diff --git a/lib/config/GWConfig.cpp b/lib/config/GWConfig.cpp
index ef5daf7..85ca067 100644
--- a/lib/config/GWConfig.cpp
+++ b/lib/config/GWConfig.cpp
@@ -116,26 +116,44 @@ int GwConfigHandler::getInt(const String name,int defaultv) const{
     return i->asInt();
 }
 
+void GwNmeaFilter::handleToken(String token, int index){
+    switch(index){
+        case 0:
+            ais=token.toInt() != 0;
+            break;
+        case 1:
+            blacklist=token.toInt() != 0;
+            break;
+        case 2:
+            int found=0;
+            int last=0;
+            while ((found = token.indexOf(',',last)) >= 0){
+                filter.push_back(token.substring(last,found));   
+                last=found+1;
+            }
+            if (last < token.length()){
+                filter.push_back(token.substring(last));   
+            }
+            break;
+    }    
+}
 void GwNmeaFilter::parseFilter(){
+    // "0:1:RMB,RMC"
+    // 0: AIS off, 1:whitelist, list of sentences
     if (isReady) return;
     int found=0;
     int last=0;
+    int index=0;
     String data=config->asString();
-    while ((found = data.indexOf(',',last)) >= 0){
+    while ((found = data.indexOf(':',last)) >= 0){
         String tok=data.substring(last,found);
-        if (tok != ""){
-            if (tok.startsWith("^")) blacklist.push_back(tok);
-            else whitelist.push_back(tok);
-        }
+        handleToken(tok,index);
         last=found+1;
+        index++;
     }
     if (last < data.length()){
         String tok=data.substring(last);
-        if (tok != "" && tok != "^" ){
-            if (tok.startsWith("^")) blacklist.push_back(tok.substring(1));
-            else whitelist.push_back(tok);
-        }
-
+        handleToken(tok,index);
     }
     isReady=true;    
 }
@@ -144,27 +162,24 @@ bool GwNmeaFilter::canPass(const char *buffer){
     size_t len=strlen(buffer);
     if (len < 5) return false; //invalid NMEA
     if (!isReady) parseFilter();
-    bool hasWhitelist=false;
-    for (auto it=blacklist.begin();it != blacklist.end();it++){
-        if (buffer[0] == '$'){
-            if ((strncmp(buffer,(*it).c_str(),1) == 0) &&
-                (strncmp(buffer+3,(*it).c_str()+1,it->length()-1) == 0)
-                ) return false;
-        }
-        else{
-            if (strncmp(buffer,(*it).c_str(),it->length()) == 0) return false;
-        }
+    if (buffer[0] == '!') return ais;
+    char sentence[4];
+    strncpy(sentence,buffer+3,3);
+    sentence[3]=0;
+    for (auto it=filter.begin();it != filter.end();it++){
+        if (strncmp(sentence,(*it).c_str(),3) == 0) return !blacklist;
     }
-    for (auto it=whitelist.begin();it != whitelist.end();it++){
-        hasWhitelist=true;
-        if (buffer[0] == '$'){
-            if ((strncmp(buffer,(*it).c_str(),1) == 0) &&
-                (strncmp(buffer+3,(*it).c_str()+1,it->length()-1) == 0)
-                ) return true;
-        }
-        else{
-            if (strncmp(buffer,(*it).c_str(),it->length()) == 0) return true;
-        }
+    //if we have a whitelist we return false
+    //if nothing matches
+    return blacklist; 
+}
+String GwNmeaFilter::toString(){
+    parseFilter();
+    String rt("NMEAFilter: ");
+    rt+="ais: "+String(ais);
+    rt+=", bl:"+String(blacklist);
+    for (auto it=filter.begin();it != filter.end();it++){
+        rt+=","+*it;
     }
-    return !hasWhitelist;
+    return rt;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/config/GwConfigItem.h b/lib/config/GwConfigItem.h
index 307452c..babb54e 100644
--- a/lib/config/GwConfigItem.h
+++ b/lib/config/GwConfigItem.h
@@ -53,15 +53,18 @@ class GwNmeaFilter{
     private:
         GwConfigInterface *config=NULL;
         bool isReady=false;
-        std::vector<String> whitelist;
-        std::vector<String> blacklist;
+        bool ais=true;
+        bool blacklist=true;
+        std::vector<String> filter;
+        void handleToken(String token, int index);
         void parseFilter();
     public:
         GwNmeaFilter(GwConfigInterface *config){
             this->config=config;
             isReady=false;
         }
-        bool canPass(const char *buffer);    
+        bool canPass(const char *buffer);
+        String toString();    
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 3c83ee0..e46096b 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -336,6 +336,9 @@ void setup() {
   socketServer.begin();
   usbSerial->flush();
 
+  logger.logDebug(GwLog::LOG,"usbRead: %s", usbReadFilter.toString().c_str());
+  usbSerial->flush();
+
   webserver.registerMainHandler("/api/reset", [](AsyncWebServerRequest *request)->GwRequestMessage *{
     return new ResetRequest();
   });
diff --git a/web/config.json b/web/config.json
index 8284413..5b24802 100644
--- a/web/config.json
+++ b/web/config.json
@@ -41,14 +41,14 @@
         "label": "USB read Filter",
         "type": "filter",
         "default": "",
-        "description": "filter for NMEA0183 data when reading from USB\nempty to let all data pass\nexamples:\n!                      \t: all AIS\n$RMB,$APB \t: only NMEA RMB and APB\n^!                \t: no AIS but other NMEA"
+        "description": "filter for NMEA0183 data when reading from USB\nselect aison|aisoff, set a whitelist or a blacklist with NMEA sentences like RMC,RMB"
     },
     {
         "name": "usbWriteFilter",
         "label": "USB write Filter",
         "type": "filter",
         "default": "",
-        "description": "filter for NMEA0183 data when writing to USB\nempty to let all data pass\nexamples:\n!                      \t: all AIS\n$RMB,$APB \t: only NMEA RMB and APB\n^!                \t: no AIS but other NMEA"
+        "description": "filter for NMEA0183 data when writing to USB\nselect aison|aisoff, set a whitelist or a blacklist with NMEA sentences like RMC,RMB"
     },
     {
         "name": "serialDirection",
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@
         "label": "serial read Filter",
         "type": "filter",
         "default": "",
-        "description": "filter for NMEA0183 data when reading from serial\nempty to let all data pass\nexamples:\n!                      \t: all AIS\n$RMB,$APB \t: only NMEA RMB and APB\n^!                \t: no AIS but other NMEA",
+        "description": "filter for NMEA0183 data when reading from serial\nselect aison|aisoff, set a whitelist or a blacklist with NMEA sentences like RMC,RMB",
         "capabilities":{"serialmode":["RX","BI","UNI"]}
     },
     {
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@
         "label": "serial write Filter",
         "type": "filter",
         "default": "",
-        "description": "filter for NMEA0183 data when writing to serial\nempty to let all data pass\nexamples:\n!                      \t: all AIS\n$RMB,$APB \t: only NMEA RMB and APB\n^!                \t: no AIS but other NMEA",
+        "description": "filter for NMEA0183 data when writing to serial\nselect aison|aisoff, set a whitelist or a blacklist with NMEA sentences like RMC,RMB",
         "capabilities":{"serialmode":["TX","BI","UNI"]}
     },
     {
@@ -149,14 +149,14 @@
         "label": "TCP read Filter",
         "type": "filter",
         "default": "",
-        "description": "filter for NMEA0183 data when reading from TCP\nempty to let all data pass\nexamples:\n!                      \t: all AIS\n$RMB,$APB \t: only NMEA RMB and APB\n^!                \t: no AIS but other NMEA"
+        "description": "filter for NMEA0183 data when reading from TCP\nselect aison|aisoff, set a whitelist or a blacklist with NMEA sentences like RMC,RMB"
     },
     {
         "name": "tcpWriteFilter",
         "label": "TCP write Filter",
         "type": "filter",
         "default": "",
-        "description": "filter for NMEA0183 data when writing to TCP\nempty to let all data pass\nexamples:\n!                      \t: all AIS\n$RMB,$APB \t: only NMEA RMB and APB\n^!                \t: no AIS but other NMEA"
+        "description": "filter for NMEA0183 data when writing to TCP\nselect aison|aisoff, set a whitelist or a blacklist with NMEA sentences like RMC,RMB"
     },
     {
         "name": "sendSeasmart",
diff --git a/web/index.html b/web/index.html
index c4c5a24..6df2586 100644
--- a/web/index.html
+++ b/web/index.html
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@
             let v=jsonData[k];
             el.value=v;
             el.setAttribute('data-loaded',v);
-            checkChange(el);
+            let changeEvent=new Event('change');
+            el.dispatchEvent(changeEvent);
           }
         }
       });
@@ -80,6 +81,9 @@
     let values=document.querySelectorAll('.configForm select , .configForm input');
     for (let i=0;i<values.length;i++){
       let v=values[i];
+      let name=v.getAttribute('name');
+      if (! name) continue;
+      if (name.indexOf("_") >= 0) continue;
       let check=v.getAttribute('data-check');
       if (check){
         if (typeof(self[check]) === 'function'){
@@ -90,7 +94,7 @@
           }
         }
       }
-      url+=v.getAttribute('name')+"="+encodeURIComponent(v.value)+"&";
+      url+=name+"="+encodeURIComponent(v.value)+"&";
     }
     getJson(url)
       .then(function(status){
@@ -152,18 +156,18 @@
     let container=document.getElementById('overlayContainer');
     container.classList.add('hidden');
   }
-  function checkChange(el) {
+  function checkChange(el,row) {
       let loaded = el.getAttribute('data-loaded');
       if (loaded !== undefined) {
         if (loaded != el.value) {
-          el.classList.add('changed');
+          row.classList.add('changed');
         }
         else {
-          el.classList.remove("changed");
+          row.classList.remove("changed");
         }
       }
     }
-  function createInput(configItem){
+  function createInput(configItem,frame){
     let el;
     if (configItem.type === 'boolean' || configItem.type === 'list'){
       el=document.createElement('select')
@@ -184,8 +188,56 @@
         sitemEl.textContent=sitem.l;
         el.appendChild(sitemEl);
       })
+      frame.appendChild(el);
       return el;
     }
+    if (configItem.type === 'filter'){
+      el=document.createElement('div');
+      el.classList.add('filter');
+      let ais=createInput({
+        type:'list',
+        name:configItem.name+"_ais",
+        list:['aison','aisoff']
+      },el);
+      let mode=createInput({
+        type:'list',
+        name:configItem.name+"_mode",
+        list: ['whitelist','blacklist']
+      },el);
+      let sentences=createInput({
+        type:'text',
+        name:configItem.name+"_sentences",
+      },el);
+      let data=document.createElement('input');
+      data.setAttribute('type','hidden');
+      el.appendChild(data);
+      let changeFunction=function(){
+        let cv=data.value||"";
+        let parts=cv.split(":");
+        ais.value=(parts[0]=='0')?"aisoff":"aison";
+        mode.value=(parts[1]=='0')?"whitelist":"blacklist";
+        sentences.value=parts[2]||"";
+      }
+      let updateFunction=function(){
+        let nv=(ais.value == 'aison')?"1":"0";
+        nv+=":";
+        nv+=(mode.value == 'blacklist')?"1":"0";
+        nv+=":";
+        nv+=sentences.value;
+        data.value=nv;
+        let chev=new Event('change');
+        data.dispatchEvent(chev);
+      }
+      mode.addEventListener('change',updateFunction);
+      ais.addEventListener("change",updateFunction);
+      sentences.addEventListener("change",updateFunction);
+      data.addEventListener('change',function(ev){
+        changeFunction();
+      });
+      data.setAttribute('name',configItem.name);
+      frame.appendChild(el);
+      return data;  
+    }
     el=document.createElement('input');
     el.setAttribute('name',configItem.name)
     if (configItem.type === 'password'){
@@ -197,6 +249,7 @@
     else{
       el.setAttribute('type','text');
     }
+    frame.appendChild(el);
     return el;
   }
   let configDefinitions;
@@ -229,21 +282,21 @@
                 labelEl.classList.add('label');
                 labelEl.textContent = label;
                 row.appendChild(labelEl);
-                let valueEl = createInput(item);
+                let valueEl = createInput(item,row);
                 if (!valueEl) return;
                 valueEl.setAttribute('data-default', item.default);
                 valueEl.addEventListener('change', function (ev) {
                   let el = ev.target;
-                  checkChange(el);
+                  checkChange(el,row);
                 })
                 if (item.check) valueEl.setAttribute('data-check', item.check);
-                row.appendChild(valueEl);
                 let bt = document.createElement('button');
                 bt.classList.add('defaultButton');
                 bt.setAttribute('data-default', item.default);
                 bt.addEventListener('click', function (ev) {
                   valueEl.value = valueEl.getAttribute('data-default');
-                  checkChange(valueEl);
+                  let changeEvent=new Event('change');
+                  valueEl.dispatchEvent(changeEvent);
                 })
                 bt.textContent = "X";
                 row.appendChild(bt);
@@ -284,7 +337,10 @@
     border: 1px solid grey;
     max-width: 40em;
 }
-.changed {
+.changed input{
+    color: green
+}
+.changed select{
     color: green
 }
 span.label {
@@ -305,6 +361,9 @@ span#connected.ok{
 .row {
     margin: 0.5em;
 }
+.filter {
+    display: inline-block;
+}
 .buttons {
     padding-left: 1em;
 }