diff --git a/roles/2-common/tasks/network.yml b/roles/2-common/tasks/network.yml
index df9b839be..435c0bb1f 100644
--- a/roles/2-common/tasks/network.yml
+++ b/roles/2-common/tasks/network.yml
@@ -15,15 +15,17 @@
     name:
       - hostapd                # IEEE 802.11 AP and IEEE 802.1X/WPA/WPA2/EAP Authenticator -- has its service masked out of the box, and only used when IIAB's network roles detects the presence of WiFi and an AP is desired
       - iproute2               # 2021-07-27: RaspiOS installs this regardless -- the new networking and traffic control tools, meant to replace net-tools
-      - iptables-persistent    # Boot-time loader for netfilter rules, iptables (firewall) plugin -- however 'netfilter' is ever moving forward so keep an eye on it!
+      - iptables-persistent    # Boot-time loader for netfilter rules, iptables (firewall) plugin -- however Netfilter / nftables is ever moving forward so keep an eye on it!
       - netmask                # Handy utility -- helps determine network masks
     state: present
 
-- name: Install /etc/network/if-pre-up.d/iptables from template (0755, debuntu)
-  template:
-    src: iptables
-    dest: /etc/network/if-pre-up.d/iptables
-    mode: '0755'
+# 2021-08-17: Debian ignores this, according to 2013 post:
+# https://serverfault.com/questions/511099/debian-ignores-etc-network-if-pre-up-d-iptables
+# - name: Install /etc/network/if-pre-up.d/iptables from template (0755)
+#   template:
+#     src: iptables
+#     dest: /etc/network/if-pre-up.d/iptables
+#     mode: '0755'
 
 # Ongoing rework (e.g. PR #2652) arising from ansible.posix collection changes:
 - name: "Use 'sysctl' to set 'kernel.core_uses_pid: 1' + 4 network settings in /etc/sysctl.conf -- e.g. disabling IPv6 (this might be overkill, as IPv6 should really only be disabled on the LAN side, i.e. br0)"
diff --git a/roles/2-common/templates/iptables b/roles/2-common/templates/iptables.unused
similarity index 100%
rename from roles/2-common/templates/iptables
rename to roles/2-common/templates/iptables.unused
diff --git a/roles/network/templates/gateway/iiab-gen-iptables b/roles/network/templates/gateway/iiab-gen-iptables
index 1efd63139..ea7646018 100755
--- a/roles/network/templates/gateway/iiab-gen-iptables
+++ b/roles/network/templates/gateway/iiab-gen-iptables
@@ -50,15 +50,20 @@ iiab_var_value() {
     [ "$v2" != "" ] && echo $v2 || echo $v1    # [ "$v2" ] ALSO WORKS
 }
 
-source {{ iiab_env_file }}
+source /etc/iiab/iiab.env
 lan=$IIAB_LAN_DEVICE
 wan=$IIAB_WAN_DEVICE
 iiab_gateway_enabled=$IIAB_GATEWAY_ENABLED
-# iiab_gateway_enabled=$(iiab_var_value iiab_gateway_enabled)
-echo -e "\nLAN: $lan"
-echo -e "WAN: $wan\n"
-#network_mode=`grep iiab_network_mode_applied {{ iiab_ini_file }} | gawk '{print $3}'`
+echo
+echo "Extracted 3 network vars from /etc/iiab/iiab.env :"
+echo
+echo "lan: $lan"
+echo "wan: $wan"
+echo "iiab_gateway_enabled: $iiab_gateway_enabled"
+echo
+#network_mode=`grep iiab_network_mode_applied /etc/iiab/iiab.ini | gawk '{print $3}'`
 #echo -e "Network Mode: $network_mode\n"
+lan_ip=$(iiab_var_value lan_ip)    # 172.18.96.1
 
 ports_externally_visible=$(iiab_var_value ports_externally_visible)
 gw_block_https=$(iiab_var_value gw_block_https)
@@ -199,7 +204,7 @@ if [ "$wan" != "none" ]; then
         $IPTABLES -A FORWARD -i $wan -o $lan -m state --state ESTABLISHED,RELATED -j ACCEPT
         # Block https traffic except if directed at server
         if [ "$gw_block_https" == "True" ]; then
-            $IPTABLES -A FORWARD -p tcp ! -d {{ lan_ip }} --dport 443 -j DROP
+            $IPTABLES -A FORWARD -p tcp ! -d $lan_ip --dport 443 -j DROP
         fi
         # Allow outgoing connections from the LAN side
         $IPTABLES -A FORWARD -i $lan -o $wan -j ACCEPT
@@ -218,13 +223,13 @@ fi
 
 # TCP & UDP block of DNS port 53 if truly nec
 if [ "$block_DNS" == "True" ]; then
-    $IPTABLES -t nat -A PREROUTING -i $lan -p tcp --dport 53 ! -d {{ lan_ip }} -j DNAT --to {{ lan_ip }}:53
-    $IPTABLES -t nat -A PREROUTING -i $lan -p udp --dport 53 ! -d {{ lan_ip }} -j DNAT --to {{ lan_ip }}:53
+    $IPTABLES -t nat -A PREROUTING -i $lan -p tcp --dport 53 ! -d $lan_ip -j DNAT --to $lan_ip:53
+    $IPTABLES -t nat -A PREROUTING -i $lan -p udp --dport 53 ! -d $lan_ip -j DNAT --to $lan_ip:53
 fi
 
 # if [ "$HTTPCACHE_ON" == "True" ]; then    # Via /etc/iiab/iiab.env
 if [ "$squid_enabled" == "True" ]; then     # Direct from default_vars.yml and local_vars.yml
-    $IPTABLES -t nat -A PREROUTING -i $lan -p tcp --dport 80 ! -d {{ lan_ip }} -j DNAT --to {{ lan_ip }}:3128
+    $IPTABLES -t nat -A PREROUTING -i $lan -p tcp --dport 80 ! -d $lan_ip -j DNAT --to $lan_ip:3128
 fi
 
 # Save the whole rule set