diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index fff02ff1..7537170d 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,18 +1,20 @@
-FROM node:lts-alpine
-RUN apk add --no-cache --virtual=build-dependencies build-base git python3-dev && \
+FROM node:20-alpine
+RUN apk add --no-cache --virtual=build-dependencies build-base git python3-dev py3-setuptools && \
     apk add --no-cache yarn
-USER node
 WORKDIR /var/opt/hardlounge-src
 ENV THELOUNGE_HOME /var/opt/hardlounge
-COPY package.json yarn.lock .
+COPY --chown=node:node package.json yarn.lock .
+USER node
 RUN yarn install
-COPY . .
+COPY --chown=node:node . .
 RUN NODE_ENV=production yarn build && \
     yarn link && \
     yarn --non-interactive cache clean && \
     ln -s /var/opt/hardlounge-src/index.js /var/opt/hardlounge-src/hardlounge
 USER root
-RUN apk del --purge build-dependencies
+RUN apk del --purge build-dependencies && \
+    mkdir -p /var/opt/hardlounge && \
+    chown -R node:node /var/opt/hardlounge
 USER node
 EXPOSE 9000
 CMD ["/var/opt/hardlounge-src/hardlounge", "start"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/components/NetworkForm.vue b/client/components/NetworkForm.vue
index d55698f5..06f16f2c 100644
--- a/client/components/NetworkForm.vue
+++ b/client/components/NetworkForm.vue
@@ -206,122 +206,143 @@
 				</div>
 			</template>
 
-			<h2>User preferences</h2>
-			<div class="connect-row">
-				<label for="connect:nick">Nick</label>
-				<input
-					id="connect:nick"
-					v-model="defaults.nick"
-					class="input nick"
-					name="nick"
-					pattern="[^\s:!@]+"
-					maxlength="100"
-					required
-					@input="onNickChanged"
-				/>
-			</div>
-			<template v-if="!config?.useHexIp">
-				<div class="connect-row">
-					<label for="connect:username">Username</label>
+			<!-- Simplified form for public + lockNetwork mode: only show nick -->
+			<template v-if="config?.lockNetwork && store.state.serverConfiguration?.public">
+				<div class="connect-row simple-nick">
+					<label for="connect:nick">Nick</label>
 					<input
-						id="connect:username"
-						ref="usernameInput"
-						v-model.trim="defaults.username"
-						class="input username"
-						name="username"
+						id="connect:nick"
+						v-model="defaults.nick"
+						class="input nick"
+						name="nick"
+						pattern="[^\s:!@]+"
 						maxlength="100"
+						required
+						@input="onNickChanged"
 					/>
 				</div>
 			</template>
-			<div class="connect-row">
-				<label for="connect:realname">Real name</label>
-				<input
-					id="connect:realname"
-					v-model.trim="defaults.realname"
-					class="input"
-					name="realname"
-					maxlength="300"
-				/>
-			</div>
-			<div class="connect-row">
-				<label for="connect:leaveMessage">Leave message</label>
-				<input
-					id="connect:leaveMessage"
-					v-model.trim="defaults.leaveMessage"
-					autocomplete="off"
-					class="input"
-					name="leaveMessage"
-					placeholder="Hard Lounge - https://git.supernets.org/supernets/hardlounge"
-				/>
-			</div>
-			<template v-if="defaults.uuid && !store.state.serverConfiguration?.public">
+			<!-- Full form for other modes -->
+			<template v-else>
+				<h2>User preferences</h2>
 				<div class="connect-row">
-					<label for="connect:commands">
-						Commands
-						<span
-							class="tooltipped tooltipped-ne tooltipped-no-delay"
-							aria-label="One /command per line.
-Each command will be executed in
-the server tab on new connection"
-						>
-							<button class="extra-help" />
-						</span>
-					</label>
-					<textarea
-						id="connect:commands"
-						ref="commandsInput"
-						autocomplete="off"
-						:value="defaults.commands ? defaults.commands.join('\n') : ''"
-						class="input"
-						name="commands"
-						@input="resizeCommandsInput"
-					/>
-				</div>
-			</template>
-			<template v-else-if="!defaults.uuid">
-				<div class="connect-row">
-					<label for="connect:channels">Channels</label>
+					<label for="connect:nick">Nick</label>
 					<input
-						id="connect:channels"
-						v-model.trim="defaults.join"
-						class="input"
-						name="join"
+						id="connect:nick"
+						v-model="defaults.nick"
+						class="input nick"
+						name="nick"
+						pattern="[^\s:!@]+"
+						maxlength="100"
+						required
+						@input="onNickChanged"
 					/>
 				</div>
-			</template>
-
-			<template v-if="store.state.serverConfiguration?.public">
-				<template v-if="config?.lockNetwork">
+				<template v-if="!config?.useHexIp">
 					<div class="connect-row">
-						<label></label>
-						<div class="input-wrap">
-							<label class="tls">
-								<input v-model="displayPasswordField" type="checkbox" />
-								I have a password
-							</label>
-						</div>
-					</div>
-					<div v-if="displayPasswordField" class="connect-row">
-						<label for="connect:password">Password</label>
-						<RevealPassword
-							v-slot:default="slotProps"
-							class="input-wrap password-container"
-						>
-							<input
-								id="connect:password"
-								ref="publicPassword"
-								v-model="defaults.password"
-								class="input"
-								:type="slotProps.isVisible ? 'text' : 'password'"
-								placeholder="Server password (optional)"
-								name="password"
-								maxlength="300"
-							/>
-						</RevealPassword>
+						<label for="connect:username">Username</label>
+						<input
+							id="connect:username"
+							ref="usernameInput"
+							v-model.trim="defaults.username"
+							class="input username"
+							name="username"
+							maxlength="100"
+						/>
 					</div>
 				</template>
+				<div class="connect-row">
+					<label for="connect:realname">Real name</label>
+					<input
+						id="connect:realname"
+						v-model.trim="defaults.realname"
+						class="input"
+						name="realname"
+						maxlength="300"
+					/>
+				</div>
+				<div class="connect-row">
+					<label for="connect:leaveMessage">Leave message</label>
+					<input
+						id="connect:leaveMessage"
+						v-model.trim="defaults.leaveMessage"
+						autocomplete="off"
+						class="input"
+						name="leaveMessage"
+						placeholder="Hard Lounge - https://git.supernets.org/supernets/hardlounge"
+					/>
+				</div>
+				<template v-if="defaults.uuid && !store.state.serverConfiguration?.public">
+					<div class="connect-row">
+						<label for="connect:commands">
+							Commands
+							<span
+								class="tooltipped tooltipped-ne tooltipped-no-delay"
+								aria-label="One /command per line.
+Each command will be executed in
+the server tab on new connection"
+							>
+								<button class="extra-help" />
+							</span>
+						</label>
+						<textarea
+							id="connect:commands"
+							ref="commandsInput"
+							autocomplete="off"
+							:value="defaults.commands ? defaults.commands.join('\n') : ''"
+							class="input"
+							name="commands"
+							@input="resizeCommandsInput"
+						/>
+					</div>
+				</template>
+				<template v-else-if="!defaults.uuid">
+					<div class="connect-row">
+						<label for="connect:channels">Channels</label>
+						<input
+							id="connect:channels"
+							v-model.trim="defaults.join"
+							class="input"
+							name="join"
+						/>
+					</div>
+				</template>
+
+				<template v-if="store.state.serverConfiguration?.public">
+					<template v-if="config?.lockNetwork">
+						<div class="connect-row">
+							<label></label>
+							<div class="input-wrap">
+								<label class="tls">
+									<input v-model="displayPasswordField" type="checkbox" />
+									I have a password
+								</label>
+							</div>
+						</div>
+						<div v-if="displayPasswordField" class="connect-row">
+							<label for="connect:password">Password</label>
+							<RevealPassword
+								v-slot:default="slotProps"
+								class="input-wrap password-container"
+							>
+								<input
+									id="connect:password"
+									ref="publicPassword"
+									v-model="defaults.password"
+									class="input"
+									:type="slotProps.isVisible ? 'text' : 'password'"
+									placeholder="Server password (optional)"
+									name="password"
+									maxlength="300"
+								/>
+							</RevealPassword>
+						</div>
+					</template>
+				</template>
 			</template>
-			<template v-else>
+
+			<!-- Authentication section only for private mode -->
+			<template v-if="!store.state.serverConfiguration?.public && !(config?.lockNetwork && store.state.serverConfiguration?.public)">
 				<h2 id="label-auth">Authentication</h2>
 				<div class="connect-row connect-auth" role="group" aria-labelledby="label-auth">
 					<label class="opt">
@@ -435,6 +456,15 @@ the server tab on new connection"
 	margin: 0;
 	user-select: text;
 }
+
+/* Simplified connect form styling */
+#connect .connect-row.simple-nick {
+	margin-top: 20px;
+}
+
+#connect .connect-row.simple-nick label {
+	margin-bottom: 8px;
+}
 </style>
 
 <script lang="ts">
diff --git a/defaults/config.js b/defaults/config.js
index 9ebd2b41..1aca89ca 100644
--- a/defaults/config.js
+++ b/defaults/config.js
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ module.exports = {
 	//   channels and scrollbacks are available when they come back.
 	//
 	// This value is set to `false` by default.
-	public: false,
+	public: true,
 
 	// ### `host`
 	//
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ module.exports = {
 	// These fields will also be hidden from the UI.
 	//
 	// This value is set to `false` by default.
-	lockNetwork: false,
+	lockNetwork: true,
 
 	// ## User management