diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 3e2a754..8dcb28b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -65,14 +65,8 @@ typings/
 .vscode/c_cpp_properties.json
 .vscode/launch.json
 
-# build stuff
-/data/
-dist/
-
-# sprocket stuff
-/config/
-/firmware
 .clang_complete
 .gcc-flags.json
-.pioenvs
-.piolibdeps
+.pioenvs
+.piolibdeps
+ data/config.json
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/data/config.json b/data/config.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..82c9e85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/config.json
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{
+    "stationMode": 1,
+    "hostname": "sprocket",
+    "apSSID": "sprocket",
+    "apPassword": "th3r31sn0Sp00n",
+    "connectTimeout": 20000,
+    "stationSSID": "MyAP",
+    "stationPassword": "th3r31sn0Sp00n",
+    "meshSSID": "whateverYouLike",
+    "meshPassword": "somethingSneaky",
+    "meshPort": 5555,
+    "channel": 5
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/data/mqttConfig.json b/data/mqttConfig.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fac46fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/mqttConfig.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+    "mqttClientName" : "sprocket",
+    "mqttBrokerHost" : "192.168.1.2",
+    "mqttBrokerPort" : 1883,
+    "mqttRootTopic" : "wirelos/sprocket"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/MqttPlugin.cpp b/src/MqttPlugin.cpp
index 61b4d25..0914337 100644
--- a/src/MqttPlugin.cpp
+++ b/src/MqttPlugin.cpp
@@ -98,8 +98,9 @@ void MqttPlugin::downstreamHandler(char *topic, uint8_t *payload, unsigned int l
     String topicStr = String(topic);
     int topicRootLength = topicRoot.length();
     if(topicStr.length() > topicRootLength){
+        int baseTopicLength = topicStr.substring(0, topicRootLength).length();
         String localTopic = topicStr.substring(topicRootLength);
-        if(localTopic.length() > 4){
+        if(baseTopicLength == topicRootLength){
             String direction = localTopic.substring(0,4);
             if(direction == "/in/" ){
                 String localSubTopic = localTopic.substring(direction.length());
diff --git a/src/examples/chat/main.cpp b/src/examples/chat/main.cpp
index 3bd4d1d..0ebbbd1 100644
--- a/src/examples/chat/main.cpp
+++ b/src/examples/chat/main.cpp
@@ -22,13 +22,12 @@ void setup()
 
     // this subscription gets shadowed by the MqttPlugin
     // to rout messages to the queue on topic wirelos/sprocket/chat/log
-    sprocket->subscribe("chat/log", [](String msg) {
-        // gets routed to MQTT broker
-        PRINT_MSG(Serial, "CHAT", msg.c_str());
-    });
+    //sprocket->subscribe("chat/log", [](String msg) {
+    //    // gets routed to MQTT broker
+    //    PRINT_MSG(Serial, "CHAT", msg.c_str());
+    //});
     publishHeap.set(TASK_SECOND * 5, TASK_FOREVER, []() {
-        // locally publish a message
-        sprocket->publish("chat/log", "hi there");
+        sprocket->publish("out/chat/log", "hi there");
     });
     sprocket->addTask(publishHeap);
 
@@ -42,17 +41,29 @@ void setup()
         CONNECT_TIMEOUT);
     network->connect();
 
-    sprocket->activate();
+    const char* mqChatTopic = "wirelos/chat/log";
+    const char* outChatTopic = "out/chat/log";
+    const char* chatUser = "user";
 
-    sprocket->subscribe("mqtt/connect", [](String msg) {
+    sprocket->subscribe("mqtt/connect", [mqChatTopic, outChatTopic, chatUser](String msg) {
         if (msg.length() > 0)
         {
-            mqttPlugin->client->subscribe("wirelos/sprocket/out/chat/log");
-            sprocket->subscribe("/out/chat/log", [](String msg){
-                PRINT_MSG(Serial, "CHAT", String("incoming:  " +msg).c_str());
+            mqttPlugin->client->subscribe(mqChatTopic);
+            sprocket->subscribe(mqChatTopic, [](String msg) {
+                PRINT_MSG(Serial, "CHAT", String("incoming:  " + msg).c_str());
+                //webApiPlugin->ws->textAll(msg);
+            });
+
+            // send message from WS to this topic
+            sprocket->subscribe(outChatTopic, [mqChatTopic, chatUser](String msg) {
+                PRINT_MSG(Serial, "CHAT", msg.c_str());
+                mqttPlugin->client->publish(mqChatTopic, (String(chatUser) + ": " + msg).c_str());
             });
         }
     });
+
+    sprocket->activate();
+
 }
 
 void loop()