"Hidden Network" WARNING : I thought a hidden network would be more secure?

[Siri's Daddy]

I run a hidden wifi network.

I like this because the neighbors and most hackers wont notice it.

Therefor, they wont try to crack what they don't see.

Now, I have a warning that hidden networks are not secure from Apple.

Should I announce my network to the world?

Or, should I keep it hidden?

 

[ian87w]

Is Hiding Your Wireless SSID Really More Secure?

Seems like every guide to securing your wireless network tells you to keep your SSID from broadcasting to make your network more secure, but is that r

lifehacker.com

I don't really see the point in hiding SSID, other than making things harder for yourself when you want to connect your own devices. Simply make a good long password and you are good. I'm not worried about neighbors nor hackers, they usually look for low hanging fruits (eg. unsecured networks). Nobody is going to intentionally bruteforcing your wifi.

For added security, make sure you force your router to use specifically WPA2 AES, and not WPA. iOS will flag your network as weak security if this happens. Check to see if your router offer this setting, or offer updates to do so. Mine has to be updated when I updated my iPhone to iOS14.

 

[Siri's Daddy]

Is Hiding Your Wireless SSID Really More Secure?

Seems like every guide to securing your wireless network tells you to keep your SSID from broadcasting to make your network more secure, but is that r

lifehacker.com

I don't really see the point in hiding SSID, other than making things harder for yourself when you want to connect your own devices. Simply make a good long password and you are good. I'm not worried about neighbors nor hackers, they usually look for low hanging fruits (eg. unsecured networks). Nobody is going to intentionally bruteforcing your wifi.

For added security, make sure you force your router to use specifically WPA2 AES, and not WPA. iOS will flag your network as weak security if this happens. Check to see if your router offer this setting, or offer updates to do so. Mine has to be updated when I updated my iPhone to iOS14.

Thanks, Ian.

I do have WPA2 AES.

I have a long password.

I do realize it takes longer to sign up new devices.

That is not a problem for me.

That said, if I continue running hidden - will I be ok?


EDIT:

I have this one router that is low priority. The router connects to my secure router. The router is only WPA Personal. I only use it for my doorbell and this on cam that doesn't record much. I want to compartmentalize my doorbell cam and not have it on my main network.

It is also hidden.

I think Apple is warning me about THAT ONE.

It's an Airport Express.

I guess I could get a new router to make it more secure.

I need to wait bit though...

I am needing a Lifeproof case for my new iPhone - the case is not out yet. Once, I have a new iPhone, I'll get new cams for Secure Homekit Video.

Until then I'll keep using my Airport Express for these tow cams. One cam is so old that it can't be updated to a new network so it's stuck on the old network.

I have analyzed traffic and determined that nobody is spying on me because these cams use almost no bandwidth.


Soon, I'll have secure Homekit video on the cloud that supposedly is encrypted to all but my devices.


EDIT #2:

I did some research and will be un hiding my network. The link below details how it can lead to problems if hidden.

I will also create a longer password to the maximum length of 63 characters.

Debunking Myths: Is Hiding Your Wireless SSID Really More Secure?

Seems like every guide to securing your wireless network tells you to keep your SSID from broadcasting to make your network more secure, but is that really worthwhile? Let’s take a look at one of the silliest myths out there.

www.howtogeek.com

 

[TriBruin]

Hiding an SSID is useless. It is the equivalent of locking your front door and putting the key under the mat (instead of just leaving the key in the open.) Any free Wi-Fi scanner will locate all SSIDs, regardless if they are hidden or not.

Just have a good WPA2 pass phase and you will be fine.

 

[Siri's Daddy]

Hiding an SSID is useless. It is the equivalent of locking your front door and putting the key under the mat (instead of just leaving the key in the open.) Any free Wi-Fi scanner will locate all SSIDs, regardless if they are hidden or not.

Just have a good WPA2 pass phase and you will be fine.

Thank You for your response TriBruin.

I have a very long gibberish PW.

I realize that a Wi-Fi scanner will see my network.

I just want to hide it from my neighbors who likely wont be hacking.
If they are hacking - I know they will see me.

Is there any harm to keeping my network hidden?

I just want to know if it's harmful or not.

 

[chrfr]

I just want to hide it from my neighbors who likely wont be hacking.
If they are hacking - I know they will see me.

Is there any harm to keeping my network hidden?

I just want to know if it's harmful or not.

Many devices that connect to a hidden wifi network broadcast that hidden wifi network's name when looking for other networks.
Hiding your network name serves no purpose except for making it much less convenient for you to use the wifi network, and you should not assume that your neighbors aren't trying to get in.

 

[Siri's Daddy]

Many devices that connect to a hidden wifi network broadcast that hidden wifi network's name when looking for other networks.
Hiding your network name serves no purpose except for making it much less convenient for you to use the wifi network, and you should not assume that your neighbors aren't trying to get in.

No kidding...

So, if I call my hidden network "33 Main Street" - and I go away to another location - those networks who I encounter hear my phone looking for "33 Main Street"?

Interesting!

Maybe I can do some counter surveillance.

I can call myself "Bob Smith Laundry Service" and the other networks will hear my phone looking for Bob Smith Laundry Service. Since I have no association with Bob Smith Laundry Service - anyone who is sniffing wont know it's me.

But, then again, when people go War Driving - they might see my hidden "Bob Smith Laundry Service" at my house and know something is up.

I can't think of a way to use this hidden network name to my advantage.

It seems that the constant broadcasting of my hidden network by my own phone is foreign places is the risk of running such a network.

Maybe I can come up with a non hidden network that has a name that is uninteresting to my neighbors.

Either way, I do in fact have a very long password.

It's just going to be tough to reset my digital doorbell since I'll have to unscrew it to reset the settings.

Great info chrfr!

 

[mmomega]

I run a hidden wifi network.

I like this because the neighbors and most hackers wont notice it.

Therefor, they wont try to crack what they don't see.

Now, I have a warning that hidden networks are not secure from Apple.

Should I announce my network to the world?

Or, should I keep it hidden?

A hidden network would be similar to you wearing all black at night. Most people wouldn't notice you but if someone shines a light on you, they see you.
Maybe a bad anology but the people that would be ones to try and crack anything would more times than not be ones with programs that search for hidden networks.

Very similar to those that put padlocks on things. Padlocks can be picked, sometimes very easily.
You are only keeping out people that don't care or those that don't care to learn how to pick locks.

If you want to lock it down more then you get a router and you only allow a very specific number of devices which is exactly equal to how many you have or only allow by macID numbers.

Nothing will stop every attempt but the more difficult something is, it is typically out of the skill range of drive-by internet users.

 

[Beau Slim]

Use a strong password and keep your firmware up to date. Hidden networks or MAC filtering are a waste of time since both are easily bypassed by the simplest of tools.

 

[EugW]

I know this is an old thread but I should point out that hiding a network can occasionally cause connectivity problems.

A few of my non-Apple devices were flaky when I hid my Apple SSID. They wouldn't consistently connect. Even if they did connect, if they lost the connection sometimes they'd have problems reconnecting. I then unhid the SSID and all those problems went away.

 

[satcomer]

Yes a hidden network can prevent casual hacking real professional hackers will find it still however you Mac will have network bugs in hidden network. The better way is to call in clever like an American FBI or NSA surveillance! People will be scared by that point!