diff --git a/neode-ui/src/components/mesh/MeshDeviceSetupModal.vue b/neode-ui/src/components/mesh/MeshDeviceSetupModal.vue
index 3db58f1b..c3bf54f9 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/components/mesh/MeshDeviceSetupModal.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/components/mesh/MeshDeviceSetupModal.vue
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <template>
   <BaseModal
     :show="show"
-    :title="step === 1 ? 'Mesh Radio Detected' : 'Apply Archipelago Settings'"
+    :title="step === 1 ? 'Mesh Radio Detected' : 'Set Recommended'"
     max-width="max-w-lg"
     content-class="max-h-[90vh] overflow-y-auto"
     @close="dismiss"
@@ -35,9 +35,17 @@
 
       <!-- What's currently flashed / configured on it -->
       <div class="mt-4 text-left rounded-xl bg-white/[0.05] border border-white/10 p-3">
-        <div v-if="probing" class="flex items-center gap-2 text-white/60 text-sm py-1">
-          <span class="inline-block w-3.5 h-3.5 rounded-full border-2 border-orange-300/70 border-t-transparent animate-spin"></span>
-          Reading what's on the radio…
+        <div v-if="probing" class="py-1">
+          <div class="flex items-center justify-between text-white/60 text-sm mb-1.5">
+            <span>{{ probeStage }}</span>
+            <span class="text-white/40 text-xs tabular-nums">{{ Math.round(probeProgress) }}%</span>
+          </div>
+          <div class="h-1.5 rounded-full bg-white/10 overflow-hidden">
+            <div
+              class="h-full rounded-full bg-orange-400/80 transition-[width] duration-500 ease-linear"
+              :style="{ width: probeProgress + '%' }"
+            ></div>
+          </div>
         </div>
         <template v-else-if="probe">
           <div class="flex items-center gap-2">
@@ -94,7 +102,7 @@
           :disabled="!!connecting"
           @click="step = 2"
         >
-          Set Up with Archipelago Settings
+          Set Recommended
         </button>
       </div>
       <p class="text-white/40 text-[11px] mt-3">
@@ -107,8 +115,8 @@
     <!-- Step 2: our latest parameters, shown before anything is written -->
     <div v-else>
       <p class="text-white/60 text-xs mb-3">
-        These are the latest Archipelago settings — nothing is written to the
-        radio until you confirm.
+        These are the recommended Archipelago settings — nothing is written to
+        the radio until you confirm.
       </p>
 
       <!-- Summary of what will be applied -->
@@ -206,6 +214,30 @@ const probing = ref(false)
 const probe = ref<MeshDeviceProbe | null>(null)
 const probeError = ref('')
 
+// Time-driven probe progress: the probe RPC is a single opaque call that can
+// take ~5-30s (boot settle + up to three firmware handshakes), so the bar
+// advances on a clock toward 92% and snaps to 100% when the result lands.
+const probeProgress = ref(0)
+const probeStage = ref('Waiting for the radio to boot…')
+let probeTicker: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null
+function startProbeProgress() {
+  stopProbeProgress()
+  probeProgress.value = 0
+  probeStage.value = 'Waiting for the radio to boot…'
+  const startedAt = Date.now()
+  probeTicker = setInterval(() => {
+    const elapsed = (Date.now() - startedAt) / 1000
+    // ~92% at 30s, decelerating — never looks stuck, never lies "done".
+    probeProgress.value = Math.min(92, 100 * (1 - Math.exp(-elapsed / 11)))
+    if (elapsed >= 4) probeStage.value = 'Detecting firmware…'
+    if (elapsed >= 18) probeStage.value = 'Still checking (radios can be slow to answer)…'
+  }, 400)
+}
+function stopProbeProgress(done = false) {
+  if (probeTicker) { clearInterval(probeTicker); probeTicker = null }
+  if (done) probeProgress.value = 100
+}
+
 const devicePath = computed(() => mesh.undismissedDetectedDevices[0] ?? '')
 const show = computed(() => !!devicePath.value)
 const imageFailed = ref(false)
@@ -275,6 +307,7 @@ watch([show, devicePath], async ([visible]) => {
   probe.value = null
   probeError.value = ''
   probing.value = true
+  startProbeProgress()
   const path = devicePath.value
   try {
     const res = await mesh.probeDevice(path)
@@ -284,6 +317,7 @@ watch([show, devicePath], async ([visible]) => {
       probeError.value = e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e)
     }
   } finally {
+    stopProbeProgress(true)
     if (devicePath.value === path) probing.value = false
   }
 }, { immediate: false })
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/stores/mesh.ts b/neode-ui/src/stores/mesh.ts
index 6220667e..a7c11b5c 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/stores/mesh.ts
+++ b/neode-ui/src/stores/mesh.ts
@@ -274,12 +274,16 @@ export const useMeshStore = defineStore('mesh', () => {
   async function fetchStatus() {
     try {
       loading.value = true
-      error.value = null
       const res = await rpcClient.call<MeshStatus>({ method: 'mesh.status' })
       status.value = res
       trackDetectedDevices(res)
     } catch (err: unknown) {
-      error.value = err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Failed to fetch mesh status'
+      // Don't clobber a user-action error (broadcast/configure/send) — this
+      // runs on a 5s poll, and the old `error.value = null` on entry meant
+      // any real error banner survived at most one poll tick.
+      if (!error.value) {
+        error.value = err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Failed to fetch mesh status'
+      }
     } finally {
       loading.value = false
     }
@@ -975,6 +979,18 @@ export const useMeshStore = defineStore('mesh', () => {
     await Promise.all([fetchStatus(), fetchPeers(), fetchMessages(), fetchDeadmanStatus(), fetchBlockHeaders()])
   }
 
+  /** Ask the backend to actively re-query the radio's contact table (and by
+   *  extension re-drain daemon events for Reticulum) — the server-side half
+   *  of the Refresh button; refreshAll() alone only re-reads caches. */
+  async function refreshRadio(): Promise<boolean> {
+    try {
+      const res = await rpcClient.call<{ refreshed: boolean }>({ method: 'mesh.refresh' })
+      return !!res.refreshed
+    } catch {
+      return false
+    }
+  }
+
   return {
     status,
     peers,
@@ -1002,6 +1018,7 @@ export const useMeshStore = defineStore('mesh', () => {
     broadcastIdentity,
     configure,
     refreshAll,
+    refreshRadio,
     markChatRead,
     clearViewingChat,
     sendInvoice,
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/Mesh.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/Mesh.vue
index 64902469..91bcec7a 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/Mesh.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/Mesh.vue
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ const activeChatChannel = ref<{ index: number; name: string } | null>(null)
 const messageText = ref('')
 const sendError = ref('')
 const broadcasting = ref(false)
+const broadcastResult = ref<string | null>(null) // 'ok' | error message
+const refreshing = ref(false)
 const configuring = ref(false)
 const connectingDevice = ref<string | null>(null)
 // Device-detected onboarding now lives in the global MeshDeviceSetupModal (App.vue).
@@ -383,12 +385,22 @@ onMounted(async () => {
     archPollInterval = setInterval(loadArchMessages, 15000)
   }
   if (!pollInterval) {
+    let tick = 0
     pollInterval = setInterval(() => {
       mesh.fetchStatus()
       mesh.fetchPeers()
       mesh.fetchMessages()
       mesh.fetchDeadmanStatus()
       mesh.fetchBlockHeaders()
+      // Contacts/aliases, federation nodes and the outbox badge previously
+      // loaded ONCE at mount and went permanently stale — new federation
+      // peers or renames never appeared without a full page reload. Every
+      // 6th tick (~30s) keeps them fresh without adding per-5s load.
+      if (++tick % 6 === 0) {
+        void refreshContacts()
+        void refreshFederationNodes()
+        void refreshOutboxCount()
+      }
     }, 5000)
   }
 
@@ -1021,7 +1033,37 @@ function onChatWheel(e: WheelEvent) {
 
 async function handleBroadcast() {
   broadcasting.value = true
-  try { await mesh.broadcastIdentity() } finally { broadcasting.value = false }
+  broadcastResult.value = null
+  try {
+    await mesh.broadcastIdentity()
+    broadcastResult.value = 'ok'
+  } catch (e) {
+    broadcastResult.value = e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'Broadcast failed'
+  } finally {
+    broadcasting.value = false
+    setTimeout(() => { broadcastResult.value = null }, 4000)
+  }
+}
+
+async function handleRefresh() {
+  if (refreshing.value) return
+  refreshing.value = true
+  try {
+    // Backend first: re-query the radio's contact table (mesh.refresh), then
+    // re-read EVERYTHING the list is built from — peers, contacts/aliases,
+    // federation nodes, outbox — not just the mesh caches.
+    await Promise.allSettled([
+      mesh.refreshRadio(),
+      mesh.refreshAll(),
+      refreshContacts(),
+      refreshFederationNodes(),
+      refreshOutboxCount(),
+    ])
+    // Radio contact refresh is async on the backend — pick up its result.
+    await mesh.fetchPeers()
+  } finally {
+    refreshing.value = false
+  }
 }
 
 async function handleToggleEnabled() {
@@ -1830,8 +1872,14 @@ async function downloadAttachment(payload: MeshAttachmentPayload) {
           <button class="glass-button mesh-action-btn" :disabled="configuring" @click="handleToggleEnabled">
             {{ mesh.status?.enabled ? 'Disable' : 'Enable' }}
           </button>
-          <button class="glass-button mesh-action-btn" :disabled="!mesh.status?.device_connected || broadcasting" @click="handleBroadcast">
-            {{ broadcasting ? 'Sending...' : 'Broadcast' }}
+          <button
+            class="glass-button mesh-action-btn"
+            :class="broadcastResult === 'ok' ? 'mesh-action-ok' : ''"
+            :disabled="!mesh.status?.device_connected || broadcasting"
+            :title="broadcastResult && broadcastResult !== 'ok' ? broadcastResult : 'Announce this node so nearby radios learn about it'"
+            @click="handleBroadcast"
+          >
+            {{ broadcasting ? 'Sending…' : broadcastResult === 'ok' ? 'Sent ✓' : broadcastResult ? 'Failed ✕' : 'Broadcast' }}
           </button>
           <button
             class="glass-button mesh-action-btn"
@@ -1841,7 +1889,10 @@ async function downloadAttachment(payload: MeshAttachmentPayload) {
           >
             {{ transport.meshOnly ? 'Go Online' : 'Off-Grid' }}
           </button>
-          <button class="glass-button mesh-action-btn" @click="mesh.refreshAll()">Refresh</button>
+          <button class="glass-button mesh-action-btn" :disabled="refreshing" @click="handleRefresh">
+            <span v-if="refreshing" class="mesh-refresh-spinner" aria-hidden="true"></span>
+            {{ refreshing ? 'Refreshing…' : 'Refresh' }}
+          </button>
         </div>
 
         <!-- Peers list -->
@@ -1871,7 +1922,10 @@ async function downloadAttachment(payload: MeshAttachmentPayload) {
             >&times;</button>
           </div>
 
-          <div v-if="mesh.peers.length === 0 && !mesh.status?.device_connected" class="mesh-empty">
+          <!-- Only claim "no peers" when the MERGED list (radio + federation)
+               is truly empty — with no radio attached the federation rows and
+               the two channel rows must still render. -->
+          <div v-if="displayedPeers.length === 0 && !mesh.status?.device_connected" class="mesh-empty">
             No peers discovered yet.
           </div>
 
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/mesh/MeshDevicePanel.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/mesh/MeshDevicePanel.vue
index 0a74a2d7..46b0b768 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/mesh/MeshDevicePanel.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/mesh/MeshDevicePanel.vue
@@ -142,12 +142,15 @@ async function saveSettings() {
       lora_region: form.value.region,
       device_kind: form.value.deviceKind,
       channel_name: form.value.channel.trim() || 'archipelago',
-      ...(form.value.name.trim() ? { advert_name: form.value.name.trim() } : {}),
+      // Always sent: an empty string CLEARS the custom mesh name (backend
+      // maps "" -> None -> fall back to the server name). The old omit-when-
+      // empty made clearing impossible once a name was ever set.
+      advert_name: form.value.name.trim(),
       broadcast_identity: form.value.broadcastIdentity,
       ...(rfParams ? { lora_radio_params: rfParams } : {}),
     })
     saveDone.value = true
-    setTimeout(() => { saveDone.value = false }, 3000)
+    setTimeout(() => { saveDone.value = false }, 5000)
   } catch (e) {
     saveError.value = e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'Failed to save mesh settings'
   } finally {
@@ -286,7 +289,7 @@ async function saveSettings() {
         >
           {{ saving ? 'Saving…' : 'Save Settings' }}
         </button>
-        <span v-if="saveDone" class="text-xs text-green-400">Saved — applies on next radio session</span>
+        <span v-if="saveDone" class="text-xs text-green-400">Saved — applying to the radio now…</span>
         <span v-if="saveError" class="text-xs text-red-400">{{ saveError }}</span>
       </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/mesh/mesh-styles.css b/neode-ui/src/views/mesh/mesh-styles.css
index d30e3e1c..e792582a 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/mesh/mesh-styles.css
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/mesh/mesh-styles.css
@@ -83,6 +83,19 @@
 .mesh-offgrid-active { border-color: rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.4) !important; color: #fb923c !important; }
 .mesh-actions { display: flex; gap: 8px; flex-shrink: 0; }
 .mesh-action-btn { flex: 1; padding: 8px 0; font-size: 0.8rem; }
+.mesh-action-ok { color: #34d399; border-color: rgba(52, 211, 153, 0.4); }
+.mesh-refresh-spinner {
+  display: inline-block;
+  width: 10px;
+  height: 10px;
+  margin-right: 4px;
+  border-radius: 9999px;
+  border: 2px solid rgba(251, 146, 60, 0.7);
+  border-top-color: transparent;
+  animation: mesh-refresh-spin 0.8s linear infinite;
+  vertical-align: -1px;
+}
+@keyframes mesh-refresh-spin { to { transform: rotate(360deg); } }
 .mesh-peers-card { padding: 14px; flex: 1; min-height: 0; display: flex; flex-direction: column; }
 .mesh-peers-card .mesh-section-title { margin-bottom: 10px; flex-shrink: 0; }
 .mesh-peer-list { display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 4px; overflow-y: auto; flex: 1; min-height: 0; }