The only problem with disabling your SSID is that it increases the likelihood that someone else will use the same channel you're on.
Of course, 95% of the people with home networks (at least the ones around me) don't know enough to look for other networks. I've had to change my channel twice so far when neighbors have set up networks. Fortunately, since they don't know enough to check for other networks, they also don't know about disabling the SSID broadcast so I could see them even though they didn't look for me.
__________________ -Ike-
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. and To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Good point Ike. I guess I'm living in the vain hope that some of the auto configuration wizards would at least take that step :) It is something that I look for though when enabling Wifi at a friend's house, so hopefully other people with wifi networks have friends too :)
One other general thing with WEP. There are some significant weaknesses with it. It works great to mask your traffic from the casual tresspasser, but in reality it's fairly weak. Don't be fooled into thinking that 128 bit encryption is any stronger than 64 bit encryption. They both share the same weakness and it could be argued that 64 bit WEP is easier to configure (shorter key) so you may was well stick with 64 bit WEP over 128 bit WEP. Of course, WPA-PSK with a passphrase of >15 letters is better. >20 if you want to be really secure.
__________________
Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
The only problem I have with disabling SSID is that my X50v cannot see my network. So, if I want my WiFi to work on my X50v, I have to enable SSID broadcast. I am not using Odyssey client. I have my network setup with the correct SSID spelled properly. When I re-enable my SSID broadcast, the Wifi works right away.
I need to find a way for my Dell Axim X50v to work with my SSID broadcast turned off. Anyone knows how?
The only problem I have with disabling SSID is that my X50v cannot see my network. So, if I want my WiFi to work on my X50v, I have to enable SSID broadcast. I am not using Odyssey client. I have my network setup with the correct SSID spelled properly. When I re-enable my SSID broadcast, the Wifi works right away.
I need to find a way for my Dell Axim X50v to work with my SSID broadcast turned off. Anyone knows how?
Mine works with SSID not broadcasted. Just add your own network in manually instead of letting the device detect it. With your wifi enabled, tap on the icon at the lower right corner. Then tap "Setting." Under "Configure Wireless Network," tap on "Add New.." then add your own SSID in.
Thanks Gigi. I had already set up the above already. But it did not work.
However, after spending more time last night, I managed to get it to work, but I am not sure whether it was a number of things... :)
1. I updated my D-link DI-614+ drivers to the latest.
2. I switched off my D-link's 4x mode for WiFi (only useful if you use AirPlus family which I do).
Now, everything works. When Odyssey client is disabled, I get a "hidde" infrastructure, but I just hit rescan in the Dell WLAN utility and it picks up my SSID name, and I can get PIE connected and working.
So, I'm a happy camper for now. Getting each problem resolved one at a time.
or if you don't want to encrypt your network (for some reason)
Speed reasons mainly... I used to have WEP enabled on my wireless network and tho it was fine for regular internet browsing it was really no good for large file transfers/video streaming and the like.
Then one day setting up a new laptop I had to disable WEP to get some settings to work and forgot to enable it again afterwards.. I immediately noticed everything was copying over the wireless much much quicker and now I can stream videos without having to copy it over as well.
This was way before I got my Axim but I'm guessing having one less decrypting procedure to process on wireless comms might have some beneficial effect on the battery as well... albeit might be negligible... ¬_¬ .. but hey! Every little helps!
I already had MAC filtering enabled and SSID broadcast disabled so am still fairly confident my wireless is secure.
---
BTW the MAC address of Axims can also be found by running the DELL self-diagnostic utility that comes with the cd... handy little tool that is.
I already had MAC filtering enabled and SSID broadcast disabled so am still fairly confident my wireless is secure.
If you are using the wireless at all, then I can fire up netstumbler on the laptop and find the SSID in seconds. I can then fire up Ethereal and sniff for MAC addresses, again a few seconds. Plug in my Cisco Aironet wireless card, change from the internal card to it, change my MAC address on the Cisco card and I am in. It should only take about a minute or two. WEP is not much more secure. With all the tools we have at work, that would take about 5 minutes to break. Another 1 or two if you keep the MAC address filter. If someone wants into your network, then they can get in. The thing with most homes is there is not something important enough to go through the trouble. Most people are looking for Interent connectivity, so MAC address filtering and/or WEP is enough to get them looking elsewhere. Disabling the SSID is a bonus also.
I did a bunch of testing specifically on my 4150 with on WEP, 64 bit WEP and 128 bit WEP. I was able to detect a slight reduction in speed but nothing substantial. ie - I would not have noticed it. That was exclusively tested using file transfers, not just HTTP requests.
Might just be different with your hardware setup. For me though I could not notice any performance degradation in real life.
__________________
Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
If you are using the wireless at all, then I can fire up netstumbler on the laptop and find the SSID in seconds. I can then fire up Ethereal and sniff for MAC addresses, again a few seconds. Plug in my Cisco Aironet wireless card, change from the internal card to it, change my MAC address on the Cisco card and I am in. It should only take about a minute or two. WEP is not much more secure. With all the tools we have at work, that would take about 5 minutes to break. Another 1 or two if you keep the MAC address filter. If someone wants into your network, then they can get in. The thing with most homes is there is not something important enough to go through the trouble. Most people are looking for Interent connectivity, so MAC address filtering and/or WEP is enough to get them looking elsewhere. Disabling the SSID is a bonus also.
:rolling: ... I just enabled my WEP again...
Originally Posted by Howard2k
Might just be different with your hardware setup. For me though I could not notice any performance degradation in real life.
I'm beginning to think that too... the LAN cards I was using for the laptops were some pretty old D-Link ones which were patchy at best. I just tried streaming a fullsized divx file over to my axim and to my surprise its working pretty solidly!
read the whole post...i dunno what i'm doing wrong on my x50v
on my router (DI 514) i set WEP to be enabled 64 bit encriptionand entered a simple key all zeros last four digits are all 7'
enabled WEP on my axim, put in the same key and key # as i setup on my router,and i can't connect
I'm gonna try and see if there are any new drivers availible wish me luck
any other suggestions would be great
Follow Us
RSS Feed
Follow on Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
