diff --git a/phase1_gitea_unraid.sh b/phase1_gitea_unraid.sh
index ab1ac3a..5c72688 100755
--- a/phase1_gitea_unraid.sh
+++ b/phase1_gitea_unraid.sh
@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@ source "${SCRIPT_DIR}/lib/common.sh"
 
 load_env
 require_vars UNRAID_IP UNRAID_SSH_USER UNRAID_SSH_PORT UNRAID_GITEA_DATA_PATH \
-             UNRAID_MACVLAN_PARENT UNRAID_MACVLAN_SUBNET UNRAID_MACVLAN_GATEWAY \
-             UNRAID_MACVLAN_IP_RANGE UNRAID_GITEA_IP \
+             UNRAID_GITEA_IP \
              GITEA_ADMIN_USER GITEA_ADMIN_PASSWORD GITEA_ADMIN_EMAIL \
              GITEA_ORG_NAME GITEA_INSTANCE_NAME \
              GITEA_DB_TYPE GITEA_VERSION \
@@ -29,6 +28,8 @@ phase_header 1 "Gitea on Unraid"
 # Templates use $DATA_PATH as a generic variable name so the same template
 # works for both Unraid (Phase 1) and Fedora (Phase 2).
 DATA_PATH="$UNRAID_GITEA_DATA_PATH"
+# Reuse Unraid's existing custom network.
+UNRAID_DOCKER_NETWORK_NAME="br0"
 
 # DB helpers and strip_template_block are in lib/common.sh
 
@@ -44,21 +45,16 @@ fi
 log_success "Data directories ensured"
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Step 2: Create macvlan Docker network (idempotent)
-# Each container gets its own LAN IP — no host port mapping needed.
+# Step 2: Verify required Docker network exists on Unraid
+# We intentionally reuse Unraid's existing network (br0) and never create/remove it.
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-log_step 2 "Creating macvlan Docker network on Unraid..."
-if ssh_exec UNRAID "docker network inspect gitea_net" &>/dev/null; then
-  log_info "gitea_net network already exists — skipping"
+log_step 2 "Verifying Docker network '${UNRAID_DOCKER_NETWORK_NAME}' on Unraid..."
+if ssh_exec UNRAID "docker network inspect '${UNRAID_DOCKER_NETWORK_NAME}'" &>/dev/null; then
+  log_success "Docker network '${UNRAID_DOCKER_NETWORK_NAME}' exists"
 else
-  ssh_exec UNRAID "docker network create \
-    --driver macvlan \
-    --subnet='${UNRAID_MACVLAN_SUBNET}' \
-    --gateway='${UNRAID_MACVLAN_GATEWAY}' \
-    --ip-range='${UNRAID_MACVLAN_IP_RANGE}' \
-    -o parent='${UNRAID_MACVLAN_PARENT}' \
-    gitea_net"
-  log_success "macvlan network gitea_net created"
+  log_error "Required Docker network '${UNRAID_DOCKER_NETWORK_NAME}' not found on Unraid."
+  log_error "Create it in Unraid first or update phase1_gitea_unraid.sh to match your network name."
+  exit 1
 fi
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -71,12 +67,13 @@ else
   TMPFILE=$(mktemp)
   # Set variables for template — containers get dedicated LAN IPs via macvlan
   GITEA_CONTAINER_IP="${UNRAID_GITEA_IP}"
-  export DATA_PATH GITEA_CONTAINER_IP
+  GITEA_NETWORK_NAME="${UNRAID_DOCKER_NETWORK_NAME}"
+  export DATA_PATH GITEA_CONTAINER_IP GITEA_NETWORK_NAME
 
   if [[ "$GITEA_DB_TYPE" == "sqlite3" ]]; then
     # No DB service needed — render template then strip DB blocks
     render_template "${SCRIPT_DIR}/templates/docker-compose-gitea.yml.tpl" "$TMPFILE" \
-      "\${GITEA_VERSION} \${DATA_PATH} \${GITEA_CONTAINER_IP}"
+      "\${GITEA_VERSION} \${DATA_PATH} \${GITEA_CONTAINER_IP} \${GITEA_NETWORK_NAME}"
     strip_template_block "$TMPFILE" "DB_SERVICE_START" "DB_SERVICE_END"
     strip_template_block "$TMPFILE" "DB_DEPENDS_START" "DB_DEPENDS_END"
   else
@@ -85,7 +82,7 @@ else
     DB_CONTAINER_IP="${UNRAID_DB_IP}"
     export DB_CONTAINER_IP
     render_template "${SCRIPT_DIR}/templates/docker-compose-gitea.yml.tpl" "$TMPFILE" \
-      "\${GITEA_VERSION} \${DATA_PATH} \${GITEA_CONTAINER_IP} \${DB_DOCKER_IMAGE} \${DB_ENV_VARS} \${DB_DATA_DIR} \${DB_HEALTHCHECK} \${DB_CONTAINER_IP}"
+      "\${GITEA_VERSION} \${DATA_PATH} \${GITEA_CONTAINER_IP} \${GITEA_NETWORK_NAME} \${DB_DOCKER_IMAGE} \${DB_ENV_VARS} \${DB_DATA_DIR} \${DB_HEALTHCHECK} \${DB_CONTAINER_IP}"
   fi
 
   scp_to UNRAID "$TMPFILE" "${DATA_PATH}/docker-compose.yml"