wpa_supplicant + hidden SSID = problem

Hello,
I have a great problem with wpa_supplicant 0.5.7. It's impossible to connect
to my private wireless network, when I have SSID broadcasting disabled on
my router (Linksys WRT54GL). When I enable SSID broadcasting, I am able to
connect, however, it works slow (on Windows XP everything is OK and it
doesn't matter whether SSID is broadcasted or not). It's my configuration:
- computer: notebook HP Compaq NC6000
- system: OpenSuse 10.2
- wifi adapter: Compaq AR5212 802.11abg NIC (sterownik: madwifi-0.9.2.1)
- network with WPA2-PSK (TKIP + AES)
- file wpa_supplicant.conf:
ap_scan=2
#eapol_version=2

network={
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* ssid="xxx"
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* bssid=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* scan_ssid=1
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* proto=RSN
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* key_mgmt=WPA_PSK
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* pairwise=CCMP TKIP
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* group= CCMP TKIP
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* #psk="yyy"
Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* psk=zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
}

I would be greatfull if someone could help me. I am beginner in Linux so I
don't what more I can add.

Lx wrote:
> I have a great problem with wpa_supplicant 0.5.7. It's impossible to connect
> to my private wireless network, when I have SSID broadcasting disabled on
> my router (Linksys WRT54GL)....
>
> [snip]
>
> I would be greatfull if someone could help me. I am beginner in Linux so I
> don't what more I can add.

If I put the SSID in the ifcfg-ethX network script, then it works fine.
It's a bit annoying, but it allows me to keep the SSID hidden.

Details may vary for your distro.

Allen Kistler <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>Lx wrote:
>> I have a great problem with wpa_supplicant 0.5.7. It's impossible to connect
>> to my private wireless network, when I have SSID broadcasting disabled on
>> my router (Linksys WRT54GL)....

Don't disable SSID broadcasting. There simply is no benefit,
and most certainly it is *not* a security issue.

>If I put the SSID in the ifcfg-ethX network script, then it works fine.
> It's a bit annoying, but it allows me to keep the SSID hidden.
>
>Details may vary for your distro.

What do you think is accomplished with a "hidden" SSID? That is
a misnomer to begin with because while it is not being
*broadcast* (at regular intervals), it is seen whenever there is
actual traffic on your network. It is *never* actually
"hidden".

Which of course means that someone who wants it for malicious
purposes can get it easily enough, but someone who does a scan
to see which channels are not in use is very likely to end up
interfering with yours because a quick scan didn't reveal any
obvious use.

--
Floyd L. Davidson <http://www.apaflo.com/floyd_davidson>
Ukpeagvik (Barrow, Alaska) (E-Mail Removed)

Allen Kistler <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

>Lx wrote:
>> I have a great problem with wpa_supplicant 0.5.7. It's impossible to connect
>> to my private wireless network, when I have SSID broadcasting disabled on
>> my router (Linksys WRT54GL)....
>>
>> [snip]
>>
>> I would be greatfull if someone could help me. I am beginner in Linux so I
>> don't what more I can add.

>If I put the SSID in the ifcfg-ethX network script, then it works fine.
> It's a bit annoying, but it allows me to keep the SSID hidden.

Yes, of course. If you have a hidden ssid than your machine MUST
specifically ask for that ssid. It will not simply connect. Note that this
is the full extent of the "protection" a hidden ssid offers. It is
apparenty easy to find out what the ssid of a hidden ssid is.
So, hiding your ssid makes things harder for you and does not slow down an
attacker at all.

>Details may vary for your distro.

Lx <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

>Hello,
>I have a great problem with wpa_supplicant 0.5.7. It's impossible to connect
>to my private wireless network, when I have SSID broadcasting disabled on
>my router (Linksys WRT54GL). When I enable SSID broadcasting, I am able to
>connect, however, it works slow (on Windows XP everything is OK and it
>doesn't matter whether SSID is broadcasted or not). It's my configuration:
>- computer: notebook HP Compaq NC6000
>- system: OpenSuse 10.2
>- wifi adapter: Compaq AR5212 802.11abg NIC (sterownik: madwifi-0.9.2.1)
>- network with WPA2-PSK (TKIP + AES)
>- file wpa_supplicant.conf:
>ap_scan=2
>#eapol_version=2

>network={
>Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* ssid="xxx"

As far as I know this is a directive to wpa_supplicant, not to the wireless
driver. Ie, you also have to tell iwconfig to use the appropriate essid.

I do not know suse, but there may be a file in
/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts like ifcfg-eth1 into which you can put the
essid so that when you run ifup eth1 it will direct iwconfig to use that
essid. You could try
iwconfig eth1 essid xxx
before trying to start up.

>Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* bssid=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
>Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* scan_ssid=1
>Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* proto=RSN
>Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* key_mgmt=WPA_PSK
>Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* pairwise=CCMP TKIP
>Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* group= CCMP TKIP
>Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* #psk="yyy"
>Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* Â* psk=zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
>}

It would really be nice if people did not use UTF in netnews. Ah well.

>I would be greatfull if someone could help me. I am beginner in Linux so I
>don't what more I can add.