Windows 7 : Disabling Network SSID Broadcasting

However, you should know that when previously authorized devices attempt to connect to a nonbroadcasting network, they include the network’s SSID as part of the probe requests they send out to see whether the network is within range. The SSID is sent in unencrypted text, so it is easy for a snoop with the right software (easily obtained from the Internet) to learn the SSID. If the SSID is not broadcasting to try to hide a network that is unsecure or uses an easily breakable encryption protocol, such as WEP, hiding the SSID in this way actually makes the network less secure.

Of course, you aren’t trying to hide an unsecure network, right? From the previous section, you should now have WPA or WPA2 encryption enabled. So in your case, disabling SSID broadcasting either keeps your security the same or improves it:

• If a cracker detects your nonbroadcasting SSID, you’re no worse off.

• If the snoop doesn’t have the necessary software to detect your nonbroadcasting SSID, he won’t see your network, so you’re more secure.

So as long as your wireless signals are encrypted with WPA or WPA2, you should disable SSID broadcasting. Access your router’s setup pages, locate the wireless settings section (see Figure 1), and then activate the option to hide or disable SSID broadcasting.

Figure 1. Access the wireless settings on your router’s setup pages, and then disable SSID broadcasting.

Connecting to a Hidden Wireless Network

Each wireless network has a network name—the SSID—which identifies the network to wireless devices and computers with wireless network cards. By default, most wireless networks broadcast the network name so that you can see the network and connect to it. However, some wireless networks disable network name broadcasting as a security precaution. As I described in the previous section, the idea is that if unauthorized users can’t see the network, they can’t attempt to connect to it.

However, you can still connect to a hidden wireless network by entering the connection settings by hand. You need to know the network name, the network’s security type and encryption type, and the network’s security key or pass phrase.

Here are the steps to follow to connect to a nonbroadcasting wireless networking in Windows 7:

1.	Click the Network icon in the taskbar’s notification area, and then click Open Network and Sharing Center.
2.	In the Network and Sharing Center window, click the Set Up a New Connection or Network link. The Choose a Connection Option dialog box appears.
3.	Select Manually Connect to a Wireless Network, and then click Next. Windows 7 prompts you for the network connection data, as shown in Figure 2 (which shows a completed version of the dialog box). Figure 2. Use this dialog box to specify the connection settings for the hidden wireless network.
4.	Provide the following connection data: Network Name— The SSID of the hidden wireless network. Security Type— The security protocol used by the wireless network. Select No Authentication (Open) if the network is unsecured. Encryption Type— The method of encryption used by the wireless network’s security protocol. Security Key— The key or password required for authorized access to the network. Start This Connection Automatically— Leave this check box activated to have Windows 7 connect to the network now (that is, when you click Next in step 5) and automatically the next time the network comes within range. If you always want to connect to the network manually, deactivate this option. Connect Even If the Network Is Not Broadcasting— If you activate this check box, Windows 7 will send probe requests to see whether the network is in range even if the network isn’t broadcasting its SSID. Note, however, that this lessens security (because the SSID is sent in plain text in the probe request, as described in the previous tweak), so you should leave this check box deactivated.
5.	Click Next. Windows 7 connects to the network and adds it to the list of wireless networks.
6.	Click Close.