diff --git a/ci b/ci
new file mode 160000
index 000000000..da37d5d23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit da37d5d2371435fa73fd5a1f4da7d92b7aafea26
diff --git a/src/Wippersnapper.cpp b/src/Wippersnapper.cpp
index 5a189241c..48968a370 100644
--- a/src/Wippersnapper.cpp
+++ b/src/Wippersnapper.cpp
@@ -32,8 +32,11 @@
  */
 
 #include "Wippersnapper.h"
+#include "Wippersnapper_Networking.h"
 
-Wippersnapper WS;
+// Define the global WS instance as the platform-specific derived class
+// This ensures virtual methods like _connect() route to the correct implementation
+Wippersnapper_WiFi WS;
 
 Wippersnapper::Wippersnapper() {
   _mqtt = 0; // MQTT Client object
diff --git a/src/Wippersnapper.h b/src/Wippersnapper.h
index 6395bcb98..ca38175e0 100644
--- a/src/Wippersnapper.h
+++ b/src/Wippersnapper.h
@@ -501,6 +501,11 @@ class Wippersnapper {
   wippersnapper_signal_v1_CreateSignalRequest
       _outgoingSignalMsg; /*!< Outgoing signal message from device */
 };
-extern Wippersnapper WS; ///< Global member variable for callbacks
+
+// Include networking to get the platform-specific Wippersnapper_WiFi typedef
+#include "Wippersnapper_Networking.h"
+
+// // Global WS instance - defined as platform-specific type in Wippersnapper.cpp
+// extern Wippersnapper_WiFi WS; ///< Global member variable for callbacks
 
 #endif // ADAFRUIT_WIPPERSNAPPER_H
diff --git a/src/components/analogIO/Wippersnapper_AnalogIO.h b/src/components/analogIO/Wippersnapper_AnalogIO.h
index d6a028e47..7cc17759f 100644
--- a/src/components/analogIO/Wippersnapper_AnalogIO.h
+++ b/src/components/analogIO/Wippersnapper_AnalogIO.h
@@ -81,6 +81,5 @@ class Wippersnapper_AnalogIO {
   int32_t _totalAnalogInputPins;      /*!< Total number of analog input pins */
   analogInputPin *_analog_input_pins; /*!< Array of analog pin objects */
 };
-extern Wippersnapper WS; /*!< Wippersnapper variable. */
 
 #endif // WIPPERSNAPPER_DIGITALGPIO_H
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/components/digitalIO/Wippersnapper_DigitalGPIO.h b/src/components/digitalIO/Wippersnapper_DigitalGPIO.h
index 960687ee5..716c8e583 100644
--- a/src/components/digitalIO/Wippersnapper_DigitalGPIO.h
+++ b/src/components/digitalIO/Wippersnapper_DigitalGPIO.h
@@ -57,6 +57,5 @@ class Wippersnapper_DigitalGPIO {
   int32_t
       _totalDigitalInputPins; /*!< Total number of digital-input capable pins */
 };
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
 
 #endif // WIPPERSNAPPER_DIGITALGPIO_H
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/components/display/controller.h b/src/components/display/controller.h
index db463b3d4..e03132db7 100644
--- a/src/components/display/controller.h
+++ b/src/components/display/controller.h
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 #include "Wippersnapper.h"
 #include "hardware.h"
 
-class Wippersnapper_V2; ///< Forward declaration
-class DisplayHardware;  ///< Forward declaration
+class Wippersnapper;   ///< Forward declaration
+class DisplayHardware; ///< Forward declaration
 
 /**************************************************************************/
 /*!
@@ -43,5 +43,5 @@ class DisplayController {
       _hw_instances; ///< Holds pointers to DisplayHardware instances
   unsigned long _last_bar_update; ///< Timestamp of last status bar update
 };
-extern Wippersnapper Ws; ///< Global WS instance
+
 #endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/components/display/drivers/dispDrvThinkInkGrayscale4Eaamfgn.h b/src/components/display/drivers/dispDrvThinkInkGrayscale4Eaamfgn.h
index 291174f64..22490f461 100644
--- a/src/components/display/drivers/dispDrvThinkInkGrayscale4Eaamfgn.h
+++ b/src/components/display/drivers/dispDrvThinkInkGrayscale4Eaamfgn.h
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ class drvDispThinkInkGrayscale4Eaamfgn : public dispDrvBase {
         }
       } else if (message[i] == 0xC2 && message[i + 1] == 0xB0) {
         // Degree symbol
-        _display->write(char(248));
+        _display->write(char(247));
         i++;
       } else {
         _display->print(message[i]);
diff --git a/src/components/display/drivers/dispDrvThinkInkGrayscale4T5.h b/src/components/display/drivers/dispDrvThinkInkGrayscale4T5.h
index ed266e00b..bc1840d57 100644
--- a/src/components/display/drivers/dispDrvThinkInkGrayscale4T5.h
+++ b/src/components/display/drivers/dispDrvThinkInkGrayscale4T5.h
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ class dispDrvThinkInkGrayscale4T5 : public dispDrvBase {
           i++;
         }
       } else if (message[i] == 0xC2 && message[i + 1] == 0xB0) {
-        _display->write(char(248));
+        // Degree symbol
+        _display->write(char(247));
         i++;
       } else {
         _display->print(message[i]);
diff --git a/src/components/ds18x20/ws_ds18x20.h b/src/components/ds18x20/ws_ds18x20.h
index 5398d4c4f..293fda017 100644
--- a/src/components/ds18x20/ws_ds18x20.h
+++ b/src/components/ds18x20/ws_ds18x20.h
@@ -60,6 +60,5 @@ class ws_ds18x20 {
   std::vector<ds18x20Obj *>
       _ds18xDrivers; ///< Vec. of ptrs. to ds18x driver objects
 };
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
 
 #endif // WIPPERSNAPPER_DS18X20_H
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/components/i2c/WipperSnapper_I2C.h b/src/components/i2c/WipperSnapper_I2C.h
index d36ef0766..712b6fc7d 100644
--- a/src/components/i2c/WipperSnapper_I2C.h
+++ b/src/components/i2c/WipperSnapper_I2C.h
@@ -232,6 +232,5 @@ class WipperSnapper_Component_I2C {
   WipperSnapper_I2C_Driver_Out_SH1107 *_sh1107 = nullptr;
   WipperSnapper_I2C_Driver_Out_Ssd1306 *_ssd1306 = nullptr;
 };
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
 
 #endif // WipperSnapper_Component_I2C_H
diff --git a/src/components/ledc/ws_ledc.h b/src/components/ledc/ws_ledc.h
index d206767a6..10e287947 100644
--- a/src/components/ledc/ws_ledc.h
+++ b/src/components/ledc/ws_ledc.h
@@ -55,6 +55,5 @@ class ws_ledc {
   bool analogWrite(uint8_t pin, int value);
   uint32_t tone(uint8_t pin, uint32_t freq);
 };
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
 
 #endif // ws_ledc_H
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/components/pixels/ws_pixels.h b/src/components/pixels/ws_pixels.h
index 9fbe98618..7267e3cdb 100644
--- a/src/components/pixels/ws_pixels.h
+++ b/src/components/pixels/ws_pixels.h
@@ -68,5 +68,5 @@ class ws_pixels {
   void publishAddStrandResponse(bool is_success, char *pixels_pin_data);
   uint32_t getGammaCorrectedColor(uint32_t pixel_color, strand_s strand);
 };
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
+
 #endif // WS_PIXELS
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/components/pwm/ws_pwm.h b/src/components/pwm/ws_pwm.h
index 6a201b2ce..480b82e70 100644
--- a/src/components/pwm/ws_pwm.h
+++ b/src/components/pwm/ws_pwm.h
@@ -45,6 +45,5 @@ class ws_pwm {
 private:
   ws_ledc *_ledcMgr = nullptr; ///< pointer to ws_ledc
 };
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
 
 #endif // WS_PWM
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/components/register/Wippersnapper_Register.cpp b/src/components/register/Wippersnapper_Register.cpp
index c38a4dbd2..04828c3d8 100644
--- a/src/components/register/Wippersnapper_Register.cpp
+++ b/src/components/register/Wippersnapper_Register.cpp
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@
  */
 #include "Wippersnapper.h"
 
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
-
 /****************************************************************************/
 /*!
     @brief    Encodes hardware registration request message and publishes
diff --git a/src/components/servo/ws_servo.h b/src/components/servo/ws_servo.h
index f0c8062a1..e24e2908f 100644
--- a/src/components/servo/ws_servo.h
+++ b/src/components/servo/ws_servo.h
@@ -71,6 +71,5 @@ class ws_servo {
   servoComponent _servos[MAX_SERVO_NUM]; ///< Container of servo objects and
                                          ///< their associated pin #s
 };
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
 
 #endif // WS_SERVO
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/components/statusLED/Wippersnapper_StatusLED.cpp b/src/components/statusLED/Wippersnapper_StatusLED.cpp
index 4cbdd4c85..619470a2c 100644
--- a/src/components/statusLED/Wippersnapper_StatusLED.cpp
+++ b/src/components/statusLED/Wippersnapper_StatusLED.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 #include "Wippersnapper_StatusLED.h"
 #include "Wippersnapper.h"
 
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
 #ifdef USE_STATUS_NEOPIXEL
 Adafruit_NeoPixel *statusPixel = new Adafruit_NeoPixel(
     STATUS_NEOPIXEL_NUM, STATUS_NEOPIXEL_PIN, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);
diff --git a/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_AIRLIFT.h b/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_AIRLIFT.h
index 081b0692f..ad6473268 100644
--- a/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_AIRLIFT.h
+++ b/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_AIRLIFT.h
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
 #define SPIWIFI SPI /*!< Instance of SPI interface used by an AirLift. */
 #endif
 
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
 /****************************************************************************/
 /*!
     @brief  Class for using the AirLift Co-Processor network iface.
diff --git a/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP32.h b/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP32.h
index dc251fe3c..43fc803f5 100644
--- a/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP32.h
+++ b/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP32.h
@@ -27,7 +27,9 @@
 #include "WiFiMulti.h"
 #include <NetworkClient.h>
 #include <NetworkClientSecure.h>
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
+
+class Wippersnapper_ESP32;
+extern Wippersnapper_ESP32 WS;
 
 /****************************************************************************/
 /*!
@@ -359,5 +361,6 @@ class Wippersnapper_ESP32 : public Wippersnapper {
   }
 };
 
+
 #endif // ARDUINO_ARCH_ESP32_H
 #endif // Wippersnapper_ESP32_H
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP8266.h b/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP8266.h
index 7f0f6164d..ce67b10a9 100644
--- a/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP8266.h
+++ b/src/network_interfaces/Wippersnapper_ESP8266.h
@@ -39,8 +39,6 @@
 // static const char *fingerprint PROGMEM =  "47 D2 CB 14 DF 38 97 59 C6 65 1A
 // 1F 3E 00 1E 53 CC A5 17 E0";
 
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
-
 /******************************************************************************/
 /*!
     @brief  Class for interacting with the Espressif ESP8266's network
diff --git a/src/network_interfaces/ws_networking_pico.h b/src/network_interfaces/ws_networking_pico.h
index e6ebf7348..282b741ef 100644
--- a/src/network_interfaces/ws_networking_pico.h
+++ b/src/network_interfaces/ws_networking_pico.h
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 #include "Arduino.h"
 #include <WiFiClient.h>
 #include <WiFiClientSecure.h>
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
 
 /****************************************************************************/
 /*!
diff --git a/src/provisioning/littlefs/WipperSnapper_LittleFS.h b/src/provisioning/littlefs/WipperSnapper_LittleFS.h
index 782e8569b..9559de612 100644
--- a/src/provisioning/littlefs/WipperSnapper_LittleFS.h
+++ b/src/provisioning/littlefs/WipperSnapper_LittleFS.h
@@ -36,5 +36,4 @@ class WipperSnapper_LittleFS {
   void fsHalt(String msg);
 };
 
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
 #endif // WIPPERSNAPPER_LITTLEFS_H
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/provisioning/tinyusb/Wippersnapper_FS.h b/src/provisioning/tinyusb/Wippersnapper_FS.h
index 7068cd691..3686029b2 100644
--- a/src/provisioning/tinyusb/Wippersnapper_FS.h
+++ b/src/provisioning/tinyusb/Wippersnapper_FS.h
@@ -61,5 +61,4 @@ class Wippersnapper_FS {
                             WipperSnapper, False otherwise. */
 };
 
-extern Wippersnapper WS;
 #endif // WIPPERSNAPPER_FS_H
\ No newline at end of file