diff --git a/gaugemqttcontinuous.py b/gaugemqttcontinuous.py
index f888d26..e928528 100644
--- a/gaugemqttcontinuous.py
+++ b/gaugemqttcontinuous.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import network
 import utime
 import ujson
 import urandom
+print("DEBUG: imports done")
 from umqtt.robust import MQTTClient
 from machine import Pin
 from neopixel import NeoPixel
@@ -265,72 +266,17 @@ print("DEBUG: _DEVICE defined")
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 print("DEBUG: about to set wifi globals")
+print("DEBUG: setting _wifi_reconnect_delay_s...")
 _wifi_reconnect_delay_s = 5
+print("DEBUG: setting _wifi_check_interval_ms...")
 _wifi_check_interval_ms = 30000
+print("DEBUG: setting _last_wifi_check...")
 _last_wifi_check = 0
+print("DEBUG: setting _wifi_sta...")
 _wifi_sta = None
 print("DEBUG: wifi globals set")
 
-
-def connect_wifi(ssid, password, timeout_s=15):
-    global _wifi_sta
-    _wifi_sta = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)
-    _wifi_sta.active(True)
-    if _wifi_sta.isconnected():
-        ip, mask, gw, dns = _wifi_sta.ifconfig()
-        info("WiFi already connected")
-        info(f"  IP:{ip}  mask:{mask}  gw:{gw}  dns:{dns}")
-        return ip
-    info(f"WiFi connecting to '{ssid}' ...")
-    _wifi_sta.connect(ssid, password)
-    deadline = utime.time() + timeout_s
-    while not _wifi_sta.isconnected():
-        if utime.time() > deadline:
-            log_err(f"WiFi connect timeout after {timeout_s}s")
-            raise OSError("WiFi connect timeout")
-        utime.sleep_ms(200)
-    ip, mask, gw, dns = _wifi_sta.ifconfig()
-    mac = ":".join(f"{b:02x}" for b in _wifi_sta.config("mac"))
-    info("WiFi connected!")
-    info(f"  SSID    : {ssid}")
-    info(f"  MAC     : {mac}")
-    info(f"  IP      : {ip}  mask:{mask}  gw:{gw}  dns:{dns}")
-    return ip
-
-
-def check_wifi():
-    global _wifi_sta, _last_wifi_check, _wifi_reconnect_delay_s
-    now = utime.ticks_ms()
-    if utime.ticks_diff(now, _last_wifi_check) < _wifi_check_interval_ms:
-        return
-    _last_wifi_check = now
-
-    if _wifi_sta is None:
-        _wifi_sta = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)
-
-    if _wifi_sta.isconnected():
-        return
-
-    log_err("WiFi lost connection — attempting reconnect...")
-    try:
-        _wifi_sta.active(True)
-        _wifi_sta.connect(WIFI_SSID, WIFI_PASSWORD)
-        deadline = utime.time() + 15
-        while not _wifi_sta.isconnected():
-            if utime.time() > deadline:
-                log_err("WiFi reconnect timeout")
-                return
-            utime.sleep_ms(200)
-        ip, mask, gw, dns = _wifi_sta.ifconfig()
-        info(f"WiFi reconnected! IP:{ip}")
-    except Exception as e:
-        log_err(f"WiFi reconnect failed: {e}")
-
-
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# LEDs (per gauge)
-# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
+print("DEBUG: about to init LED pins")
 num_gauges = len(gauges)
 leds_red = []
 leds_green = []
@@ -338,6 +284,7 @@ leds_bl = []
 for g in gauges:
     leds_red.append(Pin(g["red_pin"], Pin.OUT, value=0))
     leds_green.append(Pin(g["green_pin"], Pin.OUT, value=0))
+print("DEBUG: LED pins initialized")
 
 total_backlight_leds = num_gauges * (BACKLIGHT_LEDS_PER_GAUGE + STATUS_LEDS_PER_GAUGE)
 print(f"DEBUG: initializing NeoPixel on pin {BACKLIGHT_PIN} with {total_backlight_leds} LEDs")