diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index d4a2a70..91c5a48 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ def load_config():
 
 def _get_mac_address():
     """Return the MAC address of the primary network interface."""
-    for iface in ['eth0', 'wlan0', 'eth1']:
+    for iface in ['wlan0', 'eth1', 'eth0']:
         mac_path = f'/sys/class/net/{iface}/address'
         try:
             if os.path.exists(mac_path):
@@ -382,8 +382,24 @@ def sync_config_with_server():
 # Load global application configuration
 APP_CONFIG = load_config()
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Template image guard
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# If the hostname is "TestTemplate" this SD card is the master deployment image.
+# It must NEVER contact the monitoring server – doing so would create a ghost
+# device record for every freshly cloned card before it is configured.
+TEMPLATE_IMAGE = APP_CONFIG.get("device_hostname", "").strip() == "TestTemplate"
+if TEMPLATE_IMAGE:
+    print("=" * 60)
+    print("TEMPLATE IMAGE DETECTED  (hostname = TestTemplate)")
+    print("ALL server communication DISABLED")
+    print("Clone and configure this image before deploying.")
+    print("=" * 60)
+
 # Attempt to sync with server at startup (non-blocking – failures are logged and ignored)
-sync_config_with_server()
+# Skipped for the base template image.
+if not TEMPLATE_IMAGE:
+    sync_config_with_server()
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Card presence flag – controls whether RFID functions are started
@@ -555,11 +571,18 @@ try:
             if early_launch_configuration_mode():
                 print("🚀 Configuration mode active - application will run in setup mode")
                 print("⚠️  Network connectivity checks are DISABLED")
-                print("⚠️  Server status messages are DISABLED")
+                print("ℹ️  Server logs ENABLED so admin can see this unconfigured device")
                 print("🔧 Change config.txt [device] name to exit configuration mode")
                 CONFIGURATION_MODE = True
                 print("🔧 Configuration mode activated - continuing with RFID reader initialization")
                 print("🔧 Network and server monitoring will remain disabled")
+                # Notify server that an unconfigured device is alive and waiting
+                if not TEMPLATE_IMAGE:
+                    try:
+                        _send_first_registration_log()
+                        print("✅ Sent 'waiting for configuration' heartbeat to server")
+                    except Exception as _hb_err:
+                        print(f"Warning: could not send notconfig heartbeat: {_hb_err}")
             else:
                 print("❌ Failed to launch configuration mode, continuing with normal operation")
                 CONFIGURATION_MODE = False
@@ -977,7 +1000,7 @@ def send_log_to_server(log_message, n_masa, hostname, device_ip):
             "mac_address": _get_mac_address(),
             "card_presence": APP_CONFIG.get("card_presence", "enable"),
         }
-        server_url = APP_CONFIG.get("server_log_url", "http://rpi-ansible:80/logs")
+        server_url = APP_CONFIG.get("server_log_url", "http://rpi-ansible.sibiusb.harting.intra:80/logs")
         print(log_data)  # Debugging: Print log_data to verify its contents
         response = requests.post(server_url, json=log_data, timeout=5)
         response.raise_for_status()
@@ -989,16 +1012,18 @@ def log_info_with_server(message):
     n_masa = read_name_from_file()  # Read work place name from config
     formatted_message = f"{message} (n_masa: {n_masa})"  # Format the message
     logging.info(formatted_message)  # Log the formatted message
-    
-    # Only send to server if not in configuration mode
+
+    # Template images must never contact the server.
+    # notconfig devices ARE allowed to send logs so the server can show them
+    # in the "To Be Configured" section of the Update Requests page.
     try:
-        if not CONFIGURATION_MODE:
-            send_log_to_server(message, n_masa, hostname, device_ip)  # Send the original message to the server
+        if not TEMPLATE_IMAGE:
+            send_log_to_server(message, n_masa, hostname, device_ip)
         else:
-            logging.info("Configuration mode: Server logging disabled")
+            logging.info("Template image: Server logging disabled")
     except NameError:
-        # CONFIGURATION_MODE not defined yet (during initialization)
-        send_log_to_server(message, n_masa, hostname, device_ip)  # Send the original message to the server
+        # TEMPLATE_IMAGE not defined yet (during initialization)
+        send_log_to_server(message, n_masa, hostname, device_ip)
 
 # Call the function to delete old logs
 delete_old_logs()
@@ -1127,10 +1152,12 @@ def _periodic_config_sync():
         except Exception as e:
             print(f"Periodic config sync error: {e}")
 
-if not CONFIGURATION_MODE:
+if not CONFIGURATION_MODE and not TEMPLATE_IMAGE:
     _sync_thread = threading.Thread(target=_periodic_config_sync, daemon=True, name="config-sync")
     _sync_thread.start()
     print("✅ Periodic server config sync started (every 5 min)")
+elif TEMPLATE_IMAGE:
+    print("🔧 Template image: Periodic config sync DISABLED")
 else:
     print("🔧 Configuration mode: Periodic config sync DISABLED")