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QT151 - Disabling SSID Broadcast on Netgear Wireless Products

Introduction

This Quick Tip discusses disabling SSID broadcast on Netgear wireless products.

Detail

The Service Set Identification (SSID or ESSID) is a 32-character (maximum) alphanumeric string that identifies a wireless network.  The SSID is sometimes called the network name.  In order for stations (access points and client PC's) to communicate, they must all be configured to use the same SSID.

In most wireless networks, access points continually broadcast their SSID, enabling workstations to display a list of available networks,.  This then allows the user to select the most appropriate network to connect to.

With the increasing interest in security of wireless networks, it has been recently  suggested by some security advisers that it would be useful to suppress the broadcast of the SSID by access points.  The reasoning is that this would prevent unauthorised users scanning for available networks, while still allowing users who know the correct SSID to connect.

Due to increasing request by users for the ability to suppress SSID broadcast, Netgear has recently started adding this to its range of wireless products, beginning with firmware version 1.40 for the FM114P.

Note that some security advisers consider that suppressing SSID broadcast contributes little to improved security.  See here for a good technical article discussing the issue.

The following table shows the current status of Netgear support for disabling the broadcast SSID.

Access Point Model	Disable SSID Broadcast?
FM114P 802.11b Wireless Firewall	Yes.  Firmware Rev 1.40 and later.
HE102 802.11a Wireless Access Point	No
HR314 802.11a Wireless Router	No
ME102 802.11b Wireless Access Point	No
MR314 802.11b Wireless Router	No
MR814 802.11b Wireless Router	No

On the FM114P, SSID broadcast is disabled on the Wireless settings page in the web console:

 

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QT151 - Disabling SSID Broadcast on Netgear Wireless Products

Version 1.0, 26-NOV-02

Copyright © 2002 Fulton Network Technologies Pty Ltd.  All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or distributed in any form without prior permission.

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VERSION HISTORY

1.0   26-NOV-2002   Initial Release