Re: Can Host Try Connecting Even With No SSID?

LR <lrme@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in alt.internet.wireless:

On 01/03/2009 10:35, me here wrote:
mavigozler wrote:

Some columnist at PCWorld recommended "increasing the security" of
the wireless router against unwanted connections by removing the
option of broadcasting the SSID.

But that means on my host running WinVistaHomePrem, I have to type in
the SSID and network key/passphrase every time, which for me is an
annoyance.

Isn't there a way of getting my host to persist in connecting with
"Unnamed Network" which has the strongest signal of all available
wireless networks? Or is this just the price I have to pay for
"extra security"?

That doesn't sound right to me.

I don't broadcast my ssid, but that does not require the passphrase to
be rekeyed every time - under xp and Ubuntu.

All you should have to do is key in the known ssid name and the
passphrase once and the PC should retain that information.

XP which is fully updated and Vista have a checkbox in network
properties called "connect even if the network is not broadcasting" and
this must be checked.

With my Vista interface, once a successful connection is made giving the
SSID and the key/passphrase authentication, the user is presented with TWO
checkboxes:

"Save this network"

and the "Start this connection automatically"

In saving the network, it saves it to a list of all successfully connected
networks.

But here is the bizarre thing: when Vista sees an available wireless
network broadcasting its SSID, say it's "MyWirelessNet" and it is in the
list, it connect and even adds a new listing entry "MyWirelessNet 2" and
it increments each time, despite it being the same network!!

And the same goes for each time I manually connect by giving the SSID and
passphrase...it creates a new entry in the wireless networks successfully
connected table.

I am at a loss to know how Vista arrives at this.

What Vista should be doing is connecting to the network, finding it as the
name in the previously connected networks, and NOT presenting me with an
interface asking me to "Save this network" when it has already been saved.

This seems to be a Vista flaw, among tens of thousands.






There's something screwy with your setup or the way you are using it.

While not broadcasting the ssid will not prevent sniffer porgrams
detecting yhe network, it will quite often make the address invisible
to ordinary network connection software as supplied with wifi adaptors.

Cheers

Rob





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Relevant Pages

  • Re: wireless router password security
    ... trying to connect to someone else's network. ... Disabling SSID makes it more difficult for someone to connect to my wireless router. ... APSTA. ... Turn off SSID broadcasting, change the default channel to a very specific one, disconnect from the router, fire up NetStumbler and you'll see a No-SSID network on exactly this channel. ...
    (alt.computer.security)
  • Re: OT: unathorized network user.
    ... the connection management for XP that came with my Toshiba laptop do show access points that do not broadcast their SSID. ... If you have visitors that you want to give access, it is a lot more complicated then just giving then a USB key with the network configuration, or a pass phrase so that they can hook up. ... It can also backfire on you, in that it can make you a more tempting target for someone that is learning to crack wireless networks, because it is more of a challenge then an open network, but is not as intimidating as a WPA protected network. ...
    (Fedora)
  • Re: Can Host Try Connecting Even With No SSID?
    ... option of broadcasting the SSID. ... "Unnamed Network" which has the strongest signal of all available ... properties called "connect even if the network is not broadcasting" ... What Vista should be doing is connecting to the network, ...
    (alt.internet.wireless)
  • Clients having problems connecting.
    ... I've setup a secure SSID that is using WPA-TKIP/WPA2-AES encryption. ... the Versign wireless LAN certificate. ... get connected to our network again. ... wire connection to the network or using the wireless connection. ...
    (microsoft.public.internet.radius)
  • Re: Can Host Try Connecting Even With No SSID?
    ... option of broadcasting the SSID. ... "Unnamed Network" which has the strongest signal of all available ... What Vista should be doing is connecting to the network, ...
    (alt.internet.wireless)