diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 84e3996..c1169fd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -56,6 +56,72 @@ $ pip install wyze-sdk
 
 Wyze does not provide a Web API that gives you the ability to build applications that interact with Wyze devices. This Development Kit is a reverse-engineered, module-based wrapper that makes interaction with that API possible. We have a few basic examples here with some of the more common uses but you are encouraged to [explore the full range of methods](https://wyze-sdk.readthedocs.io/en/latest/wyze_sdk.api.devices.html) available to you.
 
+#### Authenticating
+
+When performing user "authentication" with an email and password in the Wyze app, the credentials are exchanged for an access token and a refrsh token. These are long strings of the form `lvtx.XXXX`. When using this library, be aware that there are two method for handling authentiation:
+
+##### Obtaining the Token and Storing it for Later Use (Preferred)
+
+It is preferred that users first create an empty `Client` object and use the `login()` method to perform the token exchange.
+
+```python
+import os
+from wyze_sdk import Client
+
+response = Client().login(email=os.environ['WYZE_EMAIL'], password=os.environ['WYZE_PASSWORD'])
+print(f"access token: {response['access_token']}")
+print(f"refresh token: {response['refresh_token']}")
+```
+
+The returned values can be stored on disk or as environment variables for use in subsequent calls.
+
+```python
+import os
+from wyze_sdk import Client
+
+client = Client(token=os.environ['WYZE_ACCESS_TOKEN'])
+...
+```
+
+##### (Deprecated) Automatically Authenticate Every New Client
+
+This method has been deprecated due to issues with authentication rate limiting. While it is still a perfectly usable approach for testing or performing infrequent client actions, it **is not recommended** if you are scripting with this client library.
+
+```python
+import os
+from wyze_sdk import Client
+from wyze_sdk.errors import WyzeApiError
+
+client = Client(email=os.environ['WYZE_EMAIL'], password=os.environ['WYZE_PASSWORD'])
+...
+```
+
+##### Multi-Factor Authentication (2FA) Support
+
+If your Wyze account has multi-factor authentication (2FA) enabled, you may be prompted for your 2FA code when authenticating via either supported method described above. If you wish to automate the MFA interaction, both the `Client` constructor and the `login()` method accept `totp_key` as input. If the TOTP key is provided, the MFA prompt should not appear.
+
+```python
+import os
+from wyze_sdk import Client
+
+response = Client().login(
+  email=os.environ['WYZE_EMAIL'],
+  password=os.environ['WYZE_PASSWORD'],
+  totp_key=os.environ['WYZE_TOTP_KEY']
+)
+
+OR
+
+client = Client(
+  email=os.environ['WYZE_EMAIL'],
+  password=os.environ['WYZE_PASSWORD'],
+  totp_key=os.environ['WYZE_TOTP_KEY']
+)
+...
+```
+
+**Note: This does not work with SMS or email-based MFA.**
+
 #### Listing devices in your Wyze account
 
 One of the most common use-cases is querying device state from Wyze. If you want to access devices you own, or devices shared to you, this method will do both.
@@ -65,7 +131,7 @@ import os
 from wyze_sdk import Client
 from wyze_sdk.errors import WyzeApiError
 
-client = Client(email=os.environ['WYZE_EMAIL'], password=os.environ['WYZE_PASSWORD'])
+client = Client(token=os.environ['WYZE_ACCESS_TOKEN'])
 
 try:
     response = client.devices_list()
@@ -89,7 +155,7 @@ from datetime import timedelta
 from wyze_sdk import Client
 from wyze_sdk.errors import WyzeApiError
 
-client = Client(email=os.environ['WYZE_EMAIL'], password=os.environ['WYZE_PASSWORD'])
+client = Client(token=os.environ['WYZE_ACCESS_TOKEN'])
 
 try:
   plug = client.plugs.info(device_mac='ABCDEF1234567890')
@@ -117,7 +183,7 @@ import os
 from wyze_sdk import Client
 from wyze_sdk.errors import WyzeApiError
 
-client = Client(email=os.environ['WYZE_EMAIL'], password=os.environ['WYZE_PASSWORD'])
+client = Client(token=os.environ['WYZE_ACCESS_TOKEN'])
 
 try:
   bulb = client.bulbs.info(device_mac='ABCDEF1234567890')
@@ -153,7 +219,7 @@ import wyze_sdk
 from wyze_sdk import Client
 from wyze_sdk.errors import WyzeApiError
 
-client = Client(email=os.environ['WYZE_EMAIL'], password=os.environ['WYZE_PASSWORD'])
+client = Client(token=os.environ['WYZE_ACCESS_TOKEN'])
 
 try:
   lock = client.locks.info(device_mac='YD.LO1.abcdefg0123456789abcdefg0123456789')
diff --git a/wyze_sdk/api/client.py b/wyze_sdk/api/client.py
index f7ab299..dd0e10f 100644
--- a/wyze_sdk/api/client.py
+++ b/wyze_sdk/api/client.py
@@ -39,24 +39,31 @@ class Client(object):
 
     def __init__(
         self,
+        token: Optional[str] = None,
+        refresh_token: Optional[str] = None,
         email: Optional[str] = None,
         password: Optional[str] = None,
         totp_key: Optional[str] = None,
         base_url: Optional[str] = None,
         timeout: int = 30,
     ):
+        #: A string used for API-based requests
+        self._token = None if token is None else token.strip()
+        #: A string that can be used to rotate the authentication token
+        self._refresh_token = None if refresh_token is None else refresh_token.strip()
         #: A string specifying the account email address.
-        self._email = email
+        self._email = None if email is None else email.strip()
         #: An unencrypted string specifying the account password.
-        self._password = password
+        self._password = None if password is None else password.strip()
         #: An unencrypted string specifying the TOTP Key for automatic TOTP 2FA verification code generation.
-        self._totp_key = totp_key
+        self._totp_key = None if totp_key is None else totp_key.strip()
         #: An optional string representing the API base URL. **This should not be used except for when running tests.**
         self._base_url = base_url
         #: The maximum number of seconds the client will wait to connect and receive a response from Wyze. Defaults to 30
         self.timeout = timeout
 
-        self.login()
+        if self._token is None and self._email is not None:
+            self.login()
 
     @property
     def vacuums(self) -> VacuumsClient:
@@ -125,7 +132,12 @@ def _update_session(self, *, access_token: str, refresh_token: str, user_id: Opt
             self._user_id = user_id
             self._logger.debug("wyze user : %s", self._user_id)
 
-    def login(self) -> WyzeResponse:
+    def login(
+        self,
+        email: str = None,
+        password: str = None,
+        totp_key: Optional[str] = None,
+        ) -> WyzeResponse:
         """
         Exchanges email and password for an ``access_token`` and a ``refresh_token``, which
         are stored in this client. The tokens will be used for all subsequent requests
@@ -133,10 +145,19 @@ def login(self) -> WyzeResponse:
 
         :rtype: WyzeResponse
 
-        :raises WyzeClientConfigurationError: If ``access_point`` is already set or both ``email`` and ``password`` are not set.
+        :raises WyzeClientConfigurationError: If ``access_token`` is already set or both ``email`` and ``password`` are not set.
         """
         if self._token is not None:
             raise WyzeClientConfigurationError("already logged in")
+
+        # if an email/password is provided, use them. Otherwise, use the ones
+        # provided when constructing the client.
+        if email is not None:
+            self._email = email.strip()
+        if password is not None:
+            self._password = password.strip()
+        if totp_key is not None:
+            self._totp_key = totp_key.strip()
         if self._email is None or self._password is None:
             raise WyzeClientConfigurationError("must provide email and password")
         self._logger.debug(f"access token not provided, attempting to login as {self._email}")
diff --git a/wyze_sdk/service/base.py b/wyze_sdk/service/base.py
index f1c35a4..ac39382 100644
--- a/wyze_sdk/service/base.py
+++ b/wyze_sdk/service/base.py
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ def _do_request(
             self,
             session: requests.Session,
             request: requests.Request) -> WyzeResponse:
-        with suppress(requests.exceptions.HTTPError, requests.exceptions.RequestException, ValueError):
+        try:
             self._logger.info(f"requesting {request.method} to {request.url}")
             self._logger.debug(f"headers: {request.headers}")
             self._logger.debug(f"body: {request.body}")
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ def _do_request(
 
             response = session.send(request, **settings)
 
+            response.raise_for_status()
+
             return WyzeResponse(
                 client=self,
                 http_verb=request.method,
@@ -99,6 +101,12 @@ def _do_request(
                 headers=response.headers,
                 status_code=response.status_code,
             ).validate()
+        except requests.exceptions.HTTPError as err:
+            # this is a placeholder for future retry logic - for now, raise the err
+            raise err
+        except Exception as e:
+            self._logger.debug(f"Failed to send a request to server: {e}")
+            raise e
 
     def do_post(self, url: str, headers: dict, payload: dict, params: Optional[dict] = None) -> WyzeResponse:
         with requests.Session() as client:
diff --git a/wyze_sdk/service/wyze_response.py b/wyze_sdk/service/wyze_response.py
index d670c2c..1263d42 100644
--- a/wyze_sdk/service/wyze_response.py
+++ b/wyze_sdk/service/wyze_response.py
@@ -130,9 +130,9 @@ def validate(self):
                 message = "The username or password is incorrect. Please check your credentials and try again."
         elif response_code in [1001, 1004]:
             message = "Parameters passed to Wyze Service do not fit the endpoint"
-        elif response_code == [1003, 2001]:
+        elif response_code in [1003]:
             message = "Unknown request error"  # FIXME what do I mean?
-        elif msg == 'AccessTokenError':
+        elif response_code in [2001] or msg == 'AccessTokenError':
             message = "The access token has expired. Please refresh the token and try again."
         elif msg == 'UserIsLocked':
             message = "The user account is locked. Please resolve this issue and try again."