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From: William P.N. Smith on 5 Feb 2006 14:16
Yeah, we've discussed this ad-nauseum, and now I find the manual for
the Linksys WRT54GP says:

/*
Wireless SSID Broadcast. This feature allows the primary SSID to be
broadcast on your network. You may want to enable this function while
configuring your network, but make sure that you disable it when you
are finished.

With this enabled, someone could easily obtain the SSID information
with site survey software and gain unauthorized access to your
network. Click Enabled to broadcast the primary SSID to all wireless
devices in range. Click Disabled to increase network security and
prevent the primary SSID from being seen on networked PCs.
*/

Are they just behind the times?
From: Neill Massello on 5 Feb 2006 18:34
William P.N. Smith <news2006a(a)compusmiths.com> wrote:

> Yeah, we've discussed this ad-nauseum, and now I find the manual for
> the Linksys WRT54GP says:
>
> /*
> Wireless SSID Broadcast. This feature allows the primary SSID to be
> broadcast on your network. You may want to enable this function while
> configuring your network, but make sure that you disable it when you
> are finished.
>
> With this enabled, someone could easily obtain the SSID information
> with site survey software and gain unauthorized access to your
> network. Click Enabled to broadcast the primary SSID to all wireless
> devices in range. Click Disabled to increase network security and
> prevent the primary SSID from being seen on networked PCs.
> */
>
> Are they just behind the times?

No, because it was always bad advice and was never endorsed by the truly
knowledgeable -- a description that unfortunately doesn't always apply
to those who write consumer manuals.

From: optikl on 5 Feb 2006 19:34
Neill Massello wrote:
> William P.N. Smith <news2006a(a)compusmiths.com> wrote:
>
>> Yeah, we've discussed this ad-nauseum, and now I find the manual for
>> the Linksys WRT54GP says:
>>
>> /*
>> Wireless SSID Broadcast. This feature allows the primary SSID to be
>> broadcast on your network. You may want to enable this function while
>> configuring your network, but make sure that you disable it when you
>> are finished.
>>
>> With this enabled, someone could easily obtain the SSID information
>> with site survey software and gain unauthorized access to your
>> network. Click Enabled to broadcast the primary SSID to all wireless
>> devices in range. Click Disabled to increase network security and
>> prevent the primary SSID from being seen on networked PCs.
>> */
>>
>> Are they just behind the times?
>
> No, because it was always bad advice and was never endorsed by the truly
> knowledgeable -- a description that unfortunately doesn't always apply
> to those who write consumer manuals.
>
Why do you think disabling SSID broadcast is a truly effective
security measure? Isn't that information detectable by any packet sniffer?
From: Neill Massello on 5 Feb 2006 20:13
optikl <optikl(a)invalid.net> wrote:

> Why do you think disabling SSID broadcast is a truly effective security
> measure?

I don't. The OP quoted language from the Linksys manual that recommends
it and then asked whether the manual was just behind the times. The OP's
question implied that the manual's advice may have been considered good
in the past but that opinions had changed since it was written. My
response was to the effect that the manual jad always been wrong from
the moment it was written.

As a security measure, SSID hiding is almost worthless -- certainly not
worth the trouble it can cause.

From: optikl on 5 Feb 2006 20:36
Neill Massello wrote:
> optikl <optikl(a)invalid.net> wrote:
>
>> Why do you think disabling SSID broadcast is a truly effective security
>> measure?
>
> I don't. The OP quoted language from the Linksys manual that recommends
> it and then asked whether the manual was just behind the times. The OP's
> question implied that the manual's advice may have been considered good
> in the past but that opinions had changed since it was written. My
> response was to the effect that the manual jad always been wrong from
> the moment it was written.
>
> As a security measure, SSID hiding is almost worthless -- certainly not
> worth the trouble it can cause.
>
Sorry, I misunderstood you.
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