Ssid naming

[Gunner84]

Hi

When I choose what to call my ssid should It be fairly complex, currently I just use a fairly basic word. Any reason I should change it for security reasons?

Thanks

 

[L&LD]

The ssid should be unique to your wireless network environment and visible. So no, complexity is not required or recommended.

 

[Gunner84]

The ssid should be unique to your wireless network environment and visible. So no, complexity is not required or recommended.

Thanks, I will leave it as is then.

 

[stevech]

your initials and a few numbers. If you have APs, I recommend (not everyone does) give each a unique SSID that implies where it is to simplify things for the user.

 

[L&LD]

stevech, I agree with your points above. I usually name ssids by city / location. With the city part being the local / closest airports' call letters.

 

[sfx2000]

SSID 8675309, but only if your name is Jenny...

 

[sfx2000]

stevech, I agree with your points above. I usually name ssids by city / location. With the city part being the local / closest airports' call letters.

I do state/airport codes in my professional environment, along with app/purpose - so for example - AZPHXapp1ap1 or WAGEGappdb2, for the app servers... for the client nodes (desktops/laptops/etc...) state/airportcode, dept, and a 8 character hex hash of the userid+mac address of the ethernet adapter... so for example - ILORDENGa1234fd5 which would be an Engineering Laptop in Chicago. Why we went with the hash is because people likely have more than one screen these days...

For WiFi - we eventually just settled on just two SSID's nationwide - CompanyWiFi and CompanyGuest - Aruba gear across 54 company sites, 2 corp campuses, and hundreds of stores - all AP's were dual band 802.11n, WPA2-Enterprise with Radius bound to ActiveDirectory and the guest network OpenWifi with captivePortal...

Once we landed on that strategy for WiFi, the help desk calls dropped to a bare minimum with regards to getting WiFi up and running...

 

[Gunner84]

I will have 2.4ghz and 5ghz along with a guest network so I will have to think of some names. I might go along with the suggestion of location/city and perhaps a number on the end to tell which is which.

Just another question when you update firmwares and reset the router should you also reset all the devices connected to the network?
In the past I have but because I have always used the same settings and SSID's, the devices have always connected back automatically anyway so Im wondering if its a waste of time resetting/forget network on my devices?

thanks

 

[stevech]

Just another question when you update firmwares and reset the router should you also reset all the devices connected to the network?
thanks

If, after resetting the router, you reenter your settings including SSID and WPA passcode, you shouldn't need to change the client devices.

BEFORE resetting a router, it is very smart to use the router admin's choice to save the configuration settings to a file on your PC. With a meaningful name.
Reset the router.
Then you can reinstate the old settings from the saved ones using the reverse of the above.

 

[L&LD]

I don't reuse old ssids on existing networks. New ones every time. Easier than resetting and then re-associating all devices too.

Doesn't make me popular, but it does eliminate any possible snafus from client cached microcode that may be impossible to track down otherwise.

 

[jegesq]

I don't reuse old ssids on existing networks. New ones every time. Easier than resetting and then re-associating all devices too.

Doesn't make me popular, but it does eliminate any possible snafus from client cached microcode that may be impossible to track down otherwise.

I tend to prefer SSID's that no one else uses....like "PORN!!" or "Supersecretspystuff".

 

[L&LD]

I tend to use ssid's that hint of businesses across the street.

Not the business that I'm configuring the network for.