diff --git a/meshview/static/map-inspector.js b/meshview/static/map-inspector.js
index d27fbc8..899260d 100644
--- a/meshview/static/map-inspector.js
+++ b/meshview/static/map-inspector.js
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
     const byId = id => document.getElementById(id);
     const packetHistory = new Map();
     const expandedPackets = new Set();
+    const displayedPackets = new Set();
+    const packetArrivals = new Map();
+    let trafficLoaded = false;
     let nodeRequest = null;
     let inspectedNodeId = null;
     let recentPackets = [];
@@ -220,6 +223,11 @@
                 toggle.setAttribute('aria-expanded',String(!payloadRow.hidden)); toggle.textContent = payloadRow.hidden ? '▶' : '▼';
             });
             body.append(row,payloadRow);
+            if (!displayedPackets.has(id)) {
+                displayedPackets.add(id);
+                packetArrivals.set(id,Date.now());
+            }
+            if (packetArrivals.has(id)) markNewPacketArrival(row,packetArrivals.get(id));
         }
         list.scrollTop = scrollTop;
         if (focusedId && focusedControl) {
@@ -243,6 +251,7 @@
         for (const packet of event.detail) {
             if (!packetHistory.has(String(packetId(packet)))) added = true;
             packetHistory.set(String(packetId(packet)),packet);
+            if (!trafficLoaded) displayedPackets.add(String(packetId(packet)));
             if (packet.channel && ![...byId('map-traffic-channel').options].some(o => o.value === packet.channel)) {
                 byId('map-traffic-channel').add(new Option(packet.channel,packet.channel));
             }
@@ -253,10 +262,12 @@
                 if (String(packet.from_node_id) === inspectedNodeId && Number(packet.portnum) === 67) renderTelemetry(packet);
             }
         }
+        trafficLoaded = true;
         if (packetHistory.size > 30) {
             const sorted = [...packetHistory.values()].sort((a,b) => packetTime(b)-packetTime(a));
             for (const packet of sorted.slice(30)) {
                 packetHistory.delete(String(packetId(packet))); expandedPackets.delete(String(packetId(packet)));
+                displayedPackets.delete(String(packetId(packet))); packetArrivals.delete(String(packetId(packet)));
             }
         }
         if (!paused && added) renderTraffic();
diff --git a/meshview/static/packet-arrival.js b/meshview/static/packet-arrival.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..76d93b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meshview/static/packet-arrival.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+/* A short, shared arrival cue for the two live packet tables. */
+window.markNewPacketArrival = function (row, startedAt = Date.now()) {
+    const elapsed = Math.max(0, Date.now() - startedAt);
+    const remaining = 1000 - elapsed;
+    if (remaining <= 0) return;
+    row.classList.add('packet-arrival-glow');
+    row.style.setProperty('--packet-glow-delay', `${-elapsed}ms`);
+    setTimeout(() => {
+        row.classList.remove('packet-arrival-glow');
+        row.style.removeProperty('--packet-glow-delay');
+    }, remaining);
+};
diff --git a/meshview/templates/base.html b/meshview/templates/base.html
index 99c1570..23ce482 100644
--- a/meshview/templates/base.html
+++ b/meshview/templates/base.html
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
     <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/dist/leaflet.css" crossorigin=""/>
     <script src="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.9.4/dist/leaflet.js" crossorigin=""></script>
     <script src="/static/html-escape.js"></script>
+    <script src="/static/packet-arrival.js"></script>
 
     {% block head %}{% endblock %}
 
@@ -90,6 +91,23 @@ input[type="checkbox"],input[type="radio"] { accent-color:var(--mesh-primary); }
 .form-check-input:focus { border-color:#91bda1; box-shadow:0 0 0 .25rem rgba(var(--mesh-primary-rgb),.2); }
 .page-link { --bs-pagination-color:var(--mesh-primary); --bs-pagination-hover-color:var(--mesh-primary-dark); --bs-pagination-active-bg:var(--mesh-primary); --bs-pagination-active-border-color:var(--mesh-primary); }
 [data-bs-theme="light"] body { background:var(--mesh-page); color:#243247; font-family:Inter,system-ui,-apple-system,"Segoe UI",sans-serif; }
+/* Tint whole cells: an edge-only shadow is too subtle on wide packet tables. */
+.packet-arrival-glow > td {
+    animation:packet-arrival-beat 1s ease-in-out 1;
+    animation-delay:var(--packet-glow-delay,0ms);
+    box-shadow:inset 0 0 14px rgba(24,115,70,.12);
+}
+.packet-arrival-glow > td:first-child {
+    box-shadow:inset 4px 0 0 var(--mesh-primary),inset 0 0 14px rgba(24,115,70,.12);
+}
+@keyframes packet-arrival-beat {
+    0%,100% { background-color:transparent; }
+    45% { background-color:#ccebd7; }
+    75% { background-color:#e2f3e8; }
+}
+@media(prefers-reduced-motion:reduce) {
+    .packet-arrival-glow > td { animation:none; background:#d8efdf; }
+}
 .mesh-header { background:var(--mesh-primary); color:white; box-shadow:0 2px 8px #174b2d18; }
 .mesh-header-inner { max-width:1600px; margin:auto; padding:0 28px; min-height:56px; display:flex; align-items:center; gap:32px; }
 .mesh-brand { display:flex; align-items:center; gap:10px; font-size:19px; font-weight:700; color:white; text-decoration:none; flex-shrink:0; }
diff --git a/meshview/templates/firehose.html b/meshview/templates/firehose.html
index 5384229..30aa2a7 100644
--- a/meshview/templates/firehose.html
+++ b/meshview/templates/firehose.html
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ function logPacketTimes(packet) {
    FIREHOSE FETCHING
    ====================================================== */
 let lastImportTimeUs = null;
+let firehoseLoaded = false;
 let updatesPaused = false;
 let updateInterval = 3000;
 let selectedChannel = "";
@@ -207,6 +208,7 @@ async function loadChannels() {
 }
 
 function resetFirehose() {
+    firehoseLoaded = false;
     lastImportTimeUs = null;
     document.getElementById("packet_list").innerHTML = "";
 }
@@ -231,6 +233,8 @@ async function fetchUpdates() {
 
         const data = await res.json();
         const packets = data.packets || [];
+        const highlightNewPackets = firehoseLoaded;
+        firehoseLoaded = true;
         if (!packets.length) return;
 
         const list = document.getElementById("packet_list");
@@ -326,6 +330,7 @@ async function fetchUpdates() {
 `;
 
             list.insertAdjacentHTML("afterbegin", html);
+            if (highlightNewPackets) markNewPacketArrival(list.firstElementChild);
         }
 
         // Limit table size
diff --git a/meshview/templates/map-view.html b/meshview/templates/map-view.html
index 65607bd..3481512 100644
--- a/meshview/templates/map-view.html
+++ b/meshview/templates/map-view.html
@@ -157,7 +157,6 @@
 .mesh-traffic-table th { position:sticky; top:0; z-index:1; padding:12px 14px; background:var(--mesh-primary); color:white; font-weight:500; font-size:12px; white-space:nowrap; text-align:left; }
 .mesh-traffic-table td { padding:11px 14px; border-bottom:1px solid #edf1f6; text-align:left; }
 .mesh-traffic-row { background:white; }
-.mesh-traffic-row:nth-of-type(4n+3) { background:var(--mesh-stripe); }
 .mesh-traffic-row:hover { background:var(--mesh-soft); }
 .mesh-traffic-table a { color:var(--mesh-primary); text-decoration:none; }
 .mesh-traffic-table a:hover { text-decoration:underline; }