diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/UARTDriver.cpp b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/UARTDriver.cpp
index fb051800a6..2cf293a350 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/UARTDriver.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/UARTDriver.cpp
@@ -36,13 +36,7 @@ void UARTDriver::vprintf(const char *fmt, va_list ap)
     }
 }
 
-void UARTDriver::begin(uint32_t b)
-{
-    begin(b, 0, 0);
-}
-
-
-void UARTDriver::begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS)
+void UARTDriver::_begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS)
 {
     if (uart_num < ARRAY_SIZE(uart_desc)) {
         uart_port_t p = uart_desc[uart_num].port;
@@ -75,7 +69,7 @@ void UARTDriver::begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS)
     _baudrate = b;
 }
 
-void UARTDriver::end()
+void UARTDriver::_end()
 {
     if (_initialized) {
         uart_driver_delete(uart_desc[uart_num].port);
@@ -85,7 +79,7 @@ void UARTDriver::end()
     _initialized = false;
 }
 
-void UARTDriver::flush()
+void UARTDriver::_flush()
 {
     uart_port_t p = uart_desc[uart_num].port;
     uart_flush(p);
@@ -96,18 +90,13 @@ bool UARTDriver::is_initialized()
     return _initialized;
 }
 
-void UARTDriver::set_blocking_writes(bool blocking)
-{
-    //blocking writes do not used anywhere
-}
-
 bool UARTDriver::tx_pending()
 {
     return (_writebuf.available() > 0);
 }
 
 
-uint32_t UARTDriver::available()
+uint32_t UARTDriver::_available()
 {
     if (!_initialized) {
         return 0;
@@ -126,7 +115,7 @@ uint32_t UARTDriver::txspace()
 
 }
 
-ssize_t IRAM_ATTR UARTDriver::read(uint8_t *buffer, uint16_t count)
+ssize_t IRAM_ATTR UARTDriver::_read(uint8_t *buffer, uint16_t count)
 {
     if (!_initialized) {
         return -1;
@@ -143,22 +132,6 @@ ssize_t IRAM_ATTR UARTDriver::read(uint8_t *buffer, uint16_t count)
     return ret;
 }
 
-bool IRAM_ATTR UARTDriver::read(uint8_t &byte)
-{
-
-    if (!_initialized) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    if (!_readbuf.read_byte(&byte)) {
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    _receive_timestamp_update();
-
-    return true;
-
-}
-
 void IRAM_ATTR UARTDriver::_timer_tick(void)
 {
     if (!_initialized) {
@@ -195,12 +168,7 @@ void IRAM_ATTR UARTDriver::write_data()
     _write_mutex.give();
 }
 
-size_t IRAM_ATTR UARTDriver::write(uint8_t c)
-{
-    return write(&c,1);
-}
-
-size_t IRAM_ATTR UARTDriver::write(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t size)
+size_t IRAM_ATTR UARTDriver::_write(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t size)
 {
     if (!_initialized) {
         return 0;
@@ -214,7 +182,7 @@ size_t IRAM_ATTR UARTDriver::write(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t size)
     return ret;
 }
 
-bool UARTDriver::discard_input()
+bool UARTDriver::_discard_input()
 {
     //uart_port_t p = uart_desc[uart_num].port;
     //return uart_flush_input(p) == ESP_OK;
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/UARTDriver.h b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/UARTDriver.h
index 22b0174ada..471c7da4ec 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/UARTDriver.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/UARTDriver.h
@@ -47,39 +47,18 @@ public:
 
     void vprintf(const char *fmt, va_list ap) override;
 
-    void begin(uint32_t b) override;
-    void begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS) override;
-    void end() override;
-    void flush() override;
     bool is_initialized() override;
-    void set_blocking_writes(bool blocking) override;
     bool tx_pending() override;
 
-    uint32_t available() override;
-    //uint32_t available_locked(uint32_t key) override;
-
     uint32_t txspace() override;
 
-    ssize_t read(uint8_t *buffer, uint16_t count) override;
-    bool read(uint8_t &b) override WARN_IF_UNUSED;
-    //ssize_t read(uint8_t *buffer, uint16_t count) override;
-    //int16_t read_locked(uint32_t key) override;
-
     void _timer_tick(void) override;
 
-    size_t write(uint8_t c) override;
-    size_t write(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t size) override;
-
-    bool discard_input() override; // discard all bytes available for reading
     uint32_t bw_in_bytes_per_second() const override
     {
         return 10*1024;
     }
 
-    //bool lock_port(uint32_t write_key, uint32_t read_key) override;
-
-    //size_t write_locked(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t size, uint32_t key) override;
-    //
     /*
       return timestamp estimate in microseconds for when the start of
       a nbytes packet arrived on the uart. This should be treated as a
@@ -111,6 +90,15 @@ private:
     uint32_t _baudrate;
 
     void _receive_timestamp_update(void);
+
+protected:
+    void _begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS) override;
+    void _end() override;
+    void _flush() override;
+    uint32_t _available() override;
+    ssize_t _read(uint8_t *buffer, uint16_t count) override;
+    size_t _write(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t size) override;
+    bool _discard_input() override; // discard all bytes available for reading
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiDriver.cpp b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiDriver.cpp
index dcadb393cb..b11c6b978c 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiDriver.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiDriver.cpp
@@ -45,12 +45,7 @@ WiFiDriver::WiFiDriver()
     }
 }
 
-void WiFiDriver::begin(uint32_t b)
-{
-    begin(b, 0, 0);
-}
-
-void WiFiDriver::begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS)
+void WiFiDriver::_begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS)
 {
     if (_state == NOT_INITIALIZED) {
         initialize_wifi();
@@ -67,12 +62,12 @@ void WiFiDriver::begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS)
     }
 }
 
-void WiFiDriver::end()
+void WiFiDriver::_end()
 {
     //TODO
 }
 
-void WiFiDriver::flush()
+void WiFiDriver::_flush()
 {
 }
 
@@ -81,17 +76,12 @@ bool WiFiDriver::is_initialized()
     return _state != NOT_INITIALIZED;
 }
 
-void WiFiDriver::set_blocking_writes(bool blocking)
-{
-    //blocking writes do not used anywhere
-}
-
 bool WiFiDriver::tx_pending()
 {
     return (_writebuf.available() > 0);
 }
 
-uint32_t WiFiDriver::available()
+uint32_t WiFiDriver::_available()
 {
     if (_state != CONNECTED) {
         return 0;
@@ -109,15 +99,12 @@ uint32_t WiFiDriver::txspace()
     return MAX(result, 0);
 }
 
-bool WiFiDriver::read(uint8_t &byte)
+ssize_t WiFiDriver::_read(uint8_t *buf, uint16_t count)
 {
     if (_state != CONNECTED) {
-        return false;
+        return 0;
     }
-    if (!_readbuf.read_byte(&byte)) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    return true;
+    return _readbuf.read(buf, count);
 }
 
 bool WiFiDriver::start_listen()
@@ -243,12 +230,7 @@ void WiFiDriver::initialize_wifi()
     esp_wifi_start();
 }
 
-size_t WiFiDriver::write(uint8_t c)
-{
-    return write(&c,1);
-}
-
-size_t WiFiDriver::write(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t size)
+size_t WiFiDriver::_write(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t size)
 {
     if (_state != CONNECTED) {
         return 0;
@@ -290,7 +272,7 @@ void WiFiDriver::_wifi_thread(void *arg)
     }
 }
 
-bool WiFiDriver::discard_input()
+bool WiFiDriver::_discard_input()
 {
     return false;
 }
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiDriver.h b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiDriver.h
index 04958b0605..cc1d55bbd5 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiDriver.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiDriver.h
@@ -33,30 +33,18 @@ class ESP32::WiFiDriver : public AP_HAL::UARTDriver
 public:
     WiFiDriver();
 
-    void begin(uint32_t b) override;
-    void begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS) override;
-    void end() override;
-    void flush() override;
     bool is_initialized() override;
-    void set_blocking_writes(bool blocking) override;
     bool tx_pending() override;
 
-    uint32_t available() override;
     uint32_t txspace() override;
-    bool read(uint8_t &c) override;
-
-    size_t write(uint8_t c) override;
-    size_t write(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t size) override;
 
     uint32_t bw_in_bytes_per_second() const override
     {
         return 1000*1024;
     }
 
-
-    bool discard_input() override;
-
     bool _more_data;
+
 private:
     enum ConnectionState {
         NOT_INITIALIZED,
@@ -80,4 +68,13 @@ private:
     bool try_accept();
     static void _wifi_thread(void* arg);
     unsigned short available_socket();
+
+protected:
+    void _begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS) override;
+    size_t _write(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t size) override;
+    ssize_t _read(uint8_t *buffer, uint16_t size) override;
+    void _end() override;
+    void _flush() override;
+    bool _discard_input() override;
+    uint32_t _available() override;
 };
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiUdpDriver.cpp b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiUdpDriver.cpp
index 348b2fa072..6e08cabfb2 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiUdpDriver.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiUdpDriver.cpp
@@ -44,12 +44,7 @@ WiFiUdpDriver::WiFiUdpDriver()
     accept_socket = -1;
 }
 
-void WiFiUdpDriver::begin(uint32_t b)
-{
-    begin(b, 0, 0);
-}
-
-void WiFiUdpDriver::begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS)
+void WiFiUdpDriver::_begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS)
 {
     if (_state == NOT_INITIALIZED) {
         initialize_wifi();
@@ -69,12 +64,12 @@ void WiFiUdpDriver::begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS)
     }
 }
 
-void WiFiUdpDriver::end()
+void WiFiUdpDriver::_end()
 {
     //TODO
 }
 
-void WiFiUdpDriver::flush()
+void WiFiUdpDriver::_flush()
 {
 }
 
@@ -83,17 +78,12 @@ bool WiFiUdpDriver::is_initialized()
     return true;
 }
 
-void WiFiUdpDriver::set_blocking_writes(bool blocking)
-{
-    //blocking writes do not used anywhere
-}
-
 bool WiFiUdpDriver::tx_pending()
 {
     return (_writebuf.available() > 0);
 }
 
-uint32_t WiFiUdpDriver::available()
+uint32_t WiFiUdpDriver::_available()
 {
     return _readbuf.available();
 }
@@ -105,18 +95,16 @@ uint32_t WiFiUdpDriver::txspace()
     return MAX(result, 0);
 }
 
-bool WiFiUdpDriver::read(uint8_t &c)
+ssize_t WiFiUdpDriver::_read(uint8_t *buf, uint16_t count)
 {
     if (!_read_mutex.take_nonblocking()) {
         return false;
     }
 
-    if (!_readbuf.read_byte(&c)) {
-        return false;
-    }
+    auto ret = _readbuf.read(buf, count);
 
     _read_mutex.give();
-    return true;
+    return ret;
 }
 
 bool WiFiUdpDriver::start_listen()
@@ -212,12 +200,7 @@ void WiFiUdpDriver::initialize_wifi()
     esp_wifi_start();
 }
 
-size_t WiFiUdpDriver::write(uint8_t c)
-{
-    return write(&c,1);
-}
-
-size_t WiFiUdpDriver::write(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t size)
+size_t WiFiUdpDriver::_write(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t size)
 {
     if (!_write_mutex.take_nonblocking()) {
         return 0;
@@ -247,7 +230,7 @@ void WiFiUdpDriver::_wifi_thread2(void *arg)
     }
 }
 
-bool WiFiUdpDriver::discard_input()
+bool WiFiUdpDriver::_discard_input()
 {
     return false;
 }
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiUdpDriver.h b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiUdpDriver.h
index 0a10aafa7f..9b11464e35 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiUdpDriver.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/WiFiUdpDriver.h
@@ -28,20 +28,11 @@ class ESP32::WiFiUdpDriver : public AP_HAL::UARTDriver
 public:
     WiFiUdpDriver();
 
-    void begin(uint32_t b) override;
-    void begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS) override;
-    void end() override;
-    void flush() override;
     bool is_initialized() override;
-    void set_blocking_writes(bool blocking) override;
     bool tx_pending() override;
 
-    uint32_t available() override;
     uint32_t txspace() override;
-    bool read(uint8_t &c) override;
 
-    size_t write(uint8_t c) override;
-    size_t write(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t size) override;
 
     uint32_t bw_in_bytes_per_second() const override
     {
@@ -49,7 +40,6 @@ public:
     }
 
 
-    bool discard_input() override;
 private:
     enum ConnectionState {
         NOT_INITIALIZED,
@@ -74,4 +64,13 @@ private:
     bool start_listen();
     bool try_accept();
     static void _wifi_thread2(void* arg);
+
+protected:
+    void _begin(uint32_t b, uint16_t rxS, uint16_t txS) override;
+    size_t _write(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t size) override;
+    ssize_t _read(uint8_t *buf, uint16_t count) override;
+    uint32_t _available() override;
+    bool _discard_input() override;
+    void _end() override;
+    void _flush() override;
 };