diff --git a/daemons/dhcpd b/daemons/dhcpd
index c57dbadb..e09878e1 100755
--- a/daemons/dhcpd
+++ b/daemons/dhcpd
@@ -22,9 +22,12 @@
 # 02139, USA.
 
 dhcpd-conf() {
-	netzero=${address%.*}.0
-	netC=${netzero%.*}
-	netB=${netC%.*}
+	netzero=${dowse_net}
+	# if no base network specified, use class C
+	# TODO: better deduction based on netmask if known
+	[[ "$netzero" = "" ]] && netzero=${address%.*}.0
+	range_start=${dowse_guests[(ws:,:)1]}
+	range_stop=${dowse_guests[(ws:,:)2]}
 cat <<EOF
 option routers $address;
 option domain-name "dowse.it";
@@ -36,7 +39,7 @@ local-address $address;
 omapi-port 7911;
 
 subnet ${netzero} netmask $netmask {
-  range ${netC}.101 ${netC}.249;
+  range ${range_start} ${range_stop};
 
   on commit {
     set clip = binary-to-ascii(10, 8, ".", leased-address);
diff --git a/dowse b/dowse
index dbd3b84c..f9309032 100755
--- a/dowse
+++ b/dowse
@@ -51,10 +51,16 @@ mkdir -p $H
 TEXTDOMAIN=dowse
 
 # path and debugging
-vars+=(R H E debug quiet script fun settings network)
+vars+=(R H E debug quiet script fun network)
 vars+=(last_notice last_act last_func)
 vars+=(root sql)
 arrs+=(mods)
+
+# network configuration
+
+vars+=(settings address interface hostname wan lan firewall)
+vars+=(dowse_uid dowse_gid dowse_net netmask dowse_guests)
+
 # use mysql
 sql_wp=(launch mysql --defaults-file=$H/run/mysqld.conf -A -u root)
 sql=(launch mysql --defaults-file=$H/run/mysqld.conf -A -u root -pp4ssw0rd)
diff --git a/zlibs/confstore b/zlibs/confstore
index d326ce87..f43ed67a 100755
--- a/zlibs/confstore
+++ b/zlibs/confstore
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env zsh
 
-vars+=(settings address interface hostname wan lan firewall)
-vars+=(dowse_uid dowse_gid dowse_net netmask dowse_guests)
-
 conf-load() {
 	fn conf-load
 
@@ -53,7 +50,7 @@ conf-load() {
 			dowse_guests=$subn.0.101,$subn.255.199,48h
 		elif [[ $range == 8 ]]; then
 			subn=${wan[(ws:.:)1]}
-			dowsenet=${subn}.0.0.0/8
+			dowse_net=${subn}.0.0.0/8
 			netmask=255.0.0.0
 			dowse_guests=$subn.0.0.101,$subn.255.255.199,48h			
 		fi