yayy!!!

webui/src/App.jsx

@@ -85,12 +85,18 @@ function MobileFeatureTabs({
 }) {
   const { session } = useSession();
   const vipDotClass = session?.isVerified ? 'bg-emerald-400' : 'bg-amber-400';
+  const ownRoverId = String(session?.assignment?.roverId || '').trim();
+  const ownAudioForward = ownRoverId ? session?.audioForward?.[ownRoverId] : null;
+  const vipMicActive = Boolean(
+    ownAudioForward?.source === 'mic-whip' &&
+      (ownAudioForward?.state === 'starting' || ownAudioForward?.state === 'playing'),
+  );
   return (
     <section className="panel text-base">
       <Tabs defaultTab="chat">
         <TabList>
           <Tab id="chat">Chat</Tab>
-          <Tab id="vip">
+          <Tab id="vip" highlight={vipMicActive ? 'pink' : 'none'}>
             <span className="inline-flex items-center gap-0.5">
               <span>VIP</span>
               <span
@@ -111,7 +117,7 @@ function MobileFeatureTabs({
               <RawUserPilePanel />
             </div>
           </TabPanel>
-          <TabPanel id="vip">
+          <TabPanel id="vip" keepMounted>
             <VipPanel />
           </TabPanel>
           <TabPanel id="roomcontrols">

webui/src/components/RightPaneTabs.jsx

@@ -112,12 +112,18 @@ function DriveDockPanel() {
 export default function RightPaneTabs({ layout, onOpenHelpOverlay }) {
   const { session } = useSession();
   const vipDotClass = session?.isVerified ? 'bg-emerald-400' : 'bg-red-600';
+  const ownRoverId = String(session?.assignment?.roverId || '').trim();
+  const ownAudioForward = ownRoverId ? session?.audioForward?.[ownRoverId] : null;
+  const vipMicActive = Boolean(
+    ownAudioForward?.source === 'mic-whip' &&
+      (ownAudioForward?.state === 'starting' || ownAudioForward?.state === 'playing'),
+  );
   return (
     <section className="panel text-base">
       <Tabs defaultTab="telemetry">
         <TabList>
           <Tab id="telemetry">Controls</Tab>
-          <Tab id="vip">
+          <Tab id="vip" highlight={vipMicActive ? 'pink' : 'none'}>
             <span className="inline-flex items-center gap-2">
               <span>VIP</span>
               <span
@@ -153,7 +159,7 @@ export default function RightPaneTabs({ layout, onOpenHelpOverlay }) {
               <RoomCameraPanel defaultOrientation="horizontal" panelId="rightpane-telemetry" />
             </div>
           </TabPanel>
-          <TabPanel id="vip">
+          <TabPanel id="vip" keepMounted>
             <VipPanel />
           </TabPanel>
           <TabPanel id="help">

webui/src/components/Tabs.jsx

@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ const TAB_VARIANTS = {
   },
 };
 
+const TAB_HIGHLIGHTS = {
+  none: '',
+  pink: 'bg-pink-500 text-white border-pink-200 hover:bg-pink-400',
+};
+
 const DEFAULT_VARIANT = 'primary';
 
 function classNames(...parts) {
@@ -89,17 +94,18 @@ export function TabList({ children, className = '' }) {
   return <div className={classNames('flex gap-0.5', className)}>{children}</div>;
 }
 
-export function Tab({ id, children, className = '', disabled = false }) {
+export function Tab({ id, children, className = '', disabled = false, highlight = 'none' }) {
   const { activeTab, setActiveTab, registerTab, variant } = useTabsContext();
 
   useEffect(() => registerTab(id), [id, registerTab]);
 
   const variantStyles = TAB_VARIANTS[variant] ?? TAB_VARIANTS[DEFAULT_VARIANT];
   const isActive = activeTab === id;
+  const highlightClass = TAB_HIGHLIGHTS[highlight] || TAB_HIGHLIGHTS.none;
 
   const buttonClassName = classNames(
     variantStyles.base,
-    isActive ? variantStyles.active : variantStyles.inactive,
+    highlightClass || (isActive ? variantStyles.active : variantStyles.inactive),
     disabled ? 'cursor-not-allowed opacity-50' : '',
     className
   );

webui/src/components/VipPanel.jsx

@@ -42,32 +42,66 @@ export default function VipPanel() {
 
   return (
     <section className="panel-section space-y-0.5 text-base">
-      {isVerified ? (
-        <VipAudioUploadCard
-          ownRoverId={ownRoverId}
-          audioForwardByRover={session?.audioForward || {}}
-          playUploadedAudio={playUploadedAudio}
-          stopUploadedAudio={stopUploadedAudio}
-          startMicWhip={startMicWhip}
-          readyMicWhip={readyMicWhip}
-          stopMicWhip={stopMicWhip}
-        />
-      ) : (
-        <VipVerificationCard
-          pendingRequestId={pendingRequestId}
-          currentStoredKey={currentStoredKey}
-          nickname={nickname}
-          requestVerification={requestVerification}
-          applyIdentityKey={applyIdentityKey}
-          onMessage={setMessage}
-        />
-      )}
+      <div className="grid gap-0.5 grid-cols-1 lg:grid-cols-[minmax(0,1.25fr)_minmax(0,0.9fr)]">
+        <div className="lg:col-span-2">
+          {isVerified ? (
+            <section className="surface w-full">
+              <div className="mx-auto flex w-full max-w-md flex-col items-center space-y-0.5 text-center">
+                <p className="text-sm text-emerald-300">Verification complete</p>
+                <p className="text-xs text-slate-400">VIP audio controls are unlocked for your assigned rover.</p>
+              </div>
+            </section>
+          ) : (
+            <VipVerificationCard
+              pendingRequestId={pendingRequestId}
+              currentStoredKey={currentStoredKey}
+              nickname={nickname}
+              requestVerification={requestVerification}
+              applyIdentityKey={applyIdentityKey}
+              onMessage={setMessage}
+              fullWidth
+            />
+          )}
+        </div>
 
-      <VipIdentityCard
-        currentStoredKey={currentStoredKey}
-        applyIdentityKey={applyIdentityKey}
-        onMessage={setMessage}
-      />
+        {isVerified ? (
+          <VipAudioUploadCard
+            ownRoverId={ownRoverId}
+            audioForwardByRover={session?.audioForward || {}}
+            playUploadedAudio={playUploadedAudio}
+            stopUploadedAudio={stopUploadedAudio}
+            startMicWhip={startMicWhip}
+            readyMicWhip={readyMicWhip}
+            stopMicWhip={stopMicWhip}
+          />
+        ) : (
+          <section className="surface h-full">
+            <div className="flex h-full flex-col items-center justify-center text-center text-xs text-slate-400">
+              Verify your account to unlock audio upload and microphone forwarding.
+            </div>
+          </section>
+        )}
+
+        <section className="surface h-full">
+          <div className="space-y-0.5">
+            <p className="text-sm text-slate-200">VIP Notes</p>
+            <ul className="space-y-0.25 text-xs text-slate-400">
+              <li>Audio forwarding is locked to your currently assigned rover.</li>
+              <li>Losing control or turn ownership stops active forwarding.</li>
+              <li>PTT works page-wide using your keybind (default: m).</li>
+            </ul>
+          </div>
+        </section>
+
+        <div className="lg:col-span-2">
+          <VipIdentityCard
+            currentStoredKey={currentStoredKey}
+            applyIdentityKey={applyIdentityKey}
+            onMessage={setMessage}
+            fullWidth
+          />
+        </div>
+      </div>
 
       {message ? (
         <div className={flowWrapClass}>

webui/src/components/vip/VipAudioUploadCard.jsx

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
-import { fieldClass, flowWrapClass, innerFlowClass } from './constants.js';
+import { fieldClass } from './constants.js';
 import { useControlSystem } from '../../controls/index.js';
 
 const MAX_UPLOAD_BYTES = 8 * 1024 * 1024;
@@ -154,6 +154,18 @@ function waitForOutboundAudioFlow(pc, timeoutMs = 6000) {
   });
 }
 
+function StatusLight({ label, active, detail = '' }) {
+  return (
+    <div className="surface-muted flex items-center justify-between px-0.5 py-0.25 text-xs">
+      <span className="text-slate-300">{label}</span>
+      <span className="inline-flex items-center gap-0.5">
+        <span className={`h-2 w-2 rounded-full ${active ? 'bg-emerald-400' : 'bg-slate-600'}`} aria-hidden="true" />
+        <span className={active ? 'text-emerald-300' : 'text-slate-500'}>{detail || (active ? 'on' : 'off')}</span>
+      </span>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+
 export default function VipAudioUploadCard({
   ownRoverId = '',
   audioForwardByRover = {},
@@ -182,6 +194,18 @@ export default function VipAudioUploadCard({
     [audioForwardByRover, roverId],
   );
 
+  const pipelineConnected = Boolean(
+    selectedForwardState && selectedForwardState.state !== 'offline' && !selectedForwardState.error,
+  );
+  const uploadPlaying = Boolean(
+    selectedForwardState?.source === 'upload' && selectedForwardState?.state === 'playing',
+  );
+  const micRelayActive = Boolean(
+    selectedForwardState?.source === 'mic-whip' &&
+      (selectedForwardState?.state === 'starting' || selectedForwardState?.state === 'playing'),
+  );
+  const micTalking = Boolean(audioTrackRef.current && (openMicEnabled || pttActive));
+
   const handleUploadPlay = async () => {
     if (!roverId) {
       setMessage('Take control of your rover first.');
@@ -403,24 +427,27 @@ export default function VipAudioUploadCard({
   );
 
   return (
-    <section className={`surface ${flowWrapClass}`}>
-      <div className={innerFlowClass}>
-        <p className="text-sm text-slate-300">VIP Audio Upload</p>
-        <label className="grid w-full gap-0.5 text-xs text-slate-300">
+    <section className="surface h-full">
+      <div className="grid h-full gap-0.5 grid-rows-[auto_auto_auto_1fr_auto]">
+        <p className="text-sm text-slate-200 text-center">VIP Audio Forwarding</p>
+
+        <label className="mx-auto grid w-full max-w-sm gap-0.5 text-xs text-slate-300 text-center">
           <span>Audio file (mp3 / wav / ogg)</span>
           <input
-            className={fieldClass}
+            className={`${fieldClass} text-center`}
             type="file"
             accept=".mp3,.wav,.ogg,audio/mpeg,audio/wav,audio/ogg"
             disabled={working || !roverId}
             onChange={(event) => setSelectedUpload(event.target.files?.[0] || null)}
           />
         </label>
+
         {selectedUpload ? (
           <div className="surface-muted mx-auto w-full max-w-sm text-xs text-slate-300 text-center">
             {selectedUpload.name} ({selectedUpload.size} bytes)
           </div>
         ) : null}
+
         <div className="flex justify-center gap-0.5">
           <button type="button" className="button-dark text-sm" disabled={working || !roverId} onClick={handleUploadPlay}>
             {working ? 'Working...' : 'Play Upload'}
@@ -430,28 +457,31 @@ export default function VipAudioUploadCard({
           </button>
         </div>
 
-        <div className="surface-muted mx-auto flex w-full max-w-sm flex-col gap-0.5 p-0.5 text-xs text-slate-300 text-center">
-          <p className="text-slate-200">Microphone Forwarding</p>
-          <label className="flex items-center justify-center gap-0.5">
-            <input
-              type="checkbox"
-              checked={openMicEnabled}
-              disabled={!roverId}
-              onChange={(event) => setOpenMicEnabled(Boolean(event.target.checked))}
-            />
-            <span>Open mic</span>
-          </label>
-          <p className="text-slate-400">PTT key: {controlState?.keymap?.micPtt?.[0] || 'm'} (hold)</p>
-          <p className="text-slate-400">mic: {micState}</p>
-          <p className="text-slate-500">transport: whip</p>
+        <div className="grid gap-0.5 lg:grid-cols-2">
+          <div className="space-y-0.5">
+            <p className="text-xs text-slate-300 text-center">Audio Path Status</p>
+            <StatusLight label="Forward pipe" active={pipelineConnected} detail={pipelineConnected ? 'connected' : 'offline'} />
+            <StatusLight label="Upload playing" active={uploadPlaying} detail={uploadPlaying ? 'active' : 'idle'} />
+            <StatusLight label="Mic relay" active={micRelayActive} detail={micRelayActive ? 'active' : 'idle'} />
+          </div>
+
+          <div className="space-y-0.5">
+            <p className="text-xs text-slate-300 text-center">Microphone</p>
+            <label className="surface-muted flex items-center justify-center gap-0.5 px-0.5 py-0.25 text-xs text-slate-300">
+              <input
+                type="checkbox"
+                checked={openMicEnabled}
+                disabled={!roverId}
+                onChange={(event) => setOpenMicEnabled(Boolean(event.target.checked))}
+              />
+              <span>Open mic</span>
+            </label>
+            <StatusLight label="WHIP link" active={micState === 'live' || micState === 'starting'} detail={micState} />
+            <StatusLight label="PTT transmit" active={micTalking} detail={micTalking ? 'talking' : 'muted'} />
+            <div className="surface-muted text-center text-xs text-slate-400">PTT key: {controlState?.keymap?.micPtt?.[0] || 'm'} (hold)</div>
+          </div>
         </div>
 
-        {selectedForwardState ? (
-          <div className="surface-muted mx-auto w-full max-w-sm text-xs text-slate-300 text-center">
-            state: {selectedForwardState.state || 'idle'}
-            {selectedForwardState.error ? ` | error: ${selectedForwardState.error}` : ''}
-          </div>
-        ) : null}
         {message ? <div className="text-xs text-slate-400 text-center">{message}</div> : null}
       </div>
     </section>

webui/src/components/vip/VipIdentityCard.jsx

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { useState } from 'react';
 import { fieldClass, flowWrapClass, innerFlowClass, maskKey } from './constants.js';
 
-export default function VipIdentityCard({ currentStoredKey, applyIdentityKey, onMessage }) {
+export default function VipIdentityCard({ currentStoredKey, applyIdentityKey, onMessage, fullWidth = false }) {
   const [restoreFlowStep, setRestoreFlowStep] = useState(0);
   const [restoreKeyInput, setRestoreKeyInput] = useState('');
   const [working, setWorking] = useState(false);
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ export default function VipIdentityCard({ currentStoredKey, applyIdentityKey, on
     }
   };
 
+  const wrapClass = fullWidth ? 'w-full' : flowWrapClass;
+
   return (
-    <section className={`surface ${flowWrapClass}`}>
+    <section className={`surface ${wrapClass}`}>
       <div className={innerFlowClass}>
         <p className="text-sm text-slate-300">Identity key</p>
         <p className="text-xs text-slate-500">Current: {maskKey(currentStoredKey) || 'not set yet'}</p>

webui/src/components/vip/VipVerificationCard.jsx

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ export default function VipVerificationCard({
   requestVerification,
   applyIdentityKey,
   onMessage,
+  fullWidth = false,
 }) {
   const [requestFlowStep, setRequestFlowStep] = useState(0);
   const [requestKeyInput, setRequestKeyInput] = useState('');
@@ -53,9 +54,11 @@ export default function VipVerificationCard({
     }
   };
 
+  const wrapClass = fullWidth ? 'w-full' : flowWrapClass;
+
   if (pendingRequestId) {
     return (
-      <section className={`surface text-sm text-slate-300 ${flowWrapClass}`}>
+      <section className={`surface text-sm text-slate-300 ${wrapClass}`}>
         <div className={innerFlowClass}>Verification request pending: {pendingRequestId}</div>
       </section>
     );
@@ -63,7 +66,7 @@ export default function VipVerificationCard({
 
   if (requestFlowStep === 0) {
     return (
-      <section className={`surface ${flowWrapClass}`}>
+      <section className={`surface ${wrapClass}`}>
         <div className={innerFlowClass}>
           <p className="text-sm text-slate-300">Verification</p>
           <button type="button" className="button-dark text-sm" onClick={beginRequestFlow} disabled={working}>
@@ -75,7 +78,7 @@ export default function VipVerificationCard({
   }
 
   return (
-    <form className={`surface ${flowWrapClass}`} onSubmit={handleRequestSubmit}>
+    <form className={`surface ${wrapClass}`} onSubmit={handleRequestSubmit}>
       <div className={innerFlowClass}>
         <p className="text-sm text-slate-300">Request verification</p>
         <p className="text-xs text-slate-500">