Having trouble connecting to encrypted wireless where SSID broadcastis OFF

[warlord-DPNOqEs/LNQ at public.gmane.org (Derek Atkins)]

The problem here is that the beacon provides not only the SSID but
also the WPA Parameters.  If you turn off SSID Broadcast then you
turn off the sending of the WPA Parameters.  This means that you,
on the client, need to get those parameters exactly correct in order
to connect to the AP.

Note: turning off SSID broadcast does NOT prevent someone from finding
your AP.  The SSID is still broadcast in the Assoaciation messages, so
someone watching the traffic can still see your SSID.  Nor does turning
off SSID broadcast prevent someone from connecting to it, they can watch
you connect and then replay the data.  Really, all it does is just make
it less convenient for your real users.

If you want to stop users from roaming to your network then put a
password on it.  Turning off SSID on a WPA-protected network just hurts
your real users and provides minimal additional security..

-derek

jay-R5TnC2l8y5lBDgjK7y7TUQ at public.gmane.org writes:

> My non expert firts sugestion would be to make sure the specific types of wpa are the same. Its more complicated than just wpa and wpa2. When the ap is broadcasting linux can figure this out on its own. However it may be that the ap is not communicating well with linux when its the comp initiating the connection. 
>
> ------Original Message------
> From: Randy Cole
> Sender: discuss-bounces-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org
> To: L BLU
> Sent: Feb 26, 2009 1:20 AM
> Subject: Having trouble connecting to encrypted wireless where SSID broadcastis OFF
>
> Usually, but not always, cannot connect to encrypted wireless where SSID
> broadcast is turned off.  Using WPA or WPA2.   Driver is wl.  Chip is
> Broadcom BCM4312.  Having this problem under Ubuntu 8.10 x64 and Fedora
> 10 x64.   Vista Home Premium x64 connects without a hitch.
>
> When I turn on SSID broadcast, the set up connection works.  How do I
> debug this?
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-- 
       Derek Atkins, SB '93 MIT EE, SM '95 MIT Media Laboratory
       Member, MIT Student Information Processing Board  (SIPB)
       URL: http://web.mit.edu/warlord/    PP-ASEL-IA     N1NWH
       warlord-DPNOqEs/LNQ at public.gmane.org                        PGP key available