diff --git a/frontend/src/components/PacketVisualizer3D.tsx b/frontend/src/components/PacketVisualizer3D.tsx
index aa712a0..520d1c8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/PacketVisualizer3D.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/PacketVisualizer3D.tsx
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ export function PacketVisualizer3D({
     pruneStaleMinutes,
   });
 
-  const { hoveredNodeId, hoveredNeighborIds, pinnedNodeId } = useVisualizer3DScene({
+  const { hoveredNodeId, pinnedNodeId } = useVisualizer3DScene({
     containerRef,
     data,
     autoOrbit,
@@ -167,8 +167,9 @@ export function PacketVisualizer3D({
 
       <VisualizerTooltip
         activeNodeId={tooltipNodeId}
-        nodes={data.nodes}
-        neighborIds={hoveredNeighborIds}
+        canonicalNodes={data.canonicalNodes}
+        canonicalNeighborIds={data.canonicalNeighborIds}
+        renderedNodeIds={data.renderedNodeIds}
       />
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/visualizer/AGENTS_packet_visualizer.md b/frontend/src/components/visualizer/AGENTS_packet_visualizer.md
index d37d507..31dbf93 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/visualizer/AGENTS_packet_visualizer.md
+++ b/frontend/src/components/visualizer/AGENTS_packet_visualizer.md
@@ -12,24 +12,41 @@ The visualizer displays:
 
 ## Architecture
 
-### Data Layer (`components/visualizer/useVisualizerData3D.ts`)
+### Semantic Data Layer (`networkGraph/packetNetworkGraph.ts`)
 
-The custom hook manages all graph state and simulation logic:
+The packet-network module owns the canonical mesh representation and the visibility-aware projection logic:
 
 ```
-Packets → Parse → Aggregate by key → Observation window → Publish → Animate
+Packets → Parse → Canonical observations/adjacency → Projection by settings
 ```
 
 **Key responsibilities:**
 
-- Maintains node and link maps (`nodesRef`, `linksRef`)
+- Resolves packet source / repeater / destination nodes into a canonical path
+- Maintains canonical node, link, observation, and neighbor state independent of UI toggles
+- Applies ambiguous repeater heuristics and advert-path hints while building canonical data
+- Projects canonical paths into rendered links, including dashed bridges over hidden ambiguous runs
+- Exposes a reusable semantic surface for other consumers besides the 3D visualizer
+
+### Visualizer Data Hook (`components/visualizer/useVisualizerData3D.ts`)
+
+The hook manages render-specific state and animation timing on top of the shared packet-network data layer:
+
+```
+Canonical projection → Aggregate by key → Observation window → Publish → Animate
+```
+
+**Key responsibilities:**
+
+- Adapts semantic packet-network nodes/links into `GraphNode` / `GraphLink` render objects
 - Runs `d3-force-3d` simulation for 3D layout (`.numDimensions(3)`)
-- Processes incoming packets with deduplication
-- Aggregates packet repeats across multiple paths
+- Processes incoming packets with deduplication and feeds them into the semantic layer
+- Aggregates packet repeats across multiple projected paths
 - Manages particle queue and animation timing
 
 **State:**
 
+- `networkStateRef`: Canonical packet-network state (nodes, links, observations, neighbors)
 - `nodesRef`: Map of node ID → GraphNode
 - `linksRef`: Map of link key → GraphLink
 - `particlesRef`: Array of active Particle objects
@@ -50,6 +67,8 @@ Scene creation, render-loop updates, raycasting hover, and click-to-pin interact
 
 ### Shared Utilities
 
+- `networkGraph/packetNetworkGraph.ts`
+  - Canonical packet-network types and replay/projection logic
 - `components/visualizer/shared.ts`
   - Graph-specific types: `GraphNode`, `GraphLink`, `NodeMeshData`
   - Shared rendering helpers: node colors, relative-time formatting, typed-array growth helpers
@@ -308,7 +327,7 @@ function buildPath(parsed, packet, myPrefix): string[] {
 | Pan (right-drag)           | Pan the camera                              |
 | Scroll wheel               | Zoom in/out                                 |
 
-**Click-to-pin:** When a node is pinned, hovering other nodes does not change the highlight. The tooltip shows "Traffic exchanged with:" listing all connected neighbors with their possible names.
+**Click-to-pin:** When a node is pinned, hovering other nodes does not change the highlight. The tooltip shows "Traffic exchanged with:" using canonical packet-network adjacency, not rendered-link adjacency, so hidden repeaters still appear truthfully as hidden neighbors.
 
 ## Configuration Options
 
@@ -333,15 +352,18 @@ function buildPath(parsed, packet, myPrefix): string[] {
 ```
 PacketVisualizer3D.tsx
 ├── TYPES (GraphNode extends SimulationNodeDatum3D, GraphLink)
-├── CONSTANTS (NODE_COLORS, NODE_LEGEND_ITEMS)
-├── DATA LAYER HOOK (useVisualizerData3D)
-│   ├── Refs (nodes, links, particles, simulation, pending, timers, trafficPatterns, stretchRaf)
-│   ├── d3-force-3d simulation initialization (.numDimensions(3))
-│   ├── Contact indexing (byPrefix12 / byName / byPrefix)
-│   ├── Node/link management (addNode, addLink, syncSimulation)
-│   ├── Path building (resolveNode, buildPath)
+├── SEMANTIC DATA LAYER (networkGraph/packetNetworkGraph.ts)
+│   ├── Contact/advert indexes
+│   ├── Canonical node/link/neighbor/observation state
+│   ├── Path building (resolveNode, buildCanonicalPathForPacket)
 │   ├── Traffic pattern analysis (for repeater disambiguation)
-│   └── Packet processing & publishing
+│   └── Projection (projectCanonicalPath, projectPacketNetwork)
+├── DATA HOOK (useVisualizerData3D)
+│   ├── Refs (network state, render nodes, links, particles, simulation, pending, timers, stretchRaf)
+│   ├── d3-force-3d simulation initialization (.numDimensions(3))
+│   ├── Semantic→render adaptation
+│   ├── Observation-window packet aggregation
+│   └── Particle publishing
 └── MAIN COMPONENT (PacketVisualizer3D)
     ├── Three.js scene setup (WebGLRenderer, CSS2DRenderer, OrbitControls)
     ├── Node mesh management (SphereGeometry + CSS2DObject labels)
@@ -356,6 +378,13 @@ utils/visualizerUtils.ts
 ├── Constants (COLORS, PARTICLE_COLOR_MAP, PARTICLE_SPEED, PACKET_LEGEND_ITEMS)
 └── Functions (parsePacket, generatePacketKey, analyzeRepeaterTraffic, etc.)
 
+networkGraph/packetNetworkGraph.ts
+├── Types (PacketNetworkNode, PacketNetworkLink, PacketNetworkObservation, projection types)
+├── Context builders (contact and advert-path indexes)
+├── Canonical replay (ingestPacketIntoPacketNetwork)
+├── Projection helpers (projectCanonicalPath, projectPacketNetwork)
+└── State maintenance (clear, prune, neighbor snapshots)
+
 types/d3-force-3d.d.ts
 └── Type declarations for d3-force-3d (SimulationNodeDatum3D, Simulation3D, forces)
 ```
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/visualizer/VisualizerTooltip.tsx b/frontend/src/components/visualizer/VisualizerTooltip.tsx
index 0482a4a..94df1af 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/visualizer/VisualizerTooltip.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/visualizer/VisualizerTooltip.tsx
@@ -1,25 +1,37 @@
-import type { GraphNode } from './shared';
+import type { PacketNetworkNode } from '../../networkGraph/packetNetworkGraph';
 import { formatRelativeTime } from './shared';
 
 interface VisualizerTooltipProps {
   activeNodeId: string | null;
-  nodes: Map<string, GraphNode>;
-  neighborIds: string[];
+  canonicalNodes: Map<string, PacketNetworkNode>;
+  canonicalNeighborIds: Map<string, string[]>;
+  renderedNodeIds: Set<string>;
 }
 
-export function VisualizerTooltip({ activeNodeId, nodes, neighborIds }: VisualizerTooltipProps) {
+export function VisualizerTooltip({
+  activeNodeId,
+  canonicalNodes,
+  canonicalNeighborIds,
+  renderedNodeIds,
+}: VisualizerTooltipProps) {
   if (!activeNodeId) return null;
 
-  const node = nodes.get(activeNodeId);
+  const node = canonicalNodes.get(activeNodeId);
   if (!node) return null;
 
+  const neighborIds = canonicalNeighborIds.get(activeNodeId) ?? [];
   const neighbors = neighborIds
     .map((nid) => {
-      const neighbor = nodes.get(nid);
+      const neighbor = canonicalNodes.get(nid);
       if (!neighbor) return null;
       const displayName =
         neighbor.name || (neighbor.type === 'self' ? 'Me' : neighbor.id.slice(0, 8));
-      return { id: nid, name: displayName, ambiguousNames: neighbor.ambiguousNames };
+      return {
+        id: nid,
+        name: displayName,
+        ambiguousNames: neighbor.ambiguousNames,
+        hidden: !renderedNodeIds.has(nid),
+      };
     })
     .filter((neighbor): neighbor is NonNullable<typeof neighbor> => neighbor !== null);
 
@@ -56,6 +68,7 @@ export function VisualizerTooltip({ activeNodeId, nodes, neighborIds }: Visualiz
               {neighbors.map((neighbor) => (
                 <li key={neighbor.id}>
                   {neighbor.name}
+                  {neighbor.hidden && <span className="text-muted-foreground/60"> (hidden)</span>}
                   {neighbor.ambiguousNames && neighbor.ambiguousNames.length > 0 && (
                     <span className="text-muted-foreground/60">
                       {' '}
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/visualizer/shared.ts b/frontend/src/components/visualizer/shared.ts
index 0f24c47..5163cb9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/visualizer/shared.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/visualizer/shared.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ export interface GraphLink extends SimulationLinkDatum<GraphNode> {
   lastActivity: number;
   hasDirectObservation: boolean;
   hasHiddenIntermediate: boolean;
+  hiddenHopLabels: string[];
 }
 
 export interface NodeMeshData {
@@ -76,6 +77,11 @@ export function formatRelativeTime(timestamp: number): string {
   return secs > 0 ? `${minutes}m ${secs}s ago` : `${minutes}m ago`;
 }
 
+export function getSceneNodeLabel(node: Pick<GraphNode, 'id' | 'name' | 'type' | 'isAmbiguous'>) {
+  const baseLabel = node.name || (node.type === 'self' ? 'Me' : node.id.slice(0, 8));
+  return node.isAmbiguous ? `${baseLabel} (?)` : baseLabel;
+}
+
 export function normalizePacketTimestampMs(timestamp: number | null | undefined): number {
   if (!Number.isFinite(timestamp) || !timestamp || timestamp <= 0) {
     return Date.now();
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/visualizer/useVisualizer3DScene.ts b/frontend/src/components/visualizer/useVisualizer3DScene.ts
index 72bea0b..fb52a4b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/visualizer/useVisualizer3DScene.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/visualizer/useVisualizer3DScene.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,13 @@ import { CSS2DObject, CSS2DRenderer } from 'three/examples/jsm/renderers/CSS2DRe
 
 import { COLORS, getLinkId } from '../../utils/visualizerUtils';
 import type { VisualizerData3D } from './useVisualizerData3D';
-import { arraysEqual, getBaseNodeColor, growFloat32Buffer, type NodeMeshData } from './shared';
+import {
+  arraysEqual,
+  getBaseNodeColor,
+  getSceneNodeLabel,
+  growFloat32Buffer,
+  type NodeMeshData,
+} from './shared';
 
 interface UseVisualizer3DSceneArgs {
   containerRef: RefObject<HTMLDivElement | null>;
@@ -362,7 +368,7 @@ export function useVisualizer3DScene({
         if (nd.labelDiv.style.color !== labelColor) {
           nd.labelDiv.style.color = labelColor;
         }
-        const labelText = node.name || (node.type === 'self' ? 'Me' : node.id.slice(0, 8));
+        const labelText = getSceneNodeLabel(node);
         if (nd.labelDiv.textContent !== labelText) {
           nd.labelDiv.textContent = labelText;
         }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/visualizer/useVisualizerData3D.ts b/frontend/src/components/visualizer/useVisualizerData3D.ts
index bd3f53f..c1e3080 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/visualizer/useVisualizerData3D.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/components/visualizer/useVisualizerData3D.ts
@@ -10,10 +10,20 @@ import {
   type ForceLink3D,
   type Simulation3D,
 } from 'd3-force-3d';
-import { PayloadType } from '@michaelhart/meshcore-decoder';
 
+import type { PacketNetworkNode } from '../../networkGraph/packetNetworkGraph';
+import {
+  buildPacketNetworkContext,
+  clearPacketNetworkState,
+  createPacketNetworkState,
+  ensureSelfNode,
+  ingestPacketIntoPacketNetwork,
+  projectCanonicalPath,
+  projectPacketNetwork,
+  prunePacketNetworkState,
+  snapshotNeighborIds,
+} from '../../networkGraph/packetNetworkGraph';
 import {
-  CONTACT_TYPE_REPEATER,
   type Contact,
   type ContactAdvertPathSummary,
   type RadioConfig,
@@ -22,24 +32,14 @@ import {
 import { getRawPacketObservationKey } from '../../utils/rawPacketIdentity';
 import {
   buildLinkKey,
-  type Particle,
-  type PathStep,
-  type PendingPacket,
-  type RepeaterTrafficData,
-  PARTICLE_COLOR_MAP,
-  PARTICLE_SPEED,
-  analyzeRepeaterTraffic,
-  buildAmbiguousRepeaterLabel,
-  buildAmbiguousRepeaterNodeId,
-  compactPathSteps,
   dedupeConsecutive,
   generatePacketKey,
-  getNodeType,
-  getPacketLabel,
-  parsePacket,
-  recordTrafficObservation,
+  type Particle,
+  PARTICLE_COLOR_MAP,
+  PARTICLE_SPEED,
+  type PendingPacket,
 } from '../../utils/visualizerUtils';
-import { type GraphLink, type GraphNode, normalizePacketTimestampMs } from './shared';
+import { type GraphLink, type GraphNode } from './shared';
 
 export interface UseVisualizerData3DOptions {
   packets: RawPacket[];
@@ -61,12 +61,39 @@ export interface UseVisualizerData3DOptions {
 export interface VisualizerData3D {
   nodes: Map<string, GraphNode>;
   links: Map<string, GraphLink>;
+  canonicalNodes: Map<string, PacketNetworkNode>;
+  canonicalNeighborIds: Map<string, string[]>;
+  renderedNodeIds: Set<string>;
   particles: Particle[];
   stats: { processed: number; animated: number; nodes: number; links: number };
   expandContract: () => void;
   clearAndReset: () => void;
 }
 
+function buildInitialRenderNode(node: PacketNetworkNode): GraphNode {
+  if (node.id === 'self') {
+    return {
+      ...node,
+      x: 0,
+      y: 0,
+      z: 0,
+      vx: 0,
+      vy: 0,
+      vz: 0,
+    };
+  }
+
+  const theta = Math.random() * Math.PI * 2;
+  const phi = Math.acos(2 * Math.random() - 1);
+  const r = 80 + Math.random() * 100;
+  return {
+    ...node,
+    x: r * Math.sin(phi) * Math.cos(theta),
+    y: r * Math.sin(phi) * Math.sin(theta),
+    z: r * Math.cos(phi),
+  };
+}
+
 export function useVisualizerData3D({
   packets,
   contacts,
@@ -83,6 +110,7 @@ export function useVisualizerData3D({
   pruneStaleNodes,
   pruneStaleMinutes,
 }: UseVisualizerData3DOptions): VisualizerData3D {
+  const networkStateRef = useRef(createPacketNetworkState(config?.name || 'Me'));
   const nodesRef = useRef<Map<string, GraphNode>>(new Map());
   const linksRef = useRef<Map<string, GraphLink>>(new Map());
   const particlesRef = useRef<Particle[]>([]);
@@ -90,47 +118,23 @@ export function useVisualizerData3D({
   const processedRef = useRef<Set<string>>(new Set());
   const pendingRef = useRef<Map<string, PendingPacket>>(new Map());
   const timersRef = useRef<Map<string, ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>>>(new Map());
-  const trafficPatternsRef = useRef<Map<string, RepeaterTrafficData>>(new Map());
   const speedMultiplierRef = useRef(particleSpeedMultiplier);
   const observationWindowRef = useRef(observationWindowSec * 1000);
   const stretchRafRef = useRef<number | null>(null);
   const [stats, setStats] = useState({ processed: 0, animated: 0, nodes: 0, links: 0 });
+  const [, setProjectionVersion] = useState(0);
 
-  const contactIndex = useMemo(() => {
-    const byPrefix12 = new Map<string, Contact>();
-    const byName = new Map<string, Contact>();
-    const byPrefix = new Map<string, Contact[]>();
-
-    for (const contact of contacts) {
-      const prefix12 = contact.public_key.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
-      byPrefix12.set(prefix12, contact);
-
-      if (contact.name && !byName.has(contact.name)) {
-        byName.set(contact.name, contact);
-      }
-
-      for (let len = 1; len <= 12; len++) {
-        const prefix = prefix12.slice(0, len);
-        const matches = byPrefix.get(prefix);
-        if (matches) {
-          matches.push(contact);
-        } else {
-          byPrefix.set(prefix, [contact]);
-        }
-      }
-    }
-
-    return { byPrefix12, byName, byPrefix };
-  }, [contacts]);
-
-  const advertPathIndex = useMemo(() => {
-    const byRepeater = new Map<string, ContactAdvertPathSummary['paths']>();
-    for (const summary of repeaterAdvertPaths) {
-      const key = summary.public_key.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
-      byRepeater.set(key, summary.paths);
-    }
-    return { byRepeater };
-  }, [repeaterAdvertPaths]);
+  const packetNetworkContext = useMemo(
+    () =>
+      buildPacketNetworkContext({
+        contacts,
+        config,
+        repeaterAdvertPaths,
+        splitAmbiguousByTraffic,
+        useAdvertPathHints,
+      }),
+    [contacts, config, repeaterAdvertPaths, splitAmbiguousByTraffic, useAdvertPathHints]
+  );
 
   useEffect(() => {
     speedMultiplierRef.current = particleSpeedMultiplier;
@@ -216,115 +220,98 @@ export function useVisualizerData3D({
         ? prev
         : { ...prev, nodes: nodes.length, links: links.length }
     );
+    setProjectionVersion((prev) => prev + 1);
   }, []);
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!nodesRef.current.has('self')) {
-      nodesRef.current.set('self', {
-        id: 'self',
-        name: config?.name || 'Me',
-        type: 'self',
-        isAmbiguous: false,
-        lastActivity: Date.now(),
-        x: 0,
-        y: 0,
-        z: 0,
-      });
-      syncSimulation();
+  const upsertRenderNode = useCallback(
+    (node: PacketNetworkNode, existing?: GraphNode): GraphNode => {
+      if (!existing) {
+        return buildInitialRenderNode(node);
+      }
+
+      existing.name = node.name;
+      existing.type = node.type;
+      existing.isAmbiguous = node.isAmbiguous;
+      existing.lastActivity = node.lastActivity;
+      existing.lastActivityReason = node.lastActivityReason;
+      existing.lastSeen = node.lastSeen;
+      existing.probableIdentity = node.probableIdentity;
+      existing.ambiguousNames = node.ambiguousNames;
+
+      if (node.id === 'self') {
+        existing.x = 0;
+        existing.y = 0;
+        existing.z = 0;
+        existing.vx = 0;
+        existing.vy = 0;
+        existing.vz = 0;
+      }
+
+      return existing;
+    },
+    []
+  );
+
+  const rebuildRenderProjection = useCallback(() => {
+    const projection = projectPacketNetwork(networkStateRef.current, {
+      showAmbiguousNodes,
+      showAmbiguousPaths,
+    });
+    const previousNodes = nodesRef.current;
+    const nextNodes = new Map<string, GraphNode>();
+
+    for (const [nodeId, node] of projection.nodes) {
+      nextNodes.set(nodeId, upsertRenderNode(node, previousNodes.get(nodeId)));
     }
-  }, [config, syncSimulation]);
+
+    const nextLinks = new Map<string, GraphLink>();
+    for (const [key, link] of projection.links) {
+      nextLinks.set(key, {
+        source: link.sourceId,
+        target: link.targetId,
+        lastActivity: link.lastActivity,
+        hasDirectObservation: link.hasDirectObservation,
+        hasHiddenIntermediate: link.hasHiddenIntermediate,
+        hiddenHopLabels: [...link.hiddenHopLabels],
+      });
+    }
+
+    nodesRef.current = nextNodes;
+    linksRef.current = nextLinks;
+    syncSimulation();
+  }, [showAmbiguousNodes, showAmbiguousPaths, syncSimulation, upsertRenderNode]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    ensureSelfNode(networkStateRef.current, config?.name || 'Me');
+    const selfNode = networkStateRef.current.nodes.get('self');
+    if (selfNode) {
+      nodesRef.current.set('self', upsertRenderNode(selfNode, nodesRef.current.get('self')));
+    }
+    syncSimulation();
+  }, [config?.name, syncSimulation, upsertRenderNode]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     processedRef.current.clear();
-    const selfNode = nodesRef.current.get('self');
+    clearPacketNetworkState(networkStateRef.current, { selfName: config?.name || 'Me' });
     nodesRef.current.clear();
-    if (selfNode) nodesRef.current.set('self', selfNode);
     linksRef.current.clear();
     particlesRef.current = [];
     pendingRef.current.clear();
-    timersRef.current.forEach((t) => clearTimeout(t));
+    timersRef.current.forEach((timer) => clearTimeout(timer));
     timersRef.current.clear();
-    trafficPatternsRef.current.clear();
+
+    const selfNode = networkStateRef.current.nodes.get('self');
+    if (selfNode) {
+      nodesRef.current.set('self', upsertRenderNode(selfNode));
+    }
+
     setStats({ processed: 0, animated: 0, nodes: selfNode ? 1 : 0, links: 0 });
     syncSimulation();
-  }, [
-    showAmbiguousPaths,
-    showAmbiguousNodes,
-    useAdvertPathHints,
-    splitAmbiguousByTraffic,
-    syncSimulation,
-  ]);
+  }, [config?.name, splitAmbiguousByTraffic, syncSimulation, upsertRenderNode, useAdvertPathHints]);
 
-  const addNode = useCallback(
-    (
-      id: string,
-      name: string | null,
-      type: GraphNode['type'],
-      isAmbiguous: boolean,
-      probableIdentity?: string | null,
-      ambiguousNames?: string[],
-      lastSeen?: number | null,
-      activityAtMs?: number
-    ) => {
-      const activityAt = activityAtMs ?? Date.now();
-      const existing = nodesRef.current.get(id);
-      if (existing) {
-        existing.lastActivity = Math.max(existing.lastActivity, activityAt);
-        if (name) existing.name = name;
-        if (probableIdentity !== undefined) existing.probableIdentity = probableIdentity;
-        if (ambiguousNames) existing.ambiguousNames = ambiguousNames;
-        if (lastSeen !== undefined) existing.lastSeen = lastSeen;
-      } else {
-        const theta = Math.random() * Math.PI * 2;
-        const phi = Math.acos(2 * Math.random() - 1);
-        const r = 80 + Math.random() * 100;
-        nodesRef.current.set(id, {
-          id,
-          name,
-          type,
-          isAmbiguous,
-          lastActivity: activityAt,
-          probableIdentity,
-          lastSeen,
-          ambiguousNames,
-          x: r * Math.sin(phi) * Math.cos(theta),
-          y: r * Math.sin(phi) * Math.sin(theta),
-          z: r * Math.cos(phi),
-        });
-      }
-    },
-    []
-  );
-
-  const addLink = useCallback(
-    (
-      sourceId: string,
-      targetId: string,
-      activityAtMs?: number,
-      hiddenIntermediate: boolean = false
-    ) => {
-      const activityAt = activityAtMs ?? Date.now();
-      const key = buildLinkKey(sourceId, targetId);
-      const existing = linksRef.current.get(key);
-      if (existing) {
-        existing.lastActivity = Math.max(existing.lastActivity, activityAt);
-        if (hiddenIntermediate) {
-          existing.hasHiddenIntermediate = true;
-        } else {
-          existing.hasDirectObservation = true;
-        }
-      } else {
-        linksRef.current.set(key, {
-          source: sourceId,
-          target: targetId,
-          lastActivity: activityAt,
-          hasDirectObservation: !hiddenIntermediate,
-          hasHiddenIntermediate: hiddenIntermediate,
-        });
-      }
-    },
-    []
-  );
+  useEffect(() => {
+    rebuildRenderProjection();
+  }, [rebuildRenderProjection]);
 
   const publishPacket = useCallback((packetKey: string) => {
     const pending = pendingRef.current.get(packetKey);
@@ -353,342 +340,10 @@ export function useVisualizerData3D({
     }
   }, []);
 
-  const pickLikelyRepeaterByAdvertPath = useCallback(
-    (candidates: Contact[], nextPrefix: string | null) => {
-      const nextHop = nextPrefix?.toLowerCase() ?? null;
-      const scored = candidates
-        .map((candidate) => {
-          const prefix12 = candidate.public_key.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
-          const paths = advertPathIndex.byRepeater.get(prefix12) ?? [];
-          let matchScore = 0;
-          let totalScore = 0;
-
-          for (const path of paths) {
-            totalScore += path.heard_count;
-            const pathNextHop = path.next_hop?.toLowerCase() ?? null;
-            if (pathNextHop === nextHop) {
-              matchScore += path.heard_count;
-            }
-          }
-
-          return { candidate, matchScore, totalScore };
-        })
-        .filter((entry) => entry.totalScore > 0)
-        .sort(
-          (a, b) =>
-            b.matchScore - a.matchScore ||
-            b.totalScore - a.totalScore ||
-            a.candidate.public_key.localeCompare(b.candidate.public_key)
-        );
-
-      if (scored.length === 0) return null;
-
-      const top = scored[0];
-      const second = scored[1] ?? null;
-
-      if (top.matchScore < 2) return null;
-      if (second && top.matchScore < second.matchScore * 2) return null;
-
-      return top.candidate;
-    },
-    [advertPathIndex]
-  );
-
-  const resolveNode = useCallback(
-    (
-      source: { type: 'prefix' | 'pubkey' | 'name'; value: string },
-      isRepeater: boolean,
-      showAmbiguous: boolean,
-      myPrefix: string | null,
-      activityAtMs: number,
-      trafficContext?: { packetSource: string | null; nextPrefix: string | null }
-    ): string | null => {
-      if (source.type === 'pubkey') {
-        if (source.value.length < 12) return null;
-        const nodeId = source.value.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
-        if (myPrefix && nodeId === myPrefix) return 'self';
-        const contact = contactIndex.byPrefix12.get(nodeId);
-        addNode(
-          nodeId,
-          contact?.name || null,
-          getNodeType(contact),
-          false,
-          undefined,
-          undefined,
-          contact?.last_seen,
-          activityAtMs
-        );
-        return nodeId;
-      }
-
-      if (source.type === 'name') {
-        const contact = contactIndex.byName.get(source.value) ?? null;
-        if (contact) {
-          const nodeId = contact.public_key.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
-          if (myPrefix && nodeId === myPrefix) return 'self';
-          addNode(
-            nodeId,
-            contact.name,
-            getNodeType(contact),
-            false,
-            undefined,
-            undefined,
-            contact.last_seen,
-            activityAtMs
-          );
-          return nodeId;
-        }
-        const nodeId = `name:${source.value}`;
-        addNode(
-          nodeId,
-          source.value,
-          'client',
-          false,
-          undefined,
-          undefined,
-          undefined,
-          activityAtMs
-        );
-        return nodeId;
-      }
-
-      const lookupValue = source.value.toLowerCase();
-      const matches = contactIndex.byPrefix.get(lookupValue) ?? [];
-      const contact = matches.length === 1 ? matches[0] : null;
-      if (contact) {
-        const nodeId = contact.public_key.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
-        if (myPrefix && nodeId === myPrefix) return 'self';
-        addNode(
-          nodeId,
-          contact.name,
-          getNodeType(contact),
-          false,
-          undefined,
-          undefined,
-          contact.last_seen,
-          activityAtMs
-        );
-        return nodeId;
-      }
-
-      if (showAmbiguous) {
-        const filtered = isRepeater
-          ? matches.filter((c) => c.type === CONTACT_TYPE_REPEATER)
-          : matches.filter((c) => c.type !== CONTACT_TYPE_REPEATER);
-
-        if (filtered.length === 1) {
-          const c = filtered[0];
-          const nodeId = c.public_key.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
-          addNode(
-            nodeId,
-            c.name,
-            getNodeType(c),
-            false,
-            undefined,
-            undefined,
-            c.last_seen,
-            activityAtMs
-          );
-          return nodeId;
-        }
-
-        if (filtered.length > 1 || (filtered.length === 0 && isRepeater)) {
-          const names = filtered.map((c) => c.name || c.public_key.slice(0, 8));
-          const lastSeen = filtered.reduce(
-            (max, c) => (c.last_seen && (!max || c.last_seen > max) ? c.last_seen : max),
-            null as number | null
-          );
-
-          let nodeId = buildAmbiguousRepeaterNodeId(lookupValue);
-          let displayName = buildAmbiguousRepeaterLabel(lookupValue);
-          let probableIdentity: string | null = null;
-          let ambiguousNames = names.length > 0 ? names : undefined;
-
-          if (useAdvertPathHints && isRepeater && trafficContext) {
-            const normalizedNext = trafficContext.nextPrefix?.toLowerCase() ?? null;
-            const likely = pickLikelyRepeaterByAdvertPath(filtered, normalizedNext);
-            if (likely) {
-              const likelyName = likely.name || likely.public_key.slice(0, 12).toUpperCase();
-              probableIdentity = likelyName;
-              displayName = likelyName;
-              ambiguousNames = filtered
-                .filter((c) => c.public_key !== likely.public_key)
-                .map((c) => c.name || c.public_key.slice(0, 8));
-            }
-          }
-
-          if (splitAmbiguousByTraffic && isRepeater && trafficContext) {
-            const normalizedNext = trafficContext.nextPrefix?.toLowerCase() ?? null;
-
-            if (trafficContext.packetSource) {
-              recordTrafficObservation(
-                trafficPatternsRef.current,
-                lookupValue,
-                trafficContext.packetSource,
-                normalizedNext
-              );
-            }
-
-            const trafficData = trafficPatternsRef.current.get(lookupValue);
-            if (trafficData) {
-              const analysis = analyzeRepeaterTraffic(trafficData);
-              if (analysis.shouldSplit && normalizedNext) {
-                nodeId = buildAmbiguousRepeaterNodeId(lookupValue, normalizedNext);
-                if (!probableIdentity) {
-                  displayName = buildAmbiguousRepeaterLabel(lookupValue, normalizedNext);
-                }
-              }
-            }
-          }
-
-          addNode(
-            nodeId,
-            displayName,
-            isRepeater ? 'repeater' : 'client',
-            true,
-            probableIdentity,
-            ambiguousNames,
-            lastSeen,
-            activityAtMs
-          );
-          return nodeId;
-        }
-      }
-
-      return null;
-    },
-    [
-      contactIndex,
-      addNode,
-      useAdvertPathHints,
-      pickLikelyRepeaterByAdvertPath,
-      splitAmbiguousByTraffic,
-    ]
-  );
-
-  const buildPath = useCallback(
-    (
-      parsed: ReturnType<typeof parsePacket>,
-      packet: RawPacket,
-      myPrefix: string | null,
-      activityAtMs: number
-    ): { nodes: string[]; dashedLinkKeys: Set<string> } => {
-      if (!parsed) return { nodes: [], dashedLinkKeys: new Set() };
-      const steps: PathStep[] = [];
-      let packetSource: string | null = null;
-      const isDm = parsed.payloadType === PayloadType.TextMessage;
-      const isOutgoingDm = isDm && !!myPrefix && parsed.srcHash?.toLowerCase() === myPrefix;
-
-      if (parsed.payloadType === PayloadType.Advert && parsed.advertPubkey) {
-        const nodeId = resolveNode(
-          { type: 'pubkey', value: parsed.advertPubkey },
-          false,
-          false,
-          myPrefix,
-          activityAtMs
-        );
-        if (nodeId) {
-          steps.push({ nodeId });
-          packetSource = nodeId;
-        }
-      } else if (parsed.payloadType === PayloadType.AnonRequest && parsed.anonRequestPubkey) {
-        const nodeId = resolveNode(
-          { type: 'pubkey', value: parsed.anonRequestPubkey },
-          false,
-          false,
-          myPrefix,
-          activityAtMs
-        );
-        if (nodeId) {
-          steps.push({ nodeId });
-          packetSource = nodeId;
-        }
-      } else if (parsed.payloadType === PayloadType.TextMessage && parsed.srcHash) {
-        if (myPrefix && parsed.srcHash.toLowerCase() === myPrefix) {
-          steps.push({ nodeId: 'self' });
-          packetSource = 'self';
-        } else {
-          const nodeId = resolveNode(
-            { type: 'prefix', value: parsed.srcHash },
-            false,
-            showAmbiguousNodes,
-            myPrefix,
-            activityAtMs
-          );
-          if (nodeId) {
-            steps.push({ nodeId });
-            packetSource = nodeId;
-          }
-        }
-      } else if (parsed.payloadType === PayloadType.GroupText) {
-        const senderName = parsed.groupTextSender || packet.decrypted_info?.sender;
-        if (senderName) {
-          const resolved = resolveNode(
-            { type: 'name', value: senderName },
-            false,
-            false,
-            myPrefix,
-            activityAtMs
-          );
-          if (resolved) {
-            steps.push({ nodeId: resolved });
-            packetSource = resolved;
-          }
-        }
-      }
-
-      for (let i = 0; i < parsed.pathBytes.length; i++) {
-        const hexPrefix = parsed.pathBytes[i];
-        const nextPrefix = parsed.pathBytes[i + 1] || null;
-        const nodeId = resolveNode(
-          { type: 'prefix', value: hexPrefix },
-          true,
-          showAmbiguousPaths,
-          myPrefix,
-          activityAtMs,
-          { packetSource, nextPrefix }
-        );
-        steps.push({ nodeId, markHiddenLinkWhenOmitted: true });
-      }
-
-      if (parsed.payloadType === PayloadType.TextMessage && parsed.dstHash) {
-        if (myPrefix && parsed.dstHash.toLowerCase() === myPrefix) {
-          steps.push({ nodeId: 'self' });
-        } else {
-          const nodeId = resolveNode(
-            { type: 'prefix', value: parsed.dstHash },
-            false,
-            showAmbiguousNodes,
-            myPrefix,
-            activityAtMs
-          );
-          if (nodeId) {
-            steps.push({ nodeId });
-          } else if (!isOutgoingDm) {
-            steps.push({ nodeId: 'self' });
-          }
-        }
-      } else {
-        const hasVisibleNode = steps.some((step) => step.nodeId !== null);
-        if (hasVisibleNode) {
-          steps.push({ nodeId: 'self' });
-        }
-      }
-
-      const compacted = compactPathSteps(steps);
-      return {
-        nodes: dedupeConsecutive(compacted.nodes),
-        dashedLinkKeys: compacted.dashedLinkKeys,
-      };
-    },
-    [resolveNode, showAmbiguousPaths, showAmbiguousNodes]
-  );
-
   useEffect(() => {
     let newProcessed = 0;
     let newAnimated = 0;
-    let needsUpdate = false;
-    const myPrefix = config?.public_key?.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase() || null;
+    let needsProjectionRebuild = false;
 
     for (const packet of packets) {
       const observationKey = getRawPacketObservationKey(packet);
@@ -700,40 +355,30 @@ export function useVisualizerData3D({
         processedRef.current = new Set(Array.from(processedRef.current).slice(-500));
       }
 
-      const parsed = parsePacket(packet.data);
-      if (!parsed) continue;
+      const ingested = ingestPacketIntoPacketNetwork(
+        networkStateRef.current,
+        packetNetworkContext,
+        packet
+      );
+      if (!ingested) continue;
+      needsProjectionRebuild = true;
 
-      const packetActivityAt = normalizePacketTimestampMs(packet.timestamp);
-      const builtPath = buildPath(parsed, packet, myPrefix, packetActivityAt);
-      if (builtPath.nodes.length < 2) continue;
+      const projectedPath = projectCanonicalPath(networkStateRef.current, ingested.canonicalPath, {
+        showAmbiguousNodes,
+        showAmbiguousPaths,
+      });
+      if (projectedPath.nodes.length < 2) continue;
 
-      const label = getPacketLabel(parsed.payloadType);
-      for (let i = 0; i < builtPath.nodes.length; i++) {
-        const n = nodesRef.current.get(builtPath.nodes[i]);
-        if (n && n.id !== 'self') {
-          n.lastActivityReason = i === 0 ? `${label} source` : `Relayed ${label}`;
-        }
-      }
-
-      for (let i = 0; i < builtPath.nodes.length - 1; i++) {
-        if (builtPath.nodes[i] !== builtPath.nodes[i + 1]) {
-          const linkKey = buildLinkKey(builtPath.nodes[i], builtPath.nodes[i + 1]);
-          addLink(
-            builtPath.nodes[i],
-            builtPath.nodes[i + 1],
-            packetActivityAt,
-            builtPath.dashedLinkKeys.has(linkKey)
-          );
-          needsUpdate = true;
-        }
-      }
-
-      const packetKey = generatePacketKey(parsed, packet);
+      const packetKey = generatePacketKey(ingested.parsed, packet);
       const now = Date.now();
       const existing = pendingRef.current.get(packetKey);
 
       if (existing && now < existing.expiresAt) {
-        existing.paths.push({ nodes: builtPath.nodes, snr: packet.snr ?? null, timestamp: now });
+        existing.paths.push({
+          nodes: projectedPath.nodes,
+          snr: packet.snr ?? null,
+          timestamp: now,
+        });
       } else {
         const existingTimer = timersRef.current.get(packetKey);
         if (existingTimer) {
@@ -742,8 +387,8 @@ export function useVisualizerData3D({
         const windowMs = observationWindowRef.current;
         pendingRef.current.set(packetKey, {
           key: packetKey,
-          label: getPacketLabel(parsed.payloadType),
-          paths: [{ nodes: builtPath.nodes, snr: packet.snr ?? null, timestamp: now }],
+          label: ingested.label,
+          paths: [{ nodes: projectedPath.nodes, snr: packet.snr ?? null, timestamp: now }],
           firstSeen: now,
           expiresAt: now + windowMs,
         });
@@ -770,7 +415,9 @@ export function useVisualizerData3D({
       newAnimated++;
     }
 
-    if (needsUpdate) syncSimulation();
+    if (needsProjectionRebuild) {
+      rebuildRenderProjection();
+    }
     if (newProcessed > 0) {
       setStats((prev) => ({
         ...prev,
@@ -778,7 +425,14 @@ export function useVisualizerData3D({
         animated: prev.animated + newAnimated,
       }));
     }
-  }, [packets, config, buildPath, addLink, syncSimulation, publishPacket]);
+  }, [
+    packets,
+    packetNetworkContext,
+    publishPacket,
+    rebuildRenderProjection,
+    showAmbiguousNodes,
+    showAmbiguousPaths,
+  ]);
 
   const expandContract = useCallback(() => {
     const sim = simulationRef.current;
@@ -867,21 +521,14 @@ export function useVisualizerData3D({
     timersRef.current.clear();
     pendingRef.current.clear();
     processedRef.current.clear();
-    trafficPatternsRef.current.clear();
     particlesRef.current.length = 0;
-    linksRef.current.clear();
+    clearPacketNetworkState(networkStateRef.current, { selfName: config?.name || 'Me' });
 
-    const selfNode = nodesRef.current.get('self');
+    linksRef.current.clear();
     nodesRef.current.clear();
+    const selfNode = networkStateRef.current.nodes.get('self');
     if (selfNode) {
-      selfNode.x = 0;
-      selfNode.y = 0;
-      selfNode.z = 0;
-      selfNode.vx = 0;
-      selfNode.vy = 0;
-      selfNode.vz = 0;
-      selfNode.lastActivity = Date.now();
-      nodesRef.current.set('self', selfNode);
+      nodesRef.current.set('self', upsertRenderNode(selfNode));
     }
 
     const sim = simulationRef.current;
@@ -892,8 +539,8 @@ export function useVisualizerData3D({
       sim.alpha(0.3).restart();
     }
 
-    setStats({ processed: 0, animated: 0, nodes: 1, links: 0 });
-  }, []);
+    setStats({ processed: 0, animated: 0, nodes: selfNode ? 1 : 0, links: 0 });
+  }, [config?.name, upsertRenderNode]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const stretchRaf = stretchRafRef;
@@ -919,40 +566,23 @@ export function useVisualizerData3D({
 
     const interval = setInterval(() => {
       const cutoff = Date.now() - staleMs;
-      let pruned = false;
-
-      for (const [id, node] of nodesRef.current) {
-        if (id === 'self') continue;
-        if (node.lastActivity < cutoff) {
-          nodesRef.current.delete(id);
-          pruned = true;
-        }
-      }
-
-      if (pruned) {
-        for (const [key, link] of linksRef.current) {
-          const sourceId = typeof link.source === 'string' ? link.source : link.source.id;
-          const targetId = typeof link.target === 'string' ? link.target : link.target.id;
-          if (!nodesRef.current.has(sourceId) || !nodesRef.current.has(targetId)) {
-            linksRef.current.delete(key);
-          }
-        }
-        syncSimulation();
+      if (prunePacketNetworkState(networkStateRef.current, cutoff)) {
+        rebuildRenderProjection();
       }
     }, pruneIntervalMs);
 
     return () => clearInterval(interval);
-  }, [pruneStaleNodes, pruneStaleMinutes, syncSimulation]);
+  }, [pruneStaleMinutes, pruneStaleNodes, rebuildRenderProjection]);
 
-  return useMemo(
-    () => ({
-      nodes: nodesRef.current,
-      links: linksRef.current,
-      particles: particlesRef.current,
-      stats,
-      expandContract,
-      clearAndReset,
-    }),
-    [stats, expandContract, clearAndReset]
-  );
+  return {
+    nodes: nodesRef.current,
+    links: linksRef.current,
+    canonicalNodes: networkStateRef.current.nodes,
+    canonicalNeighborIds: snapshotNeighborIds(networkStateRef.current),
+    renderedNodeIds: new Set(nodesRef.current.keys()),
+    particles: particlesRef.current,
+    stats,
+    expandContract,
+    clearAndReset,
+  };
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/networkGraph/packetNetworkGraph.ts b/frontend/src/networkGraph/packetNetworkGraph.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..32cc48b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/networkGraph/packetNetworkGraph.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,774 @@
+import { PayloadType } from '@michaelhart/meshcore-decoder';
+
+import {
+  CONTACT_TYPE_REPEATER,
+  type Contact,
+  type ContactAdvertPathSummary,
+  type RadioConfig,
+  type RawPacket,
+} from '../types';
+import {
+  analyzeRepeaterTraffic,
+  buildAmbiguousRepeaterLabel,
+  buildAmbiguousRepeaterNodeId,
+  buildLinkKey,
+  compactPathSteps,
+  dedupeConsecutive,
+  getNodeType,
+  getPacketLabel,
+  parsePacket,
+  recordTrafficObservation,
+  type NodeType,
+  type ParsedPacket,
+  type RepeaterTrafficData,
+} from '../utils/visualizerUtils';
+import { normalizePacketTimestampMs } from '../components/visualizer/shared';
+
+interface ContactIndex {
+  byPrefix12: Map<string, Contact>;
+  byName: Map<string, Contact>;
+  byPrefix: Map<string, Contact[]>;
+}
+
+interface AdvertPathIndex {
+  byRepeater: Map<string, ContactAdvertPathSummary['paths']>;
+}
+
+export interface PacketNetworkContext {
+  advertPathIndex: AdvertPathIndex;
+  contactIndex: ContactIndex;
+  myPrefix: string | null;
+  splitAmbiguousByTraffic: boolean;
+  useAdvertPathHints: boolean;
+}
+
+export interface PacketNetworkVisibilityOptions {
+  showAmbiguousNodes: boolean;
+  showAmbiguousPaths: boolean;
+}
+
+export interface PacketNetworkNode {
+  id: string;
+  name: string | null;
+  type: NodeType;
+  isAmbiguous: boolean;
+  lastActivity: number;
+  lastActivityReason?: string;
+  lastSeen?: number | null;
+  probableIdentity?: string | null;
+  ambiguousNames?: string[];
+}
+
+export interface PacketNetworkLink {
+  lastActivity: number;
+  sourceId: string;
+  targetId: string;
+}
+
+export interface ProjectedPacketNetworkLink extends PacketNetworkLink {
+  hasDirectObservation: boolean;
+  hasHiddenIntermediate: boolean;
+  hiddenHopLabels: string[];
+}
+
+export interface PacketNetworkObservation {
+  activityAtMs: number;
+  nodes: string[];
+}
+
+export interface PacketNetworkState {
+  links: Map<string, PacketNetworkLink>;
+  neighborIds: Map<string, Set<string>>;
+  nodes: Map<string, PacketNetworkNode>;
+  observations: PacketNetworkObservation[];
+  trafficPatterns: Map<string, RepeaterTrafficData>;
+}
+
+export interface PacketNetworkIngestResult {
+  activityAtMs: number;
+  canonicalPath: string[];
+  label: ReturnType<typeof getPacketLabel>;
+  parsed: ParsedPacket;
+}
+
+export interface ProjectedPacketNetworkPath {
+  dashedLinkDetails: Map<string, string[]>;
+  nodes: string[];
+}
+
+export interface PacketNetworkProjection {
+  links: Map<string, ProjectedPacketNetworkLink>;
+  nodes: Map<string, PacketNetworkNode>;
+  renderedNodeIds: Set<string>;
+}
+
+export function buildPacketNetworkContext({
+  config,
+  contacts,
+  repeaterAdvertPaths,
+  splitAmbiguousByTraffic,
+  useAdvertPathHints,
+}: {
+  config: RadioConfig | null;
+  contacts: Contact[];
+  repeaterAdvertPaths: ContactAdvertPathSummary[];
+  splitAmbiguousByTraffic: boolean;
+  useAdvertPathHints: boolean;
+}): PacketNetworkContext {
+  const byPrefix12 = new Map<string, Contact>();
+  const byName = new Map<string, Contact>();
+  const byPrefix = new Map<string, Contact[]>();
+
+  for (const contact of contacts) {
+    const prefix12 = contact.public_key.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
+    byPrefix12.set(prefix12, contact);
+
+    if (contact.name && !byName.has(contact.name)) {
+      byName.set(contact.name, contact);
+    }
+
+    for (let len = 1; len <= 12; len++) {
+      const prefix = prefix12.slice(0, len);
+      const matches = byPrefix.get(prefix);
+      if (matches) {
+        matches.push(contact);
+      } else {
+        byPrefix.set(prefix, [contact]);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  const byRepeater = new Map<string, ContactAdvertPathSummary['paths']>();
+  for (const summary of repeaterAdvertPaths) {
+    const key = summary.public_key.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
+    byRepeater.set(key, summary.paths);
+  }
+
+  return {
+    contactIndex: { byPrefix12, byName, byPrefix },
+    advertPathIndex: { byRepeater },
+    myPrefix: config?.public_key?.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase() || null,
+    splitAmbiguousByTraffic,
+    useAdvertPathHints,
+  };
+}
+
+export function createPacketNetworkState(selfName: string = 'Me'): PacketNetworkState {
+  const now = Date.now();
+  return {
+    nodes: new Map([
+      [
+        'self',
+        {
+          id: 'self',
+          name: selfName,
+          type: 'self',
+          isAmbiguous: false,
+          lastActivity: now,
+        },
+      ],
+    ]),
+    links: new Map(),
+    neighborIds: new Map(),
+    observations: [],
+    trafficPatterns: new Map(),
+  };
+}
+
+export function ensureSelfNode(state: PacketNetworkState, selfName: string = 'Me'): void {
+  const existing = state.nodes.get('self');
+  if (existing) {
+    existing.name = selfName;
+    return;
+  }
+  state.nodes.set('self', {
+    id: 'self',
+    name: selfName,
+    type: 'self',
+    isAmbiguous: false,
+    lastActivity: Date.now(),
+  });
+}
+
+export function clearPacketNetworkState(
+  state: PacketNetworkState,
+  { selfName = 'Me' }: { selfName?: string } = {}
+): void {
+  state.links.clear();
+  state.neighborIds.clear();
+  state.observations = [];
+  state.trafficPatterns.clear();
+
+  const selfNode = state.nodes.get('self');
+  state.nodes.clear();
+  state.nodes.set('self', {
+    id: 'self',
+    name: selfName,
+    type: 'self',
+    isAmbiguous: false,
+    lastActivity: Date.now(),
+    lastActivityReason: undefined,
+    lastSeen: null,
+    probableIdentity: undefined,
+    ambiguousNames: undefined,
+  });
+
+  if (selfNode?.name && selfNode.name !== selfName) {
+    state.nodes.get('self')!.name = selfName;
+  }
+}
+
+function addOrUpdateNode(
+  state: PacketNetworkState,
+  {
+    activityAtMs,
+    ambiguousNames,
+    id,
+    isAmbiguous,
+    lastSeen,
+    name,
+    probableIdentity,
+    type,
+  }: {
+    activityAtMs: number;
+    ambiguousNames?: string[];
+    id: string;
+    isAmbiguous: boolean;
+    lastSeen?: number | null;
+    name: string | null;
+    probableIdentity?: string | null;
+    type: NodeType;
+  }
+): void {
+  const existing = state.nodes.get(id);
+  if (existing) {
+    existing.lastActivity = Math.max(existing.lastActivity, activityAtMs);
+    if (name) existing.name = name;
+    if (probableIdentity !== undefined) existing.probableIdentity = probableIdentity;
+    if (ambiguousNames) existing.ambiguousNames = ambiguousNames;
+    if (lastSeen !== undefined) existing.lastSeen = lastSeen;
+    return;
+  }
+
+  state.nodes.set(id, {
+    id,
+    name,
+    type,
+    isAmbiguous,
+    lastActivity: activityAtMs,
+    probableIdentity,
+    ambiguousNames,
+    lastSeen,
+  });
+}
+
+function addCanonicalLink(
+  state: PacketNetworkState,
+  sourceId: string,
+  targetId: string,
+  activityAtMs: number
+): void {
+  const key = buildLinkKey(sourceId, targetId);
+  const existing = state.links.get(key);
+  if (existing) {
+    existing.lastActivity = Math.max(existing.lastActivity, activityAtMs);
+  } else {
+    state.links.set(key, { sourceId, targetId, lastActivity: activityAtMs });
+  }
+}
+
+function upsertNeighbor(state: PacketNetworkState, sourceId: string, targetId: string): void {
+  const ensureSet = (id: string) => {
+    const existing = state.neighborIds.get(id);
+    if (existing) return existing;
+    const created = new Set<string>();
+    state.neighborIds.set(id, created);
+    return created;
+  };
+
+  ensureSet(sourceId).add(targetId);
+  ensureSet(targetId).add(sourceId);
+}
+
+function pickLikelyRepeaterByAdvertPath(
+  context: PacketNetworkContext,
+  candidates: Contact[],
+  nextPrefix: string | null
+): Contact | null {
+  const nextHop = nextPrefix?.toLowerCase() ?? null;
+  const scored = candidates
+    .map((candidate) => {
+      const prefix12 = candidate.public_key.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
+      const paths = context.advertPathIndex.byRepeater.get(prefix12) ?? [];
+      let matchScore = 0;
+      let totalScore = 0;
+
+      for (const path of paths) {
+        totalScore += path.heard_count;
+        const pathNextHop = path.next_hop?.toLowerCase() ?? null;
+        if (pathNextHop === nextHop) {
+          matchScore += path.heard_count;
+        }
+      }
+
+      return { candidate, matchScore, totalScore };
+    })
+    .filter((entry) => entry.totalScore > 0)
+    .sort(
+      (a, b) =>
+        b.matchScore - a.matchScore ||
+        b.totalScore - a.totalScore ||
+        a.candidate.public_key.localeCompare(b.candidate.public_key)
+    );
+
+  if (scored.length === 0) return null;
+
+  const top = scored[0];
+  const second = scored[1] ?? null;
+
+  if (top.matchScore < 2) return null;
+  if (second && top.matchScore < second.matchScore * 2) return null;
+
+  return top.candidate;
+}
+
+function resolveNode(
+  state: PacketNetworkState,
+  context: PacketNetworkContext,
+  source: { type: 'prefix' | 'pubkey' | 'name'; value: string },
+  isRepeater: boolean,
+  showAmbiguous: boolean,
+  activityAtMs: number,
+  trafficContext?: { packetSource: string | null; nextPrefix: string | null }
+): string | null {
+  if (source.type === 'pubkey') {
+    if (source.value.length < 12) return null;
+    const nodeId = source.value.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
+    if (context.myPrefix && nodeId === context.myPrefix) return 'self';
+    const contact = context.contactIndex.byPrefix12.get(nodeId);
+    addOrUpdateNode(state, {
+      id: nodeId,
+      name: contact?.name || null,
+      type: getNodeType(contact),
+      isAmbiguous: false,
+      lastSeen: contact?.last_seen,
+      activityAtMs,
+    });
+    return nodeId;
+  }
+
+  if (source.type === 'name') {
+    const contact = context.contactIndex.byName.get(source.value) ?? null;
+    if (contact) {
+      const nodeId = contact.public_key.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
+      if (context.myPrefix && nodeId === context.myPrefix) return 'self';
+      addOrUpdateNode(state, {
+        id: nodeId,
+        name: contact.name,
+        type: getNodeType(contact),
+        isAmbiguous: false,
+        lastSeen: contact.last_seen,
+        activityAtMs,
+      });
+      return nodeId;
+    }
+
+    const nodeId = `name:${source.value}`;
+    addOrUpdateNode(state, {
+      id: nodeId,
+      name: source.value,
+      type: 'client',
+      isAmbiguous: false,
+      activityAtMs,
+    });
+    return nodeId;
+  }
+
+  const lookupValue = source.value.toLowerCase();
+  const matches = context.contactIndex.byPrefix.get(lookupValue) ?? [];
+  const contact = matches.length === 1 ? matches[0] : null;
+  if (contact) {
+    const nodeId = contact.public_key.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
+    if (context.myPrefix && nodeId === context.myPrefix) return 'self';
+    addOrUpdateNode(state, {
+      id: nodeId,
+      name: contact.name,
+      type: getNodeType(contact),
+      isAmbiguous: false,
+      lastSeen: contact.last_seen,
+      activityAtMs,
+    });
+    return nodeId;
+  }
+
+  if (!showAmbiguous) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  const filtered = isRepeater
+    ? matches.filter((candidate) => candidate.type === CONTACT_TYPE_REPEATER)
+    : matches.filter((candidate) => candidate.type !== CONTACT_TYPE_REPEATER);
+
+  if (filtered.length === 1) {
+    const only = filtered[0];
+    const nodeId = only.public_key.slice(0, 12).toLowerCase();
+    addOrUpdateNode(state, {
+      id: nodeId,
+      name: only.name,
+      type: getNodeType(only),
+      isAmbiguous: false,
+      lastSeen: only.last_seen,
+      activityAtMs,
+    });
+    return nodeId;
+  }
+
+  if (filtered.length === 0 && !isRepeater) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  const names = filtered.map((candidate) => candidate.name || candidate.public_key.slice(0, 8));
+  const lastSeen = filtered.reduce(
+    (max, candidate) =>
+      candidate.last_seen && (!max || candidate.last_seen > max) ? candidate.last_seen : max,
+    null as number | null
+  );
+
+  let nodeId = buildAmbiguousRepeaterNodeId(lookupValue);
+  let displayName = buildAmbiguousRepeaterLabel(lookupValue);
+  let probableIdentity: string | null = null;
+  let ambiguousNames = names.length > 0 ? names : undefined;
+
+  if (context.useAdvertPathHints && isRepeater && trafficContext) {
+    const likely = pickLikelyRepeaterByAdvertPath(context, filtered, trafficContext.nextPrefix);
+    if (likely) {
+      const likelyName = likely.name || likely.public_key.slice(0, 12).toUpperCase();
+      probableIdentity = likelyName;
+      displayName = likelyName;
+      ambiguousNames = filtered
+        .filter((candidate) => candidate.public_key !== likely.public_key)
+        .map((candidate) => candidate.name || candidate.public_key.slice(0, 8));
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (context.splitAmbiguousByTraffic && isRepeater && trafficContext) {
+    const normalizedNext = trafficContext.nextPrefix?.toLowerCase() ?? null;
+
+    if (trafficContext.packetSource) {
+      recordTrafficObservation(
+        state.trafficPatterns,
+        lookupValue,
+        trafficContext.packetSource,
+        normalizedNext
+      );
+    }
+
+    const trafficData = state.trafficPatterns.get(lookupValue);
+    if (trafficData) {
+      const analysis = analyzeRepeaterTraffic(trafficData);
+      if (analysis.shouldSplit && normalizedNext) {
+        nodeId = buildAmbiguousRepeaterNodeId(lookupValue, normalizedNext);
+        if (!probableIdentity) {
+          displayName = buildAmbiguousRepeaterLabel(lookupValue, normalizedNext);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  addOrUpdateNode(state, {
+    id: nodeId,
+    name: displayName,
+    type: isRepeater ? 'repeater' : 'client',
+    isAmbiguous: true,
+    probableIdentity,
+    ambiguousNames,
+    lastSeen,
+    activityAtMs,
+  });
+  return nodeId;
+}
+
+export function buildCanonicalPathForPacket(
+  state: PacketNetworkState,
+  context: PacketNetworkContext,
+  parsed: ParsedPacket,
+  packet: RawPacket,
+  activityAtMs: number
+): string[] {
+  const path: string[] = [];
+  let packetSource: string | null = null;
+  const isDm = parsed.payloadType === PayloadType.TextMessage;
+  const isOutgoingDm =
+    isDm && !!context.myPrefix && parsed.srcHash?.toLowerCase() === context.myPrefix;
+
+  if (parsed.payloadType === PayloadType.Advert && parsed.advertPubkey) {
+    const nodeId = resolveNode(
+      state,
+      context,
+      { type: 'pubkey', value: parsed.advertPubkey },
+      false,
+      false,
+      activityAtMs
+    );
+    if (nodeId) {
+      path.push(nodeId);
+      packetSource = nodeId;
+    }
+  } else if (parsed.payloadType === PayloadType.AnonRequest && parsed.anonRequestPubkey) {
+    const nodeId = resolveNode(
+      state,
+      context,
+      { type: 'pubkey', value: parsed.anonRequestPubkey },
+      false,
+      false,
+      activityAtMs
+    );
+    if (nodeId) {
+      path.push(nodeId);
+      packetSource = nodeId;
+    }
+  } else if (parsed.payloadType === PayloadType.TextMessage && parsed.srcHash) {
+    if (context.myPrefix && parsed.srcHash.toLowerCase() === context.myPrefix) {
+      path.push('self');
+      packetSource = 'self';
+    } else {
+      const nodeId = resolveNode(
+        state,
+        context,
+        { type: 'prefix', value: parsed.srcHash },
+        false,
+        true,
+        activityAtMs
+      );
+      if (nodeId) {
+        path.push(nodeId);
+        packetSource = nodeId;
+      }
+    }
+  } else if (parsed.payloadType === PayloadType.GroupText) {
+    const senderName = parsed.groupTextSender || packet.decrypted_info?.sender;
+    if (senderName) {
+      const nodeId = resolveNode(
+        state,
+        context,
+        { type: 'name', value: senderName },
+        false,
+        false,
+        activityAtMs
+      );
+      if (nodeId) {
+        path.push(nodeId);
+        packetSource = nodeId;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < parsed.pathBytes.length; i++) {
+    const nodeId = resolveNode(
+      state,
+      context,
+      { type: 'prefix', value: parsed.pathBytes[i] },
+      true,
+      true,
+      activityAtMs,
+      { packetSource, nextPrefix: parsed.pathBytes[i + 1] || null }
+    );
+    if (nodeId) {
+      path.push(nodeId);
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (parsed.payloadType === PayloadType.TextMessage && parsed.dstHash) {
+    if (context.myPrefix && parsed.dstHash.toLowerCase() === context.myPrefix) {
+      path.push('self');
+    } else {
+      const nodeId = resolveNode(
+        state,
+        context,
+        { type: 'prefix', value: parsed.dstHash },
+        false,
+        true,
+        activityAtMs
+      );
+      if (nodeId) {
+        path.push(nodeId);
+      } else if (!isOutgoingDm) {
+        path.push('self');
+      }
+    }
+  } else if (path.length > 0) {
+    path.push('self');
+  }
+
+  return dedupeConsecutive(path);
+}
+
+export function ingestPacketIntoPacketNetwork(
+  state: PacketNetworkState,
+  context: PacketNetworkContext,
+  packet: RawPacket
+): PacketNetworkIngestResult | null {
+  const parsed = parsePacket(packet.data);
+  if (!parsed) return null;
+
+  const activityAtMs = normalizePacketTimestampMs(packet.timestamp);
+  const canonicalPath = buildCanonicalPathForPacket(state, context, parsed, packet, activityAtMs);
+  if (canonicalPath.length < 2) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  const label = getPacketLabel(parsed.payloadType);
+  for (let i = 0; i < canonicalPath.length; i++) {
+    const node = state.nodes.get(canonicalPath[i]);
+    if (node && node.id !== 'self') {
+      node.lastActivityReason = i === 0 ? `${label} source` : `Relayed ${label}`;
+    }
+  }
+
+  state.observations.push({ nodes: canonicalPath, activityAtMs });
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < canonicalPath.length - 1; i++) {
+    if (canonicalPath[i] !== canonicalPath[i + 1]) {
+      addCanonicalLink(state, canonicalPath[i], canonicalPath[i + 1], activityAtMs);
+      upsertNeighbor(state, canonicalPath[i], canonicalPath[i + 1]);
+    }
+  }
+
+  return { parsed, label, canonicalPath, activityAtMs };
+}
+
+export function isPacketNetworkNodeVisible(
+  node: PacketNetworkNode | undefined,
+  visibility: PacketNetworkVisibilityOptions
+): boolean {
+  if (!node) return false;
+  if (node.id === 'self') return true;
+  if (!node.isAmbiguous) return true;
+  return node.type === 'repeater' ? visibility.showAmbiguousPaths : visibility.showAmbiguousNodes;
+}
+
+export function projectCanonicalPath(
+  state: PacketNetworkState,
+  canonicalPath: string[],
+  visibility: PacketNetworkVisibilityOptions
+): ProjectedPacketNetworkPath {
+  const projected = compactPathSteps(
+    canonicalPath.map((nodeId) => ({
+      nodeId: isPacketNetworkNodeVisible(state.nodes.get(nodeId), visibility) ? nodeId : null,
+      markHiddenLinkWhenOmitted: true,
+      hiddenLabel: null,
+    }))
+  );
+
+  return {
+    nodes: dedupeConsecutive(projected.nodes),
+    dashedLinkDetails: projected.dashedLinkDetails,
+  };
+}
+
+export function projectPacketNetwork(
+  state: PacketNetworkState,
+  visibility: PacketNetworkVisibilityOptions
+): PacketNetworkProjection {
+  const nodes = new Map<string, PacketNetworkNode>();
+  const selfNode = state.nodes.get('self');
+  if (selfNode) {
+    nodes.set('self', selfNode);
+  }
+
+  const links = new Map<string, ProjectedPacketNetworkLink>();
+
+  for (const observation of state.observations) {
+    const projected = projectCanonicalPath(state, observation.nodes, visibility);
+    if (projected.nodes.length < 2) continue;
+
+    for (const nodeId of projected.nodes) {
+      const node = state.nodes.get(nodeId);
+      if (node) {
+        nodes.set(nodeId, node);
+      }
+    }
+
+    for (let i = 0; i < projected.nodes.length - 1; i++) {
+      const sourceId = projected.nodes[i];
+      const targetId = projected.nodes[i + 1];
+      if (sourceId === targetId) continue;
+
+      const key = buildLinkKey(sourceId, targetId);
+      const hiddenIntermediate = projected.dashedLinkDetails.has(key);
+      const existing = links.get(key);
+
+      if (existing) {
+        existing.lastActivity = Math.max(existing.lastActivity, observation.activityAtMs);
+        if (hiddenIntermediate) {
+          existing.hasHiddenIntermediate = true;
+          for (const label of projected.dashedLinkDetails.get(key) ?? []) {
+            if (!existing.hiddenHopLabels.includes(label)) {
+              existing.hiddenHopLabels.push(label);
+            }
+          }
+        } else {
+          existing.hasDirectObservation = true;
+        }
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      links.set(key, {
+        sourceId,
+        targetId,
+        lastActivity: observation.activityAtMs,
+        hasDirectObservation: !hiddenIntermediate,
+        hasHiddenIntermediate: hiddenIntermediate,
+        hiddenHopLabels: [...(projected.dashedLinkDetails.get(key) ?? [])],
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
+  return {
+    nodes,
+    links,
+    renderedNodeIds: new Set(nodes.keys()),
+  };
+}
+
+export function prunePacketNetworkState(state: PacketNetworkState, cutoff: number): boolean {
+  let pruned = false;
+
+  for (const [id, node] of state.nodes) {
+    if (id === 'self') continue;
+    if (node.lastActivity < cutoff) {
+      state.nodes.delete(id);
+      pruned = true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (!pruned) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  for (const [key, link] of state.links) {
+    if (!state.nodes.has(link.sourceId) || !state.nodes.has(link.targetId)) {
+      state.links.delete(key);
+    }
+  }
+
+  state.observations = state.observations.filter((observation) =>
+    observation.nodes.every((nodeId) => state.nodes.has(nodeId))
+  );
+
+  state.neighborIds.clear();
+  for (const link of state.links.values()) {
+    upsertNeighbor(state, link.sourceId, link.targetId);
+  }
+
+  return true;
+}
+
+export function snapshotNeighborIds(state: PacketNetworkState): Map<string, string[]> {
+  return new Map(
+    Array.from(state.neighborIds.entries()).map(([nodeId, neighborIds]) => [
+      nodeId,
+      Array.from(neighborIds).sort(),
+    ])
+  );
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/test/packetNetworkGraph.test.ts b/frontend/src/test/packetNetworkGraph.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4f4109c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/test/packetNetworkGraph.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,209 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { PayloadType } from '@michaelhart/meshcore-decoder';
+
+import {
+  buildPacketNetworkContext,
+  createPacketNetworkState,
+  ingestPacketIntoPacketNetwork,
+  projectCanonicalPath,
+  projectPacketNetwork,
+  snapshotNeighborIds,
+} from '../networkGraph/packetNetworkGraph';
+import type { Contact, RadioConfig, RawPacket } from '../types';
+import { CONTACT_TYPE_REPEATER } from '../types';
+
+const { packetFixtures } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  packetFixtures: new Map<string, unknown>(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock('../utils/visualizerUtils', async () => {
+  const actual = await vi.importActual<typeof import('../utils/visualizerUtils')>(
+    '../utils/visualizerUtils'
+  );
+
+  return {
+    ...actual,
+    parsePacket: vi.fn(
+      (hexData: string) => packetFixtures.get(hexData) ?? actual.parsePacket(hexData)
+    ),
+  };
+});
+
+function createConfig(publicKey: string): RadioConfig {
+  return {
+    public_key: publicKey,
+    name: 'Me',
+    lat: 0,
+    lon: 0,
+    tx_power: 0,
+    max_tx_power: 0,
+    radio: { freq: 0, bw: 0, sf: 0, cr: 0 },
+    path_hash_mode: 0,
+    path_hash_mode_supported: true,
+    advert_location_source: 'off',
+  };
+}
+
+function createContact(publicKey: string, name: string, type = 1): Contact {
+  return {
+    public_key: publicKey,
+    name,
+    type,
+    flags: 0,
+    last_path: null,
+    last_path_len: 0,
+    out_path_hash_mode: 0,
+    route_override_path: null,
+    route_override_len: null,
+    route_override_hash_mode: null,
+    last_advert: null,
+    lat: null,
+    lon: null,
+    last_seen: null,
+    on_radio: false,
+    last_contacted: null,
+    last_read_at: null,
+    first_seen: null,
+  };
+}
+
+function createPacket(data: string): RawPacket {
+  return {
+    id: 1,
+    observation_id: 1,
+    timestamp: 1_700_000_000,
+    data,
+    payload_type: 'TEXT',
+    snr: null,
+    rssi: null,
+    decrypted: false,
+    decrypted_info: null,
+  };
+}
+
+describe('packetNetworkGraph', () => {
+  it('preserves canonical adjacency while projection hides ambiguous repeaters', () => {
+    const selfKey = 'ffffffffffff0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
+    const aliceKey = 'aaaaaaaaaaaa0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
+    packetFixtures.set('dm-semantic-hide', {
+      payloadType: PayloadType.TextMessage,
+      messageHash: 'dm-semantic-hide',
+      pathBytes: ['32'],
+      srcHash: 'aaaaaaaaaaaa',
+      dstHash: 'ffffffffffff',
+      advertPubkey: null,
+      groupTextSender: null,
+      anonRequestPubkey: null,
+    });
+
+    const state = createPacketNetworkState('Me');
+    const context = buildPacketNetworkContext({
+      contacts: [createContact(aliceKey, 'Alice')],
+      config: createConfig(selfKey),
+      repeaterAdvertPaths: [],
+      splitAmbiguousByTraffic: false,
+      useAdvertPathHints: false,
+    });
+
+    ingestPacketIntoPacketNetwork(state, context, createPacket('dm-semantic-hide'));
+
+    const hiddenProjection = projectPacketNetwork(state, {
+      showAmbiguousNodes: false,
+      showAmbiguousPaths: false,
+    });
+    const shownProjection = projectPacketNetwork(state, {
+      showAmbiguousNodes: false,
+      showAmbiguousPaths: true,
+    });
+
+    expect(snapshotNeighborIds(state)).toEqual(
+      new Map([
+        ['?32', ['aaaaaaaaaaaa', 'self']],
+        ['aaaaaaaaaaaa', ['?32']],
+        ['self', ['?32']],
+      ])
+    );
+    expect(hiddenProjection.links.has('aaaaaaaaaaaa->self')).toBe(true);
+    expect(shownProjection.links.has('?32->aaaaaaaaaaaa')).toBe(true);
+    expect(shownProjection.links.has('?32->self')).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('projects hidden ambiguous runs as dashed bridges but keeps later known repeaters visible', () => {
+    const selfKey = 'ffffffffffff0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
+    const aliceKey = 'aaaaaaaaaaaa0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
+    const repeaterKey = '5656565656560000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
+
+    packetFixtures.set('dm-hidden-chain', {
+      payloadType: PayloadType.TextMessage,
+      messageHash: 'dm-hidden-chain',
+      pathBytes: ['32', '565656565656'],
+      srcHash: 'aaaaaaaaaaaa',
+      dstHash: 'ffffffffffff',
+      advertPubkey: null,
+      groupTextSender: null,
+      anonRequestPubkey: null,
+    });
+
+    const state = createPacketNetworkState('Me');
+    const context = buildPacketNetworkContext({
+      contacts: [
+        createContact(aliceKey, 'Alice'),
+        createContact(repeaterKey, 'Relay B', CONTACT_TYPE_REPEATER),
+      ],
+      config: createConfig(selfKey),
+      repeaterAdvertPaths: [],
+      splitAmbiguousByTraffic: false,
+      useAdvertPathHints: false,
+    });
+
+    const ingested = ingestPacketIntoPacketNetwork(state, context, createPacket('dm-hidden-chain'));
+
+    expect(ingested?.canonicalPath).toEqual(['aaaaaaaaaaaa', '?32', '565656565656', 'self']);
+
+    const projectedPath = projectCanonicalPath(state, ingested!.canonicalPath, {
+      showAmbiguousNodes: false,
+      showAmbiguousPaths: false,
+    });
+    const projection = projectPacketNetwork(state, {
+      showAmbiguousNodes: false,
+      showAmbiguousPaths: false,
+    });
+
+    expect(projectedPath.nodes).toEqual(['aaaaaaaaaaaa', '565656565656', 'self']);
+    expect(Array.from(projectedPath.dashedLinkDetails.keys())).toEqual([
+      '565656565656->aaaaaaaaaaaa',
+    ]);
+    expect(projection.links.get('565656565656->aaaaaaaaaaaa')?.hasHiddenIntermediate).toBe(true);
+    expect(projection.links.get('565656565656->self')?.hasDirectObservation).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('replays real advert packets through the semantic layer', () => {
+    const state = createPacketNetworkState('Me');
+    const context = buildPacketNetworkContext({
+      contacts: [],
+      config: createConfig('ffffffffffff0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000'),
+      repeaterAdvertPaths: [],
+      splitAmbiguousByTraffic: false,
+      useAdvertPathHints: false,
+    });
+
+    const packet = createPacket(
+      '1106538B1CD273868576DC7F679B493F9AB5AC316173E1A56D3388BC3BA75F583F63AB0D1BA2A8ABD0BC6669DBF719E67E4C8517BA4E0D6F8C96A323E9D13A77F2630DED965A5C17C3EC6ED1601EEFE857749DA24E9F39CBEACD722C3708F433DB5FA9BAF0BAF9BC5B1241069290FEEB029A839EF843616E204F204D657368203220F09FA5AB'
+    );
+    packet.payload_type = 'ADVERT';
+
+    const ingested = ingestPacketIntoPacketNetwork(state, context, packet);
+
+    expect(ingested?.canonicalPath).toEqual([
+      '8576dc7f679b',
+      '?53',
+      '?8b',
+      '?1c',
+      '?d2',
+      '?73',
+      '?86',
+      'self',
+    ]);
+    expect(snapshotNeighborIds(state).get('?73')).toEqual(['?86', '?d2']);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/test/useVisualizerData3D.test.ts b/frontend/src/test/useVisualizerData3D.test.ts
index 45f2e7f..9bb1bf2 100644
--- a/frontend/src/test/useVisualizerData3D.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/test/useVisualizerData3D.test.ts
@@ -113,6 +113,51 @@ afterEach(() => {
 });
 
 describe('useVisualizerData3D', () => {
+  it('keeps canonical adjacency stable when ambiguous repeaters are shown or hidden', async () => {
+    const selfKey = 'ffffffffffff0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
+    const aliceKey = 'aaaaaaaaaaaa0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
+    packetFixtures.set('dm-canonical-stable', {
+      payloadType: PayloadType.TextMessage,
+      messageHash: 'dm-canonical-stable',
+      pathBytes: ['32'],
+      srcHash: 'aaaaaaaaaaaa',
+      dstHash: 'ffffffffffff',
+      advertPubkey: null,
+      groupTextSender: null,
+      anonRequestPubkey: null,
+    });
+
+    const packets = [createPacket('dm-canonical-stable')];
+    const contacts = [createContact(aliceKey, 'Alice')];
+
+    const hidden = renderVisualizerData({
+      packets,
+      contacts,
+      config: createConfig(selfKey),
+      showAmbiguousPaths: false,
+    });
+    const shown = renderVisualizerData({
+      packets,
+      contacts,
+      config: createConfig(selfKey),
+      showAmbiguousPaths: true,
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(hidden.result.current.canonicalNeighborIds.get('aaaaaaaaaaaa')).toEqual(['?32'])
+    );
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(shown.result.current.canonicalNeighborIds.get('aaaaaaaaaaaa')).toEqual(['?32'])
+    );
+
+    expect(hidden.result.current.canonicalNeighborIds).toEqual(
+      shown.result.current.canonicalNeighborIds
+    );
+    expect(hidden.result.current.links.has(buildLinkKey('aaaaaaaaaaaa', 'self'))).toBe(true);
+    expect(hidden.result.current.links.has(buildLinkKey('aaaaaaaaaaaa', '?32'))).toBe(false);
+    expect(shown.result.current.links.has(buildLinkKey('aaaaaaaaaaaa', '?32'))).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it('marks compressed hidden-repeater routes as dashed links instead of direct solid links', async () => {
     const selfKey = 'ffffffffffff0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
     const aliceKey = 'aaaaaaaaaaaa0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
@@ -140,6 +185,9 @@ describe('useVisualizerData3D', () => {
     expect(link).toBeDefined();
     expect(link?.hasHiddenIntermediate).toBe(true);
     expect(link?.hasDirectObservation).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.current.canonicalNeighborIds.get('aaaaaaaaaaaa')).toEqual(['?32']);
+    expect(result.current.canonicalNeighborIds.get('self')).toEqual(['?32']);
+    expect(result.current.renderedNodeIds.has('?32')).toBe(false);
   });
 
   it('does not append self after a resolved outgoing DM destination', async () => {
@@ -175,6 +223,44 @@ describe('useVisualizerData3D', () => {
     expect(result.current.links.has(buildLinkKey('self', 'bbbbbbbbbbbb'))).toBe(false);
   });
 
+  it('picks back up with known repeaters after hiding ambiguous repeater segments', async () => {
+    const selfKey = 'ffffffffffff0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
+    const aliceKey = 'aaaaaaaaaaaa0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
+    const repeaterKey = '5656565656560000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
+
+    packetFixtures.set('dm-hidden-then-known', {
+      payloadType: PayloadType.TextMessage,
+      messageHash: 'dm-hidden-then-known',
+      pathBytes: ['32', '565656565656'],
+      srcHash: 'aaaaaaaaaaaa',
+      dstHash: 'ffffffffffff',
+      advertPubkey: null,
+      groupTextSender: null,
+      anonRequestPubkey: null,
+    });
+
+    const { result } = renderVisualizerData({
+      packets: [createPacket('dm-hidden-then-known')],
+      contacts: [
+        createContact(aliceKey, 'Alice'),
+        createContact(repeaterKey, 'Relay B', CONTACT_TYPE_REPEATER),
+      ],
+      config: createConfig(selfKey),
+      showAmbiguousPaths: false,
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(result.current.links.size).toBe(2));
+
+    expect(result.current.links.has(buildLinkKey('aaaaaaaaaaaa', '565656565656'))).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.current.links.has(buildLinkKey('565656565656', 'self'))).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.current.links.has(buildLinkKey('aaaaaaaaaaaa', 'self'))).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.current.renderedNodeIds.has('565656565656')).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.current.renderedNodeIds.has('?32')).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.current.canonicalNeighborIds.get('?32')).toEqual(
+      expect.arrayContaining(['aaaaaaaaaaaa', '565656565656'])
+    );
+  });
+
   it('does not create a fake self edge for an unresolved outgoing direct DM', async () => {
     const selfKey = 'ffffffffffff0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/test/visualizerShared.test.ts b/frontend/src/test/visualizerShared.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8ed23ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/test/visualizerShared.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+
+import { getSceneNodeLabel } from '../components/visualizer/shared';
+
+describe('visualizer shared label helpers', () => {
+  it('adds an ambiguity suffix to in-graph labels for ambiguous nodes', () => {
+    expect(
+      getSceneNodeLabel({
+        id: '?32',
+        name: 'Likely Relay',
+        type: 'repeater',
+        isAmbiguous: true,
+      })
+    ).toBe('Likely Relay (?)');
+  });
+
+  it('does not add an ambiguity suffix to unambiguous nodes', () => {
+    expect(
+      getSceneNodeLabel({
+        id: 'aaaaaaaaaaaa',
+        name: 'Alice',
+        type: 'client',
+        isAmbiguous: false,
+      })
+    ).toBe('Alice');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/test/visualizerTooltip.test.tsx b/frontend/src/test/visualizerTooltip.test.tsx
index ed45851..445f348 100644
--- a/frontend/src/test/visualizerTooltip.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/test/visualizerTooltip.test.tsx
@@ -2,18 +2,17 @@ import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
 
 import { VisualizerTooltip } from '../components/visualizer/VisualizerTooltip';
-import type { GraphNode } from '../components/visualizer/shared';
+import type { PacketNetworkNode } from '../networkGraph/packetNetworkGraph';
 
-function createNode(overrides: Partial<GraphNode> & Pick<GraphNode, 'id' | 'type'>): GraphNode {
+function createNode(
+  overrides: Partial<PacketNetworkNode> & Pick<PacketNetworkNode, 'id' | 'type'>
+): PacketNetworkNode {
   return {
     id: overrides.id,
     type: overrides.type,
     name: overrides.name ?? null,
     isAmbiguous: overrides.isAmbiguous ?? false,
     lastActivity: overrides.lastActivity ?? Date.now(),
-    x: overrides.x ?? 0,
-    y: overrides.y ?? 0,
-    z: overrides.z ?? 0,
     probableIdentity: overrides.probableIdentity,
     ambiguousNames: overrides.ambiguousNames,
     lastActivityReason: overrides.lastActivityReason,
@@ -23,7 +22,12 @@ function createNode(overrides: Partial<GraphNode> & Pick<GraphNode, 'id' | 'type
 describe('VisualizerTooltip', () => {
   it('renders nothing without an active node', () => {
     const { container } = render(
-      <VisualizerTooltip activeNodeId={null} nodes={new Map()} neighborIds={[]} />
+      <VisualizerTooltip
+        activeNodeId={null}
+        canonicalNodes={new Map()}
+        canonicalNeighborIds={new Map()}
+        renderedNodeIds={new Set()}
+      />
     );
 
     expect(container).toBeEmptyDOMElement();
@@ -49,17 +53,25 @@ describe('VisualizerTooltip', () => {
       name: 'Neighbor Node',
       ambiguousNames: ['Alt Neighbor'],
     });
+    const hiddenRepeater = createNode({
+      id: '?44',
+      type: 'repeater',
+      name: '44',
+      isAmbiguous: true,
+    });
 
     render(
       <VisualizerTooltip
         activeNodeId={node.id}
-        nodes={
+        canonicalNodes={
           new Map([
             [node.id, node],
             [neighbor.id, neighbor],
+            [hiddenRepeater.id, hiddenRepeater],
           ])
         }
-        neighborIds={[neighbor.id]}
+        canonicalNeighborIds={new Map([[node.id, [neighbor.id, hiddenRepeater.id]]])}
+        renderedNodeIds={new Set([node.id, neighbor.id])}
       />
     );
 
@@ -72,6 +84,8 @@ describe('VisualizerTooltip', () => {
     expect(screen.getByText('Reason: Relayed GT')).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.getByText('Neighbor Node')).toBeInTheDocument();
     expect(screen.getByText('(Alt Neighbor)')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText('44')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByText('(hidden)')).toBeInTheDocument();
 
     vi.useRealTimers();
   });
diff --git a/frontend/src/utils/visualizerUtils.ts b/frontend/src/utils/visualizerUtils.ts
index 2a9bdc9..2c54ec8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/utils/visualizerUtils.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/utils/visualizerUtils.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export interface PendingPacket {
   expiresAt: number;
 }
 
-interface ParsedPacket {
+export interface ParsedPacket {
   payloadType: number;
   messageHash: string | null;
   pathBytes: string[];
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ export const PACKET_LEGEND_ITEMS = [
 export interface PathStep {
   nodeId: string | null;
   markHiddenLinkWhenOmitted?: boolean;
+  hiddenLabel?: string | null;
 }
 
 export function normalizeHopToken(hop: string | null | undefined): string | null {
@@ -253,31 +254,43 @@ export function dedupeConsecutive<T>(arr: T[]): T[] {
 
 export function compactPathSteps(steps: PathStep[]): {
   nodes: string[];
-  dashedLinkKeys: Set<string>;
+  dashedLinkDetails: Map<string, string[]>;
 } {
   const nodes: string[] = [];
-  const dashedLinkKeys = new Set<string>();
+  const dashedLinkDetails = new Map<string, string[]>();
   let pendingHiddenLink = false;
+  let pendingHiddenLabels: string[] = [];
 
   for (const step of steps) {
     if (step.nodeId) {
       const previousNodeId = nodes.length > 0 ? nodes[nodes.length - 1] : null;
       if (previousNodeId && pendingHiddenLink && previousNodeId !== step.nodeId) {
-        dashedLinkKeys.add(buildLinkKey(previousNodeId, step.nodeId));
+        const key = buildLinkKey(previousNodeId, step.nodeId);
+        const existing = dashedLinkDetails.get(key) ?? [];
+        for (const label of pendingHiddenLabels) {
+          if (!existing.includes(label)) {
+            existing.push(label);
+          }
+        }
+        dashedLinkDetails.set(key, existing);
       }
       if (previousNodeId !== step.nodeId) {
         nodes.push(step.nodeId);
       }
       pendingHiddenLink = false;
+      pendingHiddenLabels = [];
       continue;
     }
 
     if (step.markHiddenLinkWhenOmitted && nodes.length > 0) {
       pendingHiddenLink = true;
+      if (step.hiddenLabel && !pendingHiddenLabels.includes(step.hiddenLabel)) {
+        pendingHiddenLabels.push(step.hiddenLabel);
+      }
     }
   }
 
-  return { nodes, dashedLinkKeys };
+  return { nodes, dashedLinkDetails };
 }
 
 /**