diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bfb8c9b..fae142f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,19 +1,18 @@
-Meshview
-========
-
-Now running at https://meshview.bayme.sh
+# Meshview
 
 This project watches a MQTT topic for meshtastic messages, imports them to a
 database and has a web UI to view them.
-Requires Python 3.12
 
-Running
--------
+Requires **`python3.12`** and **`graphviz`**.
+
+## Preparing
+
 Clone the repo from github with:
 ``` bash 
 git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/pablorevilla-meshtastic/meshview.git
 ```
-It is important to include the `--recurse-submodules` flag or the meshtastic protobufs wont be included
+> [!NOTE]
+> It is important to include the `--recurse-submodules` flag or the meshtastic protobufs won't be included.
 
 Create a python virtual environment:
 ``` bash
@@ -28,23 +27,14 @@ You also need to install `graphviz`:
 ``` bash
 sudo apt-get install graphviz
 ```
+Edit `config.ini` to change the MQTT server, username, password, and topic(s) as necessary. 
+
+You may also change the web server port from the ***default 8081***.
+https://github.com/madeofstown/meshview/blob/c9d65a078af5e71a6815c142dbb11e5868f8885b/config.ini#L1-L15
+
+## Running Meshview
 
-To run Meshview:
 ``` bash
 ./env/bin/python main.py
 ```
-Now you can hit http://localhost/
-
-Other Options:
-* `--port`
-
-   Web server port, default is `8081`
-
-* `--mqtt-server`
-
-  MQTT Server, default is `mqtt.bayme.sh`
-
-* `--topic`
-    
-  MQTT Topic, default is `msh/US/bayarea/#`
-
+Now you can hit http://localhost:8081/
diff --git a/config.ini b/config.ini
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..693429b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.ini
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+[server]
+bind = *
+port = 8081
+tls_cert = 
+acme_challenge = 
+
+[mqtt]
+server = mqtt.bayme.sh
+topics = ['msh/US/bayarea/#', 'msh/US/CA/mrymesh/#']
+port = 1883
+username = meshdev
+password = large4cats
+
+[database]
+connection_string = sqlite+aiosqlite:///packets.db
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index adf44dc..7accc67 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import asyncio
 import argparse
-
+import configparser
 from meshview import mqtt_reader
 from meshview import database
 from meshview import store
@@ -8,34 +8,56 @@ from meshview import web
 from meshview import http
 
 
-async def load_database_from_mqtt(mqtt_server, topic):
-    async for topic, env in mqtt_reader.get_topic_envelopes(mqtt_server, topic):
+async def load_database_from_mqtt(mqtt_server: str , mqtt_port: int, topic: str, mqtt_user: str | None = None, mqtt_passwd: str | None = None):
+    async for topic, env in mqtt_reader.get_topic_envelopes(mqtt_server, mqtt_port, topic, mqtt_user, mqtt_passwd):
         await store.process_envelope(topic, env)
 
 
-async def main(args):
-    database.init_database(args.database)
+async def main(config):
+    database.init_database(config["database"]["connection_string"])
 
     await database.create_tables()
+    mqtt_user = None
+    mqtt_passwd = None
+    if config["mqtt"]["username"] != "":
+        mqtt_user: str = config["mqtt"]["username"]
+    if config["mqtt"]["password"] != "":
+        mqtt_passwd: str = config["mqtt"]["password"]
+
     async with asyncio.TaskGroup() as tg:
-        tg.create_task(load_database_from_mqtt(args.mqtt_server, args.topic))
-        tg.create_task(web.run_server(args.bind, args.port, args.tls_cert))
-        if args.acme_challenge:
-            tg.create_task(http.run_server(args.bind, args.acme_challenge))
+        tg.create_task(
+            load_database_from_mqtt(config["mqtt"]["server"], int(config["mqtt"]["port"]), config["mqtt"]["topics"], mqtt_user, mqtt_passwd)
+        )
+        tg.create_task(
+            web.run_server(
+                config["server"]["bind"],
+                int(config["server"]["port"]),
+                config["server"].get("tls_cert"),
+            )
+        )
+        if config["server"].get("acme_challenge"):
+            tg.create_task(
+                http.run_server(
+                    config["server"]["bind"], config["server"]["acme_challenge"]
+                )
+            )
+
+
+def load_config(file_path):
+    """Load configuration from an INI-style text file."""
+    config_parser = configparser.ConfigParser()
+    config_parser.read(file_path)
+
+    # Convert to a dictionary for easier access
+    config = {section: dict(config_parser.items(section)) for section in config_parser.sections()}
+    return config
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser('meshview')
-    parser.add_argument('--bind', nargs='*', default=['*'])
-    parser.add_argument('--acme-challenge')
-    parser.add_argument('--port', default=8081, type=int)
-    parser.add_argument('--tls-cert')
-
-    parser.add_argument('--mqtt-server', default='mqtt.bayme.sh')
-    parser.add_argument('--topic', nargs='*', default=['msh/US/bayarea/#'])
-
-    parser.add_argument('--database', default='sqlite+aiosqlite:///packets.db')
-
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser("meshview")
+    parser.add_argument("--config", help="Path to the configuration file.", default='config.ini')
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
-    asyncio.run(main(args))
+    config = load_config(args.config)
+
+    asyncio.run(main(config))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/meshview/mqtt_reader.py b/meshview/mqtt_reader.py
index 5453f5c..5215f98 100644
--- a/meshview/mqtt_reader.py
+++ b/meshview/mqtt_reader.py
@@ -25,12 +25,12 @@ def decrypt(packet):
         pass
 
 
-async def get_topic_envelopes(mqtt_server, topics):
+async def get_topic_envelopes(mqtt_server, mqtt_port, topics, mqtt_user, mqtt_passwd):
     identifier = str(random.getrandbits(16))
     while True:
         try:
             async with aiomqtt.Client(
-                mqtt_server, username="meshdev", password="large4cats" , identifier=identifier,
+                mqtt_server, port=mqtt_port , username=mqtt_user, password=mqtt_passwd , identifier=identifier,
             ) as client:
                 for topic in topics:
                     await client.subscribe(topic)