Question about behavior of View Available Networks window

I am running Windows XP Professional SP2 and using a Linksys WRV54G wireless
router.

I configured my laptop to this router and selected the Disabled feature for
SSID broadcast but can still see my network in the View Available Networks
window. I reset my router, shut down all my devices and brought the network
up again. Same thing. Am I seeing my network because I configured the router
using my laptop. Linksys says I shouldn't see it.

If anyone knows exactly what I should or should not be seeing in the list of
available networks, I could use the help.

Here's a copy of my exchange with Linksys Support:

-----Original Message-----

From: Linksys Support [private.php?do=newpm&u=]

Sent: Friday, July 22, 2005 4:21 AM

To:

Subject: Wireless security issue with WRV54G [Incident: 050721-010301]

Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support center.
Below is a summary of your request and our response.

Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you.

To update this question by email, please reply to this message. Because your
reply will be automatically processed, you MUST enter your reply in the
space below. Text entered into any other part of this message will be
discarded.

[===> Please enter your reply below this line <===]

I tried what you suggested, but my network SSID could still be seen in the
list. Next, I reset my WRV54G and re-configured it. I powered down my
devices and restarted everything, but my SSID still appears in View
Available Wireless Connections. I can't seem to disable SSID Broadcast. Do
you have any idea why this is happening?

Thanks so much!

[===> Please enter your reply above this line <===]





Subject

Wireless security issue with WRV54G


Discussion Thread

Response (Kristoffer C(12322)) 07/22/2005 01:21 AM

Dear Valued Linksys Customer,



Thank you for contacting Linksys Customer Support.

Good day. After applying the settings on the router, it would help if you
would power cycle the devices so that it would refresh it to apply the
settings on the router. Once the SSID broadcast has been disabled, it should
not show up when you browse for the available wireless networks.



Sincerely,

Kristoffer Chavez, COE

Linksys - A Division of Cisco Systems, Inc.

Product Support Specialist

1-800-326-7114



Customer 07/21/2005 02:32 PM

I configured my router to disable SSID broadcast. However, when I go to
Start> Connect To> Show All Connections, and then right-click on the
Wireless Network Connection icon, and then select View Available Wireless
Connections, I can still see my network listed in the Choose A Wireless
Network list.

Should my network still be visible in the list on my main computer? Is there
any way to test that my network is indeed invisible to other computers?

I am running Windows XP Professional SP2

mszablocky

Yes, you are probably seeing the SSID because you configured and connected
from this machine. Frankly, most of us who are networking professionals
consider disabling the SSID to be bad advice and pointless. You should use
encryption (preferably WPA) to secure your network. Disabling the SSID
provides no significant security benefit and often causes connection
problems and interruptions.
--

"mszablocky" <> wrote in message
news:%...
>I am running Windows XP Professional SP2 and using a Linksys WRV54G
>wireless router.
>
> I configured my laptop to this router and selected the Disabled feature
> for SSID broadcast but can still see my network in the View Available
> Networks window. I reset my router, shut down all my devices and brought
> the network up again. Same thing. Am I seeing my network because I
> configured the router using my laptop. Linksys says I shouldn't see it.
>
> If anyone knows exactly what I should or should not be seeing in the list
> of available networks, I could use the help.
>
> Here's a copy of my exchange with Linksys Support:
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> From: Linksys Support [private.php?do=newpm&u=]
>
> Sent: Friday, July 22, 2005 4:21 AM
>
> To:
>
> Subject: Wireless security issue with WRV54G [Incident: 050721-010301]
>
> Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support
> center. Below is a summary of your request and our response.
>
> Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you.
>
> To update this question by email, please reply to this message. Because
> your reply will be automatically processed, you MUST enter your reply in
> the space below. Text entered into any other part of this message will be
> discarded.
>
> [===> Please enter your reply below this line <===]
>
> I tried what you suggested, but my network SSID could still be seen in the
> list. Next, I reset my WRV54G and re-configured it. I powered down my
> devices and restarted everything, but my SSID still appears in View
> Available Wireless Connections. I can't seem to disable SSID Broadcast. Do
> you have any idea why this is happening?
>
> Thanks so much!
>
> [===> Please enter your reply above this line <===]
>
>
>
>
>
> Subject
>
> Wireless security issue with WRV54G
>
>
> Discussion Thread
>
> Response (Kristoffer C(12322)) 07/22/2005 01:21 AM
>
> Dear Valued Linksys Customer,
>
>
>
> Thank you for contacting Linksys Customer Support.
>
> Good day. After applying the settings on the router, it would help if you
> would power cycle the devices so that it would refresh it to apply the
> settings on the router. Once the SSID broadcast has been disabled, it
> should not show up when you browse for the available wireless networks.
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Kristoffer Chavez, COE
>
> Linksys - A Division of Cisco Systems, Inc.
>
> Product Support Specialist
>
> 1-800-326-7114
>
>
>
> Customer 07/21/2005 02:32 PM
>
> I configured my router to disable SSID broadcast. However, when I go to
> Start> Connect To> Show All Connections, and then right-click on the
> Wireless Network Connection icon, and then select View Available Wireless
> Connections, I can still see my network listed in the Choose A Wireless
> Network list.
>
> Should my network still be visible in the list on my main computer? Is
> there any way to test that my network is indeed invisible to other
> computers?
>
> I am running Windows XP Professional SP2
>
>
>

GTS

Hello mszablocky,

Are you using WPA2 by any chance? If so, the WPA2 update can make hidden
SSIDs (network names) available in the Choose a Wireless Network dialog box.
For more details, see the following link.

The Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2)/Wireless Provisioning Services
Information Element (WPS IE) update for Windows XP with Service Pack 2 is
available
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=893357

--
Eric Cross
Microsoft MVP (Windows Networking)
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com



"mszablocky" <> wrote in message
news:%...
>I am running Windows XP Professional SP2 and using a Linksys WRV54G
>wireless router.
>
> I configured my laptop to this router and selected the Disabled feature
> for SSID broadcast but can still see my network in the View Available
> Networks window. I reset my router, shut down all my devices and brought
> the network up again. Same thing. Am I seeing my network because I
> configured the router using my laptop. Linksys says I shouldn't see it.
>
> If anyone knows exactly what I should or should not be seeing in the list
> of available networks, I could use the help.
>
> Here's a copy of my exchange with Linksys Support:
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> From: Linksys Support [private.php?do=newpm&u=]
>
> Sent: Friday, July 22, 2005 4:21 AM
>
> To:
>
> Subject: Wireless security issue with WRV54G [Incident: 050721-010301]
>
> Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line support
> center. Below is a summary of your request and our response.
>
> Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you.
>
> To update this question by email, please reply to this message. Because
> your reply will be automatically processed, you MUST enter your reply in
> the space below. Text entered into any other part of this message will be
> discarded.
>
> [===> Please enter your reply below this line <===]
>
> I tried what you suggested, but my network SSID could still be seen in the
> list. Next, I reset my WRV54G and re-configured it. I powered down my
> devices and restarted everything, but my SSID still appears in View
> Available Wireless Connections. I can't seem to disable SSID Broadcast. Do
> you have any idea why this is happening?
>
> Thanks so much!
>
> [===> Please enter your reply above this line <===]
>
>
>
>
>
> Subject
>
> Wireless security issue with WRV54G
>
>
> Discussion Thread
>
> Response (Kristoffer C(12322)) 07/22/2005 01:21 AM
>
> Dear Valued Linksys Customer,
>
>
>
> Thank you for contacting Linksys Customer Support.
>
> Good day. After applying the settings on the router, it would help if you
> would power cycle the devices so that it would refresh it to apply the
> settings on the router. Once the SSID broadcast has been disabled, it
> should not show up when you browse for the available wireless networks.
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Kristoffer Chavez, COE
>
> Linksys - A Division of Cisco Systems, Inc.
>
> Product Support Specialist
>
> 1-800-326-7114
>
>
>
> Customer 07/21/2005 02:32 PM
>
> I configured my router to disable SSID broadcast. However, when I go to
> Start> Connect To> Show All Connections, and then right-click on the
> Wireless Network Connection icon, and then select View Available Wireless
> Connections, I can still see my network listed in the Choose A Wireless
> Network list.
>
> Should my network still be visible in the list on my main computer? Is
> there any way to test that my network is indeed invisible to other
> computers?
>
> I am running Windows XP Professional SP2
>
>
>

Eric Cross [MVP]

Thanks for taking the time to help me out, all. I tend to agree with GTS's
call, however. Since my laptop is my only computer (networked to a couple of
peripherals) I think it probably has to show up. I didn't realize that
disabling SSID broadcast made so little difference in security.

And no, Eric, WPA/WPA2 is not involved at all. I use 128 bit WEP because my
print server does not support WPA.

Thanks for a nice first experience on this newsgroup!

mszablocky

You're welcome.
--

"mszablocky" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Thanks for taking the time to help me out, all. I tend to agree with GTS's
> call, however. Since my laptop is my only computer (networked to a couple
> of peripherals) I think it probably has to show up. I didn't realize that
> disabling SSID broadcast made so little difference in security.
>
> And no, Eric, WPA/WPA2 is not involved at all. I use 128 bit WEP because
> my print server does not support WPA.
>
> Thanks for a nice first experience on this newsgroup!
>

GTS