Question re Linksys wireless router not broadcasting SSID

Hi,

I have a very simple network at home with a Linksys WAG54G router, a
couple of PCs connected to it via Cat 5 cable and a wireless networked
laptop with a Belkin 54G wireless PCMCIA card.

Everything works fine, except when I try to do anything with security.
So, the first thing I try is to have the router not broadcast its SSID,
but as soon as I do that the laptop cannot connect to the network at
all, no matter what I do. Does anyone know why this is and what I might
be able to do to make it work?

Thanks,

Charlie.

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> I have a very simple network at home with a Linksys WAG54G router, a
> couple of PCs connected to it via Cat 5 cable and a wireless networked
> laptop with a Belkin 54G wireless PCMCIA card.
>
> Everything works fine, except when I try to do anything with security.
> So, the first thing I try is to have the router not broadcast its SSID,
> but as soon as I do that the laptop cannot connect to the network at
> all, no matter what I do. Does anyone know why this is and what I might
> be able to do to make it work?

As the doctor told his patient, "Stop doing that."

The first and last true security measure for wireless networking is
encryption. Use the strongest you can, preferably WPA. Hiding SSID is
pathetically weak as a security measure. Readily available wireless
cracking software can discover a hidden SSID within seconds; but even
the expert cracker will be significantly slowed down by encryption, and
the casual snooper will be blocked entirely.

Disabling SSID broadcast has a potential downside: a neighbor might set
up a wireless network on the same channel you're using, interfering with
your signal. If he also decides to hide his SSID, neither one of you
will be able to see what's causing the problem unless you use wireless
cracker's tools.

On a public highway, you want to see and be seen. Leave SSID broadcast
on.

I am assuming that you are selecting "save" on the router after each change
to the configuration.

Have you set up a saved profile on the laptop WiFi management utility
(either the XP or other version) with the correct SSID stored? This profile
should be selected on the laptop in order to connect to the router.



<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I have a very simple network at home with a Linksys WAG54G router, a
> couple of PCs connected to it via Cat 5 cable and a wireless networked
> laptop with a Belkin 54G wireless PCMCIA card.
>
> Everything works fine, except when I try to do anything with security.
> So, the first thing I try is to have the router not broadcast its SSID,
> but as soon as I do that the laptop cannot connect to the network at
> all, no matter what I do. Does anyone know why this is and what I might
> be able to do to make it work?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Charlie.
>

Thanks - that makes sense. I was thinking about using WEP - sorry to
ask such an ignorant question, but what is WPA? Is it an alternative to
WEP? I tried setting up WEP a while back, but never managed to get it
to work...

Cheers,

Charlie

Hi Tony,

I've been saving on the router, but I've not saved a profile on the
laptop - it sounds like that might be quite useful to do. Could you
give me a quick pointer as to how I find the WiFi management utility in
XP? The only thing I have is the little Linksys green icon in the
system tray, which doesn't seem to let me save profiles at all...

Cheers,

Charlie

Tony Doherty wrote:
> I am assuming that you are selecting "save" on the router after each
change
> to the configuration.
>
> Have you set up a saved profile on the laptop WiFi management utility
> (either the XP or other version) with the correct SSID stored? This
profile
> should be selected on the laptop in order to connect to the router.
>
>
>
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> > Hi,
> >
> > I have a very simple network at home with a Linksys WAG54G router,
a
> > couple of PCs connected to it via Cat 5 cable and a wireless
networked
> > laptop with a Belkin 54G wireless PCMCIA card.
> >
> > Everything works fine, except when I try to do anything with
security.
> > So, the first thing I try is to have the router not broadcast its
SSID,
> > but as soon as I do that the laptop cannot connect to the network
at
> > all, no matter what I do. Does anyone know why this is and what I
might
> > be able to do to make it work?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Charlie.
> >

Double click on the Linksys green icon which should launch the Linksys
Management Utility (or else find it under "start\programs").

One of the tabs on the screen should allow the creation of profiles. From
memory the first profile saved should be called "default". Once the profile
is created and saved then "connect" using the connect button with this
profile highlighted.

Get this feature working first before trying out the further recommended
security measures.



<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
> Hi Tony,
>
> I've been saving on the router, but I've not saved a profile on the
> laptop - it sounds like that might be quite useful to do. Could you
> give me a quick pointer as to how I find the WiFi management utility in
> XP? The only thing I have is the little Linksys green icon in the
> system tray, which doesn't seem to let me save profiles at all...
>
> Cheers,
>
> Charlie
>
> Tony Doherty wrote:
> > I am assuming that you are selecting "save" on the router after each
> change
> > to the configuration.
> >
> > Have you set up a saved profile on the laptop WiFi management utility
> > (either the XP or other version) with the correct SSID stored? This
> profile
> > should be selected on the laptop in order to connect to the router.
> >
> >
> >
> > <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I have a very simple network at home with a Linksys WAG54G router,
> a
> > > couple of PCs connected to it via Cat 5 cable and a wireless
> networked
> > > laptop with a Belkin 54G wireless PCMCIA card.
> > >
> > > Everything works fine, except when I try to do anything with
> security.
> > > So, the first thing I try is to have the router not broadcast its
> SSID,
> > > but as soon as I do that the laptop cannot connect to the network
> at
> > > all, no matter what I do. Does anyone know why this is and what I
> might
> > > be able to do to make it work?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Charlie.
> > >
>

Oops! Just re-read your message and noticed that you have a BELKIN PCMCIA
card. Therefore, the Linksys utility indicated may not work correctly with
this card. Is there a Belkin utility loaded on the laptop as well? Otherwise
you will have to delve a little deeper into Win XP Wireless LAN properties
in order to achieve much the same thing.

However, I recommend using the management utility supplied with the card
(may be available from the Belkin website) as this should be easier to
configure and will allow for the setting up of multiple profiles should the
laptop be moved out and about to connect with other networks.


"Tony Doherty" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:cqv6v0$at9$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Double click on the Linksys green icon which should launch the Linksys
> Management Utility (or else find it under "start\programs").
>
> One of the tabs on the screen should allow the creation of profiles. From
> memory the first profile saved should be called "default". Once the
profile
> is created and saved then "connect" using the connect button with this
> profile highlighted.
>
> Get this feature working first before trying out the further recommended
> security measures.
>
>
>
> <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
> > Hi Tony,
> >
> > I've been saving on the router, but I've not saved a profile on the
> > laptop - it sounds like that might be quite useful to do. Could you
> > give me a quick pointer as to how I find the WiFi management utility in
> > XP? The only thing I have is the little Linksys green icon in the
> > system tray, which doesn't seem to let me save profiles at all...
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Charlie
> >
> > Tony Doherty wrote:
> > > I am assuming that you are selecting "save" on the router after each
> > change
> > > to the configuration.
> > >
> > > Have you set up a saved profile on the laptop WiFi management utility
> > > (either the XP or other version) with the correct SSID stored? This
> > profile
> > > should be selected on the laptop in order to connect to the router.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > > news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> > > > Hi,
> > > >
> > > > I have a very simple network at home with a Linksys WAG54G router,
> > a
> > > > couple of PCs connected to it via Cat 5 cable and a wireless
> > networked
> > > > laptop with a Belkin 54G wireless PCMCIA card.
> > > >
> > > > Everything works fine, except when I try to do anything with
> > security.
> > > > So, the first thing I try is to have the router not broadcast its
> > SSID,
> > > > but as soon as I do that the laptop cannot connect to the network
> > at
> > > > all, no matter what I do. Does anyone know why this is and what I
> > might
> > > > be able to do to make it work?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks,
> > > >
> > > > Charlie.
> > > >
> >
>
>

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> Thanks - that makes sense. I was thinking about using WEP - sorry to
> ask such an ignorant question, but what is WPA? Is it an alternative to
> WEP? I tried setting up WEP a while back, but never managed to get it
> to work...

WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy and WPA stands for Wi-Fi
Protected Access. Both are standard methods of encrypting traffic on a
wireless network, with WPA being the newer and better of the two.

Getting some form of encryption working should be your first priority in
regard to the security of your wireless network. The other so-called
security measures -- SSID hiding and MAC filtering -- are pitiful
substitutes for encryption.

If you're new to wireless networking, you might find Engst and
Fleishman's Wireless Networking Starter Kit helpful:
<http://wireless-starter-kit.com/index.html>.

That's great - thanks Tony and Neill for your pieces of advice. I shall
work on what you've given me and no doubt should be able to get things
working soon.

Thanks!

Charlie.

Tony Doherty wrote:
> Oops! Just re-read your message and noticed that you have a BELKIN
PCMCIA
> card. Therefore, the Linksys utility indicated may not work correctly
with
> this card. Is there a Belkin utility loaded on the laptop as well?
Otherwise
> you will have to delve a little deeper into Win XP Wireless LAN
properties
> in order to achieve much the same thing.
>
> However, I recommend using the management utility supplied with the
card
> (may be available from the Belkin website) as this should be easier
to
> configure and will allow for the setting up of multiple profiles
should the
> laptop be moved out and about to connect with other networks.
>
>
> "Tony Doherty" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:cqv6v0$at9$(E-Mail Removed)...
> > Double click on the Linksys green icon which should launch the
Linksys
> > Management Utility (or else find it under "start\programs").
> >
> > One of the tabs on the screen should allow the creation of
profiles. From
> > memory the first profile saved should be called "default". Once the
> profile
> > is created and saved then "connect" using the connect button with
this
> > profile highlighted.
> >
> > Get this feature working first before trying out the further
recommended
> > security measures.
> >
> >
> >
> > <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed) ups.com...
> > > Hi Tony,
> > >
> > > I've been saving on the router, but I've not saved a profile on
the
> > > laptop - it sounds like that might be quite useful to do. Could
you
> > > give me a quick pointer as to how I find the WiFi management
utility in
> > > XP? The only thing I have is the little Linksys green icon in the
> > > system tray, which doesn't seem to let me save profiles at all...
> > >
> > > Cheers,
> > >
> > > Charlie
> > >
> > > Tony Doherty wrote:
> > > > I am assuming that you are selecting "save" on the router after
each
> > > change
> > > > to the configuration.
> > > >
> > > > Have you set up a saved profile on the laptop WiFi management
utility
> > > > (either the XP or other version) with the correct SSID stored?
This
> > > profile
> > > > should be selected on the laptop in order to connect to the
router.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > > > news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> > > > > Hi,
> > > > >
> > > > > I have a very simple network at home with a Linksys WAG54G
router,
> > > a
> > > > > couple of PCs connected to it via Cat 5 cable and a wireless
> > > networked
> > > > > laptop with a Belkin 54G wireless PCMCIA card.
> > > > >
> > > > > Everything works fine, except when I try to do anything with
> > > security.
> > > > > So, the first thing I try is to have the router not broadcast
its
> > > SSID,
> > > > > but as soon as I do that the laptop cannot connect to the
network
> > > at
> > > > > all, no matter what I do. Does anyone know why this is and
what I
> > > might
> > > > > be able to do to make it work?
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks,
> > > > >
> > > > > Charlie.
> > > > >
> > >
> >
> >

Neill Massello <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy and WPA stands for Wi-Fi
> Protected Access. Both are standard methods of encrypting traffic on a
> wireless network, with WPA being the newer and better of the two.

WPA is better, and easier to configure, but is only available for newer
routers and adapters. My Orinoco didn't play WPA.

Make sure all of your devices (and intended guests' devices) are
WPA-capable.

---
Clarence A Dold - Hidden Valley (Lake County) CA USA 38.8-122.5