diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index d5e5c0d..42cbc3a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+.config.json
 dist
 node_modules
-*.log
\ No newline at end of file
+*.log
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5e6af71..48d7940 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ This module contains both HTTP server and MQTT broker, so it can be used as a si
 You can run this `node.js` module in a variety of ways. First, clone this repo and run 
 
 ```
-npm i && npm run build
+npm i
 ```
 
 You can now start the process with
@@ -55,6 +55,21 @@ To watch logs in real time, start your pm2 process and run
 tail -f <LOG_DEST>
 ```
 
+### Configuration
+
+The config parmaeters set in `config.js` are referenced when starting the application. These come with defaults and
+also look at a local file `.config.json` (if it exists). This local `.config.json` is not tracked in git and it is
+where you can define params that are inspected in `config.js`.
+
+*Sample `.config.json`:*
+
+```
+{
+  "LOG_DEST": "./lattice.log",
+  "MQTT_PASSWORD": "superdupersecretpassword"
+}
+```
+
 ### Running with Docker
 
 > **NOTE**: The Docker scripts are written using the default ports (specified in `config.js`: 1883 for MQTT, 3000 for http). If you want to change these ports, please also update the `Dockerfile` and the `docker-run` script in `package.json`.
diff --git a/config.js b/config.js
index b4c5514..01960ee 100644
--- a/config.js
+++ b/config.js
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
+const local = require('./.config.json');
+
 module.exports = {
-  APP_HOST: '0.0.0.0',
-  APP_PORT: 3000,
-  LOG_DEST: '/tmp/lattice-connector.log',
-  LOG_LEVEL: 'error', // trace, debug, info, warn, error
-  MQTT: {
-    CLIENT_ID: 'lattice-connector-endpoint',
-    USERNAME: 'connector',
-    PASSWORD: 'connectorpasswordpleasechangeme',
-    BROKER_PORT: 1883,
-  },
-  TIMEOUT_ITER_MS: 500,
-  TIMEOUT_TOTAL_MS: 60000,
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+  APP_HOST: local.APP_HOST || '0.0.0.0',
+  APP_PORT: local.APP_PORT || 3000,
+  LOG_DEST: local.LOG_DEST || '/tmp/lattice-connector.log',
+  LOG_LEVEL: local.LOG_LEVEL || 'error', // trace, debug, info, warn, error
+  MQTT_CLIENT_ID: local.MQTT_CLIENT_ID || 'lattice-connector-endpoint',
+  MQTT_USERNAME: local.MQTT_USERNAME || 'connector',
+  MQTT_PASSWORD: local.MQTT_PASSWORD || 'connectorpasswordpleasechangeme',
+  MQTT_BROKER_PORT: local.MQTT_BROKER_POR || 1883,
+  TIMEOUT_ITER_MS: local.TIMEOUT_ITER_MSG || 500,
+  TIMEOUT_TOTAL_MS: local.TIMEOUT_TOTAL_MSG || 60000,
+};
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 9b75551..4faf694 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
-  "name": "lattice-connector-endpoint",
-  "version": "0.1.0",
+  "name": "lattice-connect",
+  "version": "0.2.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 1,
   "requires": true,
   "dependencies": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e655309..87f0076 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "lattice-connect",
-  "version": "0.1.1",
+  "version": "0.2.0",
   "description": "A small HTTP server + MQTT broker designed to bridge the web with Lattices in the field",
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "scripts": {
     "build": "babel src -d dist",
     "lint": "eslint src",
-    "start": "npx pm2 start dist/index.js --name lattice-connect --watch",
+    "start": "npm run build && npx pm2 start dist/index.js --name lattice-connect --watch",
     "stop": "npx pm2 stop lattice-connect",
     "rm": "npx pm2 delete lattice-connect && pkill node",
     "logs": "npx pm2 logs lattice-connect",
diff --git a/src/broker.js b/src/broker.js
index 5e82778..99b98fa 100644
--- a/src/broker.js
+++ b/src/broker.js
@@ -2,24 +2,32 @@
 // connect to this broker.
 import logger from './logger';
 
-const aedes = require('aedes')();
+const aedes = require('aedes');
 const net = require('net');
 
-aedes.on('client', (_client) => {
-  logger.debug(`BROKER: New client (${_client.id}) attempting connection.`);
+const instance = aedes();
+let connCount = 0;
+
+instance.on('client', (_client) => {
+  logger.debug(`BROKER (conns=${connCount}): New client (${_client.id}) attempting connection.`);
+});
+
+instance.on('clientReady', (_client) => {
+  connCount += 1;
+  logger.info(`BROKER (conns=${connCount}): Client (${_client.id}) connected.`);
 });
 
-aedes.on('clientReady', (_client) => {
-  logger.debug(`BROKER: Client (${_client.id}) connected.`);
+instance.on('clientError', (_client, error) => {
+  logger.error(`BROKER (conns=${connCount}): Error from client ${_client.id}: ${error.message}`);
 });
 
-aedes.on('subscribe', (_subscriptions, _client) => {
-  logger.debug(`BROKER: Client (${_client.id}) subscribed to topics: ${JSON.stringify(_subscriptions)}`);
+instance.on('subscribe', (_subscriptions, _client) => {
+  logger.debug(`BROKER (conns=${connCount}): Client (${_client.id}) subscribed to topics: ${JSON.stringify(_subscriptions)}`);
 });
 
-aedes.on('publish', (_packet, _client) => {
-  logger.trace(`BROKER: Client (${_client}) published message: ${JSON.stringify(_packet)}`)
+instance.on('publish', (_packet, _client) => {
+  logger.trace(`BROKER (conns=${connCount}): Client (${_client}) published message: ${JSON.stringify(_packet)}`);
 });
 
-const broker = net.createServer(aedes.handle);
+const broker = net.createServer(instance.handle);
 export default broker;
diff --git a/src/client.js b/src/client.js
index 75281f3..7fa58b7 100644
--- a/src/client.js
+++ b/src/client.js
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@ import logger from './logger';
 const config = require('cconfig')();
 
 const connectOptions = {
-  clientId: config.MQTT.CLIENT_ID,
-  username: config.MQTT.USERNAME,
-  password: config.MQTT.PASSWORD,
+  clientId: config.MQTT_CLIENT_ID,
+  username: config.MQTT_USERNAME,
+  password: config.MQTT_PASSWORD,
 };
 
-const brokerURI = `mqtt://${config.APP_HOST}:${config.MQTT.BROKER_PORT}`;
+const brokerURI = `mqtt://${config.APP_HOST}:${config.MQTT_BROKER_PORT}`;
 const client = mqtt.connect(brokerURI, connectOptions);
 
 client.on('connect', () => {
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index f918790..5be8712 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -39,11 +39,11 @@ process.on('unhandledRejection', (reason, promise) => {
 //----------------------------------
 function startBroker() {
   logger.info('Starting broker', broker)
-  broker.listen(config.MQTT.BROKER_PORT, () => {
-    logger.info('MQTT broker server started on port ', config.MQTT.BROKER_PORT);
+  broker.listen(config.MQTT_BROKER_PORT, () => {
+    logger.info('MQTT broker server started on port ', config.MQTT_BROKER_PORT);
   });
 }
-logger.info('broker?', broker);
+
 if (broker.closed === false) {
   broker.close(() => {
     logger.info('closed?');
@@ -54,10 +54,9 @@ if (broker.closed === false) {
   startBroker();
 }
 
-
 // 2. Create the REST server
 //----------------------------------
-logger.info('app', app)
+logger.info('app', app);
 app.listen(config.APP_PORT, config.APP_HOST, () => {
   logger.info(`signing-api-proxy started listening on ${config.APP_PORT}`);
 });