diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d1c29e6..60350a3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ and most importantly, simply didn't work for me!
 
 4) run the script with:
 ```
-  curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elitak/nixos-infect/master/nixos-infect | NIX_CHANNEL=nixos-21.05 bash -x
+  curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elitak/nixos-infect/master/nixos-infect | NIX_CHANNEL=nixos-21.11 bash -x
 ```
 
 *NB*: This script wipes out the targeted host's root filesystem when it runs to completion.
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ and supply to it the following example yaml stanzas:
 #cloud-config
 
 runcmd:
-  - curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elitak/nixos-infect/master/nixos-infect | PROVIDER=digitalocean NIX_CHANNEL=nixos-21.05 bash 2>&1 | tee /tmp/infect.log
+  - curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elitak/nixos-infect/master/nixos-infect | PROVIDER=digitalocean NIX_CHANNEL=nixos-21.11 bash 2>&1 | tee /tmp/infect.log
 ```
 
 #### Potential tweaks:
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ write_files:
       environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [ vim ];
     }
 runcmd:
-  - curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elitak/nixos-infect/master/nixos-infect | PROVIDER=digitalocean NIXOS_IMPORT=./host.nix NIX_CHANNEL=nixos-21.05 bash 2>&1 | tee /tmp/infect.log
+  - curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elitak/nixos-infect/master/nixos-infect | PROVIDER=digitalocean NIXOS_IMPORT=./host.nix NIX_CHANNEL=nixos-21.11 bash 2>&1 | tee /tmp/infect.log
 ```
 
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ instantiate an Ubuntu box with the following "Startup Script":
 ```bash
 #!/bin/sh
 
-curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elitak/nixos-infect/master/nixos-infect | NIX_CHANNEL=nixos-21.05 bash
+curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elitak/nixos-infect/master/nixos-infect | NIX_CHANNEL=nixos-21.11 bash
 ```
 
 Allow for a few minutes over the usual Ubuntu deployment time for NixOS to download & install itself.
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ When creating a server provide the following script as "User data":
 ```
 #!/bin/sh
 
-curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elitak/nixos-infect/master/nixos-infect | NIX_CHANNEL=nixos-21.05 bash 2>&1 | tee /tmp/infect.log
+curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/elitak/nixos-infect/master/nixos-infect | NIX_CHANNEL=nixos-21.11 bash 2>&1 | tee /tmp/infect.log
 ```
 
 #### Tested on
diff --git a/nixos-infect b/nixos-infect
index da0bcc7..c9f5454 100755
--- a/nixos-infect
+++ b/nixos-infect
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ makeConf() {
 
   boot.cleanTmpDir = true;
   networking.hostName = "$(hostname)";
-  networking.firewall.allowPing = true;
   services.openssh.enable = true;
   users.users.root.openssh.authorizedKeys.keys = [$(while read -r line; do echo -n "
     \"$line\" "; done <<< "$keys")
@@ -269,7 +268,7 @@ infect() {
   # shellcheck disable=SC1090
   source ~/.nix-profile/etc/profile.d/nix.sh
 
-  [[ -z "$NIX_CHANNEL" ]] && NIX_CHANNEL="nixos-21.05"
+  [[ -z "$NIX_CHANNEL" ]] && NIX_CHANNEL="nixos-21.11"
   nix-channel --remove nixpkgs
   nix-channel --add "https://nixos.org/channels/$NIX_CHANNEL" nixos
   nix-channel --update