diff --git a/lib/channel/GwChannelInterface.h b/lib/channel/GwChannelInterface.h
index 68f519b..a028eff 100644
--- a/lib/channel/GwChannelInterface.h
+++ b/lib/channel/GwChannelInterface.h
@@ -7,4 +7,5 @@ class GwChannelInterface{
         virtual size_t sendToClients(const char *buffer, int sourceId, bool partial=false)=0;
         virtual Stream * getStream(bool partialWrites){ return NULL;}
         virtual String getMode(){return "UNKNOWN";}
+        virtual int getType()=0; //return the numeric type
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/channel/GwChannelList.cpp b/lib/channel/GwChannelList.cpp
index c9db748..87755b4 100644
--- a/lib/channel/GwChannelList.cpp
+++ b/lib/channel/GwChannelList.cpp
@@ -285,8 +285,8 @@ static  ChannelParam channelParameters[]={
 };
 
 template<typename T>
-GwSerial* createSerial(GwLog *logger, T* s,int id, bool canRead=true){
-    return new GwSerialImpl<T>(logger,s,id,canRead);
+GwSerial* createSerial(GwLog *logger, T* s,int id, int type, bool canRead=true){
+    return new GwSerialImpl<T>(logger,s,id,type,canRead);
 } 
 
 static ChannelParam * findChannelParam(int id){
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ static ChannelParam * findChannelParam(int id){
     return param;
 }
 
-static GwSerial * createSerialImpl(GwConfigHandler *config,GwLog *logger, int idx,int rx,int tx, bool setLog=false){
+static GwSerial * createSerialImpl(GwConfigHandler *config,GwLog *logger, int idx,int type,int rx,int tx, bool setLog){
     LOG_DEBUG(GwLog::DEBUG,"create serial: channel=%d, rx=%d,tx=%d",
         idx,rx,tx);
     ChannelParam *param=findChannelParam(idx);
@@ -312,13 +312,13 @@ static GwSerial * createSerialImpl(GwConfigHandler *config,GwLog *logger, int id
     GwLog *streamLog=setLog?nullptr:logger;
     switch(param->id){
         case USB_CHANNEL_ID:
-            serialStream=createSerial(streamLog,&USBSerial,param->id);
+            serialStream=createSerial(streamLog,&USBSerial,param->id,type);
             break;
         case SERIAL1_CHANNEL_ID:
-            serialStream=createSerial(streamLog,&Serial1,param->id);
+            serialStream=createSerial(streamLog,&Serial1,param->id,type);
             break;
         case SERIAL2_CHANNEL_ID:
-            serialStream=createSerial(streamLog,&Serial2,param->id);
+            serialStream=createSerial(streamLog,&Serial2,param->id,type);
             break;
     }
     if (serialStream == nullptr){
@@ -332,12 +332,13 @@ static GwSerial * createSerialImpl(GwConfigHandler *config,GwLog *logger, int id
     }
     return serialStream;
 }
-static GwChannel * createChannel(GwLog *logger, GwConfigHandler *config, int id,GwChannelInterface *impl, int type=GWSERIAL_TYPE_BI){
+static GwChannel * createChannel(GwLog *logger, GwConfigHandler *config, int id,GwChannelInterface *impl){
     ChannelParam *param=findChannelParam(id);
     if (param == nullptr){
         LOG_DEBUG(GwLog::ERROR,"invalid channel id %d",id);
         return nullptr;
     }
+    int type=impl->getType();
     bool canRead=false;
     bool canWrite=false;
     bool validType=false;
@@ -425,10 +426,10 @@ void GwChannelList::begin(bool fallbackSerial){
     GwChannel *channel=NULL;
     //usb
     if (! fallbackSerial){
-        GwSerial *usbSerial=createSerialImpl(config, logger,USB_CHANNEL_ID,GWUSB_RX,GWUSB_TX,true);
+        GwSerial *usbSerial=createSerialImpl(config, logger,USB_CHANNEL_ID,GWSERIAL_TYPE_BI,GWUSB_RX,GWUSB_TX,true);
         if (usbSerial != nullptr){
             usbSerial->enableWriteLock(); //as it is used for logging we need this additionally
-            GwChannel *usbChannel=createChannel(logger,config,USB_CHANNEL_ID,usbSerial,GWSERIAL_TYPE_BI);
+            GwChannel *usbChannel=createChannel(logger,config,USB_CHANNEL_ID,usbSerial);
             if (usbChannel != nullptr){
                 addChannel(usbChannel);
             }
@@ -445,9 +446,9 @@ void GwChannelList::begin(bool fallbackSerial){
     //new serial config handling
     for (auto &&init:serialInits){
         LOG_INFO("creating serial channel %d, rx=%d,tx=%d,type=%d",init.serial,init.rx,init.tx,init.mode);
-        GwSerial *ser=createSerialImpl(config,logger,init.serial,init.rx,init.tx);
+        GwSerial *ser=createSerialImpl(config,logger,init.serial,init.mode,init.rx,init.tx,false);
         if (ser != nullptr){
-            channel=createChannel(logger,config,init.serial,ser,init.mode);
+            channel=createChannel(logger,config,init.serial,ser);
             if (channel != nullptr){
                 addChannel(channel);
             }
@@ -466,8 +467,8 @@ void GwChannelList::begin(bool fallbackSerial){
             config->getInt(config->remotePort),
             config->getBool(config->readTCL)
         );
+        addChannel(createChannel(logger,config,TCP_CLIENT_CHANNEL_ID,client));
     }
-    addChannel(createChannel(logger,config,TCP_CLIENT_CHANNEL_ID,client));
 
     //udp writer
     if (config->getBool(GwConfigDefinitions::udpwEnabled)){
diff --git a/lib/serial/GwSerial.cpp b/lib/serial/GwSerial.cpp
index b23c52f..e6ec320 100644
--- a/lib/serial/GwSerial.cpp
+++ b/lib/serial/GwSerial.cpp
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ String GwSerial::getMode(){
     }
     return "UNKNOWN";
 }
+int GwSerial::getType() {
+    return type;
+}
 
 bool GwSerial::isInitialized() { return initialized; }
 size_t GwSerial::enqueue(const uint8_t *data, size_t len, bool partial)
diff --git a/lib/serial/GwSerial.h b/lib/serial/GwSerial.h
index 1932878..51c9100 100644
--- a/lib/serial/GwSerial.h
+++ b/lib/serial/GwSerial.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ class GwSerial : public GwChannelInterface{
         bool getAvailableWrite(){return availableWrite;}
         virtual void begin(unsigned long baud, uint32_t config=SERIAL_8N1, int8_t rxPin=-1, int8_t txPin=-1)=0;
         virtual String getMode() override;
+        virtual int getType() override;
     friend GwSerialStream;
 };
 
@@ -122,6 +123,7 @@ template<typename T>
             setError(serial,logger);
         };
 
+
     };
 
 
diff --git a/lib/socketserver/GwSocketServer.cpp b/lib/socketserver/GwSocketServer.cpp
index 185e3a4..53ccb82 100644
--- a/lib/socketserver/GwSocketServer.cpp
+++ b/lib/socketserver/GwSocketServer.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "GwBuffer.h"
 #include "GwSocketConnection.h"
 #include "GwSocketHelper.h"
+#include "GwHardware.h"
 
 GwSocketServer::GwSocketServer(const GwConfigHandler *config, GwLog *logger, int minId)
 {
@@ -185,4 +186,6 @@ int GwSocketServer::numClients()
 }
 GwSocketServer::~GwSocketServer()
 {
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+int GwSocketServer::getType() {return GWSERIAL_TYPE_BI;}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/socketserver/GwSocketServer.h b/lib/socketserver/GwSocketServer.h
index 248fc95..dcee8fc 100644
--- a/lib/socketserver/GwSocketServer.h
+++ b/lib/socketserver/GwSocketServer.h
@@ -27,5 +27,6 @@ class GwSocketServer: public GwChannelInterface{
         virtual size_t sendToClients(const char *buf,int sourceId, bool partialWrite=false);
         int numClients();
         virtual void readMessages(GwMessageFetcher *writer);
+        virtual int getType() override;
 };
 #endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/socketserver/GwTcpClient.cpp b/lib/socketserver/GwTcpClient.cpp
index 2792300..f3761db 100644
--- a/lib/socketserver/GwTcpClient.cpp
+++ b/lib/socketserver/GwTcpClient.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include <functional>
 #include <ESPmDNS.h>
 #include "GwSocketHelper.h"
+#include "GwHardware.h"
 
 class ResolveArgs{
     public:
@@ -291,4 +292,6 @@ void GwTcpClient::setResolved(IPAddress addr, bool valid){
 GwTcpClient::ResolvedAddress GwTcpClient::getResolved(){
     GWSYNCHRONIZED(locker);
     return resolvedAddress;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+int GwTcpClient::getType(){return GWSERIAL_TYPE_BI;}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/socketserver/GwTcpClient.h b/lib/socketserver/GwTcpClient.h
index 25cc654..8665e04 100644
--- a/lib/socketserver/GwTcpClient.h
+++ b/lib/socketserver/GwTcpClient.h
@@ -53,4 +53,5 @@ public:
     virtual void readMessages(GwMessageFetcher *writer);
     bool isConnected();
     String getError(){return error;}
+    virtual int getType() override;
 };
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/socketserver/GwUdpReader.cpp b/lib/socketserver/GwUdpReader.cpp
index 612eb10..f5927be 100644
--- a/lib/socketserver/GwUdpReader.cpp
+++ b/lib/socketserver/GwUdpReader.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include "GwSocketConnection.h"
 #include "GwSocketHelper.h"
 #include "GWWifi.h"
+#include "GwHardware.h"
 
 
 GwUdpReader::GwUdpReader(const GwConfigHandler *config, GwLog *logger, int minId)
@@ -164,4 +165,5 @@ size_t GwUdpReader::sendToClients(const char *buf, int source,bool partial)
 
 GwUdpReader::~GwUdpReader()
 {
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+int GwUdpReader::getType(){return GWSERIAL_TYPE_BI;}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/socketserver/GwUdpReader.h b/lib/socketserver/GwUdpReader.h
index 08c56bb..199096d 100644
--- a/lib/socketserver/GwUdpReader.h
+++ b/lib/socketserver/GwUdpReader.h
@@ -41,5 +41,6 @@ class GwUdpReader: public GwChannelInterface{
         virtual void loop(bool handleRead=true,bool handleWrite=true);
         virtual size_t sendToClients(const char *buf,int sourceId, bool partialWrite=false);
         virtual void readMessages(GwMessageFetcher *writer);
+        virtual int getType() override;
 };
 #endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/socketserver/GwUdpWriter.cpp b/lib/socketserver/GwUdpWriter.cpp
index c91880e..3ab9236 100644
--- a/lib/socketserver/GwUdpWriter.cpp
+++ b/lib/socketserver/GwUdpWriter.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include "GwSocketConnection.h"
 #include "GwSocketHelper.h"
 #include "GWWifi.h"
+#include "GwHardware.h"
 
 GwUdpWriter::WriterSocket::WriterSocket(GwLog *l,int p,const String &src,const String &dst, SourceMode sm) :
      sourceMode(sm), source(src), destination(dst), port(p),logger(l)
@@ -200,4 +201,6 @@ size_t GwUdpWriter::sendToClients(const char *buf, int source,bool partial)
 
 GwUdpWriter::~GwUdpWriter()
 {
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+int GwUdpWriter::getType() {return GWSERIAL_TYPE_BI;}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/socketserver/GwUdpWriter.h b/lib/socketserver/GwUdpWriter.h
index e17a17e..3299cde 100644
--- a/lib/socketserver/GwUdpWriter.h
+++ b/lib/socketserver/GwUdpWriter.h
@@ -69,5 +69,6 @@ class GwUdpWriter: public GwChannelInterface{
         virtual void loop(bool handleRead=true,bool handleWrite=true);
         virtual size_t sendToClients(const char *buf,int sourceId, bool partialWrite=false);
         virtual void readMessages(GwMessageFetcher *writer);
+        virtual int getType() override;
 };
 #endif
\ No newline at end of file