diff --git a/iiab-stages.yml b/iiab-stages.yml
index 32a6ca751..5f15ffbb8 100644
--- a/iiab-stages.yml
+++ b/iiab-stages.yml
@@ -63,3 +63,4 @@
   - name: Network
     include_role:
       name: network
+    when: network_installed is defined and network_enabled
diff --git a/roles/0-init/tasks/validate_vars.yml b/roles/0-init/tasks/validate_vars.yml
index f29525daf..f2f6cf8e0 100644
--- a/roles/0-init/tasks/validate_vars.yml
+++ b/roles/0-init/tasks/validate_vars.yml
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
 #
 # 2020-11-04: Fix validation of 5 [now 4] core dependencies, for ./runrole etc
 
-- name: Set vars_checklist for 44 + 44 + 40 vars ("XYZ_install" + "XYZ_enabled" + "XYZ_installed") to be checked
+- name: Set vars_checklist for 45 + 45 + 41 vars ("XYZ_install" + "XYZ_enabled" + "XYZ_installed") to be checked
   set_fact:
     vars_checklist:
       - hostapd
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@
       - calibreweb
       - calibre
       - pbx
+      - network
 
 - name: Assert that {{ vars_checklist | length }} "XYZ_install" vars are all... defined
   assert:
diff --git a/roles/1-prep/tasks/main.yml b/roles/1-prep/tasks/main.yml
index 0e8aa4e5c..c522e82fb 100644
--- a/roles/1-prep/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/1-prep/tasks/main.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 - name: Install network/wifi related packages -- configure LATER in 'network', after Stage 9
   include_tasks: roles/network/tasks/install.yml
+  when: network_install
 
 - name: SSHD -- required by OpenVPN below -- also run by roles/4-server-options/tasks/main.yml
   include_role:
diff --git a/vars/default_vars.yml b/vars/default_vars.yml
index 4440b9e58..7023aa718 100644
--- a/vars/default_vars.yml
+++ b/vars/default_vars.yml
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ js_menu_install: True
 # IIAB Networking README: https://github.com/iiab/iiab/tree/master/roles/network
 # IIAB Networking Doc: https://github.com/iiab/iiab/wiki/IIAB-Networking
 # Read it offline too: http://box/info > "IIAB Networking"
+network_install: True
+network_enabled: True
 
 # NETWORK PARAMETERS FOLLOW ACROSS THE NEXT 100 LINES, as enabled by Ansible's
 # NETWORK role (/opt/iiab/iiab/roles/network).  SEE ALSO: