diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WebServer/src/ESP8266WebServer.cpp b/libraries/ESP8266WebServer/src/ESP8266WebServer.cpp
index bc41a5603b..c277cc287c 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WebServer/src/ESP8266WebServer.cpp
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WebServer/src/ESP8266WebServer.cpp
@@ -94,33 +94,51 @@ void ESP8266WebServer::begin() {
     collectHeaders(0, 0);
 }
 
-bool ESP8266WebServer::authenticate(const char * username, const char * password){
+char* ESP8266WebServer::getUserPasswordHash(const char * username, const char * password) {
+	
+	char toencodeLen = strlen(username)+strlen(password)+1;
+	char *toencode = new char[toencodeLen + 1];
+	if(toencode == NULL){
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	char *encoded = new char[base64_encode_expected_len(toencodeLen)+1];
+	if(encoded == NULL){
+		delete[] toencode;
+		return NULL;
+	}
+		
+	sprintf(toencode, "%s:%s", username, password);
+		
+	if (base64_encode_chars(toencode, toencodeLen, encoded) > 0) {
+		
+		delete[] toencode;
+    	return encoded;
+	}
+	
+	delete[] toencode;
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+bool ESP8266WebServer::authenticate(const char * username, const char * password, const char * hashUNP) {
   if(hasHeader(AUTHORIZATION_HEADER)){
     String authReq = header(AUTHORIZATION_HEADER);
     if(authReq.startsWith("Basic")){
       authReq = authReq.substring(6);
       authReq.trim();
-      char toencodeLen = strlen(username)+strlen(password)+1;
-      char *toencode = new char[toencodeLen + 1];
-      if(toencode == NULL){
+      
+	  const char *encoded = (hashUNP == NULL) ? getUserPasswordHash(username, password) : hashUNP;
+	  
+	  if(encoded != NULL && authReq.equals(encoded)){
         authReq = String();
-        return false;
-      }
-      char *encoded = new char[base64_encode_expected_len(toencodeLen)+1];
-      if(encoded == NULL){
-        authReq = String();
-        delete[] toencode;
-        return false;
-      }
-      sprintf(toencode, "%s:%s", username, password);
-      if(base64_encode_chars(toencode, toencodeLen, encoded) > 0 && authReq.equals(encoded)){
-        authReq = String();
-        delete[] toencode;
-        delete[] encoded;
+        if (hashUNP == NULL) {
+			delete[] encoded;
+		}
         return true;
       }
-      delete[] toencode;
-      delete[] encoded;
+	  
+	  if (hashUNP == NULL) {
+		delete[] encoded;
+	  }
     }
     authReq = String();
   }
diff --git a/libraries/ESP8266WebServer/src/ESP8266WebServer.h b/libraries/ESP8266WebServer/src/ESP8266WebServer.h
index ab22fe659e..a5214ce5aa 100644
--- a/libraries/ESP8266WebServer/src/ESP8266WebServer.h
+++ b/libraries/ESP8266WebServer/src/ESP8266WebServer.h
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ class FS;
 
 class ESP8266WebServer
 {
+private:
+	bool authenticate(const char * username, const char * password, const char * hashUNP);
+  
 public:
   ESP8266WebServer(IPAddress addr, int port = 80);
   ESP8266WebServer(int port = 80);
@@ -77,7 +80,18 @@ class ESP8266WebServer
   void close();
   void stop();
 
-  bool authenticate(const char * username, const char * password);
+  
+  bool authenticate(const char * username, const char * password)
+    {
+      return authenticate(username, password, NULL);
+	}
+	
+  bool authenticate(const char * hashUNP)
+    {
+      return authenticate(NULL, NULL, hashUNP);
+	}
+  
+  char* getUserPasswordHash(const char * username, const char * password);
   void requestAuthentication();
 
   typedef std::function<void(void)> THandlerFunction;