Windows XP and Broadcast Disabled SSIDs

[Kevin]

How can Windows XP be forced to only connect to your
default SSID when that SSID has had broadcast disabled?
Connectivity is fairly good but other SSIDs in the area
that are broadcasting can sometimes interfere as XP
detects them and considers them more preferred
connections. Is there anyway to configure the XP client
to only look for a set SSID that is not broadcasting?

 

[Marc Reynolds [MSFT]]

See 811427 Your Computer Connects to an Access Point That Broadcasts Its
SSID
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=811427

--

Thanks,
Marc Reynolds
Microsoft Technical Support

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[Jim]

NO! This is the official policy of MS, as MS has interpreted the wireless
spec, and LOTs of people neither understand the reasoning, nor agree w/ the
behavior. Basically it goes like this, when one or more wireless networks
are broadcasting their SSID and another it NOT (let's assume it's YOU), XP
will *always* attempt to attach to the broadcasting wireless network, *even*
if you have specified a matching SSID on your system and wireless clients!
Pretty bizarre, heh? IOW, SSID broadcasts have a higher priority than SSID
name matching. Really sucks, because it now forces you to enable SSID
broadcasts on your system to counteract this behavior, but as a result, it
reduces your security (nothing new here when it comes to MS I suppose). The
only people who can get away without SSID broadcasts are those lucky enough
to be out-of-range of other wireless networks (or otherwise can get their
neighbors to agree NOT to broadcast).

I use to have a link to this on the MS website, if I can still find it, I'll
post back.

If you're as annoyed as me, complain to MS.

HTH

Jim

 

[Jim]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811427

Jim