Rant: Special characters in SSIDs

[Vicenarian]

Ok...very frustrating case:

Client had a "friend" set up his wireless network, and the friend set up the network with the SSID as some random character (I'm not sure if it was the pipe "|" symbol, or what), but here's the stupid part, one laptop (using Win7) would recognize the network fine, but the older laptop (XP) wouldn't recognize the network at all! It wouldn't show up on the list of wireless networks at all.

I initially confirmed the machine had a dying internal network card (it would recognize maybe 3 networks one time, and another time 1, 0, or 7, and I also ran manfact. diagnostics which proved this), I then installed a USB wireless adapter, it showed all the neighbors networks, but not the client's one with the special character! I could have reset the router of course, but client didn't want settings "changed". What a day.

 

[atlanticjim]

Special Characters in the SSID?

How unnecessary. It is like adding special characters to the house number displayed on your mailbox. WE CAN SEE YOU!

And the client doesn't want the SSID changed? I would just tell him that he can have that but some computers will not have access to the network.

When setting up home networks, I always change the SSID to something simple like "Network-plus-their-house-number". That way, in one year when the cousin visits it will be somewhat familiar to them. I also put a p-touch tape on the top of the router with the SSID in plain view. After setting up the admin access passcode and wireless security key, I print that and put it on a p-touch tape on the bottom of the router. Insecure you say? My thought is that if someone can physically touch the router it is easy enough for them to reset it and gain access to the network.

Just my .02

 

[Xander]

When setting up home networks, I always change the SSID to something simple like "Network-plus-their-house-number".

I won't use an SSID that, in any way, points to the household. While unlikely, I'm not going to set someone up for any kind of targeting based on neighbourhood squabbles.

SSIDs will be non-default but, otherwise, appear generic. e.g. "Dlink7". This way it is different than their neighbours so that there aren't 8 "Dlink" networks around and you don't know which is which.

 

[ithinkcomputers]

could you not just get the customer to agree to change the SSID? and that would solve all the problems? it wouldn't affect that customer at all, and otherwise id go down the route that the laptops wont be able to connect because it doesn't recognize the characters and maybe explain that changing the name takes 2 minutes and they will be up and running?

 

[Cambridge PC Support]

they are gonna have to change that SSID

and I agree with eHousecalls, I never name an SSID so that someone can identify where it is physically located

 

[JosephLeo]

Yeah, I remember a few years back my SSID was "Viru§es and Hacker§" and I couldn't get XP to work, but vista picked it up fine.

Just remove the special characters and limit them to a-z A-Z and 0-9. I think dashes and underscores work too, although I'm not sure.

 

[Martyn]

There's no need for special characters at all. Turn the SSID broadcast off if you don't want it to be seen.

 

[Vicenarian]

thanks for the input guys. I would have simply changed the SSID, but yeah, client was afraid it would destroy something (in spite of my assurance that it wouldn't), so I left it be.

Yeah, I remember a few years back my SSID was "Viru§es and Hacker§" and I couldn't get XP to work, but vista picked it up fine.

Just remove the special characters and limit them to a-z A-Z and 0-9. I think dashes and underscores work too, although I'm not sure.

that is the most awesome network name ever. You could probably leave the network open, and still, nobody would dare to connect to it haha.