diff --git a/mediamtx.py b/mediamtx.py
index 22eb91c..3b733d4 100755
--- a/mediamtx.py
+++ b/mediamtx.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from dataclasses import dataclass
 import aiohttp
 
 from mqtthandler.command import command
-from mqtthandler.handler import MQTTConfig, MQTTHandler, task
+from mqtthandler.handler import MQTTHandler, task
 from prometheus_client.parser import text_string_to_metric_families
 
 @dataclass
@@ -21,11 +21,10 @@ class MediaMTXConfig:
 class MediaMTXHandler(MQTTHandler):
     def __init__(
         self,
-        mqtt_config: MQTTConfig,
-        handler_id: str,
+        name: str,
         mediamtx_config: MediaMTXConfig,
     ):
-        super().__init__(mqtt_config, handler_id)
+        super().__init__(name)
         self.config = mediamtx_config
 
     @task
@@ -56,12 +55,9 @@ class MediaMTXHandler(MQTTHandler):
 
 
 async def main():
-    handler_id = f"mediamtx-{socket.gethostname()}"
-    mqtt_config = MQTTConfig(host="127.0.0.1")
-    handler = MediaMTXHandler(mqtt_config, handler_id, MediaMTXConfig())
-
+    handler = MediaMTXHandler("mediamtx", MediaMTXConfig())
     signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, lambda signum, frame: handler.stop())
-    await handler.run()
+    await handler.run("127.0.0.1", username="device", password="devicesecret")
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/mqtthandler/handler.py b/mqtthandler/handler.py
index e990aa5..25c5443 100644
--- a/mqtthandler/handler.py
+++ b/mqtthandler/handler.py
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ import inspect
 import paho
 import signal
 import json
+import secrets
+import os
+import socket
+from pathlib import Path
 from enum import Enum, auto
 
 from .command import (
@@ -16,12 +20,31 @@ from .command import (
 
 from .property import Property
 
+def get_identifier(cache_path: Path) -> str:
+    """
+    Determine an MQTT client ID using the following order:
+      1. Environment variable IDENTIFIER
+      2. Value stored in /tmp/<handler-name>.tmp
+      3. Generate a new random ID using secrets.token_urlsafe
+
+    The resulting client ID is written to /tmp/mqtt_client_id.tmp for future use.
+    """
+
+    client_id = os.environ.get("IDENTIFIER", None)
+    if not client_id and cache_path.exists():
+        client_id = cache_path.read_text().strip()
+    elif not client_id:
+        client_id = generate_identifier()
+    cache_path.write_text(client_id)
+    return client_id
+
+def generate_identifier() -> str:
+    return secrets.token_urlsafe(6)
 
 class Status(Enum):
     ONLINE = auto()
     OFFLINE = auto()
 
-
 class MQTTHandler:
     DEVICE = "device"
     META = "meta"
@@ -31,14 +54,15 @@ class MQTTHandler:
 
     def __init__(
         self,
-        handler_id: str,
+        name: str
     ):
-        self.handler_id = handler_id
+        self.name = name
+        self.identifier = get_identifier(Path(f"/tmp/{self.name}.tmp"))       
 
-        self.topic_base = f"{MQTTHandler.DEVICE}/{handler_id}"
-        self.meta_topic = f"{self.topic_base}/{MQTTHandler.META}"
-        self.command_topic = f"{self.topic_base}/{MQTTHandler.COMMAND}"
-        self.property_topic = f"{self.topic_base}/{MQTTHandler.PROPERTY}"
+        self.topic_base = lambda: f"{MQTTHandler.DEVICE}/{self.identifier}"
+        self.meta_topic = lambda: f"{self.topic_base()}/{MQTTHandler.META}"
+        self.command_topic = lambda: f"{self.topic_base()}/{MQTTHandler.COMMAND}"
+        self.property_topic = lambda: f"{self.topic_base()}/{MQTTHandler.PROPERTY}"
 
         self._shutdown_event = asyncio.Event()
 
@@ -53,13 +77,13 @@ class MQTTHandler:
             await self._properties[name](value, **kwargs)
         else:
             #print(f"Warning: proeprty {name} is unregistered")
-            await self._publish(f"{self.property_topic}/{name}", value, **kwargs)
+            await self._publish(f"{self.property_topic()}/{name}", value, **kwargs)
 
     async def register_property(
         self, name: str, description: str | None = None, schema: dict | None = None
     ):
         property = self._register_property(
-            f"{self.property_topic}/{name}", description, schema
+            f"{self.property_topic()}/{name}", description, schema
         )
         self._properties[name] = property
 
@@ -92,7 +116,7 @@ class MQTTHandler:
                 **command.additional_properties,
             }.items():
                 await self._mqtt_client.publish(
-                    f"{self.command_topic}/{command.name}/${k}",
+                    f"{self.command_topic()}/{command.name}/${k}",
                     str(v),
                     qos=1,
                     retain=True,
@@ -103,7 +127,7 @@ class MQTTHandler:
         await self._register_commands()
 
         self._meta[MQTTHandler.STATUS] = await self._register_property(
-            f"{self.meta_topic}/{MQTTHandler.STATUS}",
+            f"{self.meta_topic()}/{MQTTHandler.STATUS}",
             "Indicates the status of the device.",
             {"type": "string", "enum": list(Status.__members__.keys())},
         )
@@ -111,6 +135,10 @@ class MQTTHandler:
             self, json.dumps(Status.ONLINE.name), qos=1, retain=True
         )
 
+        await self._publish(f"{self.meta_topic()}/name", self.name, qos=1, retain=True)
+        await self._publish(f"{self.meta_topic()}/type", type(self).__name__, qos=1, retain=True)
+        await self._publish(f"{self.meta_topic()}/host", socket.gethostname(), qos=1, retain=True)
+
     async def _execute_command(
         self,
         command_name: str,
@@ -146,14 +174,14 @@ class MQTTHandler:
             await respond(False, "Unexpected error")
 
     async def _command_executor(self):
-        await self._mqtt_client.subscribe(f"{self.command_topic}/+")
+        await self._mqtt_client.subscribe(f"{self.command_topic()}/+")
 
         async for message in self._mqtt_client.messages:
             topic = str(message.topic)
             payload = message.payload.decode("utf-8")
 
-            if topic.startswith(self.command_topic):
-                command_name = topic.removeprefix(f"{self.command_topic}/")
+            if topic.startswith(self.command_topic()):
+                command_name = topic.removeprefix(f"{self.command_topic()}/")
                 await self._execute_command(command_name, payload, message.properties)
 
     async def _shutdown_watcher(self):
@@ -170,7 +198,7 @@ class MQTTHandler:
         INTERVAL = 5
 
         will = aiomqtt.Will(
-            topic=f"{self.meta_topic}/{MQTTHandler.STATUS}",
+            topic=f"{self.meta_topic()}/{MQTTHandler.STATUS}",
             payload=json.dumps(Status.OFFLINE.name),
             qos=1,
             retain=True,
@@ -182,7 +210,7 @@ class MQTTHandler:
                     host,
                     protocol=paho.mqtt.client.MQTTv5,
                     will=will,
-                    identifier=self.handler_id,
+                    identifier=self.identifier,
                     **kwargs,
                 ) as client:
                     self._mqtt_client = client
@@ -207,7 +235,7 @@ class MQTTHandler:
 
             except aiomqtt.MqttError as e:
                 print(
-                    f"[{self.handler_id}] MQTT connection error: {e}. Reconnecting in {INTERVAL}s..."
+                    f"MQTT connection error: {e}. Reconnecting in {INTERVAL}s..."
                 )
                 await asyncio.sleep(INTERVAL)
 
diff --git a/radio.py b/radio.py
index d2de1b5..45af3ca 100755
--- a/radio.py
+++ b/radio.py
@@ -6,24 +6,22 @@ import asyncio
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 
 from mqtthandler.command import command
-from mqtthandler.handler import MQTTConfig, MQTTHandler, task
+from mqtthandler.handler import MQTTHandler, task
 
 from streamer.fileradio import FileRadio
 
 class RadioHandler(MQTTHandler):
     def __init__(
         self,
-        mqtt_config: MQTTConfig,
-        handler_id: str,
+        name: str,
     ):
-        super().__init__(mqtt_config, handler_id)
-
-        self.radio = FileRadio("./data/StarWars60.mp3", handler_id)
+        super().__init__(name)
+        self.radio = FileRadio("./data/StarWars60.mp3", name)
 
     @task
     async def publish_stream_path(self):
-        await self.set_property("path", self.radio.stream_path(), qos=1, qos=True)
-        await self.set_property("file", self.radio.path, qos=1, qos=True)
+        await self.set_property("path", self.radio.stream_path(), qos=1, retain=True)
+        await self.set_property("file", self.radio.path, qos=1, retain=True)
 
     @command({"type": "object"}, "Start the radio stream.")
     async def start(self, args):
@@ -48,12 +46,9 @@ class RadioHandler(MQTTHandler):
         await self.publish_stream_path()
 
 async def main():
-    handler_id = f"radio-{socket.gethostname()}"
-    mqtt_config = MQTTConfig(host="127.0.0.1")
-    handler = RadioHandler(mqtt_config, handler_id)
-
+    handler = RadioHandler("radio")
     signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, lambda signum, frame: handler.stop())
-    await handler.run()
+    await handler.run("127.0.0.1", username="device", password="devicesecret")
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/ubx.py b/ubx.py
index f8116fa..3050982 100755
--- a/ubx.py
+++ b/ubx.py
@@ -2,13 +2,11 @@
 
 import asyncio
 import aioserial
-import aiomqtt
 import pyubx2
 import io
 import logging
 import aioserial
 import asyncio
-import socket
 import signal
 
 from mqtthandler.command import command
@@ -47,10 +45,10 @@ class UBXAsyncParser:
 class UBXHandler(MQTTHandler):
     def __init__(
         self,
-        handler_id: str,
+        name: str,
         serial_port: aioserial.AioSerial,
     ):
-        super().__init__(handler_id)
+        super().__init__(name)
         self.serial_port = serial_port
 
     @task
@@ -173,10 +171,8 @@ class UBXHandler(MQTTHandler):
 
 
 async def main():
-    handler_id = f"example-gps-{socket.gethostname()}"
-
     handler = UBXHandler(
-        handler_id,
+        "example-gps",
         aioserial.AioSerial(
             port="/tmp/ttyV0",
             baudrate=115200,