diff --git a/.devcontainer/scripts/load-devices.sh b/.devcontainer/scripts/load-devices.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..a9581ce5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.devcontainer/scripts/load-devices.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+REPO_ROOT="$(cd "${SCRIPT_DIR}/../.." && pwd)"
+if [ -n "${CSV_PATH:-}" ]; then
+  : # user provided CSV_PATH
+else
+  # Portable mktemp fallback: try GNU coreutils first, then busybox-style
+  if mktemp --version >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    CSV_PATH="$(mktemp --tmpdir netalertx-devices-XXXXXX.csv 2>/dev/null || mktemp /tmp/netalertx-devices-XXXXXX.csv)"
+  else
+    CSV_PATH="$(mktemp -t netalertx-devices.XXXXXX 2>/dev/null || mktemp /tmp/netalertx-devices-XXXXXX.csv)"
+  fi
+fi
+DEVICE_COUNT="${DEVICE_COUNT:-255}"
+SEED="${SEED:-20211}"
+NETWORK_CIDR="${NETWORK_CIDR:-192.168.50.0/22}"
+DB_DIR="${NETALERTX_DB:-/data/db}"
+DB_FILE="${DB_DIR%/}/app.db"
+
+# Ensure we are inside the devcontainer
+"${SCRIPT_DIR}/isDevContainer.sh" >/dev/null
+
+if [ ! -f "${DB_FILE}" ]; then
+  echo "[load-devices] Database not found at ${DB_FILE}. Is the devcontainer initialized?" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if ! command -v sqlite3 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "[load-devices] sqlite3 is required but not installed." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+if ! command -v python3 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "[load-devices] python3 is required but not installed." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+if ! command -v curl >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "[load-devices] curl is required but not installed." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Generate synthetic device inventory CSV
+python3 "${REPO_ROOT}/scripts/generate-device-inventory.py" \
+  --output "${CSV_PATH}" \
+  --devices "${DEVICE_COUNT}" \
+  --seed "${SEED}" \
+  --network "${NETWORK_CIDR}" >/dev/null
+
+echo "[load-devices] CSV generated at ${CSV_PATH} (devices=${DEVICE_COUNT}, seed=${SEED})"
+
+API_TOKEN="$(sqlite3 "${DB_FILE}" "SELECT setValue FROM Settings WHERE setKey='API_TOKEN';")"
+GRAPHQL_PORT="$(sqlite3 "${DB_FILE}" "SELECT setValue FROM Settings WHERE setKey='GRAPHQL_PORT';")"
+
+if [ -z "${API_TOKEN}" ] || [ -z "${GRAPHQL_PORT}" ]; then
+  echo "[load-devices] Failed to read API_TOKEN or GRAPHQL_PORT from ${DB_FILE}" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+IMPORT_URL="http://localhost:${GRAPHQL_PORT}/devices/import"
+
+HTTP_CODE=$(curl -sS -o /tmp/load-devices-response.json -w "%{http_code}" \
+  -X POST "${IMPORT_URL}" \
+  -H "Authorization: Bearer ${API_TOKEN}" \
+  -F "file=@${CSV_PATH}")
+
+if [ "${HTTP_CODE}" != "200" ]; then
+  echo "[load-devices] Import failed with HTTP ${HTTP_CODE}. Response:" >&2
+  cat /tmp/load-devices-response.json >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+# Fetch totals for a quick sanity check
+TOTALS=$(curl -sS -H "Authorization: Bearer ${API_TOKEN}" "http://localhost:${GRAPHQL_PORT}/devices/totals" || true)
+
+echo "[load-devices] Import succeeded (HTTP ${HTTP_CODE})."
+echo "[load-devices] Devices totals: ${TOTALS}"
+echo "[load-devices] Done. CSV kept at ${CSV_PATH}"
diff --git a/.vscode/tasks.json b/.vscode/tasks.json
index 8c676cc6..a193ddd8 100755
--- a/.vscode/tasks.json
+++ b/.vscode/tasks.json
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
         "showReuseMessage": false,
         "group": "POSIX Tasks"
       },
-      
       "problemMatcher": [],
       "group": {
         "kind": "build",
@@ -59,6 +58,31 @@
         "color": "terminal.ansiRed"
       }
     },
+    {
+      "label": "[Dev Container] Load Sample Devices",
+      "type": "shell",
+      "command": "./isDevContainer.sh || exit 1; ./load-devices.sh",
+      "detail": "Generates a synthetic device inventory and imports it into the devcontainer database via /devices/import.",
+      "options": {
+        "cwd": "/workspaces/NetAlertX/.devcontainer/scripts",
+        "env": {
+          "CSV_PATH": "/tmp/netalertx-devices.csv"
+        }
+      },
+      "presentation": {
+        "echo": true,
+        "reveal": "always",
+        "panel": "shared",
+        "showReuseMessage": false,
+        "clear": false,
+        "group": "Devcontainer"
+      },
+      "problemMatcher": [],
+      "icon": {
+        "id": "cloud-upload",
+        "color": "terminal.ansiYellow"
+      }
+    },
     {
       "label": "[Dev Container] Re-Run Startup Script",
       "type": "shell",
@@ -73,7 +97,6 @@
         "panel": "shared",
         "showReuseMessage": false
       },
-
       "problemMatcher": [],
       "icon": {
         "id": "beaker",
diff --git a/scripts/generate-device-inventory.py b/scripts/generate-device-inventory.py
index 62f7c4c7..e0f612cb 100644
--- a/scripts/generate-device-inventory.py
+++ b/scripts/generate-device-inventory.py
@@ -162,8 +162,9 @@ def build_row(
     now: dt.datetime,
 ) -> dict[str, str]:
     comments = "Synthetic device generated for testing."
-    first_seen = random_time(now)
-    last_seen = random_time(now)
+    t1 = random_time(now)
+    t2 = random_time(now)
+    first_seen, last_seen = (t1, t2) if t1 <= t2 else (t2, t1)
     fqdn = f"{name.lower().replace(' ', '-')}.{site}" if name else ""
 
     # Minimal fields set; missing ones default to empty string for CSV compatibility.
@@ -215,6 +216,7 @@ def generate_rows(args: argparse.Namespace, header: list[str]) -> list[dict[str,
 
     rows: list[dict[str, str]] = []
 
+    # Include one Internet root device that anchors the tree; it does not consume an IP.
     required_devices = 1 + args.switches + args.aps + args.devices
     if required_devices > len(ip_pool):
         raise ValueError(
@@ -227,6 +229,30 @@ def generate_rows(args: argparse.Namespace, header: list[str]) -> list[dict[str,
         ip_pool.remove(choice)
         return choice
 
+    # Root "Internet" device (no parent, no IP) so the topology has a defined root.
+    root_row = build_row(
+        name="Internet",
+        dev_type="Gateway",
+        vendor="NetAlertX",
+        mac="Internet",
+        parent_mac="",
+        ip="",
+        header=header,
+        owner=args.owner,
+        site=args.site,
+        ssid=args.ssid,
+        now=now,
+    )
+    root_row["devComments"] = "Synthetic root device representing the Internet."
+    root_row["devParentRelType"] = "Root"
+    root_row["devStaticIP"] = "0"
+    root_row["devScan"] = "0"
+    root_row["devAlertEvents"] = "0"
+    root_row["devAlertDown"] = "0"
+    root_row["devLogEvents"] = "0"
+    root_row["devPresentLastScan"] = "0"
+    rows.append(root_row)
+
     router_mac = random_mac(macs)
     router_ip = take_ip()
     rows.append(