diff --git a/project.cmake b/project.cmake
index a0c98ec..a7e7f3e 100644
--- a/project.cmake
+++ b/project.cmake
@@ -11,4 +11,6 @@ set(CLI_IFACE 0)
 set(PLATFORM rp2040)
 
 # BOARD - set the board being used (i.e. 'pico', 'pico_w', etc)
-set(BOARD pico)
+set(BOARD pico_w)
+
+set(WIFI_ENABLED 1)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rtos/rtos_utils.c b/rtos/rtos_utils.c
index 047e3fe..7c7ecd1 100644
--- a/rtos/rtos_utils.c
+++ b/rtos/rtos_utils.c
@@ -38,4 +38,8 @@ void task_sched_update(uint32_t repeat, const TickType_t delay) {
 void task_delay_ms(uint32_t delay_ms) {
     TickType_t delay_ticks = (TickType_t)(delay_ms * configTICK_RATE_HZ / 1000); // convert millisecond delay to OS ticks
     vTaskDelay(delay_ticks);
+}
+
+void task_self_terminate() {
+    vTaskDelete(NULL);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/rtos/rtos_utils.h b/rtos/rtos_utils.h
index 3b096d5..6ede68b 100644
--- a/rtos/rtos_utils.h
+++ b/rtos/rtos_utils.h
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@
 */
 void task_sched_update(uint32_t repeat, const TickType_t delay);
 
-#endif
-
 /**
 * @brief Delay a task by a specified number of milliseconds.
 *
@@ -47,4 +45,15 @@ void task_sched_update(uint32_t repeat, const TickType_t delay);
 *
 * @return nothing
 */
-void task_delay_ms(uint32_t delay_ms);
\ No newline at end of file
+void task_delay_ms(uint32_t delay_ms);
+
+/**
+* @brief Cause the currently running task to terminate
+*
+* Informs the OS that the currently running task should terminate.
+*
+* @return nothing
+*/
+void task_self_terminate();
+
+#endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/services/wifi_service.c b/services/wifi_service.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cb99881
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/wifi_service.c
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+/******************************************************************************
+ * @file wifi_service.c
+ *
+ * @brief WiFi service implementation and FreeRTOS task creation.
+ *
+ * @author Alec Lanter
+ *
+ * @date 2024-06-25
+ *
+ * @copyright Copyright (c) 2024 Alec Lanter
+ *            Released under the MIT License
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+ ******************************************************************************/
+
+#include "rtos_utils.h"
+#include "services.h"
+#include "service_queues.h"
+#include "FreeRTOS.h"
+#include "task.h"
+#include "pico/cyw43_arch.h"
+
+#define SERVICE_NAME_WIFI   wifi_init
+#define PRIORITY_WIFI       2
+#define STACK_WIFI          configMINIMAL_STACK_SIZE
+
+static void prvWifiTask(void *pvParameters);
+
+TaskHandle_t xWifiTask;
+
+BaseType_t wifi_service(void) {
+    if(cyw43_arch_init()) {
+        cli_print_raw("failed to initialize cyw43 architecture on pico_w");
+        return pdFAIL;
+    }
+
+    BaseType_t xReturn;
+
+    xReturn = xTaskCreate(
+            prvWifiTask,
+            xstr(SERVICE_NAME_WIFI),
+            STACK_WIFI,
+            NULL,
+            PRIORITY_WIFI,
+            &xWifiTask
+    );
+
+    if (xReturn == pdPASS) {
+        cli_print_raw("wifi service started");
+    } else {
+        cli_print_raw("Error starting wifi service");
+    }
+
+    return xReturn;
+}
+
+static void prvWifiTask(void *pvParameters) {
+    cli_print_timestamped("wifi not implemented...");
+
+    // todo : on start, query flashfs for wifi configuration and, if exists, perform config
+
+    // todo : wifi queue to handle reconfiguration on request from cli
+    task_self_terminate();
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/wifi_optional.cmake b/wifi_optional.cmake
index a9e6e2f..c2d432e 100644
--- a/wifi_optional.cmake
+++ b/wifi_optional.cmake
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ endif()
 add_library(WIFI_INTERFACE INTERFACE)
 target_include_directories(WIFI_INTERFACE INTERFACE
         ${WIFI_INCLUDE_PATH})
+target_sources(WIFI_INTERFACE INTERFACE
+        services/wifi_service.c)
 list(APPEND hardware_libs WIFI_INTERFACE)
 
 add_compile_definitions(WIFI_ENABLED)
\ No newline at end of file