N800 Hidden WLAN

[Adam_n800]

I just got the N800 recently and the wifi connection seems to be pretty good around my home WLAN and in local coffee shops etc but at my University they use a hidden WLAN connection, and the only way you can connect is by manually entering the SSID config details, I haven't tried this yet, but has anyone done this and been successful or is this not possible on a n800 device. :confused:

[W1NDRUSH]

It can be done, I use hidden at home. config page for connections, set it once. job's a goodun !

[Adam_n800]

Thanks mate, that's reassuring to know :) . The main point I bought the N800 was instead of carrying my laptop with me everywhere I could leave it in my classroom when I go for breaks and just use the N800 to surf with web.

I dont know why they use a hidden wifi connection at my Uni anyway, they should just add WEP security to it and tell all the students to use the key instead of manual entering the SSID.

[bac522]

well the only reason hidden, which just means the SSID isn't being broadcasted, is to stop the nonchalantly user from connecting. Clearly a hacker would find the network in a heartbeat. I use a hidden network at home and my 770 connects in with no problem. Once you create a wi-fi profile you don't need to key in the SSID every time at that point.

[brendan]

you can use kismet to find the hidden network, but i would imagine that is not the only hurdle you have to overcome to get your n800 on the Univ. network. they will have MAC address filtering and an encryption key that you have to acquire. the MAC address should not be difficult, as you can see which ones associate with the AP, and then forge yours. the hard part is the encryption...

[Salidwyn]

We've got an open but hidden network at work where you just enter in the SSID and you're good. I was a little disappointed the wifi finder on the N800 didn't find hidden networks on it's own since my tablet pc's software can (Intel PROset/wireless) but oh well, you can still connect to them.

[Milhouse]

Isn't that the point of a hidden network - that they shouldn't be found by a regular scan? Not sure why the Tablet PC is finding them, I guess that's just a bonus but the N800 behaviour sounds reasonable/correct to me. :)

[bac522]

Isn't that the point of a hidden network - that they shouldn't be found by a regular scan? Not sure why the Tablet PC is finding them, I guess that's just a bonus but the N800 behaviour sounds reasonable/correct to me. :)

Yes that's the spec, but not everyone follows the IEEE spec and so some drivers will highlight a network when it hears a network broadcast packet rather then a SSID broadcast packet.