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August 17th, 2004 13:00

HOW TO hide broadcasting your SSID... and a question about preffered/available network icon

I've got 2 questions left which I would like to be answered (plse don't be shy!):

  • if 'Use Windows...' is UNCHECKED I see my preffered network as an antenna icon with a circle on top. But under the availabale networks I only see my network as an antenna. if on the other hand I CHECK 'Use Windows...', I do see my network as an antenna icon with a circle in preffered as well as the avaialable network. Is that normal?
  • how can I hide my SSID? It's not as simple as disabling broadcast on the wireless D-Link DI-624+ router via IE. If I do that than my desktop and 2 notebooks don't see any (hidden) network of course... So how can I connect to my hidden network with 128Bit WEP?

THANKS MY DELL FORUM FRIENDS!!!!

2 Intern

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7.9K Posts

August 18th, 2004 02:00

I can answer the second question anyway.  Disabling the SSID is really as simple as turning it off via the router's configuration page.

As for connecting to it once it's disabled, windows should be able to if you point it in the right direction (i.e. you enter the correct SSID and hit connect).  Be warned though, that if you use windows to manage your wireless card and it sees another network it may try to connect to it instead.  Windows does not handle disbaling SSID very well but it can be done.

If you have a utility that came with the card, this might be better than the windows wireless manger if you are intent on turning SSID off.

Truth be told, MAC filters and encryption offer more protection than you will ever need if you decide to just leave it on.  That or try lowering the broadcast power to keep the signal inside your house.

58 Posts

August 18th, 2004 03:00

The bottom half of this page discusses the WZC, the SSID and not broadcasting it.

I do not know if Microsoft has changed the handling of non-broadcasting SSIDs in the WZC in SP2. I'll update the page for SP2 after I install it and test it.

51 Posts

August 18th, 2004 11:00

Thanks for your reply.

How does MAC filtering work? Sorry but I've no idea.. i'm still on a steep -security- learning curve since I recently got broadband and want to be protected in the right way.

I'm asking this as well because I just bought the Apple AirPort Express to stream music wireless from my Dell Dimension 8250 to my stereo, and the AirPort Express manual mentioned somewhere MAC address enabling or something. I got it all up and running with WEP 128Bit HEX encryption but have no idea where to find this MAC filtering (is it on the wireless router I have? or on one of the 'network connection' tabs on the desktop/Inspiron 8600 notebook? is it like a list where I need to enter/approve addresses like Ip addresses?).

 

Thanks!!!!

2 Intern

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7.9K Posts

August 18th, 2004 16:00

MAC filtering is an option on most wireless routers.  Every network adapter has a unique MAC address.  You can find the address printed directly on the card or by clicking run, typing cmd, then typing ipconfig /all .  The MAC address will be listed as the "physical address" of the network adapter.

You will find the MAC of each device you want to allow on your network and then enter them into your router.  No other devices will be allowed to connect.

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