diff --git a/ui/src/components/TimeAgo.test.tsx b/ui/src/components/TimeAgo.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ea9a81a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/components/TimeAgo.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import { render, screen, cleanup } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach, vi } from 'vitest';
+import TimeAgo from './TimeAgo';
+
+describe('TimeAgo', () => {
+  const now = Date.UTC(2026, 2, 8, 12, 0, 0); // 2026-03-08T12:00:00Z
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    vi.setSystemTime(now);
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    cleanup();
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
+  it('renders seconds ago', () => {
+    const t = new Date(now - 10 * 1000).toISOString();
+    render(<TimeAgo time={t} />);
+    expect(screen.getByText('10s ago')).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it('renders minutes ago', () => {
+    const t = new Date(now - 5 * 60 * 1000).toISOString();
+    render(<TimeAgo time={t} />);
+    expect(screen.getByText('5m ago')).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it('renders hours ago', () => {
+    const t = new Date(now - 2 * 60 * 60 * 1000).toISOString();
+    render(<TimeAgo time={t} />);
+    expect(screen.getByText('2h ago')).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it('renders days ago', () => {
+    const t = new Date(now - 4 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000).toISOString();
+    render(<TimeAgo time={t} />);
+    expect(screen.getByText('4d ago')).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it('renders weeks ago', () => {
+    const t = new Date(now - 14 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000).toISOString();
+    render(<TimeAgo time={t} />);
+    expect(screen.getByText('2w ago')).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it('renders months ago', () => {
+    const t = new Date(now - 40 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000).toISOString();
+    render(<TimeAgo time={t} />);
+    expect(screen.getByText('1mo ago')).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it('renders dash for null/undefined', () => {
+    render(<TimeAgo time={null} />);
+    expect(screen.getByText('-')).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it('renders dash for invalid time', () => {
+    render(<TimeAgo time={("not-a-time" as unknown) as Date} />);
+    expect(screen.getByText('-')).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/ui/src/components/TimeAgo.tsx b/ui/src/components/TimeAgo.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c2f9cf0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/components/TimeAgo.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import { useSyncExternalStore } from 'react';
+import { subscribe, getSnapshot } from './TimeTicker';
+
+interface TimeAgoProps {
+  time?: string | null | Date;
+  format?: 'short' | 'long';
+  showAgo?: boolean;
+}
+
+// Returns a compact label for a time difference (UTC millisecond inputs).
+function formatRelative(nowMs: number, timeMs: number, fmt: 'short' | 'long' = 'short', showAgo = true): string {
+  const diffSec = Math.max(0, Math.floor((nowMs - timeMs) / 1000));
+
+  const units = [
+    { threshold: 60, divisor: 1, short: 's', long: 'second' },
+    { threshold: 60 * 60, divisor: 60, short: 'm', long: 'minute' },
+    { threshold: 60 * 60 * 24, divisor: 60 * 60, short: 'h', long: 'hour' },
+    { threshold: 60 * 60 * 24 * 7, divisor: 60 * 60 * 24, short: 'd', long: 'day' },
+    { threshold: 60 * 60 * 24 * 30, divisor: 60 * 60 * 24 * 7, short: 'w', long: 'week' },
+    // months: fallback bucket
+    { threshold: Infinity, divisor: 60 * 60 * 24 * 30, short: 'mo', long: 'month' },
+  ];
+
+  const plural = (n: number, singular: string) => (n === 1 ? `${n} ${singular}` : `${n} ${singular}s`);
+
+  // find first matching unit
+  for (const u of units) {
+    if (diffSec < u.threshold) {
+      if (fmt === 'short') {
+        if (u.short === 'mo') {
+          // for months, compute from days to ensure at least 1 month
+          const months = Math.max(1, Math.floor(diffSec / u.divisor));
+          return `${months}${u.short}${showAgo ? ' ago' : ''}`;
+        }
+        const value = Math.floor(diffSec / u.divisor);
+        return `${value}${u.short}${showAgo ? ' ago' : ''}`;
+      }
+
+      // long format
+      if (diffSec < 1) return 'just now';
+      if (u.long === 'month') {
+        const months = Math.max(1, Math.floor(diffSec / u.divisor));
+        return `${plural(months, u.long)}${showAgo ? ' ago' : ''}`;
+      }
+      const value = Math.floor(diffSec / u.divisor);
+      return `${plural(value, u.long)}${showAgo ? ' ago' : ''}`;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return 'just now';
+}
+
+// TimeAgo subscribes to a single shared ticker (via useSyncExternalStore) so
+// many instances update efficiently without per-component timers.
+const TimeAgo: React.FC<TimeAgoProps> = ({ time, format = 'short', showAgo = true }) => {
+  if (!time) return <>-</>;
+
+  const now = useSyncExternalStore(subscribe, getSnapshot);
+
+  const timeMs = typeof time === 'string'
+    ? Date.parse(time)
+    : (time instanceof Date ? time.getTime() : NaN);
+
+  if (!timeMs || Number.isNaN(timeMs)) return <>-</>;
+
+  const label = formatRelative(now, timeMs, format, showAgo);
+
+  return <span title={new Date(timeMs).toLocaleString()}>{label}</span>;
+};
+
+export default TimeAgo;
diff --git a/ui/src/components/TimeTicker.ts b/ui/src/components/TimeTicker.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..375acfd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ui/src/components/TimeTicker.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+let listeners = new Set<() => void>();
+let timerId: number | null = null;
+
+export const getSnapshot = (): number => Date.now();
+
+export const subscribe = (cb: () => void) => {
+  listeners.add(cb);
+  // start shared timer when first subscriber appears
+  if (timerId === null) {
+    timerId = window.setInterval(() => {
+      for (const l of Array.from(listeners)) l();
+    }, 1000);
+  }
+
+  return () => {
+    listeners.delete(cb);
+    if (listeners.size === 0 && timerId !== null) {
+      window.clearInterval(timerId);
+      timerId = null;
+    }
+  };
+};
+
+export default { subscribe, getSnapshot };
diff --git a/ui/src/pages/meshcore/MeshCoreNodesView.tsx b/ui/src/pages/meshcore/MeshCoreNodesView.tsx
index 0b8a4a3..6290cf2 100644
--- a/ui/src/pages/meshcore/MeshCoreNodesView.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/pages/meshcore/MeshCoreNodesView.tsx
@@ -1,14 +1,24 @@
 import React, { useEffect, useMemo, useState, useRef } from 'react';
-import { Card, Table, Spinner, Alert, Pagination, Form } from 'react-bootstrap';
+import { useSearchParams } from 'react-router';
+import { Card, Table, Spinner, Alert, Pagination, Form, Dropdown } from 'react-bootstrap';
+import SearchIcon from '@mui/icons-material/Search';
 
 import API from '../../services/API';
 import MeshCoreService from '../../services/MeshCoreService';
 import VerticalSplit from '../../components/VerticalSplit';
 import { useKeyboardListNavigation } from '../../hooks/useKeyboardListNavigation';
+import TimeAgo from '../../components/TimeAgo';
 
 const meshCoreService = new MeshCoreService(API);
 
 export const MeshCoreNodesView: React.FC = () => {
+  const NODE_TYPES: { value: string; label: string }[] = [
+    { value: '', label: 'All' },
+    { value: 'repeater', label: 'Repeater' },
+    { value: 'chat', label: 'Chat' },
+    { value: 'room', label: 'Room' },
+    { value: 'sensor', label: 'Sensor' },
+  ];
   const [page, setPage] = useState<number>(1);
   const [visibleRows, setVisibleRows] = useState<number>(50);
   const [fetchLimit] = useState<number>(50);
@@ -19,6 +29,7 @@ export const MeshCoreNodesView: React.FC = () => {
   const [allNodes, setAllNodes] = useState<any[] | null>(null);
   const [allLoading, setAllLoading] = useState<boolean>(false);
   const [selectedIndex, setSelectedIndex] = useState<number | null>(null);
+  const [selectedType, setSelectedType] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [search, setSearch] = useState<string>('');
   const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState<boolean>(false);
   const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
@@ -58,10 +69,10 @@ export const MeshCoreNodesView: React.FC = () => {
       try {
         // Map the visual `page` (which is based on `visibleRows`) to the server page
         const serverPage = Math.max(1, Math.ceil((page * visibleRows) / fetchLimit));
-        const p = await meshCoreService.fetchNodes(serverPage, fetchLimit);
-        console.debug('MeshCoreNodesView: initial pager', { page, visibleRows, fetchLimit, serverPage, pager: p });
+        const p = await meshCoreService.fetchNodes(serverPage, fetchLimit, selectedType ?? undefined);
         if (!isMounted) return;
-        // Sort items alphabetically by name
+        // Ensure items is an array (server may return null) and sort alphabetically by name
+        p.items = Array.isArray(p.items) ? p.items : [];
         p.items.sort((a: any, b: any) => (a.name || '').localeCompare(b.name || ''));
         setPager(p);
         if (!selectedNode && p.items.length > 0) {
@@ -78,7 +89,14 @@ export const MeshCoreNodesView: React.FC = () => {
 
     void load();
     return () => { isMounted = false; };
-  }, [page, fetchLimit, visibleRows]);
+  }, [page, fetchLimit, visibleRows, selectedType]);
+  // sync search params for ?type=
+  const [searchParams, setSearchParams] = useSearchParams();
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const t = searchParams.get('type');
+    setSelectedType(t);
+  }, [searchParams]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!pager || allNodes !== null || allLoading) return;
@@ -95,22 +113,22 @@ export const MeshCoreNodesView: React.FC = () => {
         // Use server-provided limit when available to compute pages
         const pageSize = Math.max(1, pager.limit || fetchLimit || 50);
         const pages = Math.max(1, Math.ceil(total / pageSize));
-        console.debug('MeshCoreNodesView: background serial load start', { total, pageSize, pages });
+
 
         // Start with first page items returned by initial fetch
         const items: any[] = Array.isArray(pager.items) ? pager.items.slice() : [];
 
         for (let p = 2; p <= pages; p++) {
-          console.debug('MeshCoreNodesView: fetching page', { p, pageSize });
+
           try {
             // serial await ensures requests are not concurrent
             // eslint-disable-next-line no-await-in-loop
-            const res = await meshCoreService.fetchNodes(p, pageSize);
+            const res = await meshCoreService.fetchNodes(p, pageSize, selectedType ?? undefined);
             if (!isMounted) return;
-            console.debug('MeshCoreNodesView: fetched page result', { p, items: res.items ? res.items.length : 0 });
+
             if (Array.isArray(res.items)) items.push(...res.items);
           } catch (err) {
-            console.debug('MeshCoreNodesView: fetch page error', { p, error: err });
+
             // continue to next page on error
           }
         }
@@ -124,10 +142,10 @@ export const MeshCoreNodesView: React.FC = () => {
         }
         const unique = Object.values(byId);
         unique.sort((a: any, b: any) => (a.name || '').localeCompare(b.name || ''));
-        console.debug('MeshCoreNodesView: finished serial background load, total unique items', unique.length);
+
         if (isMounted) setAllNodes(unique);
       } catch (err) {
-        console.debug('MeshCoreNodesView: background loadAll fatal error', err);
+
       } finally {
         if (isMounted) setAllLoading(false);
       }
@@ -135,7 +153,7 @@ export const MeshCoreNodesView: React.FC = () => {
 
     void loadAllSerial();
     return () => { isMounted = false; };
-  }, [pager, fetchLimit]);
+  }, [pager, fetchLimit, selectedType]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     // Table sizing by visual viewport removed — allow vertical overflow again.
@@ -245,6 +263,46 @@ export const MeshCoreNodesView: React.FC = () => {
                   <Spinner animation="border" size="sm" />
                 </div>
               )}
+
+              {/* Type filter dropdown moved to header so it's visible even without table items */}
+              <Dropdown className="ms-2">
+                <Dropdown.Toggle as="button" variant="link" bsPrefix="p-0 border-0 bg-transparent" id="type-filter-toggle-header" title="Filter by type">
+                  <SearchIcon fontSize="small" />
+                </Dropdown.Toggle>
+                <Dropdown.Menu>
+                  <Dropdown.Item
+                    active={!selectedType}
+                    onClick={() => {
+                      setSelectedType(null);
+                      const newParams = new URLSearchParams(searchParams);
+                      newParams.delete('type');
+                      setSearchParams(newParams, { replace: true });
+                      setPage(1);
+                      setAllNodes(null);
+                      setPager(null);
+                    }}
+                  >
+                    All
+                  </Dropdown.Item>
+                  {NODE_TYPES.filter((o) => o.value).map((opt) => (
+                    <Dropdown.Item
+                      key={opt.value}
+                      active={selectedType === opt.value}
+                      onClick={() => {
+                        setSelectedType(opt.value);
+                        const newParams = new URLSearchParams(searchParams);
+                        newParams.set('type', opt.value);
+                        setSearchParams(newParams, { replace: true });
+                        setPage(1);
+                        setAllNodes(null);
+                        setPager(null);
+                      }}
+                    >
+                      {opt.label}
+                    </Dropdown.Item>
+                  ))}
+                </Dropdown.Menu>
+              </Dropdown>
             </div>
           </Card.Header>
           <Card.Body className="data-table-body d-flex flex-column p-0">
@@ -262,12 +320,23 @@ export const MeshCoreNodesView: React.FC = () => {
               <div ref={containerRef} className="p-2 d-flex flex-column h-100">
                 {/* search moved to header */}
                 <div ref={tableWrapperRef} className="table-responsive mb-2" style={{ overflowY: 'auto' }}>
-                  <Table hover size="sm" className="mb-0">
+                  <Table hover size="sm" className="mb-0" style={{ tableLayout: 'fixed' }}>
+                    <colgroup>
+                      <col />
+                      <col style={{ width: '8ch' }} />
+                      <col style={{ width: '6ch' }} />
+                      <col style={{ width: '14ch' }} />
+                      <col style={{ width: '9ch' }} className="text-end" />
+                    </colgroup>
                     <thead>
                       <tr>
                         <th>Name</th>
                         <th>Node ID</th>
-                        <th>Type</th>
+                        <th>
+                          <div className="d-flex align-items-center">
+                            <span>Type</span>
+                          </div>
+                        </th>
                         <th>Public key</th>
                         <th>Last seen</th>
                       </tr>
@@ -286,7 +355,7 @@ export const MeshCoreNodesView: React.FC = () => {
                           <td><span className="meshcore-hash">{renderHighlighted(String(n.prefix || n.id || ''), search)}</span></td>
                           <td>{n.type}</td>
                           <td><span className="meshcore-hash">{renderHighlighted(formatPubKey(n.public_key), search)}</span></td>
-                          <td>{n.last_heard_at ? new Date(n.last_heard_at).toLocaleString() : '-'}</td>
+                          <td className="text-end"><TimeAgo time={n.last_heard_at} /></td>
                         </tr>
                       ))}
                     </tbody>
@@ -351,8 +420,8 @@ export const MeshCoreNodesView: React.FC = () => {
                 <div><strong>Prefix:</strong> <span className="meshcore-hash">{renderHighlighted(String(selectedNode.prefix || ''), search)}</span></div>
                 <div><strong>Type:</strong> {selectedNode.type}</div>
                 <div><strong>Public key:</strong> <span className="meshcore-hash">{selectedNode.public_key}</span></div>
-                <div><strong>First seen:</strong> {selectedNode.first_heard_at ? new Date(selectedNode.first_heard_at).toLocaleString() : '-'}</div>
-                <div><strong>Last seen:</strong> {selectedNode.last_heard_at ? new Date(selectedNode.last_heard_at).toLocaleString() : '-'}</div>
+                <div><strong>First seen:</strong> <TimeAgo time={selectedNode.first_heard_at} /></div>
+                <div><strong>Last seen:</strong> <TimeAgo time={selectedNode.last_heard_at} /></div>
                 {selectedNode.last_latitude !== undefined && selectedNode.last_longitude !== undefined && (
                   <div><strong>Location:</strong> {selectedNode.last_latitude}, {selectedNode.last_longitude}</div>
                 )}
diff --git a/ui/src/services/API.ts b/ui/src/services/API.ts
index 1120b8f..2d20248 100644
--- a/ui/src/services/API.ts
+++ b/ui/src/services/API.ts
@@ -25,12 +25,16 @@ export class APIService {
 		return response.data as T;
 	}
 
-  public async fetchPaginated<T>(endpoint: string, page: number = 1, limit: number = 20): Promise<Pager<T>> {
-    const response = await this.client.get<Pager<T>>(endpoint, {
-      params: { page, limit },
-    });
-    return response.data as Pager<T>;
-  }
+	public async fetchPaginated<T>(endpoint: string, page: number = 1, limit: number = 20, extraParams?: Record<string, unknown>): Promise<Pager<T>> {
+		const params: Record<string, unknown> = { page, limit };
+		if (extraParams) {
+			Object.assign(params, extraParams);
+		}
+		const response = await this.client.get<Pager<T>>(endpoint, {
+			params,
+		});
+		return response.data as Pager<T>;
+	}
 
 	public async fetchRadios(protocol?: string): Promise<Radio[]> {
 		const endpoint = protocol ? `/radios/${encodeURIComponent(protocol)}` : '/radios';
diff --git a/ui/src/services/MeshCoreService.ts b/ui/src/services/MeshCoreService.ts
index 7e8eb66..4f673ae 100644
--- a/ui/src/services/MeshCoreService.ts
+++ b/ui/src/services/MeshCoreService.ts
@@ -216,9 +216,10 @@ export class MeshCoreService {
 		return this.api.fetch<MeshCorePacketStats>(`/meshcore/stats/packets/${encodeURIComponent(view)}`);
 	}
 
-  public async fetchNodes(page: number = 1, limit: number = 200): Promise<Pager<FetchedNode>> {
-    return this.api.fetchPaginated<FetchedNode>('/meshcore/nodes', page, limit);
-  }
+	public async fetchNodes(page: number = 1, limit: number = 200, type?: string): Promise<Pager<FetchedNode>> {
+		const extra: Record<string, unknown> | undefined = type ? { type } : undefined;
+		return this.api.fetchPaginated<FetchedNode>('/meshcore/nodes', page, limit, extra);
+	}
 
   public async fetchNodesCloseTo(hash: string): Promise<FetchedNodesCloseTo> {
     return this.api.fetch<FetchedNodesCloseTo>(`/meshcore/nodes/close-to/${encodeURIComponent(hash)}`);
diff --git a/ui/src/styles/theme/_bootstrap-overrides.scss b/ui/src/styles/theme/_bootstrap-overrides.scss
index 0b2e52a..d4b1e37 100644
--- a/ui/src/styles/theme/_bootstrap-overrides.scss
+++ b/ui/src/styles/theme/_bootstrap-overrides.scss
@@ -67,3 +67,81 @@ pre {
 .main-content a {
   color: var(--app-accent-yellow) !important;
 }
+
+// Dropdown overrides to match global app theme
+.dropdown,
+.dropup,
+.dropleft,
+.dropright {
+  // ensure dropdown toggles use accent color for icons/links
+  .dropdown-toggle {
+    color: var(--app-accent-primary);
+    &:hover,
+    &:focus {
+      color: var(--app-accent-blue);
+      background: transparent;
+      text-decoration: none;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+.dropdown-menu {
+  background-color: var(--app-bg-elevated);
+  color: var(--app-text);
+  border: 1px solid var(--app-border-color);
+  box-shadow: 0 6px 18px rgba(2,10,26,0.6);
+  min-width: 10rem;
+  padding: 0.25rem 0;
+}
+
+.dropdown-item {
+  color: var(--app-text);
+  padding: 0.375rem 1rem;
+  font-size: 0.92em;
+}
+
+.dropdown-item:hover,
+.dropdown-item:focus,
+.dropdown-item.active {
+  background-color: var(--app-button-hover);
+  color: var(--app-text);
+}
+
+// Ensure svg icons inside dropdown toggles inherit theme color
+.dropdown-toggle svg {
+  color: currentColor;
+  fill: currentColor;
+}
+
+// Smaller caret spacing for compact header controls
+.data-table-header .dropdown-toggle {
+  padding: 0 0.25rem;
+  color: var(--app-accent-yellow);
+}
+
+.data-table-header .dropdown-toggle:hover,
+.data-table-header .dropdown-toggle:focus {
+  color: var(--app-accent-yellow-muted);
+}
+
+/* Some Dropdown.Toggle instances use custom bsPrefix and don't include
+   the `dropdown-toggle` class. Target the header button by id and title
+   so the icon and button color are always visible. */
+.data-table-header button#type-filter-toggle-header,
+.data-table-header button#type-filter-toggle,
+.data-table-header button[title="Filter by type"] {
+  color: var(--app-accent-yellow) !important;
+}
+
+.data-table-header button#type-filter-toggle-header:hover,
+.data-table-header button#type-filter-toggle:hover,
+.data-table-header button[title="Filter by type"]:hover {
+  color: var(--app-accent-yellow-muted) !important;
+}
+
+.data-table-header button#type-filter-toggle-header svg,
+.data-table-header button#type-filter-toggle svg,
+.data-table-header button[title="Filter by type"] svg {
+  color: currentColor;
+  fill: currentColor;
+}