diff --git a/frontend-modern/src/components/Settings/NodeModal.tsx b/frontend-modern/src/components/Settings/NodeModal.tsx
index 05ce315..1e86b99 100644
--- a/frontend-modern/src/components/Settings/NodeModal.tsx
+++ b/frontend-modern/src/components/Settings/NodeModal.tsx
@@ -26,6 +26,25 @@ interface NodeModalProps {
   securityStatus?: Partial<SecurityStatus>;
 }
 
+const deriveNameFromHost = (host: string): string => {
+  let value = host.trim();
+  if (!value) {
+    return '';
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const url = value.includes('://') ? new URL(value) : new URL(`https://${value}`);
+    value = url.hostname || value;
+  } catch {
+    value = value.replace(/^https?:\/\//, '');
+  }
+
+  value = value.replace(/\/.*$/, '').replace(/^\[(.*)\]$/, '$1');
+  value = value.replace(/\s+/g, '-');
+
+  return value;
+};
+
 export const NodeModal: Component<NodeModalProps> = (props) => {
   const [testResult, setTestResult] = createSignal<{
     status: string;
@@ -136,7 +155,7 @@ export const NodeModal: Component<NodeModalProps> = (props) => {
         verifySSL: node.verifySSL ?? true,
         monitorPhysicalDisks:
           node.type === 'pve'
-            ? (node as NodeConfig & { monitorPhysicalDisks?: boolean }).monitorPhysicalDisks ?? false
+            ? (node as NodeConfig & { monitorPhysicalDisks?: boolean }).monitorPhysicalDisks ?? true
             : false,
         monitorMailStats: pmgConfig?.monitorMailStats ?? true,
         monitorQueues: pmgConfig?.monitorQueues ?? true,
@@ -150,10 +169,20 @@ export const NodeModal: Component<NodeModalProps> = (props) => {
     e.preventDefault();
     const data = formData();
 
+    const normalizedName = data.name.trim() || deriveNameFromHost(data.host);
+    if (!normalizedName) {
+      showError('Node name is required');
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (normalizedName !== data.name) {
+      setFormData((prev) => ({ ...prev, name: normalizedName }));
+    }
+
     // Prepare data based on auth type
     const nodeData: Partial<NodeConfig> = {
       type: props.nodeType,
-      name: data.name || '', // Will be auto-generated by backend if empty
+      name: normalizedName,
       host: data.host,
       fingerprint: data.fingerprint,
       verifySSL: data.verifySSL,
@@ -202,10 +231,24 @@ export const NodeModal: Component<NodeModalProps> = (props) => {
   };
 
   const updateField = (field: string, value: string | boolean) => {
-    setFormData((prev) => ({ ...prev, [field]: value }));
-    if (field === 'host') {
+    if (field === 'host' && typeof value === 'string') {
+      setFormData((prev) => {
+        const next = { ...prev, host: value };
+        const derivedName = deriveNameFromHost(value);
+        const previousDerivedName = deriveNameFromHost(prev.host || '');
+        const shouldAutoUpdate =
+          !prev.name.trim() || (previousDerivedName && prev.name === previousDerivedName);
+        if (derivedName && shouldAutoUpdate) {
+          next.name = derivedName;
+        }
+        return next;
+      });
       setQuickSetupCommand('');
+      return;
     }
+
+    setFormData((prev) => ({ ...prev, [field]: value }));
+
     if (field === 'setupMode' && value !== 'auto') {
       setQuickSetupCommand('');
     }
@@ -213,6 +256,11 @@ export const NodeModal: Component<NodeModalProps> = (props) => {
 
   const handleTestConnection = async () => {
     const data = formData();
+    const normalizedName = data.name.trim() || deriveNameFromHost(data.host);
+
+    if (!data.name.trim() && normalizedName) {
+      setFormData((prev) => ({ ...prev, name: normalizedName }));
+    }
 
     // If editing an existing node and no new credentials provided, use stored credentials
     if (props.editingNode) {
@@ -267,7 +315,7 @@ export const NodeModal: Component<NodeModalProps> = (props) => {
     // Prepare test data
     const testData: Partial<NodeConfig> = {
       type: props.nodeType,
-      name: data.name || '', // Will be auto-generated by backend if empty
+      name: normalizedName || '',
       host: data.host,
       fingerprint: data.fingerprint,
       verifySSL: data.verifySSL,
@@ -369,15 +417,19 @@ export const NodeModal: Component<NodeModalProps> = (props) => {
                     <div class="grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 md:grid-cols-2">
                       <div class={formField}>
                         <label class={labelClass('flex items-center gap-2')}>
-                          Node Name <span class="text-xs text-gray-500">(optional)</span>
+                          Node Name <span class="text-red-500">*</span>
                         </label>
                         <input
                           type="text"
                           value={formData().name}
                           onInput={(e) => updateField('name', e.currentTarget.value)}
-                          placeholder="Will auto-detect from hostname"
+                          placeholder="Pulse uses this label across dashboards"
+                          required
                           class={controlClass()}
                         />
+                        <p class={formHelpText}>
+                          Required and must be unique. We can auto-fill it from the Host URL if you leave it blank.
+                        </p>
                       </div>
 
                       <div class={formField}>