 WiFiUDP aUDP;
 WiFiUDP sUDP;
 
+// the following appear to be ESP32's default AP address/subnet mask
+// required to specify as WiFi.localIP() returns 0.0.0.0 when in AP mode and must use softAPIP() instead
+IPAddress local_ip_address = IPAddress(192,168,4,1);
+IPAddress local_subnet_mask = IPAddress(255,255,255,0);
+
 // direction output from network/input to network
 uint8_t dmx_direction = 0;
 

    xSemaphoreGive( ESP32DMX.lxDataLock );
    
    if ( multicast ) {
      interface->sendDMX(iUDP, DMXWiFiConfig.inputAddress(), WiFi.localIP());
    } else {
      interface->sendDMX(iUDP, DMXWiFiConfig.inputAddress(), INADDR_NONE);
    }


    if ( digitalRead(STARTUP_MODE_PIN) != 0 ) { 
      WiFi.softAPConfig(DMXWiFiConfig.apIPAddress(), DMXWiFiConfig.apGateway(), DMXWiFiConfig.apSubnet());
      local_subnet_mask = DMXWiFiConfig.apSubnet();
    } else {
      Serial.print(" default AP settings ");
      Serial.println(DMXWiFiConfig.nodeName());
    };

    local_ip_address = WiFi.softAPIP();

    Serial.print(" accessPoint SSID ");
    Serial.print(DMXWiFiConfig.SSID());
