diff --git a/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/middleware.rs b/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/middleware.rs
index 5233d8ff..51e04557 100644
--- a/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/middleware.rs
+++ b/core/archipelago/src/api/rpc/middleware.rs
@@ -64,6 +64,13 @@ pub(super) fn sanitize_error_message(msg: &str) -> String {
         "Failed to open channel",
         "Failed to close channel",
         "Failed to connect to peer",
+        // App-install dependency errors (package/dependencies.rs) — masking
+        // these left users retrying installs blind ("LND install failed" on a
+        // fresh node was really "Bitcoin Knots isn't running yet")
+        "LND requires",
+        "ElectrumX requires",
+        "BTCPay Server requires",
+        "Mempool requires",
         "Container",
         "Image",
         "Bitcoin address",
diff --git a/image-recipe/_archived/build-auto-installer-iso.sh b/image-recipe/_archived/build-auto-installer-iso.sh
index 5025cb4f..c909c80a 100755
--- a/image-recipe/_archived/build-auto-installer-iso.sh
+++ b/image-recipe/_archived/build-auto-installer-iso.sh
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ RUN apt-get update && apt-get -y full-upgrade && apt-get install -y --no-install
 RUN echo "en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8" > /etc/locale.gen && locale-gen
 
 # Create archipelago user with password "archipelago"
-RUN useradd -m -s /bin/bash -G sudo archipelago && \
+RUN useradd -m -s /bin/bash -G sudo,dialout archipelago && \
     echo "archipelago:archipelago" | chpasswd && \
     echo "root:archipelago" | chpasswd && \
     echo "archipelago ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL" > /etc/sudoers.d/archipelago
diff --git a/neode-ui/src/views/web5/Web5Federation.vue b/neode-ui/src/views/web5/Web5Federation.vue
index d6720cb6..d66ca364 100644
--- a/neode-ui/src/views/web5/Web5Federation.vue
+++ b/neode-ui/src/views/web5/Web5Federation.vue
@@ -101,13 +101,18 @@ async function loadFederationSummary() {
   federationError.value = ''
   try {
     const res = await rpcClient.call<{
-      nodes: Array<{ status: string }>
-      pending_requests: Array<unknown>
-    }>({ method: 'federation.list', timeout: 5000 })
+      nodes: Array<{ last_seen?: string }>
+    }>({ method: 'federation.list-nodes', timeout: 5000 })
     const nodes = res.nodes || []
     nodeCount.value = nodes.length
-    onlineCount.value = nodes.filter(n => n.status === 'online' || n.status === 'connected').length
-    pendingCount.value = (res.pending_requests || []).length
+    // list-nodes has no live status field — count a node seen in the
+    // last 10 minutes as online
+    const cutoff = Date.now() - 10 * 60 * 1000
+    onlineCount.value = nodes.filter(n => n.last_seen && new Date(n.last_seen).getTime() > cutoff).length
+    try {
+      const pend = await rpcClient.call<{ requests: Array<unknown> }>({ method: 'federation.list-pending-requests', timeout: 5000 })
+      pendingCount.value = (pend.requests || []).length
+    } catch { pendingCount.value = 0 }
     hasLoadedFederation.value = true
   } catch (e: unknown) {
     federationError.value = e instanceof Error ? e.message : 'Federation unavailable'
diff --git a/scripts/container-doctor.sh b/scripts/container-doctor.sh
index d7f2ada3..e2b41359 100755
--- a/scripts/container-doctor.sh
+++ b/scripts/container-doctor.sh
@@ -614,6 +614,23 @@ fix_missing_catatonit() {
     return 1
 }
 
+# ── Fix 14: archipelago user missing dialout (mesh radios) ───
+# The image used to create the archipelago user with only `sudo`, so the
+# backend couldn't open /dev/ttyUSB*/ttyACM* serial LoRa radios — Mesh
+# never detected a plugged-in device (observed on the 1.7.99 RC install
+# 2026-07-13). Group change takes effect on the next service restart; we
+# restart archipelago only if a serial device is actually present.
+fix_archipelago_dialout() {
+    id -nG archipelago 2>/dev/null | grep -qw dialout && return 1
+    usermod -aG dialout archipelago 2>/dev/null || return 1
+    log "Added archipelago to dialout (serial mesh radios were unreadable)"
+    if ls /dev/ttyUSB* /dev/ttyACM* >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        systemctl try-restart archipelago 2>/dev/null || true
+        log "Restarted archipelago to pick up dialout (radio present)"
+    fi
+    return 0
+}
+
 # ── Main ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 # If remote host provided, run via SSH
@@ -646,6 +663,7 @@ run_fix "rootless-ports" fix_missing_rootless_ports
 run_fix "npm-public-hosts" fix_npm_public_hosts
 run_fix "btcpay-route-hints" fix_btcpay_route_hints
 run_fix "catatonit"       fix_missing_catatonit
+run_fix "dialout"         fix_archipelago_dialout
 
 echo ""
 if [ $FIXES_APPLIED -gt 0 ]; then