Can't connect to hidden SSID

C

criminal_fish

New member
Had a problem last week while helping my brother-in-law get his network set up. He had decided to configure his router to not broadcast its SSID. After we got his network working, I tried to connect with my TX. When I did a scan, his network showed up in the list of networks to be selected with a blank name. I selected it and clicked on the Edit button, then Configure. When the configuration screen appeared, I entered the SSID and the WEP key.

When I tried to connect, it failed. When I scanned again, it showed the blank name again AND my newly-configured entry with his SSID. Never did get it to work.

I won't be able to try it again until I get back to his place, but I was wondering if anyone else has tried to do this.
 
Heya DublinDoodah!

I myself have set up my wireless network at home to not broadcast the SSID ... hopefully that should keep the neighbours from surfing my broadband!!! I definitely think it was a good decision on your behalf - for security etc.


"When I did a scan, his network showed up in the list of networks to be selected with a blank name."

I'm not sure what router you're using so your might work differently from mine - I'm using a Linksys WRTG54. When I try to scan for networks at home, nothing comes up, because the SSID doesn't broadcast - you didn't set your SSID as blank did you?? Anyways, on the T|X I have to manually enter the details for the router including: SSID, IP Address, Subnet Mask and DNS Server.

Don't know if you've tried entering these in, but these can be accessed by first adding the network and then clicking details. You can also select a network, click configure, then click details:


1) Make sure in connect to it says "Access Point (Infrastructure)" - assuming your network is set up as such.

2) If you have set up your bro-in-laws router so that IP addresses need to be manually entered, click advanced. Under IP Address, select Manual. Type in a unique IP Address, ensuring the first 3 groups of number are the same as your network the final number can be anything. Subnet mask will be automatic. In DNS Server and Router, enter the IP address of the router ...


It works for me ... hope this helps!!
Andrew
 
I've seen a handful of router's that are only "g" channel. The TX is a "b" channel....probably would recognize the frequency but wouldn't necessarily get beyond log in.

Just a thought.
 
A network with a "BLANK NAME" does not mean that was your brother-in-laws network. If you had correctly set up his network not to advertise his network, it should not show up at all when you scan. A scan is a kin to shouting into a PA microphone, "Is anyone out there?" With broadcast turned off, you shouldn't really see the network, because it doesn't respond. At least that is the way mine works. I can routinely drive around in a neighborhood and discover open networks, and I would guess about 10% of the networks don't show an SSID. And I'm guessing less than 40% of those are actually locked down, most of the unidentified networks are running wide open.

When setting up my son's new desktop PC last weekend, I had to temporarly turn on the broadcast momentaraly to get the connection up. You will likely have to do the same. Once the devices exchange ids then you can turn off the broadcast again.

The five minutes that the broadcast is on is not likely to create any security issues (most war driving take a bit longer than that). Besides, while hiding your SSID is a pretty easy thing to do, it really only keeps the "newby hackers" away. Tools available for free on the internet readly defeat this measure.

IMHO it is more important to use WPA-PSK encryption if available (vs. WEP) since the WEP key is fairly easy to breach given the freeware tools redially available on the net. WPA offers better protection. Finally. Change your passphrase sevral times a year (at least bi-monthly is you use WEP). The more traffic that traverses a WEP encrypted network, the less time it take the cracker to obtain your shared key.
 
That's kinda what I suspected. But, since I used it to manually enter the SSID and WEP code, it still should have worked.

It's really not a big deal for me. The responses here have given me what I was looking for, i.e., the TX can connect to routers that don't broadcast their ID. Thanks for the help.
 
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