75. Turn Off Server Set IDs (SSIDs) Broadcasts
The SSID (service set identifier) or network name for your WiFi network is broadcast by the router over a radio signal, making it easy for WiFi-enabled computers on your network to connect to the WiFi router and the workgroup. However, when you allow the SSID to be broadcast, anyone within range who has a WiFi-enabled computer can attempt to access the WiFi network because he can "see" that the network actually exists. Because you know the SSID for your WiFi network, you can configure the WiFi-enabled computers on your network with the SSID name. The SSID name is one of the settings required for configuring a WiFi network adapter. See Configure Adapter and Connect to the Wireless Router for information on entering the SSID and other WiFi settings for your WiFi adapter. Because you don't require that the SSID be broadcast (you can configure your WiFi adapters with the SSID manually), turning off SSID broadcasts can at least protect your WiFi network from "amateur hackers" who might try to attach to your WiFi network when they detect the network because of the SSID broadcast. Turn Off Server Set IDs (SSIDs) Broadcasts
Tip It is convenient to allow your router to broadcast the network SSID when you are in a situation where you have roaming users (folks with laptops) who want to scan for and then quickly attach to the network. But you aren't running a hotspot; you are trying to run a secure network. Because you can configure all the computers on your network with WiFi adapters manually, including the SSID name, your computers don't need to scan for the network. You don't need to broadcast the SSIDdoing so is actually a security liability. So, turn it off. |