diff --git a/piker/brokers/ib/_util.py b/piker/brokers/ib/_util.py
index 4adb32ea..f23aa99b 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/ib/_util.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/ib/_util.py
@@ -81,9 +81,20 @@ async def data_reset_hack(
           that need to be wrangle.
 
     '''
+    ib_client: IB = client.ib
+
+    # look up any user defined vnc socket address mapped from
+    # a particular API socket port.
+    api_port: str = str(ib_client.client.port)
+    vnc_host: str
+    vnc_port: int
+    vnc_host, vnc_port = client.conf['vnc_addrs'].get(
+        api_port,
+        ('localhost', 3003)
+    )
 
     no_setup_msg:str = (
-        'No data reset hack test setup for {vnc_host}!\n'
+        f'No data reset hack test setup for {vnc_host}!\n'
         'See setup @\n'
         'https://github.com/pikers/piker/tree/master/piker/brokers/ib'
     )
@@ -96,6 +107,7 @@ async def data_reset_hack(
                     partial(
                         vnc_click_hack,
                         host=vnc_host,
+                        port=vnc_port,
                     )
                 )
             except OSError:
@@ -104,7 +116,7 @@ async def data_reset_hack(
                     return False
 
                 try:
-                    import i3ipc
+                    import i3ipc  # noqa  (since a deps dynamic check)
                 except ModuleNotFoundError:
                     log.warning(no_setup_msg)
                     return False
@@ -128,7 +140,8 @@ async def data_reset_hack(
 
 
 async def vnc_click_hack(
-    host: str = 'localhost',
+    host: str,
+    port: int,
     reset_type: str = 'data'
 ) -> None:
     '''
@@ -154,8 +167,12 @@ async def vnc_click_hack(
 
     async with asyncvnc.connect(
         host,
-        port=3003,
+        port=port,
+
+        # TODO: doesn't work see:
+        # https://github.com/barneygale/asyncvnc/issues/7
         # password='ibcansmbz',
+
     ) as client:
 
         # move to middle of screen
@@ -169,6 +186,11 @@ async def vnc_click_hack(
 
 
 def i3ipc_xdotool_manual_click_hack() -> None:
+    '''
+    Do the data reset hack but expecting a local X-window using `xdotool`.
+
+    '''
+    import i3ipc
     i3 = i3ipc.Connection()
 
     # TODO: might be worth offering some kinda api for grabbing
diff --git a/piker/brokers/ib/api.py b/piker/brokers/ib/api.py
index c6ad0b50..171578aa 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/ib/api.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/ib/api.py
@@ -385,8 +385,14 @@ class Client:
         self,
 
         ib: IB,
+        config: dict[str, Any],
 
     ) -> None:
+
+        # stash `brokers.toml` config on client for user settings
+        # as needed throughout this backend (eg. vnc sockaddr).
+        self.conf = config
+
         self.ib = ib
         self.ib.RaiseRequestErrors = True
 
@@ -1267,7 +1273,7 @@ async def load_aio_clients(
     '''
     global _accounts2clients, _client_cache, _scan_ignore
 
-    conf = get_config()
+    conf: dict[str, Any] = get_config()
     ib = None
     client = None
 
@@ -1333,7 +1339,7 @@ async def load_aio_clients(
                     timeout=connect_timeout,
                 )
                 # create and cache client
-                client = Client(ib)
+                client = Client(ib=ib, config=conf)
 
                 # update all actor-global caches
                 log.info(f"Caching client for {sockaddr}")
@@ -1466,7 +1472,7 @@ def get_preferred_data_client(
 
     '''
     conf = get_config()
-    data_accounts = conf['prefer_data_account']
+    data_accounts: list[str] = conf['prefer_data_account']
 
     for name in data_accounts:
         client = clients.get(f'ib.{name}')
diff --git a/piker/brokers/ib/feed.py b/piker/brokers/ib/feed.py
index f2a00825..2ceb8acb 100644
--- a/piker/brokers/ib/feed.py
+++ b/piker/brokers/ib/feed.py
@@ -278,7 +278,6 @@ async def wait_on_data_reset(
     # try to wait on the reset event(s) to arrive, a timeout
     # will trigger a retry up to 6 times (for now).
     client: Client = proxy._aio_ns
-    ib_client: ibis.IB = client.ib
 
     done = trio.Event()
     with trio.move_on_after(timeout) as cs:
@@ -287,11 +286,10 @@ async def wait_on_data_reset(
 
         log.warning(
             'Sending DATA RESET request:\n'
-            f'{ib_client.client}'
+            f'{client.ib.client}'
         )
         res = await data_reset_hack(
-            # vnc_host=client.host,
-            ib_client=ib_client,
+            client=client,
             reset_type=reset_type,
         )