diff --git a/app/components/IpPoolDetailSideModal.tsx b/app/components/IpPoolDetailSideModal.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7b74063fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/components/IpPoolDetailSideModal.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+/*
+ * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+ *
+ * Copyright Oxide Computer Company
+ */
+import { type IpPool } from '@oxide/api'
+import { IpGlobal16Icon } from '@oxide/design-system/icons/react'
+import { Badge } from '@oxide/design-system/ui'
+
+import { ReadOnlySideModalForm } from '~/components/form/ReadOnlySideModalForm'
+import { IpVersionBadge } from '~/components/IpVersionBadge'
+import { SideModalFormDocs } from '~/ui/lib/ModalLinks'
+import { PropertiesTable } from '~/ui/lib/PropertiesTable'
+import { ResourceLabel } from '~/ui/lib/SideModal'
+import { docLinks } from '~/util/links'
+
+type IpPoolDetailSideModalProps = {
+  pool: IpPool
+  onDismiss: () => void
+}
+
+export function IpPoolDetailSideModal({ pool, onDismiss }: IpPoolDetailSideModalProps) {
+  return (
+    <ReadOnlySideModalForm
+      title="IP pool details"
+      onDismiss={onDismiss}
+      animate
+      subtitle={
+        <ResourceLabel>
+          <IpGlobal16Icon /> {pool.name}
+        </ResourceLabel>
+      }
+    >
+      <PropertiesTable>
+        <PropertiesTable.IdRow id={pool.id} />
+        <PropertiesTable.DescriptionRow description={pool.description} sideModal />
+        <PropertiesTable.Row label="IP version">
+          <IpVersionBadge ipVersion={pool.ipVersion} />
+        </PropertiesTable.Row>
+        <PropertiesTable.Row label="Type">
+          <Badge color="neutral">{pool.poolType}</Badge>
+        </PropertiesTable.Row>
+        <PropertiesTable.DateRow label="Created" date={pool.timeCreated} />
+        <PropertiesTable.DateRow label="Last Modified" date={pool.timeModified} />
+      </PropertiesTable>
+      <SideModalFormDocs docs={[docLinks.systemIpPools]} />
+    </ReadOnlySideModalForm>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/app/pages/project/floating-ips/FloatingIpsPage.tsx b/app/pages/project/floating-ips/FloatingIpsPage.tsx
index d67476c1d..8339f6777 100644
--- a/app/pages/project/floating-ips/FloatingIpsPage.tsx
+++ b/app/pages/project/floating-ips/FloatingIpsPage.tsx
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ import { confirmAction } from '~/stores/confirm-action'
 import { confirmDelete } from '~/stores/confirm-delete'
 import { addToast } from '~/stores/toast'
 import { InstanceLink } from '~/table/cells/InstanceLinkCell'
-import { IpPoolCell } from '~/table/cells/IpPoolCell'
+import { IpPoolCell, ipPoolErrorsAllowedQuery } from '~/table/cells/IpPoolCell'
 import { useColsWithActions, type MenuAction } from '~/table/columns/action-col'
 import { Columns } from '~/table/columns/common'
 import { useQueryTable } from '~/table/QueryTable'
@@ -78,10 +78,10 @@ export async function clientLoader({ params }: LoaderFunctionArgs) {
       .fetchQuery(q(api.ipPoolList, { query: { limit: ALL_ISH } }))
       .then((pools) => {
         for (const pool of pools.items) {
-          const { queryKey } = q(api.ipPoolView, {
-            path: { pool: pool.id },
-          })
-          queryClient.setQueryData(queryKey, pool)
+          // IpPoolCell uses the errors-allowed query shape, so seed that exact
+          // cache entry instead of the normal ipPoolView query.
+          const { queryKey } = ipPoolErrorsAllowedQuery(pool.id)
+          queryClient.setQueryData(queryKey, { type: 'success', data: pool })
         }
       }),
   ])
diff --git a/app/pages/project/vpcs/VpcGatewaysTab.tsx b/app/pages/project/vpcs/VpcGatewaysTab.tsx
index 7ae397c11..bbb095afa 100644
--- a/app/pages/project/vpcs/VpcGatewaysTab.tsx
+++ b/app/pages/project/vpcs/VpcGatewaysTab.tsx
@@ -11,10 +11,10 @@ import { createColumnHelper } from '@tanstack/react-table'
 import { useMemo } from 'react'
 import { Outlet, type LoaderFunctionArgs } from 'react-router'
 
-import { api, getListQFn, q, queryClient, type InternetGateway } from '~/api'
+import { api, getListQFn, queryClient, type InternetGateway } from '~/api'
 import { getVpcSelector, useVpcSelector } from '~/hooks/use-params'
 import { EmptyCell } from '~/table/cells/EmptyCell'
-import { IpPoolCell } from '~/table/cells/IpPoolCell'
+import { IpPoolCell, ipPoolErrorsAllowedQuery } from '~/table/cells/IpPoolCell'
 import { LinkCell, makeLinkCell } from '~/table/cells/LinkCell'
 import { Columns } from '~/table/columns/common'
 import { useQueryTable } from '~/table/QueryTable'
@@ -83,10 +83,10 @@ export async function clientLoader({ params }: LoaderFunctionArgs) {
     ),
     queryClient.fetchQuery(projectIpPoolList.optionsFn()).then((pools) => {
       for (const pool of pools.items) {
-        const { queryKey } = q(api.ipPoolView, {
-          path: { pool: pool.id },
-        })
-        queryClient.setQueryData(queryKey, pool)
+        // IpPoolCell uses the errors-allowed query shape, so seed that exact
+        // cache entry instead of the normal ipPoolView query.
+        const { queryKey } = ipPoolErrorsAllowedQuery(pool.id)
+        queryClient.setQueryData(queryKey, { type: 'success', data: pool })
       }
     }),
   ] satisfies Promise<unknown>[])
diff --git a/app/table/cells/IpPoolCell.tsx b/app/table/cells/IpPoolCell.tsx
index fc234191b..65b62fe38 100644
--- a/app/table/cells/IpPoolCell.tsx
+++ b/app/table/cells/IpPoolCell.tsx
@@ -6,33 +6,52 @@
  * Copyright Oxide Computer Company
  */
 import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query'
+import { useState } from 'react'
 
 import { api, qErrorsAllowed } from '~/api'
+import { IpPoolDetailSideModal } from '~/components/IpPoolDetailSideModal'
+import { useIsInSideModal } from '~/ui/lib/modal-context'
 import { Tooltip } from '~/ui/lib/Tooltip'
 
 import { EmptyCell, SkeletonCell } from './EmptyCell'
+import { ButtonCell } from './LinkCell'
 
-export const IpPoolCell = ({ ipPoolId }: { ipPoolId: string }) => {
-  const { data: result } = useQuery(
-    qErrorsAllowed(
-      api.ipPoolView,
-      { path: { pool: ipPoolId } },
-      {
-        errorsExpected: {
-          explanation: 'the referenced IP pool may have been deleted.',
-          statusCode: 404,
-        },
-      }
-    )
+export const ipPoolErrorsAllowedQuery = (ipPoolId: string) =>
+  qErrorsAllowed(
+    api.ipPoolView,
+    { path: { pool: ipPoolId } },
+    {
+      errorsExpected: {
+        explanation: 'the referenced IP pool may have been deleted.',
+        statusCode: 404,
+      },
+    }
   )
+
+/**
+ * Renders an IP pool name. In a table cell, clicking opens a side modal with
+ * pool details. Inside a side modal (detected via context) it shows the
+ * description in a tooltip.
+ */
+export const IpPoolCell = ({ ipPoolId }: { ipPoolId: string }) => {
+  const inSideModal = useIsInSideModal()
+  const [showDetail, setShowDetail] = useState(false)
+  const { data: result } = useQuery(ipPoolErrorsAllowedQuery(ipPoolId))
   if (!result) return <SkeletonCell />
   // Defensive: the error case should never happen in practice. It should not be
   // possible for a resource to reference a pool without that pool existing.
   if (result.type === 'error') return <EmptyCell />
   const pool = result.data
-  return (
+  return inSideModal ? (
     <Tooltip content={pool.description} placement="right">
       <span>{pool.name}</span>
     </Tooltip>
+  ) : (
+    <>
+      <ButtonCell onClick={() => setShowDetail(true)}>{pool.name}</ButtonCell>
+      {showDetail && (
+        <IpPoolDetailSideModal pool={pool} onDismiss={() => setShowDetail(false)} />
+      )}
+    </>
   )
 }
diff --git a/test/e2e/floating-ip-create.e2e.ts b/test/e2e/floating-ip-create.e2e.ts
index c33bfeef4..fee8a7df6 100644
--- a/test/e2e/floating-ip-create.e2e.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/floating-ip-create.e2e.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,23 @@ test('can create a floating IP', async ({ page }) => {
   })
 })
 
+test('can view IP pool details from floating IP table', async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.goto(floatingIpsPage)
+
+  // cola-float is in ip-pool-1; click the pool cell to open the detail modal
+  const row = page.getByRole('row', { name: /cola-float/ })
+  await row.getByRole('button', { name: 'ip-pool-1' }).click()
+
+  const dialog = page.getByRole('dialog', { name: 'IP pool details' })
+  await expect(dialog).toBeVisible()
+  await expect(dialog.getByText('public IPs')).toBeVisible()
+  await expect(dialog.getByText('v4')).toBeVisible()
+  await expect(dialog.getByText('unicast')).toBeVisible()
+
+  await dialog.locator('footer').getByRole('button', { name: 'Close' }).click()
+  await expect(dialog).toBeHidden()
+})
+
 test('can detach and attach a floating IP', async ({ page }) => {
   // check floating IP is visible on instance detail
   await page.goto('/projects/mock-project/instances/db1')
diff --git a/test/e2e/floating-ip-update.e2e.ts b/test/e2e/floating-ip-update.e2e.ts
index 065358f48..7aeb8498d 100644
--- a/test/e2e/floating-ip-update.e2e.ts
+++ b/test/e2e/floating-ip-update.e2e.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ test('can update a floating IP', async ({ page }) => {
   // Properties table should show resolved instance and pool names
   const dialog = page.getByRole('dialog')
   await expect(dialog.getByText('ip-pool-1')).toBeVisible()
+  // IP pool cells inside side modals should not open nested side modals
+  await expect(dialog.getByRole('button', { name: 'ip-pool-1' })).toBeHidden()
   // cola-float is attached to db1
   await expect(dialog.getByRole('link', { name: 'db1' })).toBeVisible()