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Is Hiding Your Ssid On Your Wireless Network More Secure


james.wilson

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  • 1 month later...

A bit late but anyway

No, it's not more secure.

But I usually set as hidden to prevent SSID from showing up on everybody’s pc/ipad/pda whatever people use. Just less clicks on that SSID from around and less SSID pollution (wouldn't be bothered in home environment).

Basically encryption and login security are what makes WIFI more secure. Design, location etc could make more secure as well (setting radio/AP's to not radiate everywhere but just where it needs to. Or setting the right amount of power etc...)

If it’s not 24/7 application using some sort of schedule (recent AP(access point) and almost every carrier grade APs has that option) helps when WIFI needs to be active or off. As example would be working hours WIFI is on and weekends off.

Sometimes I see APs set on all sorts of channels from 1 to 13. If it’s something different from channel 1,6,11 then it’s completely wrong. Let’s say I set my AP to channel 9 which gives interference on channels 6 and 11(because of overlapping) and that makes all sort of troubles not only for those who use channels 9 and 11 but for me as well.

 

 

hell, cant find spelling option :-

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regarding different channels being used, i had issues with connecting my laptops via wifi, I had BT option. tech guy said you had to experiment WiFi channel you used, changing it improved reliability, seemed to affect my Lenovo most. cleared up when i changed my plan to option 2. same kit so go figure..

not like i live in a densly populated area housing estate, i know adjoining neighbour has BT, and a few weaker signals are also shown. might be where densly populated you have to spread the channels more?

If you think education is difficult, try being stupid!!!!

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HIding SSID's is pointless TBH.

As I pointed out in the other thread running at the time...

 

Hidden SSID's can easily be found.

Also if you hide your SSID's, all your devices transmit the SSID when there WiFi is on searching for your connection.

So in a way it's less secure to hide your SSID.

 

SSID pollution? WTF.

 

As for channels, 1/6/11 are the only none overlapping channels, but that doesn't mean all the others are wrong.

 

The issue can be more people in close proximity with wireless N routers jamming up all the channels.

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Rather than just experimenting with channel numbers, get a program called inssider, it will show you which channel is the free-est, including listing those with a "hidden" ssid. On the 1,6,11 side of things, if you pick any number other than those you are being greedy with the bandwidth. Sure it will work, but it will sit somewhere in the middle of 2 useable channels, reducing the available overlap free channels within the range of your ap to a grand total of 2. Overlap = colisions = dropped packets

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Rather than just experimenting with channel numbers, get a program called inssider, it will show you which channel is the free-est, including listing those with a "hidden" ssid. On the 1,6,11 side of things, if you pick any number other than those you are being greedy with the bandwidth. Sure it will work, but it will sit somewhere in the middle of 2 useable channels, reducing the available overlap free channels within the range of your ap to a grand total of 2. Overlap = colisions = dropped packets

thanks, i live in 'bungalow city', mainly older than me residents, when not used they turn off their kit to save power whatever. this means non-constant situations than you might expect in younger neighbours in denser population flats, tend ti leave routers etc on.

given most are past retirement it is not as though they get home from work and switch on, being so random makes solution a it harder to nail down

HIding SSID's is pointless TBH.

As I pointed out in the other thread running at the time...

 

Hidden SSID's can easily be found.

Also if you hide your SSID's, all your devices transmit the SSID when there WiFi is on searching for your connection.

So in a way it's less secure to hide your SSID.

 

SSID pollution? WTF.

 

As for channels, 1/6/11 are the only none overlapping channels, but that doesn't mean all the others are wrong.

 

The issue can be more people in close proximity with wireless N routers jamming up all the channels.

to be clear, i did not mean ti suggest SSID pollution, but close proximity of transmitters causing radio bleed over to some extent.

If you think education is difficult, try being stupid!!!!

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Im pretty sure you can set the monitoring window on inssider pretty wide, enough so that you could leave it running and come back hours later to see what channel they are on. Not 100% on that though

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Had one site where IP cams constantly jumped between 3 APs (mesh mode) causing video streams to drop.  Problem was that when APs change to different channel cameras were looking for next nearest AP to connect. As it happens camera connects to weaker (distance wise) AP and stays there until AP change channel again or camera needs power reset/reboot.

I had to set APs to static channels and assign what MAC addresses allowed on each AP, so cameras use only one strongest signal AP for their connection. Never got a call from Client after.

So yea, I guess you right about auto channels not for every application.

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