"Either which way, if access requires a WEP, hopefully only those with the key can gain access." Although one hopes that it is unlikely in most given situations, WEP Wired Equivalent Privacy can be broken in well under two minutes by a determined hacker with the right tools and knowledge at their disposal, there are even kits available in the Internet underworld for doing this. WEP does not use a truly random number generator to drive the encryption algorithm, and it is therefore possible if someone was to sniff the traffic to eventually get enough traffic in order to break the cipher. WPA is much stronger and although it may not remain uncrckable forever it is by factors so much harder because of the random number generator that drives the algorithm to all intents and purposes uncrackable at full strengh. Even at 24 characters there should be enough strengh to make it pretty inpractical for anyone to try cracking it. If you really want to make life difficult for anyone attempting to access your wireless system I would suggest going here and getting yourself a completely randomised key that you can use to sucure your network. It may seem over the top but it is here if you want: https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm The eagle eyed among you may realise these are brought to you by the same chap who did the shields up thing five or so years ago, it is still useful today to test your router security. Regards. Tristram Llewellyn tristram.llewellyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Technical Support Sight and Sound Technology -----Original Message----- From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of George Bell Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 1:33 PM To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] Re: Showing SSID Hi Andy, When you have wireless, the SSID can as you have found out, be either shown or hidden. There's nothing sinister in it, just that for example, a hotel might have wireless access for its guests, and one for it's own use. Therefore they don't want to publicise their private one. Either which way, if access requires a WEP, hopefully only those with the key can gain access. George. -----Original Message----- From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Andy Collins Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 12:55 PM To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] Showing SSID Just trying to understand why hiding SSID on a wireless network is so important when a wep pass key has been created? - Andy ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email ______________________________________________________________________ ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq