diff --git a/networkDevices/IPConfiguration.cpp b/networkDevices/IPConfiguration.cpp
index 8540c94..4ce384f 100644
--- a/networkDevices/IPConfiguration.cpp
+++ b/networkDevices/IPConfiguration.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ IPConfiguration::IPConfiguration(Preferences *preferences, const bool& firstStar
         _preferences->putBool(preference_ip_dhcp_enabled, true);
     }
 
+    _ipAddress.fromString(_preferences->getString(preference_ip_address));
+    _subnet.fromString(_preferences->getString(preference_ip_subnet));
+    _gateway.fromString(_preferences->getString(preference_ip_gateway));
+    _dnsServer.fromString(_preferences->getString(preference_ip_dns_server));
+
     Log->print(F("IP configuration: "));
     if(dhcpEnabled())
     {
@@ -29,22 +34,22 @@ bool IPConfiguration::dhcpEnabled() const
     return _preferences->getBool(preference_ip_dhcp_enabled);
 }
 
-String IPConfiguration::ipAddress() const
+const IPAddress IPConfiguration::ipAddress() const
 {
-    return _preferences->getString(preference_ip_address);
+    return _ipAddress;
 }
 
-String IPConfiguration::subnet() const
+const IPAddress IPConfiguration::subnet() const
 {
-    return _preferences->getString(preference_ip_subnet);
+    return _subnet;
 }
 
-String IPConfiguration::defaultGateway() const
+const IPAddress IPConfiguration::defaultGateway() const
 {
-    return _preferences->getString(preference_ip_gateway);
+    return _gateway;
 }
 
-String IPConfiguration::dnsServer() const
+const IPAddress IPConfiguration::dnsServer() const
 {
-    return _preferences->getString(preference_ip_dns_server);
+    return _dnsServer;
 }
diff --git a/networkDevices/IPConfiguration.h b/networkDevices/IPConfiguration.h
index 9a95597..ab3b4e7 100644
--- a/networkDevices/IPConfiguration.h
+++ b/networkDevices/IPConfiguration.h
@@ -8,12 +8,17 @@ public:
     explicit IPConfiguration(Preferences* preferences, const bool& firstStart);
 
     bool dhcpEnabled() const;
-    String ipAddress() const;
-    String subnet() const;
-    String defaultGateway() const;
-    String dnsServer() const;
+    const IPAddress ipAddress() const;
+    const IPAddress subnet() const;
+    const IPAddress defaultGateway() const;
+    const IPAddress dnsServer() const;
 
 private:
     Preferences* _preferences = nullptr;
+
+    IPAddress _ipAddress;
+    IPAddress _subnet;
+    IPAddress _gateway;
+    IPAddress _dnsServer;
 };
 
diff --git a/networkDevices/WifiDevice.cpp b/networkDevices/WifiDevice.cpp
index a80e020..5ad4df6 100644
--- a/networkDevices/WifiDevice.cpp
+++ b/networkDevices/WifiDevice.cpp
@@ -71,16 +71,7 @@ void WifiDevice::initialize()
 
     if(!_ipConfiguration->dhcpEnabled())
     {
-        IPAddress address;
-        address.fromString(_ipConfiguration->ipAddress());
-        IPAddress gateway;
-        gateway.fromString(_ipConfiguration->defaultGateway());
-        IPAddress subnet;
-        subnet.fromString(_ipConfiguration->subnet());
-        IPAddress dns;
-        dns.fromString(_ipConfiguration->dnsServer());
-
-        _wm.setSTAStaticIPConfig(address, gateway, subnet, dns);
+        _wm.setSTAStaticIPConfig(_ipConfiguration->ipAddress(), _ipConfiguration->defaultGateway(), _ipConfiguration->subnet(), _ipConfiguration->dnsServer());
     }
 
     _wm.setAPCallback(clearRtcInitVar);