SoonerAl
Old Enough To Know Better
Premium,MVM
join:2002-07-23
Norman, OK
| reply to edzrdg
Re: wireless security
said by edzrdg :
I understand that hiding the SSID does not do much for security but in a Public School enviroment it is a bit of a help when Kids can't see it. My big concern is blocking it on the the teachers PCs so a kid can't find it by sneaking a look at one of the teacher PCs.
Does anyone know of a way of hiding the SSID on a PC that has the rights and connection to the network?
What's the point? If they don't have the network encryption key their SOL anyway.
You certainly do need to make sure the teacher PCs are configured with strong passwords, etc to prevent unauthorized access. The free MSFT SteadyState tool would also work for that, ie. locking down those PCs.
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"When all else fails, read the instructions..."
MS-MVP Windows – Desktop User Experience |
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edzrdg
| reply to jon9090
I understand that hiding the SSID does not do much for security but in a Public School enviroment it is a bit of a help when Kids can't see it. My big concern is blocking it on the the teachers PCs so a kid can't find it by sneaking a look at one of the teacher PCs.
Does anyone know of a way of hiding the SSID on a PC that has the rights and connection to the network? |
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SoonerAl
Old Enough To Know Better
Premium,MVM
join:2002-07-23
Norman, OK
|  reply to Its a Secret
said by Its a Secret  :Who cares if they try? If you're using a 63 character ASCII PW, it won't matter. At this point, the only thing they could try is a DoS attack on you, but that likely would get them nowhere as your ISP would bounce it. My advice: stop worrying. Right on brother...
--
"When all else fails, read the instructions..."
MS-MVP Windows – Desktop User Experience |
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jon9090
@sbcglobal.net
 from:
SoonerAl
| reply to hrickpa
Hiding your ssid can cause more problems than solve. |
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Its a Secret
Whatever
Premium
join:2008-02-23
U B Funny
 ·Shaw
| reply to hrickpa
Who cares if they try? If you're using a 63 character ASCII PW, it won't matter. At this point, the only thing they could try is a DoS attack on you, but that likely would get them nowhere as your ISP would bounce it.
My advice: stop worrying.
--
"In the future, that which is not mandatory will be illegal"
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everybody agrees that it is old enough to know better" - Anonymous |
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hrickpa
join:2001-06-07
Reading, PA | reply to hrickpa
My SSID is changed and is hidden.
and used the grc site to create a new WPA key
I still have people trying
hopefully they will give up soon or I will use 802.11a
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eastonhockey
your RF is showing
join:2002-10-30 | reply to hrickpa
If I knew people were actively trying to break into my wireless network i would just disable all my APs.
Just my 2 cents. |
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docrice
join:2008-03-31
Fremont, CA | reply to DaMaGeINC
You could also set up an SSID that reads:
Virus Test Net - Use at own Risk |
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DaMaGeINC
The Lan Man
Premium
join:2002-06-08
Greenville, SC
clubs: | reply to yock
For people like me, its just... well, free! Drink all you can! Get your shit at 2-4MB/s and still upping at 900KB while your hosting a vent server and gaming. |
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hrickpa
join:2001-06-07
Reading, PA | reply to nwrickert
I seen someone in my area has his e-mail address as his SSID |
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PeteC2
Got Mouse?
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-20
Bristol, CT
clubs:
 ·AT&T Yahoo
| reply to yock
No offense, hrickpa, but you do not have a security issue at all. You indeed appear to have sime kind of issues with your neighbors...it happens, and yes, the police will be slow to stick their noses in it (wisely for them!)
First, who cares what your SSID is? Frankly, though it is none of their business, why not just change the damn thing to something that doesn't bother them? I know, it is childish on their part, but so what? Life is short, and you can't ever win with the crazies out there...some battles aren't worth the angst.
If some idiot actually rang my doorbell and asked for my encryption key...after I stopped laughing in his/her face...I would offer to sell it to them for $500...then promptly change it  That is so silly as to not even bother emoting over!
I hate to say it, really I do, but based on what you have posted, I surmise that some locals find that "yanking your chain" is easy to do, so they simply couldn't resist...the less that you react, the less "fun" it will be for them.
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Deeds, not words |
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yock
TFTC
Premium
join:2000-11-21
Fairfield, OH | reply to hrickpa
A reward for hacking the key? People approaching you in your home about it? What the hell is going on here? What exactly do you have available on your network that is worth so much? |
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nwrickert
sand groper
Premium,MVM
join:2004-09-04
Geneva, IL
 ·AT&T U-Verse
·AT&T Midwest
| reply to DownTheShore
It really surprises me how many people use their first names as SSID's around my home. I notice that, too, around here.
I also use a nondescript name that in no way identifies the location. However, when I ran an open network (briefly, for experimenting), I used "Private, keep out" as the SSID.
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AT&T dsl; Westell 327w modem/router; openSuSE 11.0; firefox 3.0.8 |
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DownTheShore
Maddie Knows Poopie
Premium
join:2003-12-02
Beautiful NJ
clubs:
| reply to docrice
I thought about using a version of "nothing to see here" as my SSID when I set up my wireless router. But then I figured that there'd be some fool out there who'd see it as a challenge. 
My current SSID is quite innocuous and non-identifying. It really surprises me how many people use their first names as SSID's around my home. |
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docrice
join:2008-03-31
Fremont, CA
| reply to Its a Secret
What might also be entertaining is if you had an access point that could throw up multiple SSIDs at once, then you could reinforce the message with other network names, like:
- Stay off my network
- Do not steal my Wi-Fi
- You too cheap to get your own
- I read your packets
- Thou shall not steal
- Nothing to see - move along
I did this once (but with a message more along the lines of "secure your network") since a few of my neighbors were running completely open. |
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Its a Secret
Whatever
Premium
join:2008-02-23
U B Funny
·Shaw
| reply to hrickpa
said by hrickpa :my SSID is No free loaders  I like it! I can see why they'd be 'insulted'. |
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hrickpa
join:2001-06-07
Reading, PA | reply to Its a Secret
my SSID is No free loaders |
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Anav
Sarcastic Llama? Naw, Just Acerbic
Premium
join:2001-07-16
Dartmouth, NS | reply to hrickpa
Change your SSID as well. Why on earth you would use the same essid is beyond me. Maybe you like the abuse. |
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Its a Secret
Whatever
Premium
join:2008-02-23
U B Funny
·Shaw
| reply to hrickpa
said by hrickpa :I was confronted about it when I was outside one day, neighbor saying "I had no right to disconnect them" Bwahahahahaha! Wow, that's the epitome of hubris, and self-entitlement!
What's your SSID? Just curious.
--
"In the future, that which is not mandatory will be illegal"
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everybody agrees that it is old enough to know better" - Anonymous |
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hrickpa
join:2001-06-07
Reading, PA
·Covad Communications
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to hrickpa
my SSID is a simple phrase it contains nothing about me at all. a few years ago i had found them using my wireless
WPA was not available at the time my old router was
linksys befw11s4 ver.4
I ended up moving the computer from the second floor to the third floor and using a wired connection.
I was confronted about it when I was outside one day.
neighbor saying "I had no right to disconnect them"
this was around april 2004 when this started.
a few months later the befw11s4 router stopped working
ended using a wired router for at least one year
no wireless. I got a new wireless router Linksys wrt54g ver.5. In 2006 I enabled the wireless because i had gotten a laptop. I used the same SSID but using WPA2 instead WEP.
My neighbors are saying that my SSID is insulting to them
there is nothing insulting about it.
I am thinking in going to 802.11a
there is no 802.11a around me
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