[NMLUG] Linux Router/Firewall

[peter at espen.net (Peter Espen)]

On Tue, 4 May 2004, Ed Heron wrote:

> From: "Mike Garfias" <mike@garfias.org>
>
> > Yeah, its M$, but it works, and I didn't want to pay for a real WAP, it
> just
> > wasn't worth it to me.  The firmware could use a bit of work, it doesn't
> let
> > me hide the SSID, but at least does 128bit WEP, and does MAC filtering.
>
>   I hid the SSID on my WAP, but M$ stopped working.  I got the impression
> that M$ requires the WAP to broadcast the SSID.  If I'm wrong, I'd like to
> know, cause hiding the SSID would be cute.  Does turning off the SSID
> improve security much?
>

I setup a M$ wireless access point at my sister's house in CA a few weeks
ago.  I would never have picked a M$ brand over a netgear, or linksys, or
Dlink, but she got it for a present so what the heck.

Anyway, it did indeed let me hide the SSID (turned of broadcast SSID).
Not broadcasting the SSID does tend to hide yourself from the casual
wardriver and wireless hackers.  It doesn't provide a complete security
solution all by itself, but it does help.