SCENARIO : HIDDEN SSID 

CATEGORY : SECURITY  

PURPOSE / USE CASE : PREVENT SSID VISIBILITY TO CASUAL USERS 

STEPS TO TEST : DISABLE BROADCAST, CONNECT VIA MANUAL ENTRY 

 

A Hidden SSID refers to a Wi-Fi network that does not broadcast its network name (SSID) publicly. Normally, Wi-Fi routers regularly announce their SSID (Service Set Identifier), making the network visible to nearby devices. When SSID broadcast is disabled, the network won't show up in the list of available Wi-Fi networks, and users must manually enter the SSID to connect. 

 

HOW IT WORKS: 

Step 1: 

Onboard RAY Access Point in RAY cloud controller. 

Step 2: 

Configure Desired Network Interface so that we can attach it while configuring SSID. 

 

 

Step 3: 

Create WLAN with desired name, configure SSID name and select the security method. Select the Network Interface. 

For hide the SSID we need to select option HIDE SSID in advance section. 

 

Step 4: 

To connect the hidden network SSID user have to manually add the SSID name and Password. 

 

 

 

Step 5: 

You can also check the connected client details in your cloud controller. 

 

BEST PRACTICES: 

  • Don’t rely on SSID hiding as a security measure. 

  • Use WPA2 or WPA3 with a strong password. 

  • Combine with other security features (MAC filtering, guest networks, firewalls, etc.) if needed. 

PROS: 

  • May reduce casual discovery of the network by non-technical users. 

  • Slightly increases stealth (but not security). 

CONS: 

  • Not secure by itself — tools like Wireshark or Kismet can still detect hidden networks by observing packets when a device connects. 

  • Inconvenient — users must manually configure connection details.