diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0e6d7bb..9ce6d70 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@ hyp.secret
 *.exe
 hypd/hypd
 hyp/hyp
+hypdconfig.json
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hypd/cmd/defaultconfig.go b/hypd/cmd/defaultconfig.go
index 29957f0..d05e868 100644
--- a/hypd/cmd/defaultconfig.go
+++ b/hypd/cmd/defaultconfig.go
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ var defaultconfigCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Use:   "defaultconfig",
 	Short: "Prints the default configuration to stdout",
 	Long: `The default configuration is used if one is not set.  The default configuration
-	can be used as a reference to build your own.  `,
+can be used as a reference to build your own. 
+
+hypd generate defaultconfig | tee hypdconfig.json`,
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		config := configuration.DefaultConfig()
 		b, err := json.MarshalIndent(config, "", "    ")
diff --git a/hypd/cmd/server.go b/hypd/cmd/server.go
index 8fb62e0..8f9ddf3 100644
--- a/hypd/cmd/server.go
+++ b/hypd/cmd/server.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os/user"
 
 	"deadbeef.codes/steven/hyp/hypd/configuration"
 	"deadbeef.codes/steven/hyp/hypd/server"
@@ -13,34 +14,43 @@ import (
 
 // serverCmd represents the server command
 var serverCmd = &cobra.Command{
-	Use:   "server <NIC>",
+	Use:   "server <configFilePath>",
 	Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 	Short: "Runs hyp in server mode",
-	Long: `Runs the hyp server and begins capture on the NIC specified
+	Long: `Runs the hyp server and begins watching for authentic knock sequences.
+
+Before running this command, you must first have a configuration file.  You can
+generate a configuration file with:  hypd generate defaultconfig > hypdconfig.json
+
+You should then edit the config file to meet your needs.  
+
+In addition to a config file you will need to generate pre-shared keys: 
+mkdir -p ./secrets
+hypd generate secret > secrets/mykey.secret
 
 Example Usage:
 
-	# Linux - capture enp0s0
-	hyp server enp0s0
-
-	# Linux - capture eth0
-	hyp server eth0
-
-	# Windows - get-netadapter | where {$_.Name -eq “Ethernet”} | Select-Object -Property DeviceName
-	hyp.exe server "\\Device\\NPF_{A6F067DE-C2DC-4B4E-9C74-BE649C4C0F03}"
+	# Use config file in local directory
+	hypd server hypdconfig.json
 
+	# Use config file in /etc/hyp/
+	hypd server /etc/hyp/hypdconfig.json
 	`,
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		configFile, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("configfile")
+
+		currentUser, err := user.Current()
 		if err != nil {
-			panic(fmt.Errorf("failed to get configfile flag: %w", err))
+			panic(fmt.Errorf("could not determine current user: %w", err))
 		}
-		hypdConfiguration, err := configuration.LoadConfiguration(configFile)
+		if currentUser.Username != "root" {
+			fmt.Println("WARNING: It's recommended you run this as root, but will proceed anyways...")
+		}
+
+		hypdConfiguration, err := configuration.LoadConfiguration(args[0])
 		if err != nil {
 			panic(fmt.Errorf("failed to start packet server: %w", err))
 		}
-
-		err = server.PacketServer(args[0], hypdConfiguration)
+		err = server.PacketServer(hypdConfiguration)
 		if err != nil {
 			panic(fmt.Errorf("failed to start packet server: %w", err))
 		}
@@ -50,6 +60,4 @@ Example Usage:
 
 func init() {
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(serverCmd)
-	serverCmd.PersistentFlags().String("configfile", "", "Path to the file containing the hypd configuration.")
-
 }
diff --git a/hypd/configuration/configuration.go b/hypd/configuration/configuration.go
index a6ff44a..38ce2db 100644
--- a/hypd/configuration/configuration.go
+++ b/hypd/configuration/configuration.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 type HypdConfiguration struct {
+	NetworkInterface      string `json:"networkInterface"`
 	PreSharedKeyDirectory string `json:"preSharedKeyDirectory"` // hypd will load all *.secret files from this directory
 	SuccessAction         string `json:"successAction"`         // The action to take
 	TimeoutSeconds        int    `json:"timeoutSeconds"`        // If > 0, once a knock sequence has been successful this value will count down and when it reaches 0, it will perform the TimeoutAction on the client.
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ type HypdConfiguration struct {
 func LoadConfiguration(configFilePath string) (*HypdConfiguration, error) {
 	if configFilePath == "" {
 		commonLocations := []string{"hypdconfig.json",
+			"~/.hypdconfig.json",
 			"~/.config/hyp/hypdConfig.json",
 			"/etc/hyp/hypdConfig.json",
 			"/usr/local/etc/hyp/hypdConfig.json",
@@ -33,6 +35,7 @@ func LoadConfiguration(configFilePath string) (*HypdConfiguration, error) {
 	}
 	// if it's still not found after checking common locations, load default config
 	if configFilePath == "" {
+		fmt.Println("no configuration file found.  You can generate one with ./hypd generate defaultconfig | tee hypdconfig.json")
 		return DefaultConfig(), nil
 	}
 
@@ -45,17 +48,18 @@ func LoadConfiguration(configFilePath string) (*HypdConfiguration, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to read config file '%s': %w", configFilePath, err)
 	}
 
-	var hypdConfiguration *HypdConfiguration
+	hypdConfiguration := &HypdConfiguration{}
 	err = json.Unmarshal(b, hypdConfiguration)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal config file json to HypdConfiguration (is the config file malformed?): %w", err)
 	}
 
-	return nil, nil
+	return hypdConfiguration, nil
 }
 
 func DefaultConfig() *HypdConfiguration {
 	return &HypdConfiguration{
+		NetworkInterface:      "enp0s3",
 		PreSharedKeyDirectory: "./secrets/",
 		SuccessAction:         "iptables -A INPUT -p tcp -s %s --dport 22 -j ACCEPT",
 		TimeoutSeconds:        1440,
diff --git a/hypd/server/packet.go b/hypd/server/packet.go
index e1f08b7..a90b4f0 100644
--- a/hypd/server/packet.go
+++ b/hypd/server/packet.go
@@ -49,11 +49,11 @@ var (
 // PacketServer is the main function when operating in server mode
 // it sets up the pcap on the capture device and starts a goroutine
 // to rotate the knock sequence
-func PacketServer(captureDevice string, config *configuration.HypdConfiguration) error {
+func PacketServer(config *configuration.HypdConfiguration) error {
 
-	iface, err := net.InterfaceByName(captureDevice)
+	iface, err := net.InterfaceByName(config.NetworkInterface)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Fatalf("lookup network iface %q: %v", captureDevice, err)
+		log.Fatalf("lookup network iface %q: %v", config.NetworkInterface, err)
 	}
 
 	secretBytes, err := os.ReadFile("hyp.secret")