diff --git a/roles/openvpn/defaults/main.yml b/roles/openvpn/defaults/main.yml
index 6ae8dd6bc..cb72b0a00 100644
--- a/roles/openvpn/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/openvpn/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
-vpn_presence: xscenet.net
-openvpn_server_virtual_ip: 10.8.0.1
-openvpn_server_port: 1194
 openvpn_install: True
 openvpn_enable: False
+
+openvpn_handle: UNNAMED
+# cron seems necessary on CentOS:
+openvpn_cron_enabled: False
+
+openvpn_server: xscenet.net
+openvpn_server_virtual_ip: 10.8.0.1
+openvpn_server_port: 1194
diff --git a/roles/openvpn/tasks/main.yml b/roles/openvpn/tasks/main.yml
index e195389a6..0b265238e 100644
--- a/roles/openvpn/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/openvpn/tasks/main.yml
@@ -1,105 +1,149 @@
----
-
-- name: Install OpenVPN packages
-  package:  name={{ item }}
-            state=present
+- name: Install OpenVPN and Nmap packages
+  package:
+    name: "{{ item }}"
+    state: present
   with_items:
-        - openvpn
-        - nmap
+    - openvpn
+    - nmap
   tags:
     - download
 
 - name: Create the directory for keys
-  file: dest=/etc/openvpn/keys
-        state=directory
-        owner=root
-        group=root
-        mode=0755
+  file:
+    dest: /etc/openvpn/keys
+    state: directory
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: 0755
 
 - name: Create the directory for scripts
-  file: dest=/etc/openvpn/scripts
-        state=directory
-        owner=root
-        group=root
-        mode=0755
+  file:
+    dest: /etc/openvpn/scripts
+    state: directory
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: 0755
 
 - name: Create a folder for iiab executable not on path
-  file: path=/usr/lib/iiab
-        state=directory
+  file:
+    path: /usr/lib/iiab
+    state: directory
 
 - name: Configure OpenVPN
-  template: src={{ item.src }}
-            dest={{ item.dest }}
-            owner={{ item.owner }}
-            group=root
-            mode={{ item.mode }}
+  template:
+    src: "{{ item.src }}"
+    dest: "{{ item.dest }}"
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: "{{ item.mode }}"
   with_items:
-    - { src: 'ca.crt', dest: '/etc/openvpn/keys/ca.crt', owner: "root" , mode: '0644' }
-    - { src: 'client1.crt', dest: '/etc/openvpn/keys/client1.crt', owner: "root" , mode: '0644' }
-    - { src: 'client1.key', dest: '/etc/openvpn/keys/client1.key', owner: "root" , mode: '0600' }
-    - { src: 'announce', dest: '/etc/openvpn/scripts/announce', owner: "root" , mode: '0755' }
-    - { src: 'announcer', dest: '/etc/openvpn/scripts/announcer', owner: "root" , mode: '0755' }
-    - { src: 'silence', dest: '/etc/openvpn/scripts/silence', owner: "root" , mode: '0755' }
-    - { src: 'xscenet.conf', dest: '/etc/openvpn/xscenet.conf', owner: "root" , mode: '0644' }
-    - { src: 'iiab-vpn.conf.in', dest: '/etc/openvpn/iiab-vpn.conf.in', owner: "root" , mode: '0644' }
-    - { src: 'iiab-vpn', dest: '/usr/bin/iiab-vpn', owner: "root" , mode: '0755' }
-    - { src: 'iiab-handle', dest: '/usr/bin/iiab-handle', owner: "root" , mode: '0755' }
-    - { src: 'up_wan', dest: '/usr/lib/iiab/up_wan', owner: "root" , mode: '0755' }
-    - { src: 'start.j2', dest: '/usr/lib/iiab/start', owner: "root" , mode: '0755' }
-    - { src: 'iiab-remote-on', dest: '/usr/bin/iiab-remote-on', owner: "root" , mode: '0755' }
-    - { src: 'iiab-remote-off', dest: '/usr/bin/iiab-remote-off', owner: "root" , mode: '0755' }
+    - { src: 'ca.crt', dest: '/etc/openvpn/keys/ca.crt', mode: '0644' }
+    - { src: 'client1.crt', dest: '/etc/openvpn/keys/client1.crt', mode: '0644' }
+    - { src: 'client1.key', dest: '/etc/openvpn/keys/client1.key', mode: '0600' }
+    - { src: 'announce', dest: '/etc/openvpn/scripts/announce', mode: '0755' }
+    - { src: 'announcer.j2', dest: '/etc/openvpn/scripts/announcer', mode: '0755' }
+    - { src: 'silence', dest: '/etc/openvpn/scripts/silence', mode: '0755' }
+    - { src: 'xscenet.conf.j2', dest: '/etc/openvpn/xscenet.conf', mode: '0644' }
+    - { src: 'iiab-vpn.conf.in', dest: '/etc/openvpn/iiab-vpn.conf.in', mode: '0644' }
+    - { src: 'iiab-vpn.j2', dest: '/usr/bin/iiab-vpn', mode: '0755' }
+    - { src: 'iiab-handle.j2', dest: '/usr/bin/iiab-handle', mode: '0755' }
+    - { src: 'up_wan', dest: '/usr/lib/iiab/up_wan', mode: '0755' }
+    - { src: 'start.j2', dest: '/usr/lib/iiab/start', mode: '0755' }
+    - { src: 'iiab-remote-on', dest: '/usr/bin/iiab-remote-on', mode: '0755' }
+    - { src: 'iiab-remote-off', dest: '/usr/bin/iiab-remote-off', mode: '0755' }
 
-- name: Put up_wan in place for Debian
-  template: src=up_wan dest=/usr/lib/iiab/up_wan
+- name: Save openvpn_handle variable into /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle (BACKS UP FILE IF CHANGED)
+  template:
+    src: openvpn_handle.j2
+    dest: /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: 0644
+    backup: yes
+
+- name: Put up_wan in place (debuntu)
+  template:
+    src: up_wan
+    dest: /usr/lib/iiab/up_wan
   when: is_debuntu
 
-- name: Put dispatcher up for NM
-  template: src=15-openvpn dest=/etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/
+- name: Put dispatcher up for NM (not debuntu)
+  template:
+    src: 15-openvpn
+    dest: /etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/
   when: not is_debuntu
 
 - name: Check for manually configured OpenVPN tunnel
-  stat: path=/etc/openvpn/iiab-vpn.conf
+  stat:
+    path: /etc/openvpn/iiab-vpn.conf
   register: stat
 
 
-# note that ansible does not currently handle @ in a service name
-- name:  Enable the OpenVPN tunnel at boot time
-  shell: systemctl enable openvpn@xscenet.service
-  when:  openvpn_enabled and not stat.exists is defined and is_debuntu
+# FIXED SOMETIME PRIOR TO AUGUST 2018: earlier versions of Ansible had not
+# been working with systemd service names that contained the "@" character.
 
-- name:  Enable the OpenVPN tunnel at boot time for Debian
-  shell: update-rc.d openvpn enable
-  when:  openvpn_enabled and not stat.exists is defined and is_debuntu
+#- name: Enable the OpenVPN tunnel at boot time (debuntu)
+#  shell: systemctl enable openvpn@xscenet.service
+#  when: openvpn_enabled and not stat.exists is defined and is_debuntu
 
-- name:  Start the OpenVPN tunnel now
-  shell: systemctl start openvpn@xscenet.service
-  when:  openvpn_enabled and not stat.exists is defined and not installing
+#- name: Enable the OpenVPN tunnel at boot time (debuntu)
+#  shell: update-rc.d openvpn enable
+#  when: openvpn_enabled and not stat.exists is defined and is_debuntu
 
+#- name: Start the OpenVPN tunnel now
+#  shell: systemctl start openvpn@xscenet.service
+#  when: openvpn_enabled and not stat.exists is defined and not installing
 
-- name: Make OpenVPN connection automatic
-  lineinfile: dest=/etc/crontab
-            line="25 *  *  *  * root (/usr/bin/systemctl start openvpn@xscenet.service) > /dev/null"
+# AUGUST 2018: Unexplainably, stanza below had to be placed underneath ANY
+# "lineinfile: ... state: absent" stanza to make openvpn_handle propagate
+# properly to xscenet.net (monitoring ncat's erroneous handle parameter by
+# observing "systemctl status openvpn@xscenet" helped trace the [primary?]
+# bug to roles/openvpn/templates/announcer [far better now if not perfect?])
+# Earlier "./runrole openvpn" had to be run twice to transmit
+# /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle to xscenet.net -- and
+# "systemctl restart openvpn@xscenet" was failing completely (no matter how
+# many times it was run) to transmit /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle to xscenet.net
+- name: Enable & (Re)Start openvpn@xscenet tunnel
+  systemd:
+    name: openvpn@xscenet.service
+    enabled: yes
+    state: restarted
+  when: openvpn_enabled and not stat.exists is defined
+
+- name: Enable hourly cron job for OpenVPN
+  lineinfile:
+    path: /etc/crontab
+    line: "25 *  *  *  * root (/usr/bin/systemctl start openvpn@xscenet.service) > /dev/null"
   when: openvpn_enabled and openvpn_cron_enabled and not stat.exists is defined
 
-- name: Make OpenVPN connection manual
-  lineinfile: dest=/etc/crontab
-            regexp=".*/usr/bin/systemctl*"
-            state=absent
+- name: Remove hourly cron job for OpenVPN
+  lineinfile:
+    path: /etc/crontab
+    regexp: "openvpn@xscenet"
+    # Potentially DANGEROUS as others use systemctl too:
+    #regexp: ".*/usr/bin/systemctl*"
+    state: absent
   when: not openvpn_enabled or not openvpn_cron_enabled
 
+- name: Disable & Stop openvpn@xscenet tunnel
+  systemd:
+    name: openvpn@xscenet.service
+    enabled: no
+    state: stopped
+  when: not openvpn_enabled
 
-- name:  Stop starting the OpenVPN tunnel at boot time
-  shell: systemctl disable openvpn@xscenet.service
-  when:  not openvpn_enabled and not is_debuntu
+#- name: Stop starting the OpenVPN tunnel at boot time (not debuntu)    
+#  shell: systemctl disable openvpn@xscenet.service
+#  when: not openvpn_enabled and not is_debuntu
 
-- name:  Stop starting the OpenVPN tunnel at boot time for Debian
-  shell: update-rc.d openvpn disable
-  when:  not openvpn_enabled and is_debuntu
+#- name: Stop starting the OpenVPN tunnel at boot time (debuntu)
+#  shell: update-rc.d openvpn disable
+#  when: not openvpn_enabled and is_debuntu
 
-- name:  Stop OpenVPN tunnel immediately
-  shell: systemctl stop openvpn@xscenet.service
-  ignore_errors: True
-  when:  not openvpn_enabled and not installing
+#- name: Stop OpenVPN tunnel immediately
+#  shell: systemctl stop openvpn@xscenet.service
+#  ignore_errors: True
+#  when: not openvpn_enabled and not installing
 
 
 - name: Add 'openvpn' to list of services at /etc/iiab/iiab.ini
@@ -112,12 +156,16 @@
   - option: name
     value: OpenVPN
   - option: description
-    value: '"OpenVPN is a means of connecting to a server anywhere on the internet, via a middleman server."'
-  - option: middleman_url
-    value: "{{ vpn_presence }}"
-  - option: port
-    value: "{{ openvpn_server_port }}"
+    value: "OpenVPN is a means of connecting to other machines anywhere on the internet, via a middleman server, using Virtual Private Network techniques to create secure connections."
   - option: enabled
     value: "{{ openvpn_enabled }}"
+  - option: handle
+    value: "{{ openvpn_handle }}"
   - option: cron_enabled
     value: "{{ openvpn_cron_enabled }}"
+  - option: server
+    value: "{{ openvpn_server }}"
+  - option: server_virtual_ip
+    value: "{{ openvpn_server_virtual_ip }}"
+  - option: server_port
+    value: "{{ openvpn_server_port }}"
diff --git a/roles/openvpn/templates/announcer b/roles/openvpn/templates/announcer
deleted file mode 100755
index 7842cfcf0..000000000
--- a/roles/openvpn/templates/announcer
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash -x
-# small daemon to identify this machine to the openvpn server
-
-HANDLE=
-UUID=
-source /etc/iiab/iiab.env
-if [ -z "$HANDLE" ]; then
-   HANDLE=`cat /etc/iiab/iiab.ini | gawk \
-	'{ if((toupper($1) == "HANDLE") && ($2 == "=")) { print $3;}}'`
-fi
-if [ -z "$HANDLE" ]; then
-   if [ -f /etc/iiab/handle ]; then
-   HANDLE=`cat /etc/iiab/handle`
-   fi
-fi
-if [ -f /etc/iiab/uuid ]; then
-   UUID=`cat /etc/iiab/uuid`
-fi
-# start the daemon which will serve the handle on demand
-source /etc/init.d/functions
-SERVER=/usr/bin/ncat
-PID_FILE=/var/run/openvpn/announce.pid
-HANDLE=${HANDLE// /_}
-{% if is_debuntu %}
-ID=`printf "HANDLE = %s|UUID = %s|" $HANDLE $UUID`
-$SERVER -l -k -p1705 --exec "/bin/echo $ID" &
-{% else %}
-daemon --pidfile=${PID_FILE} $SERVER "-l -k -p1705 --exec \"/usr/bin/echo $(printf 'HANDLE = %s|UUID = %s' $HANDLE $UUID)\"" &
-{% endif %}
diff --git a/roles/openvpn/templates/announcer.j2 b/roles/openvpn/templates/announcer.j2
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..8580112f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/openvpn/templates/announcer.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#!/bin/bash -x
+# Small daemon to identify this machine to the OpenVPN server
+
+HANDLE=
+UUID=
+if [ -f /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle ]; then
+    # Option #0: Might source directly from /etc/iiab/local_vars.yml in future
+    # Option #1
+    HANDLE=`cat /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle`
+else
+    # Option #2: Dangerous to invoke hypothetical variables :(
+    source /etc/iiab/iiab.env
+    # Option #3: CAUSED FAILURES IN AUGUST 2018, invoking stale variable from /etc/iiab/iiab.ini, but safer now that relegated to #3 ?
+    if [ -z "$HANDLE" ]; then
+        HANDLE=`cat /etc/iiab/iiab.ini | gawk \
+        '{ if((toupper($1) == "HANDLE") && ($2 == "=")) { print $3;}}'`
+    fi
+fi
+HANDLE=${HANDLE// /_}
+if [ -f /etc/iiab/uuid ]; then
+    UUID=`cat /etc/iiab/uuid`
+fi
+
+SERVER=/usr/bin/ncat
+ID=`printf "HANDLE = %s|UUID = %s" $HANDLE $UUID`
+# August 2018: Removal of trailing slash tested on Raspbian, Ubuntu 18.04 & Ubuntu 16.04
+#ID=`printf "HANDLE = %s|UUID = %s|" $HANDLE $UUID`
+
+# Start the daemon which will serve the handle on demand
+{% if is_debuntu %}
+$SERVER -l -k -p1705 --exec "/bin/echo $ID" &
+{% else %}
+source /etc/init.d/functions
+PID_FILE=/var/run/openvpn/announce.pid
+daemon --pidfile=${PID_FILE} $SERVER "-l -k -p1705 --exec \"/usr/bin/echo $ID\"" &
+#daemon --pidfile=${PID_FILE} $SERVER "-l -k -p1705 --exec \"/usr/bin/echo $(printf 'HANDLE = %s|UUID = %s' $HANDLE $UUID)\"" &
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/roles/openvpn/templates/iiab-handle b/roles/openvpn/templates/iiab-handle.j2
similarity index 67%
rename from roles/openvpn/templates/iiab-handle
rename to roles/openvpn/templates/iiab-handle.j2
index f780fbcb7..41009b0c4 100755
--- a/roles/openvpn/templates/iiab-handle
+++ b/roles/openvpn/templates/iiab-handle.j2
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@ echo
 echo
 read -p "what identifying handle would you like to use? " ans
 if [ "$ans" == "" ]; then
-  if [ -f /etc/iiab/handle ]; then
-    rm -f /etc/iiab/handle
+  if [ -f /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle ]; then
+    rm -f /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle
   fi
 else
-  echo $ans > /etc/iiab/handle 
+  echo $ans > /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle
 fi
 {{ systemctl_program }} restart openvpn@xscenet
diff --git a/roles/openvpn/templates/iiab-vpn b/roles/openvpn/templates/iiab-vpn.j2
similarity index 100%
rename from roles/openvpn/templates/iiab-vpn
rename to roles/openvpn/templates/iiab-vpn.j2
diff --git a/roles/openvpn/templates/openvpn_handle.j2 b/roles/openvpn/templates/openvpn_handle.j2
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bd1965bc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/openvpn/templates/openvpn_handle.j2
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{{ openvpn_handle }}
diff --git a/roles/openvpn/templates/party-line.conf.j2 b/roles/openvpn/templates/party-line.conf.j2
index 7d95b2ac6..1ff61a019 100644
--- a/roles/openvpn/templates/party-line.conf.j2
+++ b/roles/openvpn/templates/party-line.conf.j2
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 port {{ openvpn_server_port }}
 dev tun
-remote {{ vpn_presence }}
+remote {{ openvpn_server }}
 
 # TLS parms
 
diff --git a/roles/openvpn/templates/xscenet.conf b/roles/openvpn/templates/xscenet.conf.j2
similarity index 96%
rename from roles/openvpn/templates/xscenet.conf
rename to roles/openvpn/templates/xscenet.conf.j2
index 1ea80f447..cf83779de 100644
--- a/roles/openvpn/templates/xscenet.conf
+++ b/roles/openvpn/templates/xscenet.conf.j2
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 port {{ openvpn_server_port }}
 dev tun
-remote {{ vpn_presence }}
+remote {{ openvpn_server }}
 
 # TLS parms
 
diff --git a/vars/default_vars.yml b/vars/default_vars.yml
index 76df8d252..772f23096 100644
--- a/vars/default_vars.yml
+++ b/vars/default_vars.yml
@@ -186,13 +186,19 @@ mysql_root_password: fixmysql
 sshd_enabled: True
 
 # OpenVPN
-vpn_presence: xscenet.net
-openvpn_server_port: 1194
-openvpn_server_virtual_ip: 10.8.0.1
-openvpn_cron_enabled: False
 openvpn_install: True
 openvpn_enabled: False
 
+# For /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle
+openvpn_handle: UNNAMED
+
+# cron seems necessary on CentOS:
+openvpn_cron_enabled: False
+
+openvpn_server: xscenet.net
+openvpn_server_virtual_ip: 10.8.0.1
+openvpn_server_port: 1194
+
 # roles/network runs here (MANY SETTINGS ABOVE)
 
 # Homepage
diff --git a/vars/local_vars_big.yml b/vars/local_vars_big.yml
index 7e693f6c3..dc32d67d0 100644
--- a/vars/local_vars_big.yml
+++ b/vars/local_vars_big.yml
@@ -85,9 +85,12 @@ allow_apache_sudo: True
 # SECURITY WARNING: See http://wiki.laptop.org/go/IIAB/Security
 openvpn_install: True
 openvpn_enabled: False
+
+# Set /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle in advance here:
+openvpn_handle: UNNAMED
+
 # The following seems necessary on CentOS:
 # openvpn_cron_enabled: True
-# If changing the above, remember to run "cd /opt/iiab/iiab; ./runrole openvpn"
 
 # roles/network runs here (MANY SETTINGS ABOVE)
 
diff --git a/vars/local_vars_big_vpn.yml b/vars/local_vars_big_vpn.yml
index 33e5aa6e8..32c7d1482 100644
--- a/vars/local_vars_big_vpn.yml
+++ b/vars/local_vars_big_vpn.yml
@@ -85,9 +85,12 @@ allow_apache_sudo: True
 # SECURITY WARNING: See http://wiki.laptop.org/go/IIAB/Security
 openvpn_install: True
 openvpn_enabled: True
+
+# Set /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle in advance here:
+openvpn_handle: UNNAMED
+
 # The following seems necessary on CentOS:
 # openvpn_cron_enabled: True
-# If changing the above, remember to run "cd /opt/iiab/iiab; ./runrole openvpn"
 
 # roles/network runs here (MANY SETTINGS ABOVE)
 
diff --git a/vars/local_vars_medium.yml b/vars/local_vars_medium.yml
index fd109e255..cfa727c5d 100644
--- a/vars/local_vars_medium.yml
+++ b/vars/local_vars_medium.yml
@@ -85,9 +85,12 @@ allow_apache_sudo: True
 # SECURITY WARNING: See http://wiki.laptop.org/go/IIAB/Security
 openvpn_install: True
 openvpn_enabled: False
+
+# Set /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle in advance here:
+openvpn_handle: UNNAMED
+
 # The following seems necessary on CentOS:
 # openvpn_cron_enabled: True
-# If changing the above, remember to run "cd /opt/iiab/iiab; ./runrole openvpn"
 
 # roles/network runs here (MANY SETTINGS ABOVE)
 
diff --git a/vars/local_vars_medium_vpn.yml b/vars/local_vars_medium_vpn.yml
index b82c44260..9a670735d 100644
--- a/vars/local_vars_medium_vpn.yml
+++ b/vars/local_vars_medium_vpn.yml
@@ -85,9 +85,12 @@ allow_apache_sudo: True
 # SECURITY WARNING: See http://wiki.laptop.org/go/IIAB/Security
 openvpn_install: True
 openvpn_enabled: True
+
+# Set /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle in advance here:
+openvpn_handle: UNNAMED
+
 # The following seems necessary on CentOS:
 # openvpn_cron_enabled: True
-# If changing the above, remember to run "cd /opt/iiab/iiab; ./runrole openvpn"
 
 # roles/network runs here (MANY SETTINGS ABOVE)
 
diff --git a/vars/local_vars_min.yml b/vars/local_vars_min.yml
index 8f5ee2ba1..80d71a43a 100644
--- a/vars/local_vars_min.yml
+++ b/vars/local_vars_min.yml
@@ -85,9 +85,12 @@ allow_apache_sudo: True
 # SECURITY WARNING: See http://wiki.laptop.org/go/IIAB/Security
 openvpn_install: True
 openvpn_enabled: False
+
+# Set /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle in advance here:
+openvpn_handle: UNNAMED
+
 # The following seems necessary on CentOS:
 # openvpn_cron_enabled: True
-# If changing the above, remember to run "cd /opt/iiab/iiab; ./runrole openvpn"
 
 # roles/network runs here (MANY SETTINGS ABOVE)
 
diff --git a/vars/local_vars_min_vpn.yml b/vars/local_vars_min_vpn.yml
index 015bc0ee0..93c19e580 100644
--- a/vars/local_vars_min_vpn.yml
+++ b/vars/local_vars_min_vpn.yml
@@ -85,9 +85,12 @@ allow_apache_sudo: True
 # SECURITY WARNING: See http://wiki.laptop.org/go/IIAB/Security
 openvpn_install: True
 openvpn_enabled: True
+
+# Set /etc/iiab/openvpn_handle in advance here:
+openvpn_handle: UNNAMED
+
 # The following seems necessary on CentOS:
 # openvpn_cron_enabled: True
-# If changing the above, remember to run "cd /opt/iiab/iiab; ./runrole openvpn"
 
 # roles/network runs here (MANY SETTINGS ABOVE)