diff --git a/.env b/.env
index 5b1f8b1..e5d6478 100644
--- a/.env
+++ b/.env
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # MongoDB credentials
 MONGO_ROOT_USERNAME=admin
-MONGO_ROOT_PASSWORD=change_this_password
+MONGO_ROOT_PASSWORD=password
 
 # Mongo Express credentials
 MONGOEXPRESS_USERNAME=mexpress
-MONGOEXPRESS_PASSWORD=change_this_password_too
+MONGOEXPRESS_PASSWORD=password
diff --git a/config.js b/config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4b90462
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+'use strict';
+
+// Custom Mongo Express configuration
+// This file MUST be mounted at /node_modules/mongo-express/config.js
+module.exports = {
+  mongodb: {
+    // Connection string for MongoDB
+    connectionString: process.env.ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_URL || 'mongodb://admin:password@mongodb:27017/admin',
+    
+    // MongoDB server options
+    admin: true,
+    
+    // MongoDB authentication options
+    adminUsername: process.env.ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_ADMINUSERNAME || 'admin',
+    adminPassword: process.env.ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_ADMINPASSWORD || 'password',
+    
+    // Auth database name
+    auth: [
+      {
+        database: process.env.ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_AUTH_DATABASE || 'admin',
+        username: process.env.ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_ADMINUSERNAME || 'admin',
+        password: process.env.ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_ADMINPASSWORD || 'password',
+      }
+    ]
+  },
+  
+  // Web server options
+  site: {
+    // Base URL path
+    baseUrl: '/',
+    
+    // Web server port
+    port: process.env.ME_CONFIG_SITE_PORT || 8081,
+    
+    // Web server host
+    host: '0.0.0.0'
+  },
+  
+  // Options for basic authentication
+  basicAuth: {
+    // Use environment variables for basic authentication
+    username: process.env.ME_CONFIG_BASICAUTH_USERNAME || 'mexpress',
+    password: process.env.ME_CONFIG_BASICAUTH_PASSWORD || 'password'
+  },
+  
+  // Other options
+  options: {
+    // Enable editing
+    editMode: true,
+    
+    // Enable admin mode
+    adminMode: true
+  }
+};
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index f1a0165..5e7dd01 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ services:
     ports:
       - "27017:27017" # Expose MongoDB port to external machines
     # Use a simpler configuration without replica set for now
-    command: ["--auth", "--bind_ip_all"]
+    command:
+      ["--auth", "--bind_ip_all", "--logpath", "/proc/1/fd/1", "--logappend"]
     healthcheck:
       test: echo 'db.runCommand("ping").ok' | mongosh localhost:27017/admin -u ${MONGO_ROOT_USERNAME:-admin} -p ${MONGO_ROOT_PASSWORD:-password} --quiet
       interval: 10s
@@ -40,21 +41,23 @@ services:
     hostname: mongo-express
     restart: always
     volumes:
-      - ./mongo-express-config.js:/node_modules/mongo-express/config.js:ro
+      - ./config.js:/node_modules/mongo-express/config.js:ro
     environment:
       - ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_ADMINUSERNAME=${MONGO_ROOT_USERNAME:-admin}
       - ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_ADMINPASSWORD=${MONGO_ROOT_PASSWORD:-password}
-      - ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_SERVER=mongodb  # This should match container_name of MongoDB
+      - ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_SERVER=mongodb # This should match container_name of MongoDB
       - ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_AUTH_DATABASE=admin
       # Fix connection string format
       - ME_CONFIG_MONGODB_URL=mongodb://${MONGO_ROOT_USERNAME:-admin}:${MONGO_ROOT_PASSWORD:-password}@mongodb:27017/?authSource=admin
       # Explicitly disable basic auth
-      - ME_CONFIG_BASICAUTH_USERNAME=
-      - ME_CONFIG_BASICAUTH_PASSWORD=
+      - ME_CONFIG_BASICAUTH_USERNAME=${MONGOEXPRESS_USERNAME:-mexpress}
+      - ME_CONFIG_BASICAUTH_PASSWORD=${MONGOEXPRESS_PASSWORD:-password}
     ports:
-      - "8081:8081" # Expose Mongo Express web interface to external machines
+      - "8001:8081" # Expose Mongo Express web interface to external machines
     depends_on:
-      - mongodb
+      mongodb:
+        condition: service_healthy
+
     networks:
       - mongo_network
     logging: