diff --git a/dankclaw/compose.yaml b/dankclaw/compose.yaml
index 14d065c..2575785 100644
--- a/dankclaw/compose.yaml
+++ b/dankclaw/compose.yaml
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ services:
   hermes:
     image: docker.io/nousresearch/hermes-agent:latest
     container_name: hermes
+    network_mode: host
     restart: unless-stopped
     # The image's default s6 entrypoint runs the interactive TUI, which exits
     # without a TTY and crash-loops the container. Override it to run the
@@ -62,11 +63,12 @@ services:
       HERMES_DATA_DIR: /data
       # Point hermes's config/.env at the mounted data dir (persistent).
       HERMES_HOME: /data
-      # Signal adapter -> the host signal-cli daemon (:8080, host process).
-      # From container space the host LAN IP only accepts connections to
-      # published ports (netavark DNAT); un-forwarded host ports refuse
-      # instantly. The gateway alias is the verified working path (2026-08-30).
-      SIGNAL_HTTP_URL: "http://host.containers.internal:8080"
+      # Signal adapter -> the signal-cli daemon, a HOST process listening on
+      # :8080. The service runs with network_mode: host below, so it dials
+      # loopback directly; from a bridge network only DNAT'd published ports
+      # accept connections to the host LAN IP, and un-forwarded ports refuse
+      # instantly (verified live 2026-08-30).
+      SIGNAL_HTTP_URL: "http://127.0.0.1:8080"
       SIGNAL_ACCOUNT: "${SIGNAL_ACCOUNT}"
       SIGNAL_ALLOWED_USERS: "${SIGNAL_ALLOWED_USERS}"
     ports:
diff --git a/dankclaw/hermes/quadlet/hermes.container b/dankclaw/hermes/quadlet/hermes.container
index 8f32fc7..45e1803 100644
--- a/dankclaw/hermes/quadlet/hermes.container
+++ b/dankclaw/hermes/quadlet/hermes.container
@@ -10,10 +10,13 @@
 # (same splice pattern proven live on authentik-worker). The gateway drops to
 # the unprivileged hermes user (uid 10000) at runtime; /data is world-writable
 # on purpose so that unmapped uid can write agent.log and its state there.
-# SIGNAL_HTTP_URL uses the gateway alias, not the host LAN IP: from container
-# space on this network only DNAT'd published ports accept connections to the
-# LAN address; un-forwarded host ports refuse instantly (verified live
-# 2026-08-30). The alias resolves to the network's own gateway IP.
+#
+# Host networking: the adapter dials the signal-cli daemon, a HOST process
+# listening on :8080. The compose era dialed the host LAN IP from a bridge
+# network, where only DNAT'd published ports accept connections to that
+# address — un-forwarded host ports refuse instantly (verified live
+# 2026-08-30). A host-network client dials 127.0.0.1:8080 with no such
+# dependency, and the gateway publishes nothing inbound.
 
 [Unit]
 Description=Hermes agent gateway container
@@ -24,11 +27,11 @@ Wants=network-online.target
 ContainerName=hermes
 Image=localhost/hermes-agent:latest
 Pull=never
-Network=dankclaw_default
+NetworkMode=host
 EnvironmentFile=/home/dank/serverAppConfigs/dankclaw/.env
 Environment=HERMES_DATA_DIR=/data
 Environment=HERMES_HOME=/data
-Environment=SIGNAL_HTTP_URL=http://host.containers.internal:8080
+Environment=SIGNAL_HTTP_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8080
 Environment=SIGNAL_ACCOUNT=${SIGNAL_ACCOUNT}
 Environment=SIGNAL_ALLOWED_USERS=${SIGNAL_ALLOWED_USERS}
 Volume=/home/dank/hermes-data:/data