Newbie question: hacker access to Linksys WRT54G wireless network

I am using a Linksys PCI adapter for wireless connectivity, the WMP54GS.
The access point/router is the Linksys WRT54G. Both of these are in my
apartment. I have changed the default SSID to a impossible to guess one.
I am not broadcasting the SSID. I have not enabled WEP or WPA yet. Can a
hacker theoretically still break into my network, not knowing in advance
my SSID ? Thanks for your help. BTW, the OS is Windows XP SP2.
Steve

steve h. wrote:
> I am using a Linksys PCI adapter for wireless connectivity, the
WMP54GS.
> The access point/router is the Linksys WRT54G. Both of these are in
my
> apartment. I have changed the default SSID to a impossible to guess
one.
> I am not broadcasting the SSID. I have not enabled WEP or WPA yet.
Can a
> hacker theoretically still break into my network, not knowing in
advance
> my SSID ? Thanks for your help. BTW, the OS is Windows XP SP2.
> Steve

steve h. wrote:
> I am using a Linksys PCI adapter for wireless connectivity, the WMP54GS.
> The access point/router is the Linksys WRT54G. Both of these are in my
> apartment. I have changed the default SSID to a impossible to guess one.
> I am not broadcasting the SSID. I have not enabled WEP or WPA yet. Can a
> hacker theoretically still break into my network, not knowing in advance
> my SSID ? Thanks for your help. BTW, the OS is Windows XP SP2.
> Steve

I just enabled WPA. I feel a little safer now LOL

On Tue, 04 Jan 2005 03:31:19 GMT, "steve h." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I am using a Linksys PCI adapter for wireless connectivity, the WMP54GS.
>The access point/router is the Linksys WRT54G. Both of these are in my
>apartment. I have changed the default SSID to a impossible to guess one.
>I am not broadcasting the SSID. I have not enabled WEP or WPA yet. Can a
>hacker theoretically still break into my network, not knowing in advance
>my SSID ? Thanks for your help. BTW, the OS is Windows XP SP2.
> Steve

No encryption? You'd be broken into in a heartbeat. Disabling SSID broadcasting
does NOTHING for security. There are dozens of programs that can see APs that
don't broadcast thier SSIDs

The only thing disabling SSID broadcasting does is make life miserable for
someone else who happens to set thier AP to the same channel as yours, and can't
figure out where the interference is coming from.

Disabling SSID and not enabling encryption is like leaving your door unlocked
and putting a piece of masking tape over the keyhole.. ie: it does NOTHING.