diff --git a/adafruit_esp32spi/adafruit_esp32spi.py b/adafruit_esp32spi/adafruit_esp32spi.py
index 7f67479..41ede37 100644
--- a/adafruit_esp32spi/adafruit_esp32spi.py
+++ b/adafruit_esp32spi/adafruit_esp32spi.py
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ _GET_CURR_RSSI_CMD     = const(0x25)
 _GET_CURR_ENCT_CMD     = const(0x26)
 
 _SCAN_NETWORKS         = const(0x27)
+_START_SERVER_TCP_CMD  = const(0x28)
 _GET_SOCKET_CMD        = const(0x3F)
 _GET_STATE_TCP_CMD     = const(0x29)
 _DATA_SENT_TCP_CMD     = const(0x2A)
@@ -662,6 +663,25 @@ class ESP_SPIcontrol:  # pylint: disable=too-many-public-methods
         if resp[0][0] != 1:
             raise RuntimeError("Failed to close socket")
 
+    def start_server(self, port, socket_num, conn_mode=TCP_MODE, ip=None):
+        if self._debug:
+            print("*** starting server")
+        self._socknum_ll[0][0] = socket_num
+        port_param = struct.pack('>H', port)
+        if ip:      # use the 4 arg version
+            resp = self._send_command_get_response(_START_SERVER_TCP_CMD,
+                                                    (ip,
+                                                    port_param,
+                                                    self._socknum_ll[0],
+                                                    (conn_mode,)))
+        else:       # use the 3 arg version
+            resp = self._send_command_get_response(_START_SERVER_TCP_CMD,
+                                                (port_param,
+                                                self._socknum_ll[0],
+                                                (conn_mode,)))
+        if resp[0][0] != 1:
+            raise RuntimeError("Could not start server")
+
     def set_esp_debug(self, enabled):
         """Enable/disable debug mode on the ESP32. Debug messages will be
         written to the ESP32's UART."""
diff --git a/adafruit_esp32spi/adafruit_esp32spi_socket.py b/adafruit_esp32spi/adafruit_esp32spi_socket.py
index ccf5b4f..9aef70b 100644
--- a/adafruit_esp32spi/adafruit_esp32spi_socket.py
+++ b/adafruit_esp32spi/adafruit_esp32spi_socket.py
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ class socket:
             raise RuntimeError("Only SOCK_STREAM type supported")
         self._buffer = b''
         self._socknum = _the_interface.get_socket()
+        print("socknum: ", self._socknum)
         self.settimeout(0)
 
     def connect(self, address, conntype=None):
@@ -148,6 +149,9 @@ class socket:
         """Set the read timeout for sockets, if value is 0 it will block"""
         self._timeout = value
 
+    def get_sock_num(self):
+        return self._socknum
+
     def close(self):
         """Close the socket, after reading whatever remains"""
         _the_interface.socket_close(self._socknum)
diff --git a/examples/esp32spi_server.py b/examples/esp32spi_server.py
index 56cb52d..3883116 100644
--- a/examples/esp32spi_server.py
+++ b/examples/esp32spi_server.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from secrets import secrets
 from adafruit_esp32spi import adafruit_esp32spi
 import adafruit_esp32spi.adafruit_esp32spi_requests as requests
 import adafruit_esp32spi.adafruit_esp32spi_wifimanager as wifimanager
+import adafruit_esp32spi.adafruit_esp32spi_socket as socket
 
 print("ESP32 SPI web server test!!!!!!")
 
@@ -19,6 +20,30 @@ esp = adafruit_esp32spi.ESP_SPIcontrol(spi, esp32_cs, esp32_ready, esp32_reset,
 
 wifi = wifimanager.ESPSPI_WiFiManager(esp, secrets, debug=True)
 
-wifi.create_ap();
+wifi.create_ap()
+time.sleep(10)
+
+sock = socket.socket() # gets and creates a socket
+sock_num = sock.get_sock_num() # returns socket number
+
+esp.start_server(sock_num, 80)
+print("socket num: ", sock_num)
+print("socket status?: ", esp.socket_status(sock_num))
+print("IP addr: ", esp.pretty_ip(esp.ip_address))
+
+status = 0
+while True:
+    if status != esp.status:
+        status = esp.status
+
+        if status == 8:
+            print("Device connected!") ## works
+        else:
+            print("Device disconnected status=", status) ## works
+
+    print("socket available?: ", esp.socket_available(sockNum))
+    print("socket_status: ", esp.socket_status(sockNum))
+    print(sock.read())
+
 
 print("done!")