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YazFi mystery SSID keeps appearing and disappearing and changing

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This is almost exactly how my wireless backhaul behaves, but it's hidden so I only notice it when I'm using Wifi Explorer.

They all have the same 32 character SSID, but I'm quite certain it doesn't change, so I don't know what that's about.

They're labeled in nvram as:
wl2.5_ssid
wl2_ssid
wl_ssid
wlbp_ssid
 
Go back to stock firmware, and let's see what happens...

I still think OP is chasing ghosts here...
 
Go back to stock firmware, and let's see what happens...

I still think OP is chasing ghosts here...

It's a reasonable concern especially since they were seeing some VPN stuff also get created, however I'm starting to suspect it is just a bunch of default stuff that gets dumped on but not actually used.
 
It's a reasonable concern especially since they were seeing some VPN stuff also get created, however I'm starting to suspect it is just a bunch of default stuff that gets dumped on but not actually used.
All the VPN stuff he showed is just the normal default values present in the firmware.
 
TLDR
To reproduce.
Enable Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal for 2.4GHz

To "fix".
Enable Authentication Method: WPA2-Personal for 2.4GHz OR
Enable Authentication Method: WPA2/WPA3-Personal for 2.4GHz

Noob here, consider my input as such.
Bumped into this thread on my RSS Feed.
I see this thread is for Asuswrt-Merlin AddOns, yet to try Merlin, @sfx2000 suggested OP try stock. Well, I am and was.

Single unit.
RT-AX88U Pro
Current Version : 3.0.0.6.102_21514
Previous Version: 3.0.0.4.388.23110

What is mystery? (Just a guess.)
Note: BSSID vs SSID.
When I enable, Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal for 2.4GHz, I get the mystery 2.4GHz WPA2 SSID with the same BSSID as 5GHz WPA3 SSID.

Example, BSSID and SSID modified.
OS: Ubuntu 23.10 (Mantic Minotaur)

Bash:
❯  nmcli dev wifi
IN-USE  BSSID              SSID              MODE   CHAN  RATE        SIGNAL  BARS  SECURITY
        44:44:44:44:44:44  TWOPOINTFOUR      Infra  3     540 Mbit/s  77      ▂▄▆_  WPA3
        22:22:22:22:22:22  VERYLONGMYSTERY   Infra  3     540 Mbit/s  75      ▂▄▆_  WPA2
*       22:22:22:22:22:22  FIVE              Infra  153   540 Mbit/s  68      ▂▄▆_  WPA3

This is what I did.
*PASS = no mystery SSID
*FAIL = mystery SSID
Quick test with bellow settings.

Factory default: Restore
✅ Initialize all the settings, and clear all the data log for AiProtection, Traffic Analyzer, and Web History.

Code:
✅PASS
Smart Connect
Authentication Method: WPA2-Personal

❌FAIL
Smart Connect
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal

✅PASS
2.4 GHz
SSID: SAME
Authentication Method: WPA2-Personal
5GHz
SSID: SAME
Authentication Method: WPA2-Personal

✅PASS
2.4 GHz
SSID: SAME
Authentication Method: WPA2-Personal
5GHz
SSID: SAME
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal

❌FAIL
2.4 GHz
SSID: SAME
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal
5GHz
SSID: SAME
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal

❌FAIL
2.4 GHz
SSID: DIFFERENT
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal
5GHz
SSID: NOTSAME
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal

✅PASS (partial, mystery shows up, goes away in about 1min. Reoccur:NA)
2.4 GHz
SSID: EXAMPLE
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal
5GHz
SSID: EXAMPLE
Authentication Method: WPA2-Personal

✅PASS (partial, mystery shows up, goes away in about 1min. Reoccur:NA)
2.4 GHz
SSID: DIFFERENT
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal
5GHz
SSID: NOTSAME
Authentication Method: WPA2-Personal

I forgot to watch the logs.
I don't remember for sure if Previous Version: 3.0.0.4.388.23110 had this "issue". I think it did.
 
TLDR
To reproduce.
Enable Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal for 2.4GHz

To "fix".
Enable Authentication Method: WPA2-Personal for 2.4GHz OR
Enable Authentication Method: WPA2/WPA3-Personal for 2.4GHz

Noob here, consider my input as such.
Bumped into this thread on my RSS Feed.
I see this thread is for Asuswrt-Merlin AddOns, yet to try Merlin, @sfx2000 suggested OP try stock. Well, I am and was.

Single unit.
RT-AX88U Pro
Current Version : 3.0.0.6.102_21514
Previous Version: 3.0.0.4.388.23110

What is mystery? (Just a guess.)
Note: BSSID vs SSID.
When I enable, Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal for 2.4GHz, I get the mystery 2.4GHz WPA2 SSID with the same BSSID as 5GHz WPA3 SSID.

Example, BSSID and SSID modified.
OS: Ubuntu 23.10 (Mantic Minotaur)

Bash:
❯  nmcli dev wifi
IN-USE  BSSID              SSID              MODE   CHAN  RATE        SIGNAL  BARS  SECURITY
        44:44:44:44:44:44  TWOPOINTFOUR      Infra  3     540 Mbit/s  77      ▂▄▆_  WPA3
        22:22:22:22:22:22  VERYLONGMYSTERY   Infra  3     540 Mbit/s  75      ▂▄▆_  WPA2
*       22:22:22:22:22:22  FIVE              Infra  153   540 Mbit/s  68      ▂▄▆_  WPA3

This is what I did.
*PASS = no mystery SSID
*FAIL = mystery SSID
Quick test with bellow settings.

Factory default: Restore
✅ Initialize all the settings, and clear all the data log for AiProtection, Traffic Analyzer, and Web History.

Code:
✅PASS
Smart Connect
Authentication Method: WPA2-Personal

❌FAIL
Smart Connect
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal

✅PASS
2.4 GHz
SSID: SAME
Authentication Method: WPA2-Personal
5GHz
SSID: SAME
Authentication Method: WPA2-Personal

✅PASS
2.4 GHz
SSID: SAME
Authentication Method: WPA2-Personal
5GHz
SSID: SAME
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal

❌FAIL
2.4 GHz
SSID: SAME
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal
5GHz
SSID: SAME
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal

❌FAIL
2.4 GHz
SSID: DIFFERENT
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal
5GHz
SSID: NOTSAME
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal

✅PASS (partial, mystery shows up, goes away in about 1min. Reoccur:NA)
2.4 GHz
SSID: EXAMPLE
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal
5GHz
SSID: EXAMPLE
Authentication Method: WPA2-Personal

✅PASS (partial, mystery shows up, goes away in about 1min. Reoccur:NA)
2.4 GHz
SSID: DIFFERENT
Authentication Method: WPA3-Personal
5GHz
SSID: NOTSAME
Authentication Method: WPA2-Personal

I forgot to watch the logs.
I don't remember for sure if Previous Version: 3.0.0.4.388.23110 had this "issue". I think it did.

The pro routers with advanced guest are different, probably part of that new feature.
 
The pro routers with advanced guest are different, probably part of that new feature.
If I had to guess, I think mystery SSID is intentional and related to this pop up when switching to WPA3-Personal.
Edit. I could try to verify later on if it would allow me to flash back to the Previous Version: 3.0.0.4.388.23110, where it didn't have new advanced guest features implemented. And to clarify, in my test, I never got past initial setting that are included above. So guest wasn't touched, created. I am aware that version has some CVE that was fixed in new version, Current Version : 3.0.0.6.102_21514
Considering the compatibility of AiMesh system and end devices, we
suggest you using WPA2-Personal. Do you want to switch to WPA3-
Personal ?
*If you encounter connection issues, please switch to WPA2-Personal
or check with the manufacturer(s) to obtain further info.
System Log - General Log
If I search for mystery 44:44:44:44:44:44 (duplicate BSSID), this is the only spot where it's duplicated, in proximity to each other. I don't know what it means, to me, it looks like a confirmation and not a duplication or creation of something else.
(time removed, it's the same to the second on all three strings, BSSID modified, because I don't know what should or shouldn't be shared)
Code:
kernel: Recvd application provided mac address:44:44:44:44:44:44
kernel: wfd_registerdevice Successfully registered dev wl0.4 ifidx 4 wfd_idx 0
kernel: Register interface [wl0.4]  MAC: 44:44:44:44:44:44
 
Last edited:
If I had to guess, I think mystery SSID is intentional and related to this pop up when switching to WPA3-Personal.
Considering the compatibility of AiMesh system and end devices, we
suggest you using WPA2-Personal. Do you want to switch to WPA3-
Personal ?
*If you encounter connection issues, please switch to WPA2-Personal
or check with the manufacturer(s) to obtain further info.
I agree that this does sound like a reasonable explanation. Just need to confirm with @randomised that's he's using WPA3.
 
From a security stand, something is broadcasting, and you have no clue or control over it.
From a performance stand, the router is using resources to add noise?
 
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