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Old 03-16-2008   #14 (permalink)
streaker69
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Virginville, BlueBall, Bird In Hand, Intercourse, Paradise, PA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DaKahuna View Post
We have had the discussion on broadcasting or not to broadcast the SSID at work a number of times. I know I am going out on a limb with this gang here but I really does not think it matters. If someone is looking for wireless access points and they are in range, then they will find it whether it is being broadcasted or not. Not broadcasting the SSID protects you only from the clueless and those are the one that you can defeat with most simple security solutions. The true wireless hacker is going to find your AP whether you broadcast the SSID or not so why not make it easier for your clueless employee's and go ahead and broadcast the SSID?
I agree with this. I have two AP's at work, one broadcasts one doesn't. The one that doesn't, has only one client that is supposed to connect to it, and it's hardcoded to connect to only that AP. As for a hacker finding it, good luck I say, it's in a big metal building, when the garage door is down, you can't even pick up a broadcast from it. If the door is up, I'd think I'd notice someone sitting in their car in the parking lot screwing around with it. Plus, I have my syslog server email me everytime someone connects to that AP.

The other one is just an AP that I turn on in the conference room if we're having guests. It does broadcast, and that's just because it's easier for the clueless. When there's no one using the room, I actually turn the AP off completely.

But I do understand SP's point. In the place he was describing, it would be easy for someone to setup camp and not be noticed.
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