SSID Broadcast Problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter +Bob+
  • Start date Start date
B

+Bob+

I have an issue with Vista (SP1) not detecting a hidden SSID.

Here's the scenario:
1. Turn on SSID on router from another system(normally hidden).
2. Boot Vista, Connect,
3. Turn off SSID on router
4. Work for a while, everything is fine
5. Shutdown Vista
6. Reboot - Wireless Network not found

I've been through this a couple times, multiple reboots. As soon as I
shut off SSID, it will no longer find the network.

This is Vista SP1, fresh build, all latest updates applied.

Thanks for any ideas,
 
Hiding an SSID is not considered a security measure these days.
Better you should turn broadcast on and use WPA2 security.

Right click the network when you are connected to it and then click
properties and make sure connect even if the network is not
broadcasting.



I have an issue with Vista (SP1) not detecting a hidden SSID.

Here's the scenario:
1. Turn on SSID on router from another system(normally hidden).
2. Boot Vista, Connect,
3. Turn off SSID on router
4. Work for a while, everything is fine
5. Shutdown Vista
6. Reboot - Wireless Network not found

I've been through this a couple times, multiple reboots. As soon as I
shut off SSID, it will no longer find the network.

This is Vista SP1, fresh build, all latest updates applied.

Thanks for any ideas,
Click to expand...
--

Barb Bowman
MS-MVP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/meetexperts/bowman.mspx
http://blogs.digitalmediaphile.com/barb/
http://digitalmediaphile.wordpress.com
 
Hiding an SSID is not considered a security measure these days.
Better you should turn broadcast on and use WPA2 security.
Click to expand...

I know, professionals can still get in. Shutting it off is just to
keep the amateur riff-raff out.
Right click the network when you are connected to it and then click
properties and make sure connect even if the network is not
broadcasting.
Click to expand...

Thanks. It's odd that they set that to be off by default when WinXP
apparently had it set on by default.
 
Hi
If you look at the prices of Professional Wireless you would see that it is
not just more expensive than End-User Entry Level Wireless hardware, it is
Much more expensive, to tune of 8 to 20 times more.
Entry level Wireless hardware lack most of the sophistication of the Medium
to High End Wireless, and the worse is that the manufacturer are skimping on
the recipe and there are is rather big of tolerance in adhering to the
standard.
As a result some features that suppose to work well might not work at all or
would work "Quirky"; SSID Off is one of these.
Not a big lose to begin with since it does not really serve any purpose to
switch it Off on an End-Use regular peer-to-peer Wireless Network.
That said it might work a little better if when the SSID of the network of
choice is On, clean up the Preferred List table, and uncheck the Auto
connect to any available Wireless Network, then switch off the SSID.
Jack (MS, MVP-Networking)
 
+Bob+ said:
I know, professionals can still get in. Shutting it off is just to
keep the amateur riff-raff out.
Click to expand...
Using a long random key and WPA2 is guaranteed to keep the "amateur
riff-raff" out. No smoke and mirrors so to speak. Personally I broadcast
my unique SSIDs and use WPA2- Personal [aka WPA2-PSK (AES)] and
63-character random ASCII keys.

https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows - Desktop User Experience)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375
 
Problem is, the amateur next door wont know it's there and so sets up
their wireless router using the same channel number.
Click to expand...

Well, the amateur next door likely doesn't understand channels and
even if he does he definitely doesn't know about channel overlap, so
the point is probably irrelevant :-)
 
+Bob+ said:
Using a long random key and WPA2 is guaranteed to keep the "amateur
riff-raff" out. No smoke and mirrors so to speak. Personally I
broadcast
my unique SSIDs and use WPA2- Personal [aka WPA2-PSK (AES)] and
63-character random ASCII keys.

https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm
Click to expand...

You're even more paranoid than me :-)
Click to expand...

No...

I just take common sense precautions to secure my home wireless network
and move on.

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows - Desktop User Experience)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
How to ask a question
http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375
 
Using a long random key and WPA2 is guaranteed to keep the "amateur
riff-raff" out. No smoke and mirrors so to speak. Personally I
broadcast
my unique SSIDs and use WPA2- Personal [aka WPA2-PSK (AES)] and
63-character random ASCII keys.

https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm
Click to expand...

You're even more paranoid than me :-)
Click to expand...

No...

I just take common sense precautions to secure my home wireless network
and move on.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but 63 character random ascii keys is paranoid. No one cares
that much about what's on your home network.
 
+Bob+ said:
Using a long random key and WPA2 is guaranteed to keep the "amateur
riff-raff" out. No smoke and mirrors so to speak. Personally I
broadcast
my unique SSIDs and use WPA2- Personal [aka WPA2-PSK (AES)] and
63-character random ASCII keys.

https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm

You're even more paranoid than me :-)
Click to expand...

No...

I just take common sense precautions to secure my home wireless network
and move on.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but 63 character random ascii keys is paranoid. No one cares
that much about what's on your home network.
Click to expand...


They may not care about what's on your network but they may care about how
they can use your Internet connection. It wouldn't be fun to have the police
show up at your door because some illegal activity had been traced back to
your IP address.
 
--->
+Bob+ said:
Using a long random key and WPA2 is guaranteed to keep the "amateur
riff-raff" out. No smoke and mirrors so to speak. Personally I
broadcast
my unique SSIDs and use WPA2- Personal [aka WPA2-PSK (AES)] and
63-character random ASCII keys.

https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm

You're even more paranoid than me :-)

No...

I just take common sense precautions to secure my home wireless network
and move on.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but 63 character random ascii keys is paranoid. No one cares
that much about what's on your home network.
Click to expand...


They may not care about what's on your network but they may care about
how they can use your Internet connection. It wouldn't be fun to have
the police show up at your door because some illegal activity had been
traced back to your IP address.
Click to expand...

Got that right! Wardrivers do just that. They drive around a
neighborhood looking for lightly (or, amazingly, unprotected) networks
and park within range. Then they simply use your Internet connection
with their OWN computer for whatever they want and simply drive away.
You're the one left to explain to your ISP why thousands of spam
messages were sent from your IP address.

GP
 
Got that right! Wardrivers do just that. They drive around a
neighborhood looking for lightly (or, amazingly, unprotected) networks
and park within range. Then they simply use your Internet connection
with their OWN computer for whatever they want and simply drive away.
You're the one left to explain to your ISP why thousands of spam
messages were sent from your IP address.
Click to expand...

But first, they look for the easy targets (no security). Then they
look for WEP targets. Anyone with a reasonable password (mixed case,
alpha and digits, not dictionary words, >12 character length) will not
be broken into. 63 bit random keys are for the paranoid.
 
--->
But first, they look for the easy targets (no security). Then they
look for WEP targets. Anyone with a reasonable password (mixed case,
alpha and digits, not dictionary words, >12 character length) will not
be broken into. 63 bit random keys are for the paranoid.
Click to expand...

If the security is there for our use - why not use it? Quite a few
people who have alarms on their automobiles also use a "Club". Alarms
can be defeated - Clubs rarely.

The same goes for home networks. If 63-bit random keys are available go
ahead and use them. What is your cost to do this? Nothing; other than
peace of mind that YOUR network is safe.

Good security will always offset the pain of cleaning out your infected
computers or un-hacking your network after someone drives by and
scrambles it, or, worse, changes your router password for you.

GP
 
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