
+    }
+}
+
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index ca9da33..ed890f1 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -1,51 +1,71 @@
-#include <Arduino.h>
+#include <FS.h>                   //this needs to be first, or it all crashes and burns...
+
+#include "MQTTHelper.h"
+
 #include <ESP8266WiFi.h>
-#include <PubSubClient.h>
 #include <DNSServer.h>
 #include <ESP8266WebServer.h>
 #include <WiFiManager.h>  
+#include <ArduinoJson.h>
 
 #define TURN_ON LOW
 #define TURN_OFF HIGH
 
-#define mqtt_server "192.168.249.5"
-#define mqtt_port 1883
-#define mqtt_user "homedevice"
-#define mqtt_password "WNzAb4VazNFUPlpkn0ED"
-#define mqtt_client_id "home_DistanceSensor"
+struct Config {
+  IPAddress mqtt_server = {192, 168, 249, 5};
+  uint16 mqtt_port = 1883;
+} config;
+
+MQTTHelper mqtt;
 
-#define distance_topic    "garagesensor/distance"
 #define heartbeatMillis 10000
 #define messageMillis 1000
-#define will_topic "garagesensor/online"
-#define will_message "false"
 
-WiFiClient espClient;
-PubSubClient mpttClient(espClient);
+//flag for saving data
+bool shouldSaveConfig = false;
+//callback notifying us of the need to save config
+void saveConfigCallback () {
+  Serial.println("Should save config");
+  shouldSaveConfig = true;
+}
 
-void heartbeat();
+void heartbeat(int times = 3);
 void longbeat();
 void setup_wifi(String ssid, String password);
 void reconnect();
+void readConfig();
+void saveConfig();
 
 void setup() {
   Serial.begin(115200);
+  Serial.println();
   randomSeed(analogRead(0));
   pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);
   pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, TURN_OFF);
-  
-    //WiFiManager
-    WiFiManager wifiManager;
-    //wifiManager.resetSettings(); //reset saved settings
-    wifiManager.autoConnect();
-    
-    //if you get here you have connected to the WiFi
-    Serial.print("WiFi connected to: ");
-    Serial.println(WiFi.SSID());
-    Serial.print("IP address: ");
-    Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
 
-    mpttClient.setServer(mqtt_server, mqtt_port);
+  //clean FS, for testing
+  //SPIFFS.format();
+
+  readConfig();
+  //WiFiManager
+  WiFiManager wifiManager;
+  //wifiManager.resetSettings(); //reset saved settings
+
+  WiFiManagerParameter custom_mqtt_server("MQTT server", "mqtt server", config.mqtt_server.toString().c_str(), 40);
+  WiFiManagerParameter custom_mqtt_port("MQTT port", "mqtt port", String(config.mqtt_port).c_str(), 6);
+  wifiManager.setSaveConfigCallback(saveConfigCallback);
+  wifiManager.addParameter(&custom_mqtt_server);
+  wifiManager.addParameter(&custom_mqtt_port);
+  wifiManager.autoConnect(mqtt.getIdentifier().c_str());
+  
+  //if you get here you have connected to the WiFi
+  Serial.println("WiFi connected to: "+WiFi.SSID()+", IP address: "+WiFi.localIP().toString());
+
+  //read updated parameters
+  config.mqtt_server.fromString(custom_mqtt_server.getValue());
+  config.mqtt_port = String(custom_mqtt_port.getValue()).toInt();
+  saveConfig();
+  mqtt.Configure(config.mqtt_server,config.mqtt_port);
 }
 
 long lastMessage = 0;
@@ -59,12 +79,8 @@ bool checkBound(float newValue, float prevValue, float maxDiff) {
 }
 
 void loop() {
-  if (!mpttClient.connected()) {
-    reconnect();
-  }
-  mpttClient.loop();
-  mpttClient.publish(will_topic, "true");
-
+  mqtt.loop();
+  
   long now = millis();
   if (now - lastHeartbeat > heartbeatMillis) {
     lastHeartbeat = now;
@@ -75,66 +91,81 @@ void loop() {
     lastMessage = now;
 
     float newDistance = random(5,400)/100.0;
-    Serial.print("New distance:");
-    Serial.println(String(newDistance).c_str());
+    // Serial.print("New distance:");
+    // Serial.println(String(newDistance).c_str());
 
     if (checkBound(newDistance, distance, diff)) {
       distance = newDistance;
-      Serial.print(distance_topic);
-      Serial.print(" = ");
-      Serial.println(String(distance).c_str());
-      mpttClient.publish(distance_topic, String(distance).c_str());
+      auto sensorName = "distance";
+      Serial.print(mqtt.getTopic(sensorName));
+      Serial.println(" = "+String(distance));
+      mqtt.publish("distance", distance);
     }
   }
 }
 
-void setup_wifi(String ssid, String password) {
-  delay(10);
-  // We start by connecting to a WiFi network
-  Serial.println();
-  Serial.print("Connecting to ");
-  Serial.println(ssid);
-
-  WiFi.begin(ssid, password);
-
-  while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED) {
-    delay(500);
-    Serial.print(".");
-  }
-
-  Serial.println("");
-  Serial.println("WiFi connected");
-  Serial.print("IP address: ");
-  Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
-}
-
-void reconnect() {
-  // Loop until we're reconnected
-  while (!mpttClient.connected()) {
-    Serial.print("Attempting MQTT connection...");
-    // Attempt to connect
-    // If you do not want to use a username and password, change next line to
-    // if (mpttClient.connect(mqtt_client_id)) {
-    if (mpttClient.connect(mqtt_client_id, mqtt_user, mqtt_password, will_topic, 2, false, will_message)) {
-      Serial.println("connected");
-    } else {
-      Serial.print("failed, rc=");
-      Serial.print(mpttClient.state());
-      Serial.println(" try again in 5 seconds");
-      // Wait 5 seconds before retrying
-      delay(5000);
+void readConfig() {
+  //read configuration from FS json
+  Serial.println("mounting FS...");
+  if (SPIFFS.begin()) {
+    Serial.println("mounted file system");
+    if (SPIFFS.exists("/config.json")) {
+      //file exists, reading and loading
+      Serial.println("reading config.json");
+      File configFile = SPIFFS.open("/config.json", "r");
+      if (configFile) {
+        Serial.println("opened config.json");
+        DynamicJsonDocument doc(1024);
+        DeserializationError error = deserializeJson(doc,configFile);
+        serializeJsonPretty(doc,Serial);
+        Serial.println();
+        if (error) {
+          Serial.print("failed to load config.json: ");
+          Serial.println(error.c_str());
+          return;
+        }
+  
+        Serial.println("\nparsed config.json");
+        IPAddress addr;
+        if (addr.fromString(doc["mqtt_server"].as<char*>())) {
+          config.mqtt_server = addr;
+        }
+        config.mqtt_port = doc["mqtt_port"];
+      }
     }
+  } else {
+    Serial.println("failed to mount FS");
+  }
+  //end read
+}
+
+void saveConfig() {
+  //save the custom parameters to FS
+  if (shouldSaveConfig) {
+    Serial.println("saving config.json");
+    DynamicJsonDocument doc(1024);
+    doc["mqtt_server"] = config.mqtt_server.toString();
+    doc["mqtt_port"] = String(config.mqtt_port);
+
+    File configFile = SPIFFS.open("/config.json", "w");
+    if (!configFile) {
+      Serial.println("failed to open config.json for writing");
+    }
+
+    serializeJsonPretty(doc,Serial);
+    serializeJson(doc,configFile);    
+    configFile.close();
   }
 }
 
-void heartbeat() 
+void heartbeat(int times) 
 {
-  for (int i=0; i<2; i++)
+  for (int blink=0; blink<times; blink++)
   {
     digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, TURN_ON);
-    delay(50);
+    delay(20);
     digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, TURN_OFF);
-    delay(100);
+    delay(200);
   }
 }