I moved the ESP over to a different wifi network, and the problem went away. It was connected to the internet via an old cisco/linksys 2000 that was just used to extend wifi signal. That router was then hardwired into an internet connected router from verizon fios. When it connected directly to the verizon wireless, or to a completely different network the problem went away.
Poking around on the linksys setting, not knowing squat about networks, I saw a dynamic RIP setting that was off. I turned it on, and now connecting to the linksys is working as well. I'll probably dig a little more to try to understand/verify better, but now that it's working some of that natural motivation will slip I'm sure. Since I shot in the dark, I wouldn't be surprised if the problem came back.