fix(clients): dial-first reconnect — don't gate the connect on mDNS presence

A saved host that stopped advertising on mDNS but has a learned Wake-on-LAN
MAC was routed into a wake-and-WAIT-for-mDNS flow instead of being dialed. For
a host reached over a routed network (Tailscale/VPN/another subnet) mDNS never
sees it, so the wait could never succeed and reconnects were impossible — the
host log showed no connection attempt at all. The tile's Offline pip and this
connect gate shared the same LAN-only `advertises`/`liveAdvert` predicate, so a
perfectly reachable host read as unreachable. The first connect worked only
because the MAC hadn't been learned yet (a direct dial); once learned, every
reconnect wedged in the waker.

All four full clients carried this pattern (deliberate mirrors of the Apple
`HostWaker`). Each now DIALS FIRST: fire the magic packet up front
(fire-and-forget — harmless if the host is awake, and a genuinely-asleep box is
booting while the dial times out) and attempt the connection unconditionally.
Only a FAILED dial falls into the visible "Waking…" wait, whose redial carries
no fallback so it can't loop. A fingerprint-mismatch/trust-rejection failure
means the host ANSWERED, so it never takes the wake path.

- apple: SessionModel.connect gains `onUnreachable`; startSession dials first.
- linux (relm4): AppMsg::WakeConnect wakes+dials; a per-request wake_fallback
  is armed and consumed in SessionExited, matched by fingerprint/address.
- windows: initiate_waking + ConnectOpts.wake_on_fail; the worker's Failed arm
  escalates to wake_and_connect only on a non-trust failure.
- android: doConnectDirect gains onFailure; doConnect wakes+dials first.

Decky was already correct (always launches `--connect`; WoL fire-and-forget).
Explicit "Wake host" menu actions are unchanged — waiting on mDNS is right when
the user explicitly asked to wake a box.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>

clients/android/app/src/main/kotlin/io/unom/punktfunk/ConnectScreen.kt

@@ -185,8 +185,10 @@ fun ConnectScreen(
 
     // The actual dial (identity already ready). On a TOFU connect (pinHex null), pin the fingerprint
     // the host presented (as an unpaired known host) so the next connect goes straight through and it
-    // appears in the saved-hosts list.
+    // appears in the saved-hosts list. [onFailure], when set, takes over a failed dial (the wake-wait
-    fun doConnectDirect(targetHost: String, targetPort: Int, name: String, pinHex: String?) {
+    // fallback) instead of the error status line — discovery is already restarted when it runs, so
+    // the wait can observe the host reappear.
+    fun doConnectDirect(targetHost: String, targetPort: Int, name: String, pinHex: String?, onFailure: (() -> Unit)? = null) {
         val id = identity ?: run {
             status = "Identity not ready yet — try again in a moment"
             return
@@ -206,18 +208,25 @@ fun ConnectScreen(
                 }
                 onConnected(handle)
             } else {
-                status = "Connection failed — check host/port, PIN, and logcat"
                 discovery.start()
+                if (onFailure != null) {
+                    status = ""
+                    onFailure()
+                } else {
+                    status = "Connection failed — check host/port, PIN, and logcat"
+                }
             }
         }
     }
 
     // Wake-aware connect. If auto-wake is on (Settings.autoWakeEnabled) and the target is a saved
-    // host with a learned MAC that ISN'T currently advertising (asleep/off, or just missing from
+    // host with a learned MAC that ISN'T currently advertising, fire a wake packet and DIAL
-    // mDNS), wake it and WAIT for it to reappear on mDNS (WakeController shows the "Waking…" overlay)
+    // IMMEDIATELY — mDNS absence does NOT mean unreachable (a host reached over a routed network —
-    // before dialing — discovery stays running meanwhile so we can see it come back. A fire-and-forget
+    // Tailscale/VPN/another subnet — is mDNS-blind forever, and gating the dial on presence bricked
-    // packet + the connect timeout wasn't enough for a cold boot. Otherwise (auto-wake off, no MAC, or
+    // exactly those reconnects). A genuinely-asleep box is already booting while the dial times out;
-    // already seen live) dial straight through.
+    // only a FAILED dial falls into the wake-and-WAIT-for-mDNS flow (WakeController's "Waking…"
+    // overlay), which redials once the host reappears. Otherwise (auto-wake off, no MAC, or already
+    // seen live) dial straight through.
     fun doConnect(targetHost: String, targetPort: Int, name: String, pinHex: String?) {
         if (identity == null) {
             status = "Identity not ready yet — try again in a moment"
@@ -232,23 +241,28 @@ fun ConnectScreen(
             if (kh != null) discovered.firstOrNull { kh.matches(it) }
             else discovered.firstOrNull { it.host == targetHost && it.port == targetPort }
         if (settings.autoWakeEnabled && macs.isNotEmpty() && liveAdvert() == null) {
-            waker.start(
+            // Fire-and-forget first packet (harmless if it's awake), then dial-first.
-                hostName = name,
+            scope.launch(Dispatchers.IO) { NativeBridge.nativeWakeOnLan(macs.joinToString(","), targetHost) }
-                connectsAfter = true,
+            doConnectDirect(targetHost, targetPort, name, pinHex, onFailure = {
-                macs = macs,
+                waker.start(
-                lastIp = targetHost,
+                    hostName = name,
-                isOnline = { liveAdvert() != null },
+                    connectsAfter = true,
-                onOnline = {
+                    macs = macs,
-                    val live = liveAdvert()
+                    lastIp = targetHost,
-                    // Woke back on a new address? Re-key the saved record so it (and future connects)
+                    isOnline = { liveAdvert() != null },
-                    // point at the live one, then dial there.
+                    onOnline = {
-                    if (live != null && kh != null && (live.host != kh.address || live.port != kh.port)) {
+                        val live = liveAdvert()
-                        knownHostStore.update(kh.address, kh.port, kh.copy(address = live.host, port = live.port))
+                        // Woke back on a new address? Re-key the saved record so it (and future
-                        savedHosts = knownHostStore.all()
+                        // connects) point at the live one, then dial there (no fallback on this
-                    }
+                        // redial — a second failure surfaces as the plain error).
-                    doConnectDirect(live?.host ?: targetHost, live?.port ?: targetPort, name, pinHex)
+                        if (live != null && kh != null && (live.host != kh.address || live.port != kh.port)) {
-                },
+                            knownHostStore.update(kh.address, kh.port, kh.copy(address = live.host, port = live.port))
-            )
+                            savedHosts = knownHostStore.all()
+                        }
+                        doConnectDirect(live?.host ?: targetHost, live?.port ?: targetPort, name, pinHex)
+                    },
+                )
+            })
         } else {
             doConnectDirect(targetHost, targetPort, name, pinHex)
         }

clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/ContentView.swift

@@ -422,14 +422,24 @@ struct ContentView: View {
                 host, launchID: launchID, allowTofu: allowTofu,
                 requestAccess: requestAccess, approvalReq: approvalReq)
         }
-        // Asleep (not advertising) and we can wake it? Fire the magic packet and WAIT for it to come
+        // Not advertising and we can wake it? DIAL FIRST anyway — no mDNS advert does NOT mean
-        // back online — a cold box takes far longer to boot than a connect will sit — showing the
+        // unreachable: a host reached over a routed network (Tailscale/VPN/another subnet) is
-        // "Waking…" overlay meanwhile. Then connect. Otherwise dial straight away.
+        // mDNS-blind forever, and gating the dial on presence bricked exactly those reconnects
+        // (the host log shows no connection attempt at all; the tile pip and this gate share the
+        // LAN-only `advertises` predicate). `prepareWake` inside the dial already fires the magic
+        // packet up front, so a genuinely-asleep host is waking while the connect times out; only
+        // when that dial FAILS do we fall into the visible "Waking…" wait — a cold box takes far
+        // longer to boot than a connect will sit — and redial once it's back on mDNS.
         if PunktfunkConnection.wakeOnLANAvailable, !host.wakeMacs.isEmpty, !discovery.advertises(host) {
-            discovery.start() // so we can observe it reappear
+            discovery.start() // so the wake-wait can observe it reappear
-            waker.start(
+            startSessionDirect(
-                host: host, connectsAfter: true, macs: host.wakeMacs, lastIP: host.address,
+                host, launchID: launchID, allowTofu: allowTofu,
-                isOnline: { discovery.advertises(host) }, onOnline: go)
+                requestAccess: requestAccess, approvalReq: approvalReq,
+                onUnreachable: {
+                    waker.start(
+                        host: host, connectsAfter: true, macs: host.wakeMacs, lastIP: host.address,
+                        isOnline: { discovery.advertises(host) }, onOnline: go)
+                })
         } else {
             go()
         }
@@ -437,10 +447,12 @@ struct ContentView: View {
 
     /// The actual dial — reached directly when the host is awake, or from the waker once a woken
     /// host is back online. `prepareWake` still runs here to LEARN/refresh the MAC now that the host
-    /// is advertising (and is a harmless no-op otherwise).
+    /// is advertising (and is a harmless no-op otherwise). `onUnreachable` hands a plain connect
+    /// failure back to the caller (the wake-wait fallback) instead of the error alert.
     private func startSessionDirect(
         _ host: StoredHost, launchID: String? = nil,
-        allowTofu: Bool, requestAccess: Bool = false, approvalReq: ApprovalRequest? = nil
+        allowTofu: Bool, requestAccess: Bool = false, approvalReq: ApprovalRequest? = nil,
+        onUnreachable: (@MainActor () -> Void)? = nil
     ) {
         prepareWake(for: host)
         // The delegated-approval wait prompt only makes sense once we're actually dialing — set it
@@ -461,7 +473,8 @@ struct ContentView: View {
             preferredCodec: preferredCodecByte,
             launchID: launchID,
             allowTofu: allowTofu,
-            requestAccess: requestAccess)
+            requestAccess: requestAccess,
+            onUnreachable: onUnreachable)
     }
 
     /// Learn-while-awake, wake-while-asleep — run just before every connect:

clients/apple/Sources/PunktfunkClient/Session/SessionModel.swift

@@ -135,6 +135,10 @@ final class SessionModel: ObservableObject {
     /// successful connect streams directly (the approval IS the trust decision) — the caller pins
     /// the observed fingerprint as paired. `host.pinnedSHA256`, when set, pins the advertised cert
     /// for the wait; nil = trust-on-first-use.
+    /// `onUnreachable`, when set, replaces the "could not connect" alert for a plain connect
+    /// failure: the caller takes over recovery (the Wake-on-LAN wait for a host that stopped
+    /// advertising). It never fires for the delegated-approval path, whose failure text carries
+    /// its own instructions.
     func connect(to host: StoredHost, width: UInt32, height: UInt32, hz: UInt32,
                  compositor: PunktfunkConnection.Compositor = .auto,
                  gamepad: PunktfunkConnection.GamepadType = .auto,
@@ -145,7 +149,8 @@ final class SessionModel: ObservableObject {
                  launchID: String? = nil,
                  allowTofu: Bool = false,
                  autoTrust: Bool = false,
-                 requestAccess: Bool = false) {
+                 requestAccess: Bool = false,
+                 onUnreachable: (@MainActor () -> Void)? = nil) {
         guard phase == .idle else { return }
         phase = .connecting
         activeHost = host
@@ -241,7 +246,11 @@ final class SessionModel: ObservableObject {
                 case .failure:
                     self.phase = .idle
                     self.activeHost = nil
-                    if requestAccess {
+                    if let onUnreachable, !requestAccess {
+                        // The caller owns recovery (wake-and-retry) — no error alert here; its
+                        // own overlay explains what's happening.
+                        onUnreachable()
+                    } else if requestAccess {
                         // The delegated-approval connect ended without being admitted: the
                         // operator didn't approve it before the host's park window elapsed (or
                         // the host was unreachable).

clients/linux/src/app.rs

@@ -58,6 +58,11 @@ pub struct AppModel {
     hosts: Controller<HostsPage>,
     /// One session child at a time — connects while one runs are ignored.
     busy: bool,
+    /// Armed by [`AppMsg::WakeConnect`] (a dial to a host that isn't advertising but has a
+    /// known MAC): if THAT dial's child exits with a connect failure, `SessionExited` falls
+    /// back into the visible wake-and-wait instead of an error. Consumed on the next exit and
+    /// matched against the exiting request, so it can never redirect an unrelated failure.
+    wake_fallback: Option<ConnectRequest>,
     /// The request-access "waiting for approval" dialog, closed on the first child
     /// event. A shared slot (not a message): dialogs are main-thread GTK objects and
     /// `AppMsg` must stay `Send` for the session child's reader thread.
@@ -68,7 +73,9 @@ pub struct AppModel {
 pub enum AppMsg {
     /// The trust gate in front of every connect (rules 1–3, see `update`).
     Connect(ConnectRequest),
-    /// Wake an offline saved host, poll until it advertises, then `Connect`.
+    /// Connect to a saved host that isn't advertising but has a known MAC: fire a wake
+    /// packet and DIAL IMMEDIATELY (mDNS absence ≠ unreachable — routed/Tailscale hosts
+    /// never advertise here); only a failed dial falls into the visible wake-and-wait.
     WakeConnect(ConnectRequest),
     /// The SPAKE2 PIN ceremony dialog.
     Pair(ConnectRequest),
@@ -192,6 +199,7 @@ impl SimpleComponent for AppModel {
             gamepad: init.gamepad,
             hosts,
             busy: false,
+            wake_fallback: None,
             waiting: Rc::new(RefCell::new(None)),
         };
         install_actions(&model.window, &sender);
@@ -293,7 +301,15 @@ impl SimpleComponent for AppModel {
             }
             AppMsg::WakeConnect(req) => {
                 if !self.busy {
-                    crate::ui_trust::wake_and_connect(&self.window, &sender, req);
+                    // DIAL FIRST — no mDNS advert does NOT mean unreachable: a host reached over
+                    // a routed network (Tailscale/VPN/another subnet) is mDNS-blind forever, and
+                    // gating the dial on presence bricked exactly those reconnects. Fire the magic
+                    // packet now (fire-and-forget — harmless if it's awake) so a genuinely-asleep
+                    // box is already booting while the dial times out, arm the wake-wait fallback
+                    // for THIS request, and connect immediately.
+                    crate::wol::wake(&req.mac, req.addr.parse().ok());
+                    self.wake_fallback = Some(req.clone());
+                    sender.input(AppMsg::Connect(req));
                 }
             }
             AppMsg::Pair(req) => {
@@ -365,11 +381,23 @@ impl SimpleComponent for AppModel {
                 self.close_waiting();
                 self.busy = false;
                 self.hosts.emit(HostsMsg::SetConnecting(None));
+                // The dial-first wake fallback (armed by `WakeConnect`, consumed on every exit):
+                // a failed dial to the non-advertising host it was armed for falls into the
+                // visible wake-and-wait instead of an error alert. Matched by fingerprint (else
+                // address) so a stale armed request can never redirect another host's failure.
+                let wake_fb =
+                    self.wake_fallback
+                        .take()
+                        .filter(|fb| match (&fb.fp_hex, &req.fp_hex) {
+                            (Some(a), Some(b)) => a == b,
+                            _ => fb.addr == req.addr && fb.port == req.port,
+                        });
                 match (code, error, ended) {
                     (0, _, None) => {} // clean end — back on the hosts page, no noise
                     (0, _, Some(reason)) => self.hosts.emit(HostsMsg::ShowError(reason)),
                     (_, Some((_, true)), _) if !tofu => {
-                        // The stored pin no longer matches (rotated cert or impostor).
+                        // The stored pin no longer matches (rotated cert or impostor). The host
+                        // ANSWERED — never the wake fallback.
                         self.toast("Host fingerprint changed — re-pair with a PIN to continue");
                         crate::ui_trust::pin_dialog(
                             &self.window,
@@ -378,10 +406,18 @@ impl SimpleComponent for AppModel {
                             req,
                         );
                     }
+                    // A fingerprint mismatch means the host ANSWERED — reachable, so the plain
+                    // error arms below handle it; only a genuine connect failure wakes.
+                    (_, Some((_, false)), _) if wake_fb.is_some() => {
+                        crate::ui_trust::wake_and_connect(&self.window, &sender, req)
+                    }
                     (_, Some((msg, _)), _) => self
                         .hosts
                         .emit(HostsMsg::ShowError(format!("Couldn't connect — {msg}"))),
                     (-1, None, _) => {} // killed (request-access cancel) — already handled
+                    (_, None, _) if wake_fb.is_some() => {
+                        crate::ui_trust::wake_and_connect(&self.window, &sender, req)
+                    }
                     (code, None, _) => self.hosts.emit(HostsMsg::ShowError(format!(
                         "Stream session failed (punktfunk-session exit {code})"
                     ))),

clients/linux/src/ui_hosts.rs

@@ -306,7 +306,9 @@ impl relm4::factory::FactoryComponent for HostCard {
                 }
                 overlay.add_controller(right_click);
 
-                // Auto-wake: offline + a known MAC routes to wake-and-wait.
+                // Auto-wake: not advertising + a known MAC routes to WakeConnect, which
+                // dials first (a routed/Tailscale host is mDNS-blind, not asleep) and only
+                // falls into the wake-and-wait when the dial fails.
                 let wake_first = !online && !req.mac.is_empty();
                 let sender = sender.clone();
                 returned.connect_activate(move |_| {

clients/linux/src/ui_trust.rs

@@ -11,11 +11,12 @@ use adw::prelude::*;
 use gtk::glib;
 use relm4::prelude::*;
 
-/// Wake-and-wait: an **offline** saved host with a known MAC is sent a magic packet,
+/// Wake-and-wait: the FALLBACK after a failed dial to a non-advertising saved host with a
-/// then we poll mDNS until it comes back online — re-sending every few seconds up to a
+/// known MAC (`AppMsg::WakeConnect` dials first — mDNS absence ≠ unreachable). The host is
-/// timeout — and route back into the trust gate, **re-keying the saved record if the
+/// sent a magic packet, then we poll mDNS until it comes back online — re-sending every few
-/// host woke on a new DHCP IP** (matched by fingerprint). A "Waking…" dialog lets the
+/// seconds up to a timeout — and route back into the trust gate, **re-keying the saved
-/// user cancel. Mirrors the Apple/Android `HostWaker` (90 s budget, resend every 6 s).
+/// record if the host woke on a new DHCP IP** (matched by fingerprint). A "Waking…" dialog
+/// lets the user cancel. Mirrors the Apple/Android `HostWaker` (90 s budget, resend every 6 s).
 pub fn wake_and_connect(
     window: &adw::ApplicationWindow,
     sender: &ComponentSender<AppModel>,

clients/windows/src/app/connect.rs

@@ -23,6 +23,32 @@ pub(crate) fn initiate(
     target: Target,
     set_screen: &AsyncSetState<Screen>,
     set_status: &AsyncSetState<String>,
+) {
+    initiate_opts(ctx, target, set_screen, set_status, false)
+}
+
+/// Dial-first for a saved host that isn't advertising but has a known MAC: fire the magic packet
+/// now (fire-and-forget — harmless if it's awake, and a genuinely-asleep box is already booting
+/// while the dial times out) and dial IMMEDIATELY. mDNS absence does NOT mean unreachable — a
+/// host reached over a routed network (Tailscale/VPN/another subnet) is mDNS-blind forever, and
+/// gating the dial on presence bricked exactly those reconnects. Only a failed dial falls into
+/// the visible [`wake_and_connect`] wait.
+pub(crate) fn initiate_waking(
+    ctx: &Arc<AppCtx>,
+    target: Target,
+    set_screen: &AsyncSetState<Screen>,
+    set_status: &AsyncSetState<String>,
+) {
+    crate::wol::wake(&target.mac, target.addr.parse().ok());
+    initiate_opts(ctx, target, set_screen, set_status, true)
+}
+
+fn initiate_opts(
+    ctx: &Arc<AppCtx>,
+    target: Target,
+    set_screen: &AsyncSetState<Screen>,
+    set_status: &AsyncSetState<String>,
+    wake_on_fail: bool,
 ) {
     let known = KnownHosts::load();
     let pin = target
@@ -36,10 +62,14 @@ pub(crate) fn initiate(
         })
         .and_then(|fp| trust::parse_hex32(&fp));
 
+    let opts = ConnectOpts {
+        wake_on_fail,
+        ..ConnectOpts::default()
+    };
     if let Some(pin) = pin {
-        connect(ctx, &target, Some(pin), set_screen, set_status);
+        connect_with(ctx, &target, Some(pin), set_screen, set_status, opts);
     } else if target.pair_optional {
-        connect(ctx, &target, None, set_screen, set_status); // TOFU
+        connect_with(ctx, &target, None, set_screen, set_status, opts); // TOFU
     } else {
         *ctx.shared.target.lock().unwrap() = target;
         set_screen.call(Screen::Pair);
@@ -141,6 +171,13 @@ pub(crate) struct ConnectOpts {
     /// silently when the parked connect finally resolves — without touching a screen a new
     /// session may already own.
     cancel: Option<Arc<AtomicBool>>,
+    /// Fall into the Wake-on-LAN wait ([`wake_and_connect`]) when THIS dial fails with a plain
+    /// connect failure (not a trust rejection). Set by the dial-first path for a saved host that
+    /// isn't advertising but has a known MAC — the dial is attempted unconditionally (mDNS
+    /// absence ≠ unreachable: routed/Tailscale hosts never advertise here), and only a real
+    /// failure escalates to the visible "Waking…" wait. The wait's own redial clears the flag,
+    /// so it can't loop.
+    wake_on_fail: bool,
 }
 
 impl Default for ConnectOpts {
@@ -150,6 +187,7 @@ impl Default for ConnectOpts {
             persist_paired: false,
             awaiting_approval: false,
             cancel: None,
+            wake_on_fail: false,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -210,6 +248,8 @@ fn connect_with(
     let tofu = pin.is_none();
     let persist_paired = opts.persist_paired;
     let cancel = opts.cancel;
+    let wake_on_fail = opts.wake_on_fail;
+    let ctx = ctx.clone();
     let (shared, gamepad) = (ctx.shared.clone(), ctx.gamepad.clone());
     let (ss, st) = (set_screen.clone(), set_status.clone());
     let target = target.clone();
@@ -264,8 +304,14 @@ fn connect_with(
                 gamepad.detach();
                 if trust_rejected {
                     // Pinned-fingerprint mismatch / pairing required → re-pair via the PIN screen.
+                    // The host ANSWERED, so this never takes the wake fallback.
                     *shared.target.lock().unwrap() = target.clone();
                     ss.call(Screen::Pair);
+                } else if wake_on_fail {
+                    // The dial-first attempt to a non-advertising host failed — it may genuinely
+                    // be asleep. NOW wake and wait (its resolved redial uses default opts, so a
+                    // second failure lands on the host list, not back here).
+                    wake_and_connect(&ctx, target.clone(), &ss, &st);
                 } else {
                     ss.call(Screen::Hosts);
                 }
@@ -310,17 +356,19 @@ pub(crate) fn request_access(props: &Svc, target: &Target) {
             persist_paired: true,
             awaiting_approval: true,
             cancel: Some(cancel),
+            wake_on_fail: false,
         },
     );
 }
 
-/// The Wake-on-LAN "wait until up" flow (mirrors the Apple `HostWaker`): the tapped saved host is
+/// The Wake-on-LAN "wait until up" flow (mirrors the Apple `HostWaker`): the FALLBACK after a
-/// offline but has a MAC, so send a magic packet, show a cancelable "Waking…" screen, and POLL mDNS
+/// failed dial-first attempt ([`initiate_waking`]) to a non-advertising saved host with a MAC.
-/// for the host to reappear — re-sending the packet periodically — on a bounded deadline. A cold box
+/// Send a magic packet, show a cancelable "Waking…" screen, and POLL mDNS for the host to
-/// takes far longer to POST/boot/re-advertise than a connect attempt will sit, so we can't just
+/// reappear — re-sending the packet periodically — on a bounded deadline (a cold box takes far
-/// fire-and-dial. On reappearance we dial it (re-keying the saved host when it came back on a new
+/// longer to POST/boot/re-advertise than a connect attempt will sit). On reappearance we dial it
-/// IP); on timeout or Cancel we return to the host list.
+/// (re-keying the saved host when it came back on a new IP); on timeout or Cancel we return to
-pub(crate) fn wake_and_connect(
+/// the host list.
+fn wake_and_connect(
     ctx: &Arc<AppCtx>,
     target: Target,
     set_screen: &AsyncSetState<Screen>,

clients/windows/src/app/hosts.rs

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 //! tiles in a responsive grid, with a per-host "…" menu (connect / speed test / rename /
 //! forget) and a manual connect entry — the same card layout as the Linux and Apple clients.
 
-use super::connect::{initiate, wake_and_connect};
+use super::connect::{initiate, initiate_waking};
 use super::speed::SpeedState;
 use super::style::*;
 use super::{Screen, Svc, Target};
@@ -390,11 +390,12 @@ pub(crate) fn hosts_page(props: &HostsProps, cx: &mut RenderCx) -> Element {
                 ),
                 Some(menu),
                 Some(Box::new(move || {
-                    // Offline saved host with a known MAC: wake it and WAIT for it to reappear on
+                    // Saved host with a known MAC that isn't advertising: fire a wake packet and
-                    // the network (re-sending periodically) before dialing — a cold box boots far
+                    // DIAL IMMEDIATELY — mDNS absence ≠ unreachable (a routed/Tailscale host never
-                    // slower than a connect will sit. An online host dials straight away.
+                    // advertises here); only a failed dial falls into the "Waking…" wait. An
+                    // online host dials straight away.
                     if can_wake {
-                        wake_and_connect(&ctx2, target.clone(), &ss, &st);
+                        initiate_waking(&ctx2, target.clone(), &ss, &st);
                     } else {
                         initiate(&ctx2, target.clone(), &ss, &st);
                     }