diff --git a/quickstart/docker/image/dockerTestEntrypoint.sh b/quickstart/docker/image/dockerTestEntrypoint.sh
index 3511f0fed..0389e148e 100755
--- a/quickstart/docker/image/dockerTestEntrypoint.sh
+++ b/quickstart/docker/image/dockerTestEntrypoint.sh
@@ -6,4 +6,6 @@ fi
 touch runonce
 
 source "${ZITI_SCRIPTS}/ziti-cli-functions.sh"
+# Set the default password to be a specific value, if not set the password will be a random string and tests will fail
+export ZITI_PWD=admin
 expressInstall "localhost"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/quickstart/docker/image/ziti-cli-functions.sh b/quickstart/docker/image/ziti-cli-functions.sh
index d8f4ac73e..50304fa95 100755
--- a/quickstart/docker/image/ziti-cli-functions.sh
+++ b/quickstart/docker/image/ziti-cli-functions.sh
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@
 
 set -uo pipefail
 
+# the default ZITI_NETWORK (network name) is the short hostname
+: "${DEFAULT_ZITI_NETWORK:="$(hostname -s)"}"
+
 # shellcheck disable=SC2155
-export DEFAULT_ZITI_HOME_LOCATION="${HOME}/.ziti/quickstart/$(hostname)"
+export DEFAULT_ZITI_HOME_LOCATION="${HOME}/.ziti/quickstart/${DEFAULT_ZITI_NETWORK}"
 
 export ZITI_QUICKSTART_ENVROOT="${HOME}/.ziti/quickstart"
 
@@ -59,33 +62,49 @@ function initializeController {
   "${ZITI_BIN_DIR-}/ziti-controller" edge init "${ZITI_HOME_OS_SPECIFIC}/${ZITI_EDGE_CONTROLLER_RAWNAME}.yaml" -u "${ZITI_USER-}" -p "${ZITI_PWD}" &> "${log_file}"
   echo -e "ziti-controller initialized. see $(BLUE "${log_file}") for details"
 }
-function startZitiController {
+function startController {
   log_file="${ZITI_HOME-}/${ZITI_EDGE_CONTROLLER_RAWNAME}.log"
   # shellcheck disable=SC2034
-  ("${ZITI_BIN_DIR-}/ziti-controller" run "${ZITI_HOME_OS_SPECIFIC}/${ZITI_EDGE_CONTROLLER_RAWNAME}.yaml" > "${log_file}" 2>&1 &)
-  pid=$!
-  echo -e "ziti-controller started as process id: $pid. log located at: $(BLUE "${log_file}")"
-  return $pid
+  "${ZITI_BIN_DIR-}/ziti-controller" run "${ZITI_HOME_OS_SPECIFIC}/${ZITI_EDGE_CONTROLLER_RAWNAME}.yaml" &> "${log_file}" &
+  ZITI_EXPRESS_CONTROLLER_PID=$!
+  echo -e "ziti-controller started as process id: $ZITI_EXPRESS_CONTROLLER_PID. log located at: $(BLUE "${log_file}")"
 }
 
-function stopZitiController {
-  killall ziti-controller
-  # shellcheck disable=SC2181
-  if [[ $? == 0 ]]; then echo "Controller stopped."; fi
+function stopController {
+  if [[ -n ${ZITI_EXPRESS_CONTROLLER_PID:-} ]]; then
+    kill "$ZITI_EXPRESS_CONTROLLER_PID"
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2181
+    if [[ $? == 0 ]]; then 
+      echo "Controller stopped."
+      return 0
+    fi
+  else
+    echo "ERROR: you can only stop a controller process that was started with startController" >&2
+    return 1
+  fi
 }
 
-function startExpressEdgeRouter {
+function startRouter {
   log_file="${ZITI_HOME_OS_SPECIFIC}/${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_RAWNAME}.log"
   "${ZITI_BIN_DIR}/ziti-router" run "${ZITI_HOME_OS_SPECIFIC}/${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_RAWNAME}.yaml" > "${log_file}" 2>&1 &
-  pid=$!
-  echo -e "Express Edge Router started as process id: $pid. log located at: $(BLUE "${log_file}")"
-  return $pid
+  ZITI_EXPRESS_EDGE_ROUTER_PID=$!
+  echo -e "Express Edge Router started as process id: $ZITI_EXPRESS_EDGE_ROUTER_PID. log located at: $(BLUE "${log_file}")"
+  
 }
 
-function stopAllEdgeRouters {
-  killall ziti-router
-  # shellcheck disable=SC2181
-  if [[ $? == 0 ]]; then echo "Router(s) stopped."; fi
+function stopRouter {
+  if [[ -n ${ZITI_EXPRESS_EDGE_ROUTER_PID:-} ]]; then
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2015
+    kill "${ZITI_EXPRESS_EDGE_ROUTER_PID}" && {
+      echo "INFO: stopped router"
+    } || {
+      echo "ERROR: something went wrong with stopping the router(s)" >&2
+      return 1
+    }
+  else
+    echo "ERROR: you can only stop a router process that was started with startRouter" >&2
+    return 1
+  fi
 }
 
 function checkHostsFile {
@@ -138,7 +157,7 @@ function verifyZitiVersionExists {
 
   unset ZITI_BINARIES_VERSION
 
-  ziticurl="$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/openziti/ziti/releases/tags/"${ZITI_VERSION_OVERRIDE}")"
+  ziticurl="$(curl -s https://${GITHUB_TOKEN:+${GITHUB_TOKEN}@}api.github.com/repos/openziti/ziti/releases/tags/"${ZITI_VERSION_OVERRIDE}")"
   # shellcheck disable=SC2155
   export ZITI_BINARIES_FILE=$(echo "${ziticurl}" | tr '\r\n' ' ' | jq -r '.assets[] | select(.name | startswith("'"ziti-${ZITI_OSTYPE}-${ZITI_ARCH}"'")) | .name')
   # shellcheck disable=SC2155
@@ -146,6 +165,7 @@ function verifyZitiVersionExists {
 
   # Check if there was an error while trying to get the requested version
   if [[ "${ZITI_BINARIES_VERSION-}" == "null" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: response missing '.tag_name': ${ziticurl}" >&2
     return 1
   fi
 
@@ -178,7 +198,7 @@ function getLatestZitiVersion {
   unset ZITI_BINARIES_VERSION
 
   if [[ "${ZITI_BINARIES_VERSION-}" == "" ]]; then
-    zitilatest=$(curl -s https://api.github.com/repos/openziti/ziti/releases/latest)
+    zitilatest=$(curl -s https://${GITHUB_TOKEN:+${GITHUB_TOKEN}@}api.github.com/repos/openziti/ziti/releases/latest)
     # shellcheck disable=SC2155
     export ZITI_BINARIES_FILE=$(echo "${zitilatest}" | tr '\r\n' ' ' | jq -r '.assets[] | select(.name | startswith("'"ziti-${ZITI_OSTYPE}-${ZITI_ARCH}"'")) | .name')
     # shellcheck disable=SC2155
@@ -354,15 +374,15 @@ function setupZitiNetwork {
     echo "Creating a controller is effectively creating a network. The name of the network will be used when writing"
     echo "configuration files locally. Choose the name of your network now. The format of the network name should resemble"
     echo -n "what a hostname looks like. A good choice is to actually use your system's hostname: "
-    echo -e "$(BLUE "$(hostname)")"
+    echo -e "$(BLUE "${DEFAULT_ZITI_NETWORK}")"
     echo " "
-    echo -en "$(echo -ne "Network Name [$(BLUE "$(hostname)")]: ")"
+    echo -en "$(echo -ne "Network Name [$(BLUE "${DEFAULT_ZITI_NETWORK}")]: ")"
     read -r ZITI_NETWORK
     echo " "
     if checkControllerName; then
       : #clear to continue
       if [[ "${ZITI_NETWORK-}" == "" ]]; then
-        ZITI_NETWORK="$(hostname)"
+        ZITI_NETWORK="${DEFAULT_ZITI_NETWORK}"
       fi
       echo "name: ${ZITI_NETWORK-}"
     else
@@ -451,8 +471,8 @@ function ziti_expressConfiguration {
       fi
 
       # Stop any devices currently running to avoid port collisions
-      stopAllEdgeRouters
-      stopZitiController
+      stopRouter
+      stopController
     else
       echo -e "$(RED "  --- Exiting express install ---")"
       return 1
@@ -483,7 +503,7 @@ function ziti_expressConfiguration {
   echo " "
   echo -e "******** Setting Up Environment ********"
   if [[ "${1-}" == "" ]]; then
-    nw="$(hostname)"
+    nw="${DEFAULT_ZITI_NETWORK}"
   else
     nw="${1-}"
   fi
@@ -531,7 +551,7 @@ function ziti_expressConfiguration {
   createControllerConfig
   #createControllerSystemdFile
   initializeController
-  startZitiController
+  startController
   echo "waiting for the controller to come online to allow the edge router to enroll"
 
   waitForController
@@ -565,13 +585,13 @@ function ziti_expressConfiguration {
   "${ZITI_BIN_DIR-}/ziti-router" enroll "${ZITI_HOME_OS_SPECIFIC}/${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_RAWNAME}.yaml" --jwt "${ZITI_HOME_OS_SPECIFIC}/${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_RAWNAME}.jwt" &> "${ZITI_HOME_OS_SPECIFIC}/${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_RAWNAME}.enrollment.log"
   echo ""
 
-  stopZitiController
+  stopController
   echo "Edge Router enrolled. Controller stopped."
 
   echo ""
   echo -e "$(GREEN "Congratulations. Express setup complete!")"
-  echo -e "Start your Ziti Controller by running the function: $(BLUE "startZitiController")"
-  echo -e "Start your Ziti Edge Router by running : $(BLUE 'startExpressEdgeRouter')"
+  echo -e "Start your Ziti Controller by running the function: $(BLUE "startController")"
+  echo -e "Start your Ziti Edge Router by running : $(BLUE 'startRouter')"
   echo ""
 }
 
@@ -768,7 +788,7 @@ function createRouterPki {
   export ZITI_ROUTER_IDENTITY_SERVER_CERT="${ZITI_PKI_OS_SPECIFIC}/routers/${router_name}/server.cert"
   export ZITI_ROUTER_IDENTITY_KEY="${ZITI_PKI_OS_SPECIFIC}/routers/${router_name}/server.key"
   export ZITI_ROUTER_IDENTITY_CA="${ZITI_PKI_OS_SPECIFIC}/routers/${router_name}/cas.cert"
-  pki_client_server "${router_name},localhost,127.0.0.1,$(hostname)" "${ZITI_CONTROLLER_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}" "${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_IP_OVERRIDE-}" "${router_name}"
+  pki_client_server "${router_name},localhost,127.0.0.1,${ZITI_NETWORK}" "${ZITI_CONTROLLER_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}" "${ZITI_EDGE_ROUTER_IP_OVERRIDE-}" "${router_name}"
 }
 
 function createPrivateRouterConfig {
@@ -831,7 +851,7 @@ function createPki {
   pki_create_intermediate "${ZITI_SPURIOUS_INTERMEDIATE}" "${ZITI_SIGNING_INTERMEDIATE_NAME}" 1
 
   echo " "
-  pki_allow_list_dns="${ZITI_CONTROLLER_HOSTNAME},localhost,$(hostname)"
+  pki_allow_list_dns="${ZITI_CONTROLLER_HOSTNAME},localhost,${ZITI_NETWORK}"
   if [[ "${ZITI_EDGE_CONTROLLER_HOSTNAME}" != "" ]]; then pki_allow_list_dns="${pki_allow_list_dns},${ZITI_EDGE_CONTROLLER_HOSTNAME}"; fi
   if [[ "${EXTERNAL_DNS}" != "" ]]; then pki_allow_list_dns="${pki_allow_list_dns},${EXTERNAL_DNS}"; fi
   pki_allow_list_ip="127.0.0.1"
@@ -1015,8 +1035,6 @@ function ziti_createEnvFile {
   retVal=$?
   if [[ "${retVal}" != 0 ]]; then
     if decideToUseDefaultZitiHome; then
-      # shellcheck disable=SC2155
-      export ZITI_NETWORK="$(hostname)"
       ZITI_HOME="${DEFAULT_ZITI_HOME_LOCATION}"
     else
       return 1
@@ -1048,16 +1066,27 @@ function ziti_createEnvFile {
       export ZITI_NETWORK="${1-}"
     fi
     if [[ "${ZITI_NETWORK-}" = "" ]]; then
-      echo -e "$(YELLOW "WARN: ZITI_NETWORK HAS NOT BEEN DECLARED! USING hostname: $(hostname)")"
+      echo -e "$(YELLOW "WARN: ZITI_NETWORK HAS NOT BEEN DECLARED! USING hostname: ${DEFAULT_ZITI_NETWORK}")"
       # shellcheck disable=SC2155
-      export ZITI_NETWORK="$(hostname)"
+      export ZITI_NETWORK="${DEFAULT_ZITI_NETWORK}"
     fi
   fi
 
   echo "ZITI_NETWORK set to: ${ZITI_NETWORK}"
 
   if [[ "${ZITI_USER-}" == "" ]]; then export ZITI_USER="admin"; fi
-  if [[ "${ZITI_PWD-}" == "" ]]; then export ZITI_PWD="admin"; fi
+  if [[ "${ZITI_PWD-}" == "" ]]; then 
+    ZITI_PWD="$(tr -dc _A-Z-a-z-0-9 < /dev/urandom | head -c32)"
+    echo -en "Do you want to keep the generated admin password '$ZITI_PWD'? (Y/n)"
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2162
+    read -r pwd_reply
+    if [[ -z "${pwd_reply}" || ${pwd_reply} =~ [yY] ]]; then
+      echo "INFO: using ZITI_PWD=${ZITI_PWD}"
+    else
+      echo -en "Type the preferred admin password and press <enter>"
+      read -r ZITI_PWD
+    fi
+  fi
   if [[ "${ZITI_DOMAIN_SUFFIX-}" == "" ]]; then export ZITI_DOMAIN_SUFFIX=""; fi
   if [[ "${ZITI_ID-}" == "" ]]; then export ZITI_ID="${ZITI_HOME}/identities.yaml"; fi
 
diff --git a/quickstart/test/quickstart_test.go b/quickstart/test/quickstart_test.go
index 887109b62..e6c804f1d 100644
--- a/quickstart/test/quickstart_test.go
+++ b/quickstart/test/quickstart_test.go
@@ -300,12 +300,15 @@ func TestQuickStartEnvFile(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 /*
-This is a manually run test that will, with the default values, confirm the docker-compose ziti network is running as
-expected. The values can be edited to confirm other ziti networks but will require an http server on the back end.
+This is a manually run test that will, with the default values except the admin password, confirm the docker-compose
+ziti network is running as expected. The values can be edited to confirm other ziti networks but will require an http
+server on the back end.
 */
 func TestSimpleWebService(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Wait for the controller to become available
+	zitiAdminUsername := "admin"
+	zitiAdminPassword := "admin"
 	testerUsername := "gotester"
 	ctrlAddress := "https://ziti-edge-controller:1280"
 	hostingRouterName := "ziti-edge-router"
@@ -328,7 +331,7 @@ func TestSimpleWebService(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, ca := range caCerts {
 		caPool.AddCert(ca)
 	}
-	client, err := rest_util.NewEdgeManagementClientWithUpdb("admin", "admin", ctrlAddress, caPool)
+	client, err := rest_util.NewEdgeManagementClientWithUpdb(zitiAdminUsername, zitiAdminPassword, ctrlAddress, caPool)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}