In article <uDows$(E-Mail Removed)>, "Keith" <@.>
wrote:
>"Quaoar" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:uj%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Keith wrote:
>>> Sorry for x-posting but I wanted to get maximum coverage for this
>>> post as it's really annoying me.
>>>
>>> I have a Dell laptop (Latitude D800) with built-in b/g wireless (Dell
>>> TrueMobile 1300) and a Linksys WAP11 Access Point.
>>>
>>> On my AP I have WEP swtched on, MAC filtering enabled, and I have
>>> disabled SSID broadcast. I also use static IPs and have DHCP
>>> disabled for maximum security.
>>>
>>> They have always worked great together.
>>>
>>> Last weekend I formatted my laptop to clean it up and I wanted to
>>> install SP2 (it's Windows XP Pro by the way). Also installed the
>>> latest drivers for my hardware from Dell.
>>>
>>> After the format I am unable to connect to the wireless LAN unless I
>>> enable SSID broadcast (which I obviously don't want to do).
>>>
>>> If I turn on SSID broadcast, my connection works instantly. I can
>>> then disable SSID broadcast and it continues to work.
>>>
>>> However, as soon as I reboot the laptop, my connection is lost and I
>>> can't get it back without re-enabling SSID broadcast.
>>>
>>> I have tried it with Dell's software managing the wireless connection
>>> and with SP2 managing the connection. I have even uninstalled all
>>> the dell sofwtware except the driver needed for the hardware and
>>> still I get the same problem.
>>>
>>> I don't think it's the Access Point, as I have another laptop with a
>>> Linksys PCMCIA card in and that works fine with the SSID broadcast
>>> disabled.
>>> Has anyone got any advice please?
>>
>> Enable SSID broadcast. Simple. Disabling it has no security benefits
>> whatsoever. Anyone interested can find your system in seconds with or
>> without SSID broadcast. It serves no purpose to disable SSID broadcast,
>> except for those who want to spend time on fruitless searches for solving
>> connection problems caused by disabling SSID broadcast.
>>
>> Q
>
>But it worked just fine before the reformat and SP2 install. It also works
>perfectly on another laptop.
I'm sorry, but I don't know why your connection has stopped working
with SSID broadcast disabled.
However, I agree with Quaoar that you should enable it. Here's a
quote from a Microsoft web page:
"You should not disable SSID (WLAN network name) broadcast since this
can interfere with the ability of Windows XP to connect to the right
network. Although disabling the SSID broadcast is often recommended as
a security measure, it gives little practical security benefit if a
secure 802.1X authentication method is being used. Even with SSID
broadcast from the AP disabled, it is relatively easy for an attacker
to determine the SSID by capturing client connection packets."
To see the full web page:
Securing Wireless LANs with PEAP and Passwords
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec...tc/peap_5.mspx
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)
Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
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