Wireless network SSID naming - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 06:33:13 am
content: I'm thinking about SSIDs for my home network. For years I've used justHome Network, Un-trusted Clients, Guest Networketc...I was considering using my actual address such as1 Something Place (Guest)as an example. Can anyone think of any negatives by doing this?Yes, it'll identify to my neighbours who's taking up most of the channels on the 2.4GHz band but so what? It would be easy enough for someone to find that out (or guess) anyway. You won't see the network appear anyway unless you already know my physical address and are probably within viewing distance of it.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 06:58:24 am
content: Your home address would become readily available via services such ashttps://www.wigle.net/I also wouldn't put "DMZ" or "Guest" in the SSID thereby informing outsiders what may or may not be available at each access point.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 07:07:50 am
content: Quote from: bitseeker on January 28, 2017, 06:58:24 amVery good point. That's enough to me not to even consider it.Quote from: bitseeker on January 28, 2017, 06:58:24 amI did think about that as well, but I need a fairly clear way of differentiating between them.

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 08:27:22 am
content: I named my network after my favorite cartoon duo. Easy to tell they go together but no other give away.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 09:52:01 am
content: As a person who has WAY too many APs all at once in my house, I have a naming scheme.My first AP, which was a 2.4ghz 802.11 N deal is named AMP-NMy second, which was a dual band 2.4 and 5ghz 802.11 N/AC deal is named AMP-2.4ghz and AMP-5GhzI suggest something simple. Take your username (Mine is Ampera on other sites) and shorten it to 3-5 characters. Now take the router frequency and 802.11 standard and add that.Now number it among APs if you have multiple points with the same configuration.

author: ovnr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 10:31:57 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 28, 2017, 09:52:01 am<3 my Ubiquiti APs. You get a single SSID for the whole lot (and both frequencies), and clients just Deal With It (tm), roaming between APs and frequencies as needed.

author: kripton2035
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 10:36:02 am
content: Quote from: ovnr on January 28, 2017, 10:31:57 am+1

author: steve30
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 01:33:54 pm
content: For 10 years I've had an AP named 'steve'. I don't really use wireless anymore so now its only turned on when I particularly want it.'steve' sounds a little bit boring, but it is actually quite unique in my area. Most of the SSIDs which are broadcast round here have names like 'SkyXYZ' or 'TalkTalkXYZ'

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 10:15:09 pm
content: If I was concerned about security, then I would pick an SSID which is similar to the other SSIDs in my area just to confuse a potential wardriver.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 10:23:19 pm
content: Quote from: David Hess on January 28, 2017, 10:15:09 pmFun!

author: imidis
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 10:23:41 pm
content: CIA Van is one of my favorites in the neighborhood.

author: timb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 10:51:30 pm
content: Quote from: ovnr on January 28, 2017, 10:31:57 amYup, the Apple Airport/Time Capsules do this as well. It's very nice! Though, personally I still use the option to assign separate SSIDs to the 2.4 and 5GHz bands. (Because sometimes I'm in an extreme corner of the house and want to be able to force the system onto 2.4GHz.)

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 10:52:10 pm
content: Quote from: bitseeker on January 28, 2017, 10:23:19 pmIts no substitute for proper security, but there is a reasonably good case for picking a SSID for your network that looks like the typical default SSID for a wireless printer as no-one expects a generic wireless printer to have Internet connectivity. Pick one with no known exploits in the wild and of a brand you do not own!

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 11:06:00 pm
content: Hmm, I wonder if one could have an SSID made up of space characters. I suspect firmware would trim spaces, which would thwart this from occurring.Aha, perhaps I'll use: ...---...

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 11:08:30 pm
content: A good one for casual deterrence of idiots is '--No SSID--'

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 11:11:53 pm
content: Quote from: Ian.M on January 28, 2017, 11:08:30 pmFantastic!Also:SSID Hidden

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 11:36:14 pm
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on January 28, 2017, 09:52:01 amI use 3 Ubiquiti access points with a controller so there is no need to "name" each AP. It all appears as one SSID that services both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz clients.Refer to the screen shot below; All anyone sees is one SSID called "Home" but if you use a Wi-Fi analyser, you can see there are several access points servicing that network.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 11:44:59 pm
content: There are a couple of networks that come up on my WiFi scan.The one that made me smile is this one:No Wifi For You:)

author: BillyD
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2017, 11:54:21 pm
content: A good one I heard recently:tellMyWifiLoveHer

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 12:01:31 am
content: Quote from: imidis on January 28, 2017, 10:23:41 pmI like "FBI Porn Server". The CIA is not chartered for domestic operations.Quote from: Ian.M on January 28, 2017, 10:52:10 pmI agree but why give away anything for free? It is better to hide in plain sight with a nondescript SSID than to disable SSID broadcasts or even use a MAC white list both of which just gives a false sense of security.If I am paranoid enough, then the WiFi goes on its own separate subnet but is isolated from the LAN. If I am really paranoid, then access between the WiFi and LAN is only via VPN. If I am more paranoid yet, then I isolate all of my LAN machines from each other on layer 3; a VLAN switch connected to a real router is handy for this.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 12:15:57 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on January 28, 2017, 11:36:14 pmUsually as long as the access points are on the same subnet and ethernet broadcast domain, roaming between access points will work whether the SSIDs are the same or not.

author: trophosphere
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 12:31:59 am
content: Quote from: David Hess on January 29, 2017, 12:01:31 amThere is one in my neighborhood that is named "NSA Surveillance Van".

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 12:37:32 am
content: Quote from: David Hess on January 29, 2017, 12:15:57 amYes it's a quick and dirty way of doing it but involves more configuration. Why configure 3 access points on each client (or 6 if I want to use both bands) when I can just do one? It's also the reason why I'm going to ditch pre-shared keys for 802.1x authentication, that way I can simply set up a guest login which I can change (or even disable) at will, without then having to go around to every other device on the network and change the settings. The less configuration needed at the client end, the better.

author: bitseeker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 12:38:49 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on January 28, 2017, 11:36:14 pmI use the same app. Very handy.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 12:50:27 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on January 29, 2017, 12:37:32 amI agree that is more convenient. I do not think it is a big deal if you just have enough access points to cover a home.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 12:58:15 am
content: Quote from: David Hess on January 29, 2017, 12:50:27 amI get that not everyone has a wireless controller and enterprise-grade access points, but if you do have that kind of gear (and let's be honest, you no longer have to fork out huge dollars to Cisco, Motorola or Aruba these days), then it's a much better solution.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 01:21:32 am
content: Quote from: Halcyon on January 29, 2017, 12:58:15 amI will settle for enterprise-grade or close to enterprise-grade access points like the Ubiquiti Nanostation Loco. Unfortunately Ubiquiti has not upgraded them from 802.11n. I am generally distrustful of anything which requires custom software for configuration.My preferred setup is to place them on the perimeter facing inwards so the directional dual polarity patch antennas are facing away from outside transmitters.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 01:52:58 am
content: You can also just put up a rude SSID and wait while innocence is lost around your neighborhood.

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 29, 2017, 04:43:09 am
content: Quote from: Ed.Kloonk on January 29, 2017, 02:17:38 amProbably an older couples' wifi. The boobies are starting to sag.

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 30, 2017, 12:50:44 pm
content: I came across..."WellFlyForAWiFi"recently.Quite like that.

author: elecman14
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 30, 2017, 02:00:12 pm
content: If you are using WPA (type of encryption) having a common SSID can actually be harmful. Their are multiple ways an access point password can be cracked. One of the ways it is done is doing a lookup in a pre-computed "rainbow" table. The ssid is used as part of the password generation algorithm. The creators of these tables want them to be as useful as possible so they pre-compute them with the most common SSIDs. It would probably be best if you avoid any of the SSID from this list: (warning is zip file)https://www.renderlab.net/projects/WPA-tables/SSID.zip