ESSID

using a wireless adsl router to connect to the internet at home

should I enable or disable ESSID?

If your computers have no problems with disabled ESSID - disable it.
Some wireless adapters lose connection when ESSID broadcast is disabled. It
is because of a bug in the driver.
--PA

"D@annyBoy" wrote:
> using a wireless adsl router to connect to the internet at home
> should I enable or disable ESSID?

The problem is, XP's in-built zero-admin client won't connect to the access
point if it has another one visible with SSID broadcasted:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=811427

Not sure about the SP2 behaviour - but SSID broadcast has nothing to do with
security. Disabling it only hides completely idle access points.

--
Svyatoslav Pidgorny, MVP, MCSE
-= F1 is the key =-

"Pavel A." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:9006D056-85F2-4930-8A11-(E-Mail Removed)...
> If your computers have no problems with disabled ESSID - disable it.
> Some wireless adapters lose connection when ESSID broadcast is disabled.
It
> is because of a bug in the driver.
> --PA
>
> "D@annyBoy" wrote:
> > using a wireless adsl router to connect to the internet at home
> > should I enable or disable ESSID?
>

No security either way - yes.
XP problem - yes: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=811427
MAC filtering - no, please: the tools that pick up the SSID when wireless
connection is active will provide complimentary list of the client MAC
addresses.

WEP is robust encryption for home users (talking about the "128"-bit one),
WPA has no known or design weaknesses.

Here's a good KB article for home users:
How to Make Your 802.11b Wireless Home Network More Secure
(http://support.microsoft.com/?id=309369)


--
Svyatoslav Pidgorny, MVP, MCSE
-= F1 is the key =-

"mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:MZ_ad.1441$(E-Mail Removed)...
> it matters not to security either way.
> most system engineers seem to fall toward using it , particularly with XP
as
> it appears to cause drop-outs if disabled.
> just secure your router by allowing only know (listed) MAC's only.
>
> if someone is going to attempt to use your link then they will have the
> knowhow to get around blind ssid's anyway.
>
>
> mike
>
> "D@annyBoy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > using a wireless adsl router to connect to the internet at home
> >
> > should I enable or disable ESSID?
> >
> >
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.775 / Virus Database: 522 - Release Date: 08/10/2004
>
>

In fact cloaked ESSID/SSID broadcasts can easily be circumvented with tools like Kismet. As noted
use WPA, with a very long random key, if your hardware supports it or at a minimum 128-bit WEP...

Here is a good article concerning the use of WPA written by Barb Bowman, MS-MVP...

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u..._03july28.mspx

--
Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

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...

"S. Pidgorny <MVP>" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> No security either way - yes.
> XP problem - yes: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=811427
> MAC filtering - no, please: the tools that pick up the SSID when wireless
> connection is active will provide complimentary list of the client MAC
> addresses.
>
> WEP is robust encryption for home users (talking about the "128"-bit one),
> WPA has no known or design weaknesses.
>
> Here's a good KB article for home users:
> How to Make Your 802.11b Wireless Home Network More Secure
> (http://support.microsoft.com/?id=309369)
>
>
> --
> Svyatoslav Pidgorny, MVP, MCSE
> -= F1 is the key =-
>
> "mike" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:MZ_ad.1441$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> it matters not to security either way.
>> most system engineers seem to fall toward using it , particularly with XP
> as
>> it appears to cause drop-outs if disabled.
>> just secure your router by allowing only know (listed) MAC's only.
>>
>> if someone is going to attempt to use your link then they will have the
>> knowhow to get around blind ssid's anyway.
>>
>>
>> mike
>>
>> "D@annyBoy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> > using a wireless adsl router to connect to the internet at home
>> >
>> > should I enable or disable ESSID?
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>> ---
>> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
>> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
>> Version: 6.0.775 / Virus Database: 522 - Release Date: 08/10/2004
>>
>>
>
>

"S. Pidgorny <MVP>" wrote:
> The problem is, XP's in-built zero-admin client won't connect to the access
> point if it has another one visible with SSID broadcasted:
> http://support.microsoft.com/?id=811427

AFAIK this is not a WZC problem. Such behavior really may be caused by
drivers not
fully compliant to the Microsoft spec.
Technical details can be discussed in
microsoft.public.development.device.drivers.

> Not sure about the SP2 behaviour - but SSID broadcast has nothing to do with
> security. Disabling it only hides completely idle access points.

Yes, however in real life even Microsoft's IT used non-broadcasting APs, an
example - internet cafe setup at the last WinHEC. With proper drivers,
everything should work just fine, also in SP2.

Regards,
--PA