diff --git a/web/src/App.vue b/web/src/App.vue
index 1c67fa4..6b8feaf 100644
--- a/web/src/App.vue
+++ b/web/src/App.vue
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import FocusModal from '@/components/FocusModal.vue'
 import FooterDisclaimer from '@/components/FooterDisclaimer.vue'
 import HeroHeadline from '@/components/HeroHeadline.vue'
 import LegendRow from '@/components/LegendRow.vue'
+import NodeTooltip from '@/components/NodeTooltip.vue'
 import PanelGrid from '@/components/PanelGrid.vue'
 import PlayerBar from '@/components/PlayerBar.vue'
 import ReachChart from '@/components/ReachChart.vue'
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ onMounted(async () => {
   </main>
   <FooterDisclaimer />
   <FocusModal v-if="store.state.focusPanelId" />
+  <NodeTooltip />
   <div class="visually-hidden" aria-live="polite">{{ store.state.announcement }}</div>
 </template>
 
diff --git a/web/src/components/NetworkView.vue b/web/src/components/NetworkView.vue
index 374912a..92be418 100644
--- a/web/src/components/NetworkView.vue
+++ b/web/src/components/NetworkView.vue
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
 import { computed } from 'vue'
 import { layoutForGraph, NETWORK_VIEW_HEIGHT, NETWORK_VIEW_WIDTH } from '@/composables/useLayout'
+import { useNodeHover } from '@/composables/useNodeHover'
 import { ROUND_MS } from '@/composables/usePlayback'
 import { useSimStore } from '@/composables/useSimStore'
 import { graphKey } from '@/lib/graph'
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ import type { PanelSpec } from '@/presets/types'
 const props = defineProps<{ panel: PanelSpec }>()
 
 const store = useSimStore()
+const { setHoveredNode, moveHoveredNode, clearHoveredNode } = useNodeHover()
 
 const effectiveConfig = computed(() => store.effectiveConfig(props.panel))
 const panelGraphKey = computed(() => graphKey(effectiveConfig.value))
@@ -52,6 +54,21 @@ function edgeEnd(edge: number[], side: 0 | 1) {
   return layout.value[edge[side] ?? 0] ?? { x: 0, y: 0 }
 }
 
+// The cross-panel echo (spec 5.5): the hovered student gets an ink ring
+// in every panel simultaneously, regardless of which panel is pointed at.
+const echoPoint = computed(() =>
+  store.state.hoveredNode !== null ? layout.value[store.state.hoveredNode] : undefined,
+)
+
+// A tap shows the tooltip without opening the focus modal; a mouse click
+// falls through to the surrounding zoom button (spec 5.5 vs 5.8).
+function onNodeClick(nodeIndex: number, event: MouseEvent) {
+  if (event instanceof PointerEvent && event.pointerType === 'touch') {
+    event.stopPropagation()
+    setHoveredNode(props.panel.id, nodeIndex, event)
+  }
+}
+
 // The fade-in spans the whole round interval (scaled with playback speed)
 // and each node starts at a small deterministic offset, so during playback
 // something is always in motion; there is never a finished still frame
@@ -116,6 +133,29 @@ function popDelay(nodeIndex: number): string {
       />
       <circle v-else :cx="node.x" :cy="node.y" r="3" fill="var(--unreached)" />
     </g>
+    <circle
+      v-if="echoPoint"
+      class="echo"
+      :cx="echoPoint.x"
+      :cy="echoPoint.y"
+      r="6.5"
+      fill="none"
+      stroke="var(--ink)"
+      stroke-width="2"
+    />
+    <!-- Transparent hit halos keep 4 px dots hoverable and tappable. -->
+    <circle
+      v-for="(point, nodeIndex) in layout"
+      :key="`hit-${nodeIndex}`"
+      :cx="point.x"
+      :cy="point.y"
+      r="12"
+      fill="transparent"
+      @pointerenter="setHoveredNode(panel.id, nodeIndex, $event)"
+      @pointermove="moveHoveredNode($event)"
+      @pointerleave="clearHoveredNode()"
+      @click="onNodeClick(nodeIndex, $event)"
+    />
   </svg>
 </template>
 
@@ -140,6 +180,10 @@ function popDelay(nodeIndex: number): string {
   }
 }
 
+.echo {
+  pointer-events: none;
+}
+
 /* Nodes reached this round fade and scale in across the full round
    interval (driven by --pop-ms), so playback reads as continuous motion.
    The global reduced-motion rule collapses this to a discrete swap. */
diff --git a/web/src/components/NodeTooltip.vue b/web/src/components/NodeTooltip.vue
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a59776d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/components/NodeTooltip.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+<script setup lang="ts">
+import { computed, onBeforeUnmount, onMounted } from 'vue'
+import { useNodeHover } from '@/composables/useNodeHover'
+import { useSimStore } from '@/composables/useSimStore'
+import { graphKey } from '@/lib/graph'
+
+// The single tooltip instance (spec 5.5): student number, state in the
+// hovered panel at the current round, and the student's degree. Pointer
+// only; the equivalent information lives in the ResultsTable. Dismissed
+// by pointerleave (NetworkView), tap elsewhere, or Esc.
+
+const store = useSimStore()
+const { hoverPosition, clearHoveredNode } = useNodeHover()
+
+const hoveredNode = computed(() => store.state.hoveredNode)
+const panel = computed(() =>
+  store.state.panels.find((candidate) => candidate.id === hoverPosition.panelId),
+)
+const active = computed(() => hoveredNode.value !== null && panel.value !== undefined)
+
+const stateText = computed(() => {
+  const node = hoveredNode.value
+  const hoveredPanel = panel.value
+  if (node === null || !hoveredPanel) return ''
+  const config = store.effectiveConfig(hoveredPanel)
+  const result = store.state.resultsByPanelId[hoveredPanel.id]
+  if (node === config.origin) return 'Origin, posted it'
+  if (!result) return ''
+  const reachedAt = result.reachedAtRound[node] ?? -1
+  const reachedNow = reachedAt >= 0 && reachedAt <= store.state.round
+  if (reachedNow) return `Forwarded in round ${reachedAt}`
+  if (result.educated.includes(node)) return 'Educated, refused'
+  return 'Not reached'
+})
+
+const friendsText = computed(() => {
+  const node = hoveredNode.value
+  const hoveredPanel = panel.value
+  if (node === null || !hoveredPanel) return ''
+  const edges = store.state.edgesByGraphHash[graphKey(store.effectiveConfig(hoveredPanel))] ?? []
+  const degree = edges.filter((edge) => edge[0] === node || edge[1] === node).length
+  return `${degree} ${degree === 1 ? 'friend' : 'friends'}`
+})
+
+const positionStyle = computed(() => ({
+  left: `${Math.min(hoverPosition.clientX + 14, window.innerWidth - 190)}px`,
+  top: `${Math.min(hoverPosition.clientY + 14, window.innerHeight - 90)}px`,
+}))
+
+function onKeydown(event: KeyboardEvent) {
+  if (event.key === 'Escape') clearHoveredNode()
+}
+
+onMounted(() => document.addEventListener('keydown', onKeydown))
+onBeforeUnmount(() => document.removeEventListener('keydown', onKeydown))
+</script>
+
+<template>
+  <Teleport to="body">
+    <div v-if="active" class="tooltip" :style="positionStyle" aria-hidden="true">
+      <strong>Student {{ hoveredNode }}</strong>
+      <span>{{ stateText }}</span>
+      <span class="friends">{{ friendsText }}</span>
+    </div>
+  </Teleport>
+</template>
+
+<style scoped>
+.tooltip {
+  position: fixed;
+  z-index: 50;
+  pointer-events: none;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 1px;
+  min-width: 130px;
+  background: var(--surface);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border);
+  border-radius: 10px;
+  box-shadow: var(--shadow-lift);
+  padding: 8px 11px;
+  font-size: 12.5px;
+  color: var(--ink-2);
+}
+
+strong {
+  font-size: 13px;
+  font-weight: 650;
+  color: var(--ink);
+}
+
+.friends {
+  color: var(--ink-4);
+}
+</style>
diff --git a/web/src/composables/useNodeHover.ts b/web/src/composables/useNodeHover.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c4bdb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/composables/useNodeHover.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import { reactive } from 'vue'
+import { useSimStore } from './useSimStore'
+
+// Node hover state (spec 5.5). The hovered student index lives in the sim
+// store so every panel can draw the cross-panel echo ring; the tooltip
+// additionally needs which panel is being pointed at and where.
+
+interface NodeHoverPosition {
+  panelId: string | null
+  clientX: number
+  clientY: number
+}
+
+const hoverPosition = reactive<NodeHoverPosition>({ panelId: null, clientX: 0, clientY: 0 })
+
+export function useNodeHover() {
+  const store = useSimStore()
+
+  function setHoveredNode(panelId: string, nodeIndex: number, event: MouseEvent) {
+    store.state.hoveredNode = nodeIndex
+    hoverPosition.panelId = panelId
+    hoverPosition.clientX = event.clientX
+    hoverPosition.clientY = event.clientY
+  }
+
+  function moveHoveredNode(event: MouseEvent) {
+    hoverPosition.clientX = event.clientX
+    hoverPosition.clientY = event.clientY
+  }
+
+  function clearHoveredNode() {
+    store.state.hoveredNode = null
+    hoverPosition.panelId = null
+  }
+
+  return { hoverPosition, setHoveredNode, moveHoveredNode, clearHoveredNode }
+}