Broadcast SSID required to connect to wireless network - why ?

[Fred Morrison]

Why is it that my recently upgraded (to Vista Ultimate) laptop won't connect to my wireless network
unless I go into my wireless router's administration screens and turn "broadcast SSID" back on (it
previously was off when I was running Windows XP Pro SP2)? I have been running with 128-bit WEP
security and broadcast SSID off for nearly two years. When I went to re-joining (a separate sore
point in and of itself since this should have been preserved as part of the upgrade process, in my
opinion) my wireless network by typing in the 36-digit hex key, Vista would not recognize my
network. Only when I turned broadcast SSID back on at the router, did it finally join up. However,
if I turn broadcast SSID back off and reboot the PC, it cannot find the wireless network. Windows
XP Pro SP2 never had this type of problem. As far as I can tell, Vista has taken a step backwards
when it comes to wireless connectivity.

 

[CZ]

Why is it that my recently upgraded (to Vista Ultimate) laptop won'tunless I go into my wireless router's administration screens and turn
"broadcast SSID" back on (it
previously was off when I was running Windows XP Pro SP2)? I have been
running with 128-bit WEP
security and broadcast SSID off for nearly two years. When I went to
re-joining (a separate sore
point in and of itself since this should have been preserved as part of the
upgrade process, in my
opinion) my wireless network by typing in the 36-digit hex key, Vista would
not recognize my
network. Only when I turned broadcast SSID back on at the router, did it
finally join up. However,
if I turn broadcast SSID back off and reboot the PC, it cannot find the
wireless network. Windows
XP Pro SP2 never had this type of problem. As far as I can tell, Vista has
taken a step backwards
when it comes to wireless connectivity.

Fred:

Hiding the SSID is not considered a strong security measure in WiFi
security.

 

[Troy McClure]

first, all forms of wep have been cracked for a long time now. all youre
doing by using it is slowing down your connection. use wpa instead...
and i can confirm that while NOT broadcasting the ssid, i CAN connect just
fine. although a difference in vista and xp is that in xp the OS simply saw
nothing.... vista sees "unnamed network"

 

[Fred Morrison]

I have an older LinkSys WRT54G router. It doesn't show WPA as an available option in any of it's
administration screens; therefore, I continue to use 128-bit WEP.

Bottom line: I need to find out how to make Vista connect to a wireless network that does not
broadcast its SSID. It worked for Windows XP Pro SP2, so I don't understand why Windows Vista
Ultimate won't connect unless I broadcast my SSID to the surrounding neighborhood.

 

[Fred Morrison]

The folks at LinkSys had me upgrade the firmware on my WRT54G v1.1 router to the latest edition.
4.21.1, and now it shows WPA as an available option. I switched from 128-bit WEP to
WPA-Personal/TKIP, entered my secrect passcode, and saved those settings on the router. Just for
grins, I powered off and powered back on the router.

It took a bit of hunt-and-click, with many missteps down blind alleys, to get reconnected from
Windows Vista Ultimate, but I finally stumbled onto a "reconnect even if SSID is not being
broadcast" feature, but I don't know how I got there, so I doubt I could help anyone else. All I
can say is, hunt-and-click on anything "network" related until you find it ;-)

 

[Fred Morrison]

The folks at LinkSys had me upgrade the firmware on my WRT54G v1.1 router to the latest edition.
4.21.1, and now it shows WPA as an available option. I switched from 128-bit WEP to
WPA-Personal/TKIP, entered my secrect passcode, and saved those settings on the router. Just for
grins, I powered off and powered back on the router.

It took a bit of hunt-and-click, with many missteps down blind alleys, to get reconnected from
Windows Vista Ultimate, but I finally stumbled onto a "reconnect even if SSID is not being
broadcast" feature, but I don't know how I got there, so I doubt I could help anyone else. All I
can say is, hunt-and-click on anything "network" related until you find it ;-)

 

[Mickey Segal]

Some older computers don't support WPA, so setting the router to WPA won't
work for everyone.

 

[thecreator]

Hi Fred,

This is why I always do a clean install. I had this problem with Windows
Vista Ultimate RC2. I fixed this problem, by installing the Drivers for the
Adapter Card, as I was installing Ultimate RC2, the last time.

You may not be in the position to do a clean install, but it is what
fixes the problem.

What I did, since I dual-boot between Windows XP Home Edition Service
Pack 2 on NTFS File System and Windows Vista Ultimate RC2, I had downloaded
the drivers for the Network Adapter Card and unpacked them, into a
sub-folder of Unzipped.

Next I rebooted the computer with the DVD in the Drive and booted from
the DVD.

I did a Custom reinstall and when it asked for any drivers needed, I
pointed the process towards the folder to look for the drivers. Then I
continued reinstalling Ultimate RC2 and it worked without requiring SSID to
be continuously broadcasted.

The first time, I installed Ultimate RC2, I installed first, then
supplied the drivers. Found the same problem you currently see.

 

[LoveToScraps]

unless I go into my wireless router's administration screens and turn
"broadcast SSID" back on (it
previously was off when I was running Windows XP Pro SP2)? I have been
running with 128-bit WEP
security and broadcast SSID off for nearly two years. When I went to
re-joining (a separate sore
point in and of itself since this should have been preserved as part of the
upgrade process, in my
opinion) my wireless network by typing in the 36-digit hex key, Vista would
not recognize my
network. Only when I turned broadcast SSID back on at the router, did it
finally join up. However,
if I turn broadcast SSID back off and reboot the PC, it cannot find the
wireless network. Windows
XP Pro SP2 never had this type of problem. As far as I can tell, Vista has
taken a step backwards
when it comes to wireless connectivity.

Fred:

Hiding the SSID is not considered a strong security measure in WiFi
security.

This is not a very satisfactory answer.
You can set your home router to broadcast, but networks that you need
to connect to but have no control over (e.g. work) do not broadcast
the SSID.
I have the same exact problem with Vista, whereas it worked fine with
XP.

 

[Larry Maturo]

I had no problem with this on Windows Home Ultimate. You just tell
it the SSID, since it can't see it. I also have an HP printer I was able
to do this with. Now, I did a clean install, and setup the wireless network
using the wireless network wizard. If you upgraded, you may have to
manually find a way to invoke this wizzard.

-- Larry Maturo

 

[Fred Morrison]

I had to turn Network Discovery to "On" (it was set to off). It's buried deep inside Control Panel,
so good luck finding it.

Prior to turning Network Discovery to "on" I could type my network's SSID into the dialog for
joining a wireless network until I was blue in the face but it did no good. I'm guessing this is
part of Microsoft's "lock it down by default" approach to upgrading to Vista. While they have good
intentions, it sure makes it hard to join a wireless network that is already secured and isn't
broadcasting its presence to nosey outsiders.

 

[stephanie.simmons]

I had to turn Network Discovery to "On" (it was set to off). It's buried deep inside Control Panel,
so good luck finding it.

Prior to turning Network Discovery to "on" I could type my network's SSID into the dialog for
joining a wireless network until I was blue in the face but it did no good. I'm guessing this is
part of Microsoft's "lock it down by default" approach to upgrading to Vista. While they have good
intentions, it sure makes it hard to join a wireless network that is already secured and isn't
broadcasting its presence to nosey outsiders.

I did this, but still cannot find the wireless network. I am just
lost. Any more suggestions?
Thanks