With Vista I am unable to get a non beaconing SSID to work.

I created an SSID and on my Wireless Switch I am using an SSID that is not
beaconing. With Vista I am unable to connect with this SSID that is not
beaconing. If I beacon the SSID then I am able to connect using Vista. Any
Ideas.

"Scott" <Scott@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F31DF878-2A5E-4B66-8D06-AA292338225B@microsoft.com...
>I created an SSID and on my Wireless Switch I am using an SSID that is not
> beaconing. With Vista I am unable to connect with this SSID that is not
> beaconing. If I beacon the SSID then I am able to connect using Vista.
> Any
> Ideas.


Any reason you can't turn the SSID beacon on? There's no security benefit
from turning it off. All the hackers know how to scan traffic for SSIDs sent
in other ways - for example, every time you connect to an SSID, you have to
go "Hey, linksys, are you there?" and now the hackers know that you're
expecting to see a wireless AP called "linksys" (as if they weren't looking
for one already).

Alun.
~~~~
--
Texas Imperial Software | Web: http://www.wftpd.com/
23921 57th Ave SE | Blog: http://msmvps.com/alunj/
Woodinville WA 98072-8661 | WFTPD, WFTPD Pro are Windows FTP servers.
Fax/Voice +1(425)807-1787 | Try our NEW client software, WFTPD Explorer.

I am not sure because this is a customer complaining about this. I am
assuming that they don't want other people to know about this SSID since it
is being used for testing purposes until it is actually implemented.

"alun@texis.invalid" wrote:

> "Scott" <Scott@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:F31DF878-2A5E-4B66-8D06-AA292338225B@microsoft.com...
> >I created an SSID and on my Wireless Switch I am using an SSID that is not
> > beaconing. With Vista I am unable to connect with this SSID that is not
> > beaconing. If I beacon the SSID then I am able to connect using Vista.
> > Any
> > Ideas.
>
>
> Any reason you can't turn the SSID beacon on? There's no security benefit
> from turning it off. All the hackers know how to scan traffic for SSIDs sent
> in other ways - for example, every time you connect to an SSID, you have to
> go "Hey, linksys, are you there?" and now the hackers know that you're
> expecting to see a wireless AP called "linksys" (as if they weren't looking
> for one already).
>
> Alun.
> ~~~~
> --
> Texas Imperial Software | Web: http://www.wftpd.com/
> 23921 57th Ave SE | Blog: http://msmvps.com/alunj/
> Woodinville WA 98072-8661 | WFTPD, WFTPD Pro are Windows FTP servers.
> Fax/Voice +1(425)807-1787 | Try our NEW client software, WFTPD Explorer.
>
>

"Scott" <Scott@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8E60631E-B413-481F-92DC-CF33C36C301F@microsoft.com...
> "alun@texis.invalid" wrote:
>
>> "Scott" <Scott@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:F31DF878-2A5E-4B66-8D06-AA292338225B@microsoft.com...
>> >I created an SSID and on my Wireless Switch I am using an SSID that is
>> >not
>> > beaconing. With Vista I am unable to connect with this SSID that is
>> > not
>> > beaconing. If I beacon the SSID then I am able to connect using Vista.
>> > Any
>> > Ideas.
>>
>>
>> Any reason you can't turn the SSID beacon on? There's no security benefit
>> from turning it off. All the hackers know how to scan traffic for SSIDs
>> sent
>> in other ways - for example, every time you connect to an SSID, you have
>> to
>> go "Hey, linksys, are you there?" and now the hackers know that you're
>> expecting to see a wireless AP called "linksys" (as if they weren't
>> looking
>> for one already).
>>

>I am not sure because this is a customer complaining about this. I am
> assuming that they don't want other people to know about this SSID since
> it
> is being used for testing purposes until it is actually implemented.

Try this:
Start -> Control Panel -> Network and Internet -> Network and Sharing
Center -> Manage Wireless Networks.

Right-click on the wireless network in question, select Properties.

Under the "Connection" tab (which should come up as the default), check
"Connect even if the network is not broadcasting".

Note that it's a security measure to leave this _off_. Otherwise your laptop
spends most of its time screaming "Is there a linksys anywhere near me?",
and a moderately interested hacker can say "linksys? Yeah, that just happens
to be my name today." Your laptop has just been lured. With an access point
broadcasting, you know whether you should be seeing that wireless AP or not
in the area you're in, and whether you ought to connect; with a hidden one,
you have to go calling for it all the time, even in areas where you know
it's not going to be.

Alun.
~~~~
--
Texas Imperial Software | Web: http://www.wftpd.com/
23921 57th Ave SE | Blog: http://msmvps.com/alunj/
Woodinville WA 98072-8661 | WFTPD, WFTPD Pro are Windows FTP servers.
Fax/Voice +1(425)807-1787 | Try our NEW client software, WFTPD Explorer.

<alun@texis.invalid> wrote in message
news:73A4D28B-AC17-46A2-8978-B234B02BC6C6@microsoft.com...
> "Scott" <Scott@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:8E60631E-B413-481F-92DC-CF33C36C301F@microsoft.com...
>> "alun@texis.invalid" wrote:
>>
>>> "Scott" <Scott@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>>> news:F31DF878-2A5E-4B66-8D06-AA292338225B@microsoft.com...

" tab (which should come up as the default), check
> "Connect even if the network is not broadcasting".
>
> Note that it's a security measure to leave this _off_. Otherwise your
> laptop spends most of its time screaming "Is there a linksys anywhere near
> me?",

Why would it be screaming "Is there a linksys anywhere near me?", If you do
not have any network traffic for it?
When I turn on my computer why would I have background network traffic
before I try to connect to a network?

Being a radio hobbiest I know that a beaconing station is always easier to
find than a non-beaconing one. When it comes to hackers you eliminate the
opportunist type who just happens to be at the right place at the right time
to notice your beacon. No security measure is 100% even a poor one, though,
may deter or prevent some types of hacking.

What rate do you recommend beaconing at 1 ms 100ms 1 sec 10 sec 1 min 10 min
1 hour 10 hours 1 day ...1 week 1 month ? explain why?
please explain why you choose to beacon at 10 ms versus let say 10 days?

PS. in crowded areas will not beaconing increase interference? AFAIK
beaconing to much decreases thoroughput, but what about beaconing too
little?


Respectfully,
Richard
aa9kz

"Rich Weimer" <galena@aa9kz.com> wrote in message
news:O6JfxMcZHHA.208@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>
>
> Respectfully,
> Richard
> aa9kz

Disregard the above. I do not know what I am talking about. I had to check
my WLAN to see what my beacon was set at.
I am thinking about something else entirely.
1.SSID on.
2.Beacon rate 100ms.

Sorry,
Richard