What Is An SSID?
SSID stands for Service Set Identifier. It is a unique name that identifies a particular wireless network. When you connect your device to a Wi-Fi network, the SSID is what appears as the network’s name in the list of available networks. Each SSID allows you to differentiate between multiple networks, ensuring you connect to the correct one.
If you were to try to log into a wi-fi network on your PC or Mobile device, you would most likely see a list of available networks. Each of these network names is also known as the SSID.
Hiding The SSID
Most Wi-Fi extends far beyond your home. This extension allows potential attackers from detecting the network simply by sassing by your house or even being located near your home in populated cities. Your routers Wi-Fi is a potential avenue of attack for a hacker. Simply having a mobile phone, a hacker parked in a car can see the SSIDs in your area.
Hiding your SSID has several advantages, particularly if you are using a mobile hotspot’s Wi-Fi in a public place like a coffee shop, hotel or hospital. Most of these places offer free wireless for their guests, but if you choose to use your own by using a hotspot, it can be helpful to mask or hide your SSID so potential hackers are not even aware of its existence. Even at home, hiding your SSID from curbside hackers makes it much easier for the hacker to try an SSID they are aware of. There are some disadvantages with hiding your SSID, but in my opinion the advantages far outweigh them.
Advantages
Hiding your SSID can be the first part of a defense against a casual hacker attack. It doesn’t make your network invisible, and a skilled bad actor can still find hidden SSIDs. It is important to note that routers cannot become 100% secure against hacking even with several precautions, but simple methods like hiding the SSID can make them look elsewhere first.
If there are a lot of Wi-Fi networks in your area, for example, apartments and shared condos, it can prevent interference and congestion as fewer devices will attempt to connect to it. In the same vein, hiding your SSID can declutter the list of available networks in a densely populated area.
Disadvantages
Sophisticated attackers can still detect hidden networks using specialized tools. So it is not a foolproof method of security.
Devices that have not previously connected to the hidden network might have difficulty connecting. The user would need to manually enter the actual SSID and password when making a connection.
The actual need for hiding your SSID depends on your need for an additional layer of protection. As mentioned, if you live in a high-density area with several routers in each apartment or if you use a wireless device and can use your hotspot, hiding your SSID can be beneficial.
Sharing your router with a neighbor to reduce ISP costs is not a recommended practice, but hiding the SSID can provide some level of security.
How To Hide Your SSID
Hiding your SSID is pretty straightforward and can be done through your wireless router’s settings. Here are the steps required:
- Access your router’s settings: Open a web browser and enter your router’s IP address in the address bar. (The most commonly used are: 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1.) This will give you access to the router login page.
- Enter the routers username and password. This information is usually found on a label on the router or the manual that comes with the router. This is not the Wi-Fi password.
- Navigate to the router’s Wireless Settings and look for Wireless or SSID settings. Each model will be slightly different.
- To hide the SSID, select disable SSID Broadcast or uncheck the box for that option.
- Enter a CAPTCHA required, then Save settings.
- Manually reconnect the devices by entering the network name and wi-fi password for each device you wish to connect to your hidden network.
Note: If you do let guests use your router when visiting, most routers offer a 2G and 5G channel. You can allow guests to have access to your 2G while hiding your 5G channel and making it the default channel for all your personal devices. Utilizing the 2G network does not permit guests to access any 5G devices. It only allows them use of the internet.
TIPS
- Renaming your SSID is also an option, but don’t use names that would let others know who the router belongs to
- Most routers allow you to set a guest sign-in. These separate networks connect to a different SSID and password keeping your main network private. It is isolated from your primary network preventing guests from accessing personal devices or files
- You can easily change the guest network password. Changing it often prevents auto-reconnect when guests revisit
- You can set limits on bandwidth usage, access times, and even parental controls if needed
Summary
By following these steps to hide your SSID, you have added an extra layer of security to your network. To add additional layers of security, make sure you use strong Wi-Fi and your Router passwords, and change the passwords that came with the router when it was purchased or delivered by your ISP. Many routers have a very insecure default username like “admin” and “password”. This link will give you a list of typical default router passwords. Changing them to a new username and strong password should be done right away.
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