diff --git a/HeishaMon/HeishaMon.ino b/HeishaMon/HeishaMon.ino
index 62f2160a..8af40fa0 100644
--- a/HeishaMon/HeishaMon.ino
+++ b/HeishaMon/HeishaMon.ino
@@ -178,6 +178,10 @@ int timerqueue_size = 0;
 #define ETH_SPI_MOSI    11
 
 void setupETH() {
+  if (!heishamonSettings.ethernet) {
+    loggingSerial.println(F("Ethernet disabled in settings, skipping W5500 init"));
+    return;
+  }
   SPI.begin(ETH_SPI_SCK, ETH_SPI_MISO, ETH_SPI_MOSI);
   if (ETH.begin(ETH_TYPE, ETH_ADDR, ETH_CS, ETH_IRQ, ETH_RST, SPI)) {
     //sethostname on ESP32 after eth.begin (!! for wifi is most be before...!!)
diff --git a/HeishaMon/htmlcode.h b/HeishaMon/htmlcode.h
index 7e552f99..09299d66 100644
--- a/HeishaMon/htmlcode.h
+++ b/HeishaMon/htmlcode.h
@@ -1705,6 +1705,7 @@ static const char settingsForm2[] FLASHPROG = R"====(
     <div class='setting-row'><label class='setting-label'>Emulate optional PCB</label><div class='checkbox-wrap'><input type='checkbox' name='optionalPCB' value='enabled'></div></div>
     <div class='setting-row'><label class='setting-label'>Enable Opentherm processing</label><div class='checkbox-wrap'><input type='checkbox' name='opentherm' value='enabled'></div></div>
     <div class='setting-row'><label class='setting-label'>Enable CZ-TAW1 proxy port</label><div class='checkbox-wrap'><input type='checkbox' name='proxy' value='enabled'></div></div>
+    <div class='setting-row'><label class='setting-label'>Ethernet module (W5500)</label><div style='display:flex;align-items:center;gap:10px'><div class='checkbox-wrap'><input type='checkbox' name='ethernet' value='enabled'></div><span class='setting-hint' style='display:block;margin-top:4px'>Disable on boards without the ethernet module to skip the W5500 probe and leave GPIO10-15 untouched. Needs a reboot.</span></div></div>
     <div class='setting-row'><label class='setting-label'>Force rules on boot</label><div class='checkbox-wrap'><input type='checkbox' name='force_rules' value='enabled'></div></div>
   </div></div>
   <div class='panel' style='margin-bottom:16px'>
diff --git a/HeishaMon/webfunctions.cpp b/HeishaMon/webfunctions.cpp
index 38efded6..4ae8e003 100644
--- a/HeishaMon/webfunctions.cpp
+++ b/HeishaMon/webfunctions.cpp
@@ -258,6 +258,7 @@ void loadSettings(settingsStruct *heishamonSettings) {
           heishamonSettings->opentherm = ( jsonDoc[F("opentherm")] == "enabled" ) ? true : false;
 #ifdef ESP32          
           heishamonSettings->proxy = ( jsonDoc[F("proxy")] == "enabled" ) ? true : false;
+          heishamonSettings->ethernet = ( jsonDoc[F("ethernet")] == "disabled" ) ? false : true; //default to true if not found in settings
 #endif          
           if ( jsonDoc[F("waitTime")]) heishamonSettings->waitTime = jsonDoc[F("waitTime")];
           if (heishamonSettings->waitTime < 5) heishamonSettings->waitTime = 5;
@@ -489,6 +490,11 @@ void settingsToJson(JsonDocument &jsonDoc, settingsStruct *heishamonSettings) {
   } else {
     jsonDoc[F("proxy")] = "disabled";
   }
+  if (heishamonSettings->ethernet) {
+    jsonDoc[F("ethernet")] = "enabled";
+  } else {
+    jsonDoc[F("ethernet")] = "disabled";
+  }
 #endif 
   jsonDoc[F("waitTime")] = heishamonSettings->waitTime;
   jsonDoc[F("waitDallasTime")] = heishamonSettings->waitDallasTime;
@@ -630,6 +636,7 @@ int saveSettings(struct webserver_t *client, settingsStruct *heishamonSettings)
 
 #ifdef ESP32  
   jsonDoc[F("proxy")] = String("disabled");
+  jsonDoc[F("ethernet")] = String("disabled");
 #endif  
 #ifdef TLS_SUPPORT
   jsonDoc[F("mqtt_tls_enabled")] = String("disabled");
@@ -679,6 +686,8 @@ int saveSettings(struct webserver_t *client, settingsStruct *heishamonSettings)
 #ifdef ESP32      
     } else if (strcmp(tmp->name.c_str(), "proxy") == 0) {
       jsonDoc[F("proxy")] = tmp->value;
+    } else if (strcmp(tmp->name.c_str(), "ethernet") == 0) {
+      jsonDoc[F("ethernet")] = tmp->value;
 #endif      
     } else if (strcmp(tmp->name.c_str(), "ntp_servers") == 0) {
       jsonDoc[F("ntp_servers")] = tmp->value;
diff --git a/HeishaMon/webfunctions.h b/HeishaMon/webfunctions.h
index f485158f..b1b9fd2b 100644
--- a/HeishaMon/webfunctions.h
+++ b/HeishaMon/webfunctions.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ struct settingsStruct {
   bool hotspot = true; //enable wifi hotspot when wifi is not connected
 #ifdef ESP32
   bool proxy = true; //cztaw proxy port enable flag
+  bool ethernet = true; //probe for W5500 ethernet module at boot (disable on boards without it)
 #endif
   s0SettingsStruct s0Settings[NUM_S0_COUNTERS];
   gpioSettingsStruct gpioSettings;