diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index fa91d81..cc41413 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # flake for blakes nixos config
 # define new devices in outputs
-# generation: 50 current  2025-10-05 12:15:30  25.05.20251001.5b5be50  6.12.49                          *
+# generation: 53 current  2025-10-05 14:13:26  25.05.20251001.5b5be50  6.12.49                          *
 {
   description = "blakes nix config";
   inputs = {
diff --git a/hosts/snowbelle/configuration.nix b/hosts/snowbelle/configuration.nix
index 2e07eb1..28c10ff 100644
--- a/hosts/snowbelle/configuration.nix
+++ b/hosts/snowbelle/configuration.nix
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
       ssh.enable = true;
       sops.enable = true;
       docker.enable = true;
-      syncthing.enable = true;
+      syncthing.enable = false;
+        syncthing.mode = "server";
       tailscale.enable = true;
       nvidia.enable = false;
     };
diff --git a/modules/system/syncthing.nix b/modules/system/syncthing.nix
index a2012c6..dd210ff 100644
--- a/modules/system/syncthing.nix
+++ b/modules/system/syncthing.nix
@@ -6,6 +6,24 @@ in
 {
   options.modules.system.syncthing = {
     enable = lib.mkEnableOption "enables syncthing";
+
+    mode = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.enum [ "server" "client" ];
+      default = "client";
+      description = "whether syncthing should run as a client (user) or server (system-wide).";
+    };
+
+    data_dir = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.str;
+      default = "/var/lib/syncthing";
+      description = "optional override for syncthing data directory.";
+    };
+
+    config_dir = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.str;
+      default = "/var/lib/syncthing/config";
+      description = "optional override for syncthing config directory.";
+    };
   };
 
   config = lib.mkIf cfg.enable {
@@ -14,8 +32,8 @@ in
       user = "blake";
       group = "blake";
 
-      dataDir = "/home/blake/.local/state/syncthing";
-      configDir = "/home/blake/.config/syncthing";
+      dataDir = cfg.data_dir or (if cfg.mode == "server" then "/var/lib/syncthing" else "/home/blake/.local/state/syncthing");
+      configDir = cfg.config_dir or (if cfg.mode == "server" then "/var/lib/syncthing/config" else "/home/blake/.config/syncthing");
 
       # webui
       guiAddress = "0.0.0.0:2222";