WiFi on a non-broadcast SSID? NOT with the DROID!!

[SubDiver]

Ok - so after I took the plunge and got my Droid today (which I'm 80% satisfied with), I found another nuisance that I hope can be solved. 

I love to keep my network as secure as I can, so I never broadcast SSID.

Guess what - The Big III as I'll call them (Verizon, Google, Motorola) got another tiny thing wrong.

As far as I can see... You can not connect to a non-broadcasting SSID.

Sure My Xbox360, Wii, DSi, HomePC, and two laptops can do it.

But "Americas Best' new phone the DROID - cant?

Really?  Come on Big III - this is a simple fix - please make it right..

(I tested this and as I throttled my WiFi connection between Broadcast SSID or non-Broadcast SSID.

Each time the DROID connected and then disconnected.

Anyone else see this?

Thanks,

[fezzik]

Curious do you manually enter the SSID in the DROID when you try to connect?  IF you don't broadcast SSID you have to enter it manually.  I know you know that cause you have so many things connected.  The phone is based on Linux and one of the things about Linux still is you have to be really specific with it.  I haven't looked at the wifi settings so I don't know if you can do that or not if not try another wifi app. 

[ivorycruncher]

Okay, so let me get this straight.  You enabled SSID broadcast, connected the Droid, and then turned off SSID broadcast, and it could no longer find the access point?  I've seen devices not being able to connect to access points before due to lack of SSID broadcast, but once connected initially, it could always be turned off again, and it would stay connected.  If you're saying it loses connection without any broadcast, that's definitely a bad sign.  However, I imagine it can be easily fixed with a software update, so hopefully Google will get cracking on that soon.

[fezzik]

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ivorycruncher wrote:

Okay, so let me get this straight.  You enabled SSID broadcast, connected the Droid, and then turned off SSID broadcast, and it could no longer find the access point?  I've seen devices not being able to connect to access points before due to lack of SSID broadcast, but once connected initially, it could always be turned off again, and it would stay connected.  If you're saying it loses connection without any broadcast, that's definitely a bad sign.  However, I imagine it can be easily fixed with a software update, so hopefully Google will get cracking on that soon.

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If it registers and stores the SSID and looses broadcast or you can't enter it as a profile (yeah I know other things don't work that way but Linux does sometimes require very specific set ups that other OS's don't so it may be as simple as setting up a profile with the SSID in it.  However, if that doesn't fix it then He really needs to report that to Google so they know to work on it. 

[DJA984]

This is a side note, but as an IT person, I can tell you that hiding your SSID is just about as good as using sheet as a front door to your house.  WEP is about as good as using a cheap doorknob inset lock, and WPA/WPA2 (Use 2 if you have it, it's the best) with a long key is the grade 1 deadbolt with oversized strike plate.  Use WPA2 or WPA at the very least - it's the only true security.   Don't bother hiding the SSID, any amature can get the SSID (if hidden) in seconds anyway because of the beacon broadcast contains this in information in the packet regardless.

So don't bother hiding the SSID, people still know the doorway is there regardless of the sheet hanging over it...  It's the deadbolt that counts.  (WPA2)

[davidalolo]

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DJA984 wrote:

This is a side note, but as an IT person, I can tell you that hiding your SSID is just about as good as using sheet as a front door to your house.  WEP is about as good as using a cheap doorknob inset lock, and WPA/WPA2 (Use 2 if you have it, it's the best) with a long key is the grade 1 deadbolt with oversized strike plate.  Use WPA2 or WPA at the very least - it's the only true security.   Don't bother hiding the SSID, any amature can get the SSID (if hidden) in seconds anyway because of the beacon broadcast contains this in information in the packet regardless.

So don't bother hiding the SSID, people still know the doorway is there regardless of the sheet hanging over it...  It's the deadbolt that counts.  (WPA2)

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Yes that is so true. But even on my husands my touch if its broadcasted it workes then drops and I have it set put on WPA2. password protected Wifi doesn't seem to get along with mobile phone devices.

[pool_shark]

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DJA984 wrote:

This is a side note, but as an IT person, I can tell you that hiding your SSID is just about as good as using sheet as a front door to your house.  WEP is about as good as using a cheap doorknob inset lock, and WPA/WPA2 (Use 2 if you have it, it's the best) with a long key is the grade 1 deadbolt with oversized strike plate.  Use WPA2 or WPA at the very least - it's the only true security.   Don't bother hiding the SSID, any amature can get the SSID (if hidden) in seconds anyway because of the beacon broadcast contains this in information in the packet regardless.

So don't bother hiding the SSID, people still know the doorway is there regardless of the sheet hanging over it...  It's the deadbolt that counts.  (WPA2)

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Exactly, an internet search will show that hiding the SSID is by no means a valid security method, it's pretty much worthless. I'm surprised there are people that still bother to do it.

[dwashint]

I had the same problem as you with my newly purchased droid. However, it was due to case sensitivity of my non broadcasting WIFI SSID. I had tried setting up the connection manually but entered the SSID name in all lower case. It didn't work. After entering in manually again using the same case as stored on the router it worked.

My routers SSID is "MyWifi"

I entered "mywifi" and it couldn't find it and didn't work.

I then tried "MyWifi" and it connected without issue.

Hope this works for you.