Broadcast SSID

In my Netgear WGR614 router/AP, I've unchecked the "Allow Boradcast of Name
(SSID)" box. However, when I take a Winsows XP Pro laptop with a wireless
NIC and go to the Wireless Network Connection Properties, the SSID pops
right up as an available network. I thought that disabling broadcast of
SSID was supposed to defeat this!?

TIA.

-Jeremy

Disabling SSID broadcast does very little for enhancing wireless security.
Every AP transmits its SSID in the clear in the beacon frames. I would not
lose much sleep over whether or not SSID is being broadcast.

Disabling SSID broadcast and "128" bit WEP are more in the nature of
marketing gimmicks, designed to combat the fears generated in the consumer
by the widespread publicity given to Wireless security (or the lack thereof)


"yirm" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:biuqt4$mic$(E-Mail Removed)...
> In my Netgear WGR614 router/AP, I've unchecked the "Allow Boradcast of
Name
> (SSID)" box. However, when I take a Winsows XP Pro laptop with a wireless
> NIC and go to the Wireless Network Connection Properties, the SSID pops
> right up as an available network. I thought that disabling broadcast of
> SSID was supposed to defeat this!?
>
> TIA.
>
> -Jeremy
>
>

This is true! Well said.

Bill Crocker


"Selar Rao" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:rOE4b.76532$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Disabling SSID broadcast does very little for enhancing wireless security.
> Every AP transmits its SSID in the clear in the beacon frames. I would not
> lose much sleep over whether or not SSID is being broadcast.
>
> Disabling SSID broadcast and "128" bit WEP are more in the nature of
> marketing gimmicks, designed to combat the fears generated in the consumer
> by the widespread publicity given to Wireless security (or the lack
thereof)
>
>
> "yirm" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:biuqt4$mic$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > In my Netgear WGR614 router/AP, I've unchecked the "Allow Boradcast of
> Name
> > (SSID)" box. However, when I take a Winsows XP Pro laptop with a
wireless
> > NIC and go to the Wireless Network Connection Properties, the SSID pops
> > right up as an available network. I thought that disabling broadcast of
> > SSID was supposed to defeat this!?
> >
> > TIA.
> >
> > -Jeremy
> >
> >
>
>

Just make sure your WEP is enabled.

"Bill Crocker" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> This is true! Well said.
>
> Bill Crocker
>
>
> "Selar Rao" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:rOE4b.76532$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Disabling SSID broadcast does very little for enhancing wireless security.
> > Every AP transmits its SSID in the clear in the beacon frames. I would not
> > lose much sleep over whether or not SSID is being broadcast.
> >
> > Disabling SSID broadcast and "128" bit WEP are more in the nature of
> > marketing gimmicks, designed to combat the fears generated in the consumer
> > by the widespread publicity given to Wireless security (or the lack
> thereof)
> >
> >
> > "yirm" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:biuqt4$mic$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > In my Netgear WGR614 router/AP, I've unchecked the "Allow Boradcast of
> > Name
> > > (SSID)" box. However, when I take a Winsows XP Pro laptop with a
> wireless
> > > NIC and go to the Wireless Network Connection Properties, the SSID pops
> > > right up as an available network. I thought that disabling broadcast of
> > > SSID was supposed to defeat this!?
> > >
> > > TIA.
> > >
> > > -Jeremy
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

How disappointing. I'm an IT professional with some networking and security
knowledge. I haven't been reading the tech rags lately, and wireless is new
to me. I haven't noticed any stories about wireless security in the
mainstream media. However, in the few days I've been researching and
implementing a home wireless network, I do find the added security holes to
be worrisome. I'm seriously considering taking it all back (router, nic)
and along the baseboards of our new apartment. Seems to me security is
enough of a pain without opening new holes. I've always seen this kind of
thing as benefit vs. risk. I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the risks in
this case, from what I'm learning.

-Jeremy

"Selar Rao" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:rOE4b.76532$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Disabling SSID broadcast does very little for enhancing wireless security.
> Every AP transmits its SSID in the clear in the beacon frames. I would not
> lose much sleep over whether or not SSID is being broadcast.
>
> Disabling SSID broadcast and "128" bit WEP are more in the nature of
> marketing gimmicks, designed to combat the fears generated in the consumer
> by the widespread publicity given to Wireless security (or the lack
thereof)
>
>
> "yirm" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:biuqt4$mic$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > In my Netgear WGR614 router/AP, I've unchecked the "Allow Boradcast of
> Name
> > (SSID)" box. However, when I take a Winsows XP Pro laptop with a
wireless
> > NIC and go to the Wireless Network Connection Properties, the SSID pops
> > right up as an available network. I thought that disabling broadcast of
> > SSID was supposed to defeat this!?
> >
> > TIA.
> >
> > -Jeremy
> >
> >
>
>

See, I'm just not comfortable with people being able to see that I have a
network. From what Selar is saying (and I believe what he's saying), WEP
isn't that much of a deterant. I'm not sure I want the security of my
network to depend on my changing keys every day. I just can't decide
whether to forget wireless for now or not.

-Jeremy

"John Eckart" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:rxM4b.5194$(E-Mail Removed) ink.net...
Just make sure your WEP is enabled.

"Bill Crocker" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> This is true! Well said.
>
> Bill Crocker
>
>
> "Selar Rao" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:rOE4b.76532$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Disabling SSID broadcast does very little for enhancing wireless
security.
> > Every AP transmits its SSID in the clear in the beacon frames. I would
not
> > lose much sleep over whether or not SSID is being broadcast.
> >
> > Disabling SSID broadcast and "128" bit WEP are more in the nature of
> > marketing gimmicks, designed to combat the fears generated in the
consumer
> > by the widespread publicity given to Wireless security (or the lack
> thereof)
> >
> >
> > "yirm" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:biuqt4$mic$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > In my Netgear WGR614 router/AP, I've unchecked the "Allow Boradcast of
> > Name
> > > (SSID)" box. However, when I take a Winsows XP Pro laptop with a
> wireless
> > > NIC and go to the Wireless Network Connection Properties, the SSID
pops
> > > right up as an available network. I thought that disabling broadcast
of
> > > SSID was supposed to defeat this!?
> > >
> > > TIA.
> > >
> > > -Jeremy
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

I appreciate the response. Good info (again).

I still would like to know whether my having disabled SSID broadcast is
functioning properly (useless though it may be). As per my original post,
even though I have disabled SSID broadcasting in the router, when I take a
Winsows XP Pro laptop with a wireless NIC and go to the XP Wireless Network
Connection Properties, the SSID pops right up as an available network. Is
this how it's supposed to work?

-Jeremy

"Selar Rao" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:rOE4b.76532$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Disabling SSID broadcast does very little for enhancing wireless security.
> Every AP transmits its SSID in the clear in the beacon frames. I would not
> lose much sleep over whether or not SSID is being broadcast.
>
> Disabling SSID broadcast and "128" bit WEP are more in the nature of
> marketing gimmicks, designed to combat the fears generated in the consumer
> by the widespread publicity given to Wireless security (or the lack
thereof)
>
>
> "yirm" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:biuqt4$mic$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > In my Netgear WGR614 router/AP, I've unchecked the "Allow Boradcast of
> Name
> > (SSID)" box. However, when I take a Winsows XP Pro laptop with a
wireless
> > NIC and go to the Wireless Network Connection Properties, the SSID pops
> > right up as an available network. I thought that disabling broadcast of
> > SSID was supposed to defeat this!?
> >
> > TIA.
> >
> > -Jeremy
> >
> >
>
>

First off, changing keys every day does nothing. It doesn't take long to get past WEP, but you currently must be running Linux to do it.

If you're really worried about security, then I'd recommend getting a router that supports WPA (the replacement for WEP) which is perfectly secure.

"yirm" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:bj065v$qud$(E-Mail Removed)...
> See, I'm just not comfortable with people being able to see that I have a
> network. From what Selar is saying (and I believe what he's saying), WEP
> isn't that much of a deterant. I'm not sure I want the security of my
> network to depend on my changing keys every day. I just can't decide
> whether to forget wireless for now or not.
>
> -Jeremy
>
> "John Eckart" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:rxM4b.5194$(E-Mail Removed) ink.net...
> Just make sure your WEP is enabled.
>
> "Bill Crocker" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > This is true! Well said.
> >
> > Bill Crocker
> >
> >
> > "Selar Rao" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:rOE4b.76532$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > Disabling SSID broadcast does very little for enhancing wireless
> security.
> > > Every AP transmits its SSID in the clear in the beacon frames. I would
> not
> > > lose much sleep over whether or not SSID is being broadcast.
> > >
> > > Disabling SSID broadcast and "128" bit WEP are more in the nature of
> > > marketing gimmicks, designed to combat the fears generated in the
> consumer
> > > by the widespread publicity given to Wireless security (or the lack
> > thereof)
> > >
> > >
> > > "yirm" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > > news:biuqt4$mic$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > > In my Netgear WGR614 router/AP, I've unchecked the "Allow Boradcast of
> > > Name
> > > > (SSID)" box. However, when I take a Winsows XP Pro laptop with a
> > wireless
> > > > NIC and go to the Wireless Network Connection Properties, the SSID
> pops
> > > > right up as an available network. I thought that disabling broadcast
> of
> > > > SSID was supposed to defeat this!?
> > > >
> > > > TIA.
> > > >
> > > > -Jeremy
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

On Mon, 1 Sep 2003 14:33:37 -0500, "yirm"
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I appreciate the response. Good info (again).
>
>I still would like to know whether my having disabled SSID broadcast is
>functioning properly (useless though it may be). As per my original post,
>even though I have disabled SSID broadcasting in the router, when I take a
>Winsows XP Pro laptop with a wireless NIC and go to the XP Wireless Network
>Connection Properties, the SSID pops right up as an available network. Is
>this how it's supposed to work?

If you configured the laptop to recognize and connect with that
network, then yes, that's how it's supposed to work. If you didn't
specifically configure that laptop to recognize and connect to the
network then I think your router is still broadcasting the SSID even
though you changed the setting. Did you check to be sure the change
of setting "took?" Maybe you thought you changed it but didn't save
the settings?

BTW, I have that same model router and when I set it up I couldn't
find a setting to turn off broadcast of SSID. What catagory is it
under on the setup page?

"Cranky" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...

> If you configured the laptop to recognize and connect with that
> network, then yes, that's how it's supposed to work.

Meaning what, exactly?

> If you didn't
> specifically configure that laptop to recognize and connect to the
> network then I think your router is still broadcasting the SSID even
> though you changed the setting. Did you check to be sure the change
> of setting "took?" Maybe you thought you changed it but didn't save
> the settings?

I definitely "apply"ed the settings and the router rebooted. Whether it's
working or not, I don't know.

> BTW, I have that same model router and when I set it up I couldn't
> find a setting to turn off broadcast of SSID. What catagory is it
> under on the setup page?

You have to download the new firmware from Netgear's site.

-Jeremy