diff --git a/probot-lib.code-workspace b/probot-lib.code-workspace
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0416d95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/probot-lib.code-workspace
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+	"folders": [
+		{
+			"name": "probot-lib",
+			"path": "../../Arduino/libraries/probot-lib"
+		}
+	],
+	"settings": {}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/driverstation/esp32s3/driver_station_esp32.hpp b/src/driverstation/esp32s3/driver_station_esp32.hpp
index 2de5fad..bfc1d65 100644
--- a/src/driverstation/esp32s3/driver_station_esp32.hpp
+++ b/src/driverstation/esp32s3/driver_station_esp32.hpp
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ namespace probot::driverstation::esp32 {
       WiFi.softAP(ssid.c_str(), pw, PROBOT_WIFI_AP_CHANNEL);
       esp_wifi_set_bandwidth(WIFI_IF_AP, WIFI_BW_HT20);
       esp_wifi_set_ps(WIFI_PS_NONE);
+      WiFi.setTxPower(WIFI_POWER_19_5dBm);
 
       Serial.println("[DS   ] ========================================");
       Serial.print("[DS   ] WiFi SSID: ");
diff --git a/src/driverstation/esp32s3/index_html.h b/src/driverstation/esp32s3/index_html.h
index 612234c..7c2151c 100644
--- a/src/driverstation/esp32s3/index_html.h
+++ b/src/driverstation/esp32s3/index_html.h
@@ -918,13 +918,23 @@ function stopAutoTimer(){
         default: cmd="stop"; break;
       }
 
+      // WS lifecycle: open on init, close on stop
+      if(cmd==="stop"){
+        wsStopped=true;
+        killWs();
+      }else if(cmd==="init"){
+        connectWebSocket();
+      }
+
       const url=`/robotControl?cmd=${cmd}&auto=${enableAuto?1:0}&autoLen=${autoLen}`;
       try{
-        const r=await fetch(url);
-        if(!r.ok) throw new Error("Robot command failed");
+        const ac=new AbortController();
+        const tid=setTimeout(()=>ac.abort(),3000);
+        const r=await fetch(url,{signal:ac.signal});
+        clearTimeout(tid);
+        if(!r.ok) console.error("Robot command failed:",r.status);
       }catch(err){
-        console.error(err);
-        return;
+        console.error("robotControl fetch error:",err);
       }
 
       const btn=document.getElementById('robotButton');
@@ -1001,21 +1011,41 @@ function stopAutoTimer(){
     let wsJoystick=null;
     let wsConnected=false;
     let wsReconnectTimer=null;
+    let wsLastActivity=0;
 
+    let wsStopped=false;
+    function killWs(){
+      if(wsReconnectTimer){clearTimeout(wsReconnectTimer);wsReconnectTimer=null;}
+      if(wsJoystick){wsJoystick.onopen=null;wsJoystick.onclose=null;wsJoystick.onerror=null;wsJoystick.onmessage=null;try{wsJoystick.close();}catch(e){}}
+      wsJoystick=null;wsConnected=false;
+    }
     function connectWebSocket(){
-      if(wsJoystick && wsJoystick.readyState<=1) return;
+      killWs();
+      wsStopped=false;
       try{
-        wsJoystick=new WebSocket(`ws://${location.hostname}:81/joystick`);
-        wsJoystick.binaryType='arraybuffer';
-        wsJoystick.onopen=()=>{wsConnected=true;console.log('[WS] Connected');};
-        wsJoystick.onclose=()=>{wsConnected=false;console.log('[WS] Closed');scheduleReconnect();};
-        wsJoystick.onerror=()=>{wsConnected=false;};
-      }catch(e){wsConnected=false;scheduleReconnect();}
+        const ws=new WebSocket(`ws://${location.hostname}:81/joystick`);
+        ws.binaryType='arraybuffer';
+        ws.onopen=()=>{wsConnected=true;wsLastActivity=performance.now();console.log('[WS] Connected');};
+        ws.onclose=()=>{wsConnected=false;wsJoystick=null;if(!wsStopped)scheduleReconnect();};
+        ws.onerror=()=>{wsConnected=false;};
+        ws.onmessage=()=>{wsLastActivity=performance.now();};
+        wsJoystick=ws;
+      }catch(e){if(!wsStopped)scheduleReconnect();}
     }
     function scheduleReconnect(){
-      if(wsReconnectTimer) return;
-      wsReconnectTimer=setTimeout(()=>{wsReconnectTimer=null;connectWebSocket();},2000);
+      if(wsReconnectTimer||wsStopped) return;
+      wsReconnectTimer=setTimeout(()=>{wsReconnectTimer=null;if(!wsStopped)connectWebSocket();},2000);
     }
+    function wsHealthCheck(){
+      if(wsStopped||!wsJoystick) return;
+      if(wsJoystick.readyState>1){wsConnected=false;wsJoystick=null;scheduleReconnect();return;}
+      if(wsConnected && performance.now()-wsLastActivity>3000){
+        console.log('[WS] Stale, reconnecting');
+        killWs();
+        scheduleReconnect();
+      }
+    }
+    setInterval(wsHealthCheck,1000);
     function packJoystickBinary(gp){
       const nA=gp.axes.length;
       const nB=gp.buttons.length;
@@ -1047,19 +1077,22 @@ function stopAutoTimer(){
         if(wsConnected && wsJoystick && wsJoystick.readyState===1){
           try{
             wsJoystick.send(packJoystickBinary(gp));
+            wsLastActivity=now;
             gamepadSending=false;
             return;
-          }catch(e){wsConnected=false;scheduleReconnect();}
+          }catch(e){wsConnected=false;wsJoystick=null;scheduleReconnect();}
         }
+        const ac=new AbortController();
+        const tid=setTimeout(()=>ac.abort(),2000);
         const data={axes:Array.from(gp.axes),buttons:gp.buttons.map(b=>b.pressed)};
         await fetch("/updateController",{
           method:"POST",
           headers:{"Content-Type":"application/json"},
-          body:JSON.stringify(data)
+          body:JSON.stringify(data),
+          signal:ac.signal
         });
-      }catch(err){
-        console.error(err);
-      }finally{
+        clearTimeout(tid);
+      }catch(err){}finally{
         gamepadSending=false;
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/driverstation/esp32s3/ws_joystick.hpp b/src/driverstation/esp32s3/ws_joystick.hpp
index bcddb78..3198a7f 100644
--- a/src/driverstation/esp32s3/ws_joystick.hpp
+++ b/src/driverstation/esp32s3/ws_joystick.hpp
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ namespace probot::driverstation::esp32 {
       };
       httpd_register_uri_handler(_server, &ws_uri);
 
+      // Periodic ping to detect dead connections
+      _pingTimer = xTimerCreate("ws_ping", pdMS_TO_TICKS(2000), pdTRUE, this, pingTimerCb);
+      if (_pingTimer) xTimerStart(_pingTimer, 0);
+
       Serial.print("[WS   ] WebSocket server on port ");
       Serial.println(port);
     }
@@ -112,8 +116,27 @@ namespace probot::driverstation::esp32 {
       _gs.write(millis(), axes, nA, buttons, nB);
     }
 
+    static void pingTimerCb(TimerHandle_t t) {
+      auto* self = static_cast<WsJoystick*>(pvTimerGetTimerID(t));
+      if (!self->_server) return;
+      httpd_ws_frame_t ping = {};
+      ping.type = HTTPD_WS_TYPE_PING;
+      size_t fds = 8;
+      int clients[8];
+      if (httpd_get_client_list(self->_server, &fds, clients) != ESP_OK) return;
+      for (size_t i = 0; i < fds; i++) {
+        if (httpd_ws_get_fd_info(self->_server, clients[i]) == HTTPD_WS_CLIENT_WEBSOCKET) {
+          esp_err_t err = httpd_ws_send_frame_async(self->_server, clients[i], &ping);
+          if (err != ESP_OK) {
+            httpd_sess_trigger_close(self->_server, clients[i]);
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     io::GamepadService& _gs;
     httpd_handle_t      _server = nullptr;
+    TimerHandle_t       _pingTimer = nullptr;
   };
 
 }