diff --git a/src/WebSockets.cpp b/src/WebSockets.cpp
index 2d3a254..fa547ca 100644
--- a/src/WebSockets.cpp
+++ b/src/WebSockets.cpp
@@ -375,8 +375,7 @@ bool WebSockets::handleWebsocketWaitFor(WSclient_t * client, size_t size) {
             // timeout or error
             server->clientDisconnect(client, 1002);
         }
-    },
-                                                                                          this, size, std::placeholders::_1, std::placeholders::_2));
+    }, this, size, std::placeholders::_1, std::placeholders::_2));
     return false;
 }
 
@@ -459,7 +458,12 @@ void WebSockets::handleWebsocketCb(WSclient_t * client) {
             clientDisconnect(client, 1011);
             return;
         }
-        readCb(client, payload, header->payloadLen, std::bind(&WebSockets::handleWebsocketPayloadCb, this, std::placeholders::_1, std::placeholders::_2, payload));
+        //readCb(client, payload, header->payloadLen, std::bind(&WebSockets::handleWebsocketPayloadCb, this, std::placeholders::_1, std::placeholders::_2, payload));
+        //todo this is because the original arguments don't match
+        readCb(client, payload, header->payloadLen, [this, payload](WSclient_t * client, bool ok) {
+            // Call the original method with the additional `payload` argument
+            this->handleWebsocketPayloadCb(client, ok, payload);
+        });
     } else {
         handleWebsocketPayloadCb(client, true, NULL);
     }
@@ -676,7 +680,7 @@ size_t WebSockets::write(WSclient_t * client, uint8_t * out, size_t n) {
     unsigned long t = millis();
     size_t len      = 0;
     size_t total    = 0;
-    DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("[write] n: %zu t: %lu\n", n, t);
+    DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("[write][%d] n: %zu t: %lu\n", client->num, n, t);
     while(n > 0) {
         if(client->tcp == NULL) {
             DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("[write] tcp is null!\n");
@@ -684,24 +688,24 @@ size_t WebSockets::write(WSclient_t * client, uint8_t * out, size_t n) {
         }
 
         if(!client->tcp->connected()) {
-            DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("[write] not connected!\n");
+            DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("[write][%d] not connected!\n", client->num);
             break;
         }
 
         if((millis() - t) > WEBSOCKETS_TCP_TIMEOUT) {
-            DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("[write] write TIMEOUT! %lu\n", (millis() - t));
+            DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("[write][%d] write TIMEOUT! %lu\n", client->num, (millis() - t));
             break;
         }
 
         len = client->tcp->write((const uint8_t *)out, n);
         if(len) {
-            t = millis();
+            t = millis();   //why restart time?
             out += len;
             n -= len;
             total += len;
-            // DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("write %d left %d!\n", len, n);
+            DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("WS[write] normal sent: %d, left: %d, t: %lu\n", len, n, millis());
         } else {
-            DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("WS write %d failed left %d!\n", len, n);
+            DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("WS [write][%d] error sent: %d, left: %d, %lu\n", client->num, len, n, millis());
         }
         if(n > 0) {
             WEBSOCKETS_YIELD();
@@ -740,7 +744,7 @@ void WebSockets::enableHeartbeat(WSclient_t * client, uint32_t pingInterval, uin
  * @param client WSclient_t *
  */
 void WebSockets::handleHBTimeout(WSclient_t * client) {
-    if(client->pingInterval) {    // if heartbeat is enabled
+    if( (client->pingInterval)  && (client->status == WSC_CONNECTED)) {    // if heartbeat is enabled and connected
         uint32_t pi = millis() - client->lastPing;
 
         if(client->pongReceived) {
@@ -748,9 +752,10 @@ void WebSockets::handleHBTimeout(WSclient_t * client) {
         } else {
             if(pi > client->pongTimeout) {    // pong not received in time
                 client->pongTimeoutCount++;
-                client->lastPing = millis() - client->pingInterval - 500;    // force ping on the next run
 
-                DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("[HBtimeout] pong TIMEOUT! lp=%d millis=%lu pi=%d count=%d\n", client->lastPing, millis(), pi, client->pongTimeoutCount);
+                DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("[HBtimeout][%d] pong TIMEOUT! lp=%d millis=%lu pi=%d count=%d\n", client->num, client->lastPing, millis(), pi, client->pongTimeoutCount);
+
+                client->lastPing = millis() - client->pingInterval - 500;    //force send ping next loop, next time out in client->pongTimeout
 
                 if(client->disconnectTimeoutCount && client->pongTimeoutCount >= client->disconnectTimeoutCount) {
                     DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("[HBtimeout] count=%d, DISCONNECTING\n", client->pongTimeoutCount);
diff --git a/src/WebSockets.h b/src/WebSockets.h
index c918c9f..226ae82 100644
--- a/src/WebSockets.h
+++ b/src/WebSockets.h
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
         DEBUG_ESP_PORT.flush();             \
     }
 #else
-// #define DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS(...) os_printf( __VA_ARGS__ )
+    //#define DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS(...) os_printf( __VA_ARGS__ )   // Uncomment to debug
 #endif
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/WebSocketsServer.cpp b/src/WebSocketsServer.cpp
index d3857e6..7b26d62 100644
--- a/src/WebSocketsServer.cpp
+++ b/src/WebSocketsServer.cpp
@@ -451,8 +451,10 @@ WSclient_t * WebSocketsServerCore::newClient(WEBSOCKETS_NETWORK_CLASS * TCPclien
                 return client;
             }
 #endif
+            DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("[WS-Server][newclient][%d] is in use\n", client->num);
         } else {
             // state is not connected or tcp connection is lost
+        	DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("[WS-Server][newclient][%d] available for connection\n", client->num);
             client->tcp = TCPclient;
 
 #if(WEBSOCKETS_NETWORK_TYPE == NETWORK_ESP8266) || (WEBSOCKETS_NETWORK_TYPE == NETWORK_ESP32)
@@ -491,9 +493,10 @@ WSclient_t * WebSocketsServerCore::newClient(WEBSOCKETS_NETWORK_CLASS * TCPclien
 
             client->pingInterval           = _pingInterval;
             client->pongTimeout            = _pongTimeout;
+            client->pongTimeoutCount       = 0;             //gw addition reset to zero for new client
             client->disconnectTimeoutCount = _disconnectTimeoutCount;
             client->lastPing               = millis();
-            client->pongReceived           = false;
+            client->pongReceived           = true;         //gw set true - no spurious timeout before first ping sent following WSC_CONNECTED
 
             return client;
             break;
@@ -599,6 +602,8 @@ void WebSocketsServerCore::clientDisconnect(WSclient_t * client) {
     DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("[WS-Server][%d] client disconnected.\n", client->num);
 
     runCbEvent(client->num, WStype_DISCONNECTED, NULL, 0);
+
+    DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("WS-Server][%d], pongTimeoutCount %d, (should be zero)\n", client->num, client->pongTimeoutCount);  //todo this is for testing
 }
 
 /**
@@ -657,6 +662,9 @@ WSclient_t * WebSocketsServerCore::handleNewClient(WEBSOCKETS_NETWORK_CLASS * tc
         return nullptr;
     }
 
+    //test to see if ping timeout values are correct  todo remove
+    DEBUG_WEBSOCKETS("[WS-Client] [handleNewClients] [%d] PongTimeoutCount %d, should be zero for new client\n", client->num, client->pongTimeoutCount);
+
     WEBSOCKETS_YIELD();
 
     return client;
@@ -882,8 +890,8 @@ void WebSocketsServerCore::handleHeader(WSclient_t * client, String * headerLine
 
             headerDone(client);
 
-            // send ping
-            WebSockets::sendFrame(client, WSop_ping);
+            // Send HeartBeat Ping if enabled
+            handleHBPing(client);
 
             runCbEvent(client->num, WStype_CONNECTED, (uint8_t *)client->cUrl.c_str(), client->cUrl.length());
 
@@ -897,7 +905,7 @@ void WebSocketsServerCore::handleHeader(WSclient_t * client, String * headerLine
  * send heartbeat ping to server in set intervals
  */
 void WebSocketsServerCore::handleHBPing(WSclient_t * client) {
-    if(client->pingInterval == 0)
+    if( (client->pingInterval == 0) || client->status != WSC_CONNECTED)
         return;
     uint32_t pi = millis() - client->lastPing;
     if(pi > client->pingInterval) {