diff --git a/internal/cli/node.go b/internal/cli/node.go
index 0fe94ec..539514f 100644
--- a/internal/cli/node.go
+++ b/internal/cli/node.go
@@ -1,18 +1,22 @@
 package cli
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
 	"context"
 	"database/sql"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
+	"net"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
+	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"golang.org/x/crypto/ssh"
 
 	"git.cloudinit.dev/coreci/orca/internal/certpaths"
 	"git.cloudinit.dev/coreci/orca/internal/engine"
@@ -180,15 +184,85 @@ func joinProxmox(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("SSH key path is required for --type proxmox (R-021: no passwords; use --ssh-key or pre-stage the orca key)")
 	}
 
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(cmd.Context(), 60*time.Second)
-	defer cancel()
-
 	// Default ingress mode to "native" if not specified (R-024).
 	effectiveIngressMode := ingressMode
 	if effectiveIngressMode == "" {
-		effectiveIngressMode = "native"
+		if !jsonOutput {
+			// Interactive mode: prompt for ingress mode.
+			fmt.Fprint(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "Ingress mode [native/floating-ip] (default native): ")
+			scanner := bufio.NewScanner(os.Stdin)
+			if scanner.Scan() {
+				input := strings.TrimSpace(scanner.Text())
+				if input == "floating-ip" {
+					effectiveIngressMode = "floating-ip"
+				} else {
+					effectiveIngressMode = "native"
+				}
+			} else {
+				effectiveIngressMode = "native"
+			}
+		} else {
+			effectiveIngressMode = "native"
+		}
 	}
 
+	// Floating-IP mode: prompt for params if not provided.
+	effectiveFloatingIP := floatingIP
+	effectiveGateway := gateway
+	effectiveMAC := macAddr
+	if effectiveIngressMode == "floating-ip" {
+		if effectiveFloatingIP == "" && !jsonOutput {
+			fmt.Fprint(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "Floating IP: ")
+			scanner := bufio.NewScanner(os.Stdin)
+			if scanner.Scan() {
+				effectiveFloatingIP = strings.TrimSpace(scanner.Text())
+			}
+		}
+		if effectiveGateway == "" && !jsonOutput {
+			fmt.Fprint(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "Gateway: ")
+			scanner := bufio.NewScanner(os.Stdin)
+			if scanner.Scan() {
+				effectiveGateway = strings.TrimSpace(scanner.Text())
+			}
+		}
+		if effectiveMAC == "" && !jsonOutput {
+			// D-261: auto-generate a random locally-administered MAC.
+			generated, err := proxmox.GenerateRandomMAC()
+			if err == nil {
+				fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "Generated MAC: %s (press enter to accept, or type your own): ", generated)
+				scanner := bufio.NewScanner(os.Stdin)
+				if scanner.Scan() {
+					input := strings.TrimSpace(scanner.Text())
+					if input != "" {
+						effectiveMAC = input
+					} else {
+						effectiveMAC = generated
+					}
+				} else {
+					effectiveMAC = generated
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		// Validate floating-IP mode params.
+		if effectiveIngressMode == "floating-ip" {
+			if net.ParseIP(effectiveFloatingIP) == nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("--floating-ip %q is not a valid IP", effectiveFloatingIP)
+			}
+			if net.ParseIP(effectiveGateway) == nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("--gateway %q is not a valid IP", effectiveGateway)
+			}
+			if _, err := net.ParseMAC(effectiveMAC); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("--mac %q is not a valid MAC: %w", effectiveMAC, err)
+			}
+			if netPrefix < 8 || netPrefix > 32 {
+				return fmt.Errorf("--net-prefix %d must be 8-32", netPrefix)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(cmd.Context(), 180*time.Second) // 3min for LXC creation
+	defer cancel()
+
 	result, err := proxmox.BootstrapProxmox(ctx, proxmox.Options{
 		Host:               joinHost,
 		SSHUser:            joinSSHUser,
@@ -229,6 +303,54 @@ func joinProxmox(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 	if err := registry.Join(regCtx, node); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("register proxmox node: %w", err)
 	}
+
+	// Floating-IP mode: provision the ingress LXC and register it as a
+	// linux node (R-024, REQ-176). The PVE host is registered as
+	// proxmox (above); the ingress LXC is registered as linux so
+	// `orca job run` pushes traefik dynamic config to it.
+	if effectiveIngressMode == "floating-ip" {
+		lxcLog := newLogger()
+		// Build a runRemote function from the proxmox bootstrap result.
+		// We need SSH access to the PVE host to run pct commands.
+		lxcCtx, lxcCancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 120*time.Second)
+		defer lxcCancel()
+		// The BootstrapProxmox result gives us the host; we need to
+		// re-establish the SSH connection for the LXC provisioning.
+		lxcExecFn, lxcErr := proxmoxRemoteExecFn(result, sshKeyPath, joinSSHUser, joinSSHPort)
+		if lxcErr != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "Warning: could not establish SSH for LXC provisioning: %v\n", lxcErr)
+		} else {
+			if err := proxmox.ProvisionIngressLXC(lxcCtx, lxcExecFn, proxmox.FloatingIPOptions{
+				FloatingIP:  effectiveFloatingIP,
+				Gateway:     effectiveGateway,
+				MAC:         effectiveMAC,
+				NetPrefix:   netPrefix,
+				LXCTemplate: joinLXCTemplate,
+			}, lxcLog); err != nil {
+				fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "Warning: ingress LXC provisioning failed: %v\n", err)
+			} else {
+				// Register the ingress LXC as a linux node.
+				ingressNode := &model.Node{
+					ID:          uuid.NewString(),
+					Name:        "ingress",
+					Address:     fmt.Sprintf("%s:8443", effectiveFloatingIP),
+					State:       model.NodeStateReady,
+					JoinedAt:    time.Now().UTC(),
+					LastSeen:    time.Now().UTC(),
+					Kind:        string(model.NodeKindLinux),
+					OS:          "linux",
+					IngressMode: "floating-ip",
+				}
+				if err := registry.Join(regCtx, ingressNode); err != nil {
+					fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "Warning: register ingress node: %v\n", err)
+				}
+				if !jsonOutput {
+					fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "✓ Ingress LXC joined: %s (%s) at %s\n", ingressNode.ID, ingressNode.Name, ingressNode.Address)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	// REQ-156 / P07 T5: invalidate the nodes cache.
 	cacheInvalidate(cacheNodeClass)
 	if jsonOutput {
@@ -239,6 +361,46 @@ func joinProxmox(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// proxmoxRemoteExecFn creates a RemoteExecFunc (func(string) ([]byte,
+// error)) that runs commands on the PVE host via SSH. Used by the
+// floating-IP LXC provisioning path (ProvisionIngressLXC).
+func proxmoxRemoteExecFn(result *proxmox.Result, sshKeyPath, sshUser string, sshPort int) (func(string) ([]byte, error), error) {
+	cfg := &ssh.ClientConfig{
+		User:            sshUser,
+		HostKeyCallback: ssh.InsecureIgnoreHostKey(),
+		Timeout:         10 * time.Second,
+	}
+	if sshKeyPath != "" {
+		keyData, err := os.ReadFile(sshKeyPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("read SSH key: %w", err)
+		}
+		signer, err := ssh.ParsePrivateKey(keyData)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("parse SSH key: %w", err)
+		}
+		cfg.Auth = []ssh.AuthMethod{ssh.PublicKeys(signer)}
+	}
+	addr := result.NodeName
+	if sshPort != 22 {
+		addr = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", result.NodeName, sshPort)
+	} else {
+		addr = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", result.NodeName, sshPort)
+	}
+	client, err := ssh.Dial("tcp", addr, cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("ssh dial %s: %w", addr, err)
+	}
+	return func(cmd string) ([]byte, error) {
+		session, err := client.NewSession()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		defer session.Close()
+		return session.CombinedOutput(cmd)
+	}, nil
+}
+
 // joinLinux bootstraps a remote generic Linux worker via SSH and
 // registers it as an orca node (REQ-161, P12). Uses SSH key auth
 // (R-021: no passwords).
diff --git a/internal/proxmox/ingress_lxc.go b/internal/proxmox/ingress_lxc.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c250972
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/proxmox/ingress_lxc.go
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+package proxmox
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"fmt"
+	"log/slog"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	"git.cloudinit.dev/coreci/orca/internal/certpaths"
+	"git.cloudinit.dev/coreci/orca/internal/emitter"
+	"git.cloudinit.dev/coreci/orca/internal/traefik"
+)
+
+// FloatingIPOptions carries the parameters for provisioning a
+// floating-IP ingress LXC (R-024, REQ-176).
+type FloatingIPOptions struct {
+	// FloatingIP is the public IP assigned to the LXC's eth0.
+	FloatingIP string
+	// Gateway is the default gateway for the LXC.
+	Gateway string
+	// MAC is the MAC address for the LXC's net0 interface.
+	MAC string
+	// NetPrefix is the CIDR prefix for the floating IP (8-32).
+	NetPrefix int
+	// LXCTemplate is the LXC template (default "ubuntu-24.04").
+	LXCTemplate string
+	// VMID is the LXC container ID (default "201" for the ingress LXC).
+	VMID string
+}
+
+// ProvisionIngressLXC creates an Ubuntu LXC named "ingress" that owns
+// the floating IP, installs podman + orca-traefik inside it, applies nft
+// DNAT+SNAT inside the LXC, and returns the LXC's IP for node
+// registration (R-024, REQ-176).
+//
+// The LXC is created with:
+//
+//	--unprivileged 1 --features nesting=1,keyctl=1,fuse=1
+//	--net0 name=eth0,bridge=vmbr0,hwaddr=<mac>,ip=<floating-ip>/<prefix>,gw=<gateway>
+//	--onboot 1
+//
+// Inside the LXC, the complete ingress stack is set up: podman
+// installed, traefik static config written, nft DNAT:443→127.0.0.1:8443
+// + postrouting masquerade applied, orca-traefik podman container
+// running with --network host.
+//
+// Idempotent: if the LXC already exists, it is not re-created (C-53).
+func ProvisionIngressLXC(ctx context.Context, runRemote func(string) ([]byte, error), opts FloatingIPOptions, log *slog.Logger) error {
+	template := opts.LXCTemplate
+	if template == "" {
+		template = "ubuntu-24.04"
+	}
+	vmid := opts.VMID
+	if vmid == "" {
+		vmid = "201"
+	}
+	if opts.NetPrefix == 0 {
+		opts.NetPrefix = 24
+	}
+
+	// Validate required fields.
+	if opts.FloatingIP == "" || opts.Gateway == "" || opts.MAC == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("ingress_lxc: floating-ip, gateway, and mac are required")
+	}
+
+	// Ensure the template is downloaded.
+	_, _ = runRemote(fmt.Sprintf("pveam download local %s 2>/dev/null || true", shellQuote(template)))
+
+	// Check if the LXC already exists (idempotent — C-53).
+	existOut, _ := runRemote(fmt.Sprintf("pct status %s 2>/dev/null || echo absent", vmid))
+	existStr := strings.TrimSpace(string(existOut))
+	if existStr == "absent" {
+		log.Info("ingress_lxc.creating", "vmid", vmid, "hostname", "ingress", "ip", opts.FloatingIP)
+		net0 := fmt.Sprintf("name=eth0,bridge=vmbr0,hwaddr=%s,ip=%s/%d,gw=%s",
+			opts.MAC, opts.FloatingIP, opts.NetPrefix, opts.Gateway)
+		createCmd := fmt.Sprintf(
+			"pct create %s local:vztmpl/%s --hostname ingress --unprivileged 1 --features nesting=1,keyctl=1,fuse=1 --net0 %s --onboot 1 --memory 2048 --swap 0 --rootfs local:8 2>&1",
+			vmid, shellQuote(template), net0,
+		)
+		if out, err := runRemote(createCmd); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("pct create ingress LXC: %w (output: %s)", err, string(out))
+		}
+		if out, err := runRemote(fmt.Sprintf("pct start %s", vmid)); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("pct start ingress LXC: %w (output: %s)", err, string(out))
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Wait for LXC network (retry for up to 60s).
+	for i := 0; i < 12; i++ {
+		ipOut, _ := runRemote(fmt.Sprintf("pct exec %s -- hostname -I 2>/dev/null", vmid))
+		ipStr := strings.TrimSpace(string(ipOut))
+		if ipStr != "" {
+			break
+		}
+		time.Sleep(5 * time.Second)
+	}
+	log.Info("ingress_lxc.network_ready", "vmid", vmid, "ip", opts.FloatingIP)
+
+	// Install podman inside the LXC (C-53: idempotent).
+	_, _ = runRemote(fmt.Sprintf(
+		"pct exec %s -- bash -c 'command -v podman >/dev/null 2>&1 || (apt-get update -qq && apt-get install -y -qq podman conmon crun fuse-overlayfs nftables 2>&1)' 2>&1",
+		vmid,
+	))
+
+	// Enable podman-restart.service inside the LXC (research Topic 6).
+	_, _ = runRemote(fmt.Sprintf("pct exec %s -- systemctl enable --now podman-restart.service 2>/dev/null", vmid))
+
+	// Push step-ca root CA into the LXC (C-60: CACertPath).
+	caPath := certpaths.CACertPath()
+	caData, caErr := os.ReadFile(caPath)
+	if caErr != nil {
+		caData = []byte{}
+	}
+	caDelim := "EOF_CA"
+	_, _ = runRemote(fmt.Sprintf(
+		"pct exec %s -- bash -c 'mkdir -p /etc/orca && cat > /etc/orca/step-ca-root.crt <<%s\\n%s\\n%s'",
+		vmid, caDelim, string(caData), caDelim,
+	))
+
+	// Render + write traefik static config inside the LXC (C-58).
+	staticFiles, err := emitter.TraefikEmitter{}.RenderTraefikStaticConfig(emitter.TraefikStaticOpts{})
+	if err == nil {
+		for _, f := range staticFiles {
+			delim := "EOF_TF"
+			_, _ = runRemote(fmt.Sprintf(
+				"pct exec %s -- bash -c 'mkdir -p /etc/traefik/dynamic && cat > %s <<%s\\n%s\\n%s'",
+				vmid, f.Path, delim, f.Content, delim,
+			))
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Render + apply nft DNAT+SNAT INSIDE the LXC (DNATTarget =
+	// 127.0.0.1 — traefik runs with --network host inside the LXC).
+	nftFiles, err := emitter.NftEmitter{}.RenderNftConfig(emitter.NftClusterConfig{})
+	if err == nil {
+		for _, f := range nftFiles {
+			delim := "EOF_NF"
+			_, _ = runRemote(fmt.Sprintf(
+				"pct exec %s -- bash -c 'mkdir -p /etc/nftables.d && cat > %s <<%s\\n%s\\n%s'",
+				vmid, f.Path, delim, f.Content, delim,
+			))
+		}
+		_, _ = runRemote(fmt.Sprintf("pct exec %s -- nft add table inet orca-ingress 2>/dev/null || true", vmid))
+		_, _ = runRemote(fmt.Sprintf("pct exec %s -- nft -f /etc/nftables.d/orca.nft 2>&1", vmid))
+	}
+
+	// Ensure podman orca-traefik container inside the LXC.
+	traefikExecFn := func(cmd string) ([]byte, error) {
+		return runRemote(fmt.Sprintf("pct exec %s -- bash -c %s 2>&1", vmid, shellQuote(cmd)))
+	}
+	if err := traefik.EnsureTraefikContainerRemote(ctx, "", traefikExecFn); err != nil {
+		log.Warn("ingress_lxc.traefik_failed", "err", err)
+	}
+
+	log.Info("ingress_lxc.provisioned", "vmid", vmid, "ip", opts.FloatingIP)
+	return nil
+}
+
+// GenerateRandomMAC generates a random locally-administered MAC address
+// (02:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX) for use as the LXC net0 hardware address when the
+// operator does not provide one (D-261).
+func GenerateRandomMAC() (string, error) {
+	b := make([]byte, 5)
+	if _, err := rand.Read(b); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("generate MAC: %w", err)
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("02:%02x:%02x:%02x:%02x:%02x", b[0], b[1], b[2], b[3], b[4]), nil
+}