diff --git a/web/public/assets/js/app/__tests__/chat-search.test.js b/web/public/assets/js/app/__tests__/chat-search.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6da443a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/public/assets/js/app/__tests__/chat-search.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2025 l5yth
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import test from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+
+import { CHAT_LOG_ENTRY_TYPES } from '../chat-log-tabs.js';
+import {
+  chatLogEntryMatchesQuery,
+  chatMessageMatchesQuery,
+  filterChatModel,
+  normaliseChatFilterQuery
+} from '../chat-search.js';
+
+test('normaliseChatFilterQuery lower-cases and trims user input', () => {
+  assert.equal(normaliseChatFilterQuery('  MIXED Case  '), 'mixed case');
+  assert.equal(normaliseChatFilterQuery(null), '');
+});
+
+test('chatMessageMatchesQuery inspects text and node metadata', () => {
+  const message = { text: 'Hello Mesh', node: { short_name: 'ALFA', long_name: 'Alpha Node' } };
+  const helloQuery = normaliseChatFilterQuery('mesh');
+  assert.equal(chatMessageMatchesQuery(message, helloQuery), true);
+  const aliasQuery = normaliseChatFilterQuery('alfa');
+  assert.equal(chatMessageMatchesQuery(message, aliasQuery), true);
+  const missQuery = normaliseChatFilterQuery('bravo');
+  assert.equal(chatMessageMatchesQuery(message, missQuery), false);
+});
+
+test('chatLogEntryMatchesQuery recognises position highlight values', () => {
+  const entry = {
+    type: CHAT_LOG_ENTRY_TYPES.POSITION,
+    ts: 1,
+    position: { latitude: 51.5, longitude: 0 },
+    node: { node_id: '!alpha', short_name: 'Alpha' }
+  };
+  const query = normaliseChatFilterQuery('51.50000');
+  assert.equal(chatLogEntryMatchesQuery(entry, query), true);
+  const missQuery = normaliseChatFilterQuery('bravo');
+  assert.equal(chatLogEntryMatchesQuery(entry, missQuery), false);
+});
+
+test('chatLogEntryMatchesQuery uses enriched node context for lookups', () => {
+  const entry = {
+    type: CHAT_LOG_ENTRY_TYPES.TELEMETRY,
+    nodeId: '!alpha',
+    telemetry: { voltage: 12.1 },
+    node: { short_name: 'ALFA', long_name: 'Alpha Node' }
+  };
+  const query = normaliseChatFilterQuery('alpha node');
+  assert.equal(chatLogEntryMatchesQuery(entry, query), true);
+});
+
+test('chatLogEntryMatchesQuery inspects neighbor node context', () => {
+  const entry = {
+    type: CHAT_LOG_ENTRY_TYPES.NEIGHBOR,
+    neighborId: '!bravo',
+    neighborNode: { short_name: 'BRAV', long_name: 'Bravo Station' }
+  };
+  const query = normaliseChatFilterQuery('bravo station');
+  assert.equal(chatLogEntryMatchesQuery(entry, query), true);
+});
+
+test('filterChatModel filters both log entries and channel messages', () => {
+  const model = {
+    logEntries: [
+      { type: CHAT_LOG_ENTRY_TYPES.NODE_INFO, nodeId: '!alpha', node: { short_name: 'Alpha' } },
+      { type: CHAT_LOG_ENTRY_TYPES.NODE_INFO, nodeId: '!bravo', node: { short_name: 'Bravo' } }
+    ],
+    channels: [
+      {
+        index: 0,
+        label: '0',
+        entries: [
+          { ts: 1, message: { text: 'Ping Alpha', node: { short_name: 'Alpha' } } },
+          { ts: 2, message: { text: 'Ack Bravo', node: { short_name: 'Bravo' } } }
+        ]
+      }
+    ]
+  };
+  const result = filterChatModel(model, 'bravo');
+  assert.equal(result.logEntries.length, 1);
+  assert.equal(result.logEntries[0].nodeId, '!bravo');
+  assert.equal(result.channels.length, 1);
+  assert.deepEqual(result.channels[0].entries.map(entry => entry.message.text), ['Ack Bravo']);
+});
+
+test('filterChatModel returns original references when query is empty', () => {
+  const model = {
+    logEntries: [{ type: CHAT_LOG_ENTRY_TYPES.NODE_INFO, nodeId: '!alpha', node: { short_name: 'Alpha' } }],
+    channels: [{ index: 0, label: '0', entries: [] }]
+  };
+  const result = filterChatModel(model, ' ');
+  assert.strictEqual(result.logEntries, model.logEntries);
+  assert.strictEqual(result.channels, model.channels);
+});
diff --git a/web/public/assets/js/app/chat-search.js b/web/public/assets/js/app/chat-search.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ef4b9e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/public/assets/js/app/chat-search.js
@@ -0,0 +1,220 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2025 l5yth
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { CHAT_LOG_ENTRY_TYPES } from './chat-log-tabs.js';
+import { formatPositionHighlights, formatTelemetryHighlights } from './chat-log-highlights.js';
+
+const BASE_SEARCH_KEYS = Object.freeze([
+  'node_id',
+  'nodeId',
+  'id',
+  'node_num',
+  'nodeNum',
+  'num',
+  'short_name',
+  'shortName',
+  'long_name',
+  'longName',
+  'name',
+  'role',
+  'hw_model',
+  'hwModel',
+  'neighbor_id',
+  'neighborId'
+]);
+
+const MESSAGE_EXTRA_KEYS = Object.freeze([
+  'text',
+  'emoji',
+  'channel',
+  'channel_index',
+  'channelIndex',
+  'channel_name',
+  'channelName',
+  'channel_display',
+  'channelDisplay',
+  'from_id',
+  'fromId',
+  'to_id',
+  'toId',
+  'reply_id',
+  'replyId'
+]);
+
+/**
+ * Normalise arbitrary input into a comparable, lower-cased string.
+ *
+ * @param {*} value User-supplied input.
+ * @returns {string} Trimmed, lower-cased query string.
+ */
+export function normaliseChatFilterQuery(value) {
+  if (value == null) {
+    return '';
+  }
+  const text = String(value).trim().toLowerCase();
+  return text;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Apply chat filtering to log entries and channel buckets.
+ *
+ * @param {{ logEntries?: Array<Object>, channels?: Array<Object> }} model Chat tab model.
+ * @param {*} query Filter query supplied by the user.
+ * @returns {{ logEntries: Array<Object>, channels: Array<Object> }} Filtered model.
+ */
+export function filterChatModel(model = {}, query) {
+  const logEntries = Array.isArray(model.logEntries) ? model.logEntries : [];
+  const channels = Array.isArray(model.channels) ? model.channels : [];
+  const normalisedQuery = normaliseChatFilterQuery(query);
+  if (!normalisedQuery) {
+    return { logEntries, channels };
+  }
+  const filteredLogs = logEntries.filter(entry => chatLogEntryMatchesQuery(entry, normalisedQuery));
+  const filteredChannels = channels.map(channel => ({
+    ...channel,
+    entries: Array.isArray(channel.entries)
+      ? channel.entries.filter(item => chatMessageMatchesQuery(item?.message, normalisedQuery))
+      : []
+  }));
+  return { logEntries: filteredLogs, channels: filteredChannels };
+}
+
+/**
+ * Determine whether a structured chat log entry matches the query.
+ *
+ * @param {?Object} entry Chat log entry.
+ * @param {string} query Normalised filter query.
+ * @returns {boolean} True when the entry should remain visible.
+ */
+export function chatLogEntryMatchesQuery(entry, query) {
+  if (!query) return true;
+  if (!entry || typeof entry !== 'object') {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const candidates = [];
+  candidates.push(...collectSearchValues(entry.node));
+  candidates.push(...collectSearchValues(entry.telemetry));
+  candidates.push(...collectSearchValues(entry.position));
+  candidates.push(...collectSearchValues(entry.neighbor));
+  candidates.push(...collectSearchValues(entry.neighborNode));
+  if (entry.nodeId) candidates.push(entry.nodeId);
+  if (entry.nodeNum != null && entry.nodeNum !== '') candidates.push(entry.nodeNum);
+  if (entry.neighborId) candidates.push(entry.neighborId);
+  if (entry.type) candidates.push(entry.type);
+
+  if (entry.type === CHAT_LOG_ENTRY_TYPES.MESSAGE_ENCRYPTED) {
+    if (entry.message && chatMessageMatchesQuery(entry.message, query)) {
+      return true;
+    }
+  } else if (entry.type === CHAT_LOG_ENTRY_TYPES.TELEMETRY) {
+    const telemetryHighlights = formatTelemetryHighlights(entry.telemetry || {});
+    candidates.push(...highlightsToStrings(telemetryHighlights));
+  } else if (entry.type === CHAT_LOG_ENTRY_TYPES.POSITION) {
+    const positionHighlights = formatPositionHighlights(entry.position || {});
+    candidates.push(...highlightsToStrings(positionHighlights));
+  } else if (entry.type === CHAT_LOG_ENTRY_TYPES.NEIGHBOR) {
+    if (entry.neighbor && entry.neighbor.neighbor_id) {
+      candidates.push(entry.neighbor.neighbor_id);
+    }
+  }
+
+  return candidates.some(value => valueIncludesQuery(value, query));
+}
+
+/**
+ * Determine whether a mesh message matches the active query.
+ *
+ * @param {?Object} message Chat message payload.
+ * @param {string} query Normalised filter query.
+ * @returns {boolean} True when the message should be shown.
+ */
+export function chatMessageMatchesQuery(message, query) {
+  if (!query) return true;
+  if (!message || typeof message !== 'object') {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const candidates = [
+    ...collectSearchValues(message, MESSAGE_EXTRA_KEYS),
+    ...collectSearchValues(message.node),
+  ];
+  return candidates.some(value => valueIncludesQuery(value, query));
+}
+
+function highlightsToStrings(highlights) {
+  if (!Array.isArray(highlights)) {
+    return [];
+  }
+  return highlights
+    .map(entry => {
+      if (!entry || typeof entry !== 'object') {
+        return null;
+      }
+      const label = entry.label != null ? String(entry.label).trim() : '';
+      const value = entry.value != null ? String(entry.value).trim() : '';
+      return `${label} ${value}`.trim();
+    })
+    .filter(Boolean);
+}
+
+function collectSearchValues(source, extraKeys = []) {
+  if (!source || typeof source !== 'object') {
+    return [];
+  }
+  const values = [];
+  const keys = extraKeys.length ? [...BASE_SEARCH_KEYS, ...extraKeys] : BASE_SEARCH_KEYS;
+  for (const key of keys) {
+    if (!Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(source, key)) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    const value = source[key];
+    if (value == null || value === '') {
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (typeof value === 'object') {
+      continue;
+    }
+    values.push(value);
+  }
+  return values;
+}
+
+function valueIncludesQuery(value, query) {
+  if (!query) return true;
+  if (value == null) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  if (typeof value === 'number') {
+    if (!Number.isFinite(value)) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    return String(value).toLowerCase().includes(query);
+  }
+  if (typeof value === 'boolean') {
+    return (value ? 'true' : 'false').includes(query);
+  }
+  const text = String(value).trim();
+  if (!text) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return text.toLowerCase().includes(query);
+}
+
+export default {
+  normaliseChatFilterQuery,
+  filterChatModel,
+  chatLogEntryMatchesQuery,
+  chatMessageMatchesQuery
+};
diff --git a/web/public/assets/js/app/main.js b/web/public/assets/js/app/main.js
index e388c51..8f6319f 100644
--- a/web/public/assets/js/app/main.js
+++ b/web/public/assets/js/app/main.js
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ import { initializeInstanceSelector } from './instance-selector.js';
 import { CHAT_LOG_ENTRY_TYPES, buildChatTabModel, MAX_CHANNEL_INDEX } from './chat-log-tabs.js';
 import { renderChatTabs } from './chat-tabs.js';
 import { formatPositionHighlights, formatTelemetryHighlights } from './chat-log-highlights.js';
+import { filterChatModel, normaliseChatFilterQuery } from './chat-search.js';
 import { buildMessageBody, buildMessageIndex, resolveReplyPrefix } from './message-replies.js';
 
 /**
@@ -124,6 +125,12 @@ export function initializeApp(config) {
   let allNodes = [];
   /** @type {Array<Object>} */
   let allNeighbors = [];
+  /** @type {Array<Object>} */
+  let allMessages = [];
+  /** @type {Array<Object>} */
+  let allTelemetryEntries = [];
+  /** @type {Array<Object>} */
+  let allPositionEntries = [];
   /** @type {Map<string, Object>} */
 let nodesById = new Map();
 let messagesById = new Map();
@@ -2617,11 +2624,85 @@ let messagesById = new Map();
     return div;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Attach node context to chat log entries when identifier metadata exists.
+   *
+   * @param {Array<Object>} entries Chat log entries.
+   * @returns {Array<Object>} Enriched entries.
+   */
+  function attachNodeContextToLogEntries(entries) {
+    if (!Array.isArray(entries) || entries.length === 0) {
+      return Array.isArray(entries) ? entries : [];
+    }
+    return entries.map(entry => {
+      if (!entry || typeof entry !== 'object') {
+        return entry;
+      }
+      const hasNode = entry.node && typeof entry.node === 'object';
+      const hasNeighborNode = entry.neighborNode && typeof entry.neighborNode === 'object';
+      const resolvedNode = hasNode ? entry.node : resolveNodeForLogEntryContext(entry);
+      const resolvedNeighbor = hasNeighborNode ? entry.neighborNode : resolveNeighborForLogEntry(entry);
+      if (resolvedNode === entry.node && resolvedNeighbor === entry.neighborNode) {
+        return entry;
+      }
+      const enriched = { ...entry };
+      if (resolvedNode && !hasNode) {
+        enriched.node = resolvedNode;
+      }
+      if (resolvedNeighbor && !hasNeighborNode) {
+        enriched.neighborNode = resolvedNeighbor;
+      }
+      return enriched;
+    });
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Locate the canonical node associated with a chat log entry for filtering.
+   *
+   * @param {Object} entry Chat log entry.
+   * @returns {?Object} Node payload when available.
+   */
+  function resolveNodeForLogEntryContext(entry) {
+    if (!entry || typeof entry !== 'object') {
+      return null;
+    }
+    if (nodesById instanceof Map && typeof entry.nodeId === 'string' && nodesById.has(entry.nodeId)) {
+      return nodesById.get(entry.nodeId);
+    }
+    if (nodesByNum instanceof Map && Number.isFinite(entry.nodeNum) && nodesByNum.has(entry.nodeNum)) {
+      return nodesByNum.get(entry.nodeNum);
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Locate the neighbor node metadata for a chat log entry when available.
+   *
+   * @param {Object} entry Chat log entry.
+   * @returns {?Object} Neighbor node payload when available.
+   */
+  function resolveNeighborForLogEntry(entry) {
+    if (!entry || typeof entry !== 'object' || !(nodesById instanceof Map)) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    const neighborId = typeof entry.neighborId === 'string' ? entry.neighborId : null;
+    if (neighborId && nodesById.has(neighborId)) {
+      return nodesById.get(neighborId);
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Render the chat history panel with nodes and messages.
    *
-   * @param {Array<Object>} nodes Collection of node payloads.
-   * @param {Array<Object>} messages Collection of message payloads.
+   * @param {{
+   *   nodes?: Array<Object>,
+   *   messages?: Array<Object>,
+   *   telemetryEntries?: Array<Object>,
+   *   positionEntries?: Array<Object>,
+   *   neighborEntries?: Array<Object>,
+   *   filterQuery?: string
+   * }} params Render inputs.
    * @returns {void}
    */
   function renderChatLog({
@@ -2629,7 +2710,8 @@ let messagesById = new Map();
     messages = [],
     telemetryEntries = [],
     positionEntries = [],
-    neighborEntries = []
+    neighborEntries = [],
+    filterQuery = ''
   }) {
     if (!CHAT_ENABLED || !chatEl) return;
     messagesById = buildMessageIndex(messages);
@@ -2645,13 +2727,19 @@ let messagesById = new Map();
       maxChannelIndex: MAX_CHANNEL_INDEX
     });
 
+    const enrichedLogEntries = attachNodeContextToLogEntries(logEntries);
+    const { logEntries: filteredLogEntries, channels: filteredChannels } = filterChatModel(
+      { logEntries: enrichedLogEntries, channels },
+      filterQuery
+    );
+
     const logContent = buildChatFragment({
-      entries: logEntries,
+      entries: filteredLogEntries,
       renderEntry: createChatLogEntry,
       emptyLabel: 'No recent mesh activity.'
     });
 
-    const channelTabs = channels.map(channel => ({
+    const channelTabs = filteredChannels.map(channel => ({
       id: `channel-${channel.index}`,
       label: channel.label,
       content: buildChatFragment({
@@ -3472,8 +3560,8 @@ let messagesById = new Map();
    */
   function applyFilter() {
     updateFilterClearVisibility();
-    const rawQuery = filterInput ? filterInput.value : '';
-    const q = rawQuery.trim().toLowerCase();
+    const filterQuery = filterInput ? filterInput.value : '';
+    const q = normaliseChatFilterQuery(filterQuery);
     const filteredNodes = allNodes.filter(n => matchesTextFilter(n, q) && matchesRoleFilter(n));
     const sortedNodes = sortNodes(filteredNodes);
     const nowSec = Date.now()/1000;
@@ -3482,6 +3570,14 @@ let messagesById = new Map();
     updateCount(sortedNodes, nowSec);
     updateRefreshInfo(sortedNodes, nowSec);
     updateSortIndicators();
+    renderChatLog({
+      nodes: allNodes,
+      messages: allMessages,
+      telemetryEntries: allTelemetryEntries,
+      positionEntries: allPositionEntries,
+      neighborEntries: allNeighbors,
+      filterQuery
+    });
   }
 
   if (filterInput) {
@@ -3540,13 +3636,9 @@ let messagesById = new Map();
       allNodes = nodes;
       rebuildNodeIndex(allNodes);
       const chatMessages = await messageNodeHydrator.hydrate(messages, nodesById);
-      renderChatLog({
-        nodes,
-        messages: chatMessages,
-        telemetryEntries,
-        positionEntries: positions,
-        neighborEntries: neighborTuples
-      });
+      allMessages = Array.isArray(chatMessages) ? chatMessages : [];
+      allTelemetryEntries = Array.isArray(telemetryEntries) ? telemetryEntries : [];
+      allPositionEntries = Array.isArray(positions) ? positions : [];
       allNeighbors = Array.isArray(neighborTuples) ? neighborTuples : [];
       applyFilter();
       statusEl.textContent = 'updated ' + new Date().toLocaleTimeString();