diff --git a/lib/bufferstream/bufferstream.cpp b/lib/bufferstream/bufferstream.cpp
index 9764936..00af4e9 100644
--- a/lib/bufferstream/bufferstream.cpp
+++ b/lib/bufferstream/bufferstream.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
  * @param l
  * @param o
  */
-bufferstream::bufferstream(uint8_t * p, std::streamsize l, byteorder o)
+bufferstream::bufferstream(uint8_t * p, std::streamsize l, endian o)
     : std::basic_streambuf<uint8_t>()
     , std::basic_iostream<uint8_t>(this)
     , order_(o)
diff --git a/lib/bufferstream/bufferstream.h b/lib/bufferstream/bufferstream.h
index 5c94a24..958af43 100644
--- a/lib/bufferstream/bufferstream.h
+++ b/lib/bufferstream/bufferstream.h
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ struct streamable;
 
 /**
  * @brief Input/Output stream for unsigned 8-bit buffers
+ *
+ * By default, wide types will be handled as big-endian, the network byte order.
  */
 class bufferstream
   : public std::enable_shared_from_this<bufferstream>
@@ -38,13 +40,22 @@ class bufferstream
   , public std::basic_iostream<uint8_t>
 {
 public:
-  /// @brief The byteorder enum
-  enum byteorder {
-    LittleEndian,                           //!< Little Endian
-    BigEndian,                              //!< Big Endian, Network Order
+  /**
+   * @brief The endian enum is not available until C++20.
+   *
+   * \note This implimentation may be compiler dependant.
+   *
+   * \note After upgrading the project to C++20 or better, drop this if favor of
+   * the standard implimentation in <bit.h>
+   */
+  enum class endian
+  {
+    little = __ORDER_LITTLE_ENDIAN__,
+    big    = __ORDER_BIG_ENDIAN__,
+    native = __BYTE_ORDER__,
   };
 
-  bufferstream(uint8_t *p, std::streamsize l, byteorder o = BigEndian);
+  bufferstream(uint8_t *p, std::streamsize l, endian o = endian::big); // default network byte-order
 
   // input sequence
   size_t available();
@@ -155,7 +166,7 @@ public:
   }
 
 private:
-  byteorder order_;
+  endian order_;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/platform/qt/dmxwidget/dmxwidget.cpp b/platform/qt/dmxwidget/dmxwidget.cpp
index 6f08bc3..29074ef 100644
--- a/platform/qt/dmxwidget/dmxwidget.cpp
+++ b/platform/qt/dmxwidget/dmxwidget.cpp
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ void DmxWidget::parseMessageBuffer()
     // fill it with data
     std::shared_ptr<bufferstream> stream(new bufferstream(
         reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(message_rx_buffer_.data()+fixed_length-1),
-                                                          length, bufferstream::LittleEndian));
+                                   length, bufferstream::endian::little));
     msg->iStream(stream);
     // ship it
     routeRxMessage(msg);
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ void DmxWidget::sendMessage(std::shared_ptr<ENTTEC::Pro::MessageData> msg) const
   char buffer[length + fixed_length];
   std::shared_ptr<bufferstream> stream(new bufferstream(reinterpret_cast<uint8_t*>(buffer),
                                                         sizeof(buffer),
-                                                        bufferstream::LittleEndian));
+                                                        bufferstream::endian::little));
   *stream << ENTTEC::Pro::START_DELIMITER;
   *stream << msg->label;
   *stream << length;