Networking - How to save a non broadcasted SSID?

[platypus]

My other half has a MB, and I have set up our new router with the SSID broadcast turned off for a bit of extra security. I would ideally like to keep it this way.

However, any time she boots up, we have to set up the wireless connection again, as it doesn't see our network in the list of available networks. I have ticked the option to save the password in her keychain, and to connect to known networks (can't remember the exact option name now).

How can I get round this, as she can't remember a 6 digit password, let alone the 17 digit password I use for the wireless.

 

[bloodiedathame]

OSX used to remember, but I think one of the updates killed the option, as recently I went to someones house where I've used the wireless before and it didn't connect...

Interested to know if there is a fix too!

 

[Sic]

That's weird, works perfectly for me with largely the same setup (WPA2/Personal, hidden). It takes slightly longer because I think it looks at all the visible networks for one that it remembers as a priority, then starts to look for hidden ones. I don't know if that's right, but I do know that mine can sometimes take a while.

I'm assuming that you've tried just leaving it for a bit to see if it's just taking longer to connect?

(having said all that, I'm using Apple networking gear as well, which might have something to do with it.)

 

[Mattus]

Is there any reason you can't just turn the SSID on? I'd suggest that for someone capable of cracking a random 17-character WPA2 key, finding a network with SSID broadcast disabled would be fairly trivial!

 

[platypus]

@Sic aye its a DLink sky router.

@Mattus aye it might come to that.

 

[Feek]

I call my guest network "W32.Swine.troj@mm" and quite happily broadcast it. It's quite a discouraging name

 

[Sic]

Haha! Nice idea.

Maybe Apple's in your router, trying to get you to buy more Apple hardware, platypus.

 

[platypus]

Aye maybe Sic. I cannot believe there isn't a way to do this, other than Feeks interesting method.

 

[Draeconis]

My other half has a MB, and I have set up our new router with the SSID broadcast turned off for a bit of extra security. I would ideally like to keep it this way.

However, any time she boots up, we have to set up the wireless connection again, as it doesn't see our network in the list of available networks. I have ticked the option to save the password in her keychain, and to connect to known networks (can't remember the exact option name now).

How can I get round this, as she can't remember a 6 digit password, let alone the 17 digit password I use for the wireless.

SSID is a fairly simple thing to pick up hidden or not, so hiding it is not in any way a security measure. The only prudent security measure is ensuring your encryption method is WPA2 (not WPA/WPA2, just WPA2).