When you set up your Wi-Fi connection, your phone will be assigned an SSID number. In this article, you’ll discover how to find your SSID. SSID stands for Service Set Identifier, and it is the number that is used to identify your connection. You can also learn how to change your device’s name by going to Settings, General, About, and Name.
What is SSID and what’s its number?
You probably know what is an SSID. SSID is an important part of your wireless network setup. This identifier lets other devices know where your network is located. But if the SSID isn’t broadcasted, it may be difficult to connect to the network. In order to use the network, you must know the SSID and its password. You can also disable SSID broadcasting if you want to.
SSID for wifi: how to find it?
An SSID is the name of your WiFi network. You can usually find it on the sticker that comes with your wireless modem or on your wireless router. You can also look it up online, using a site such as Wikihow. Once you know what it is, you can connect to it. Here are some tips to find it.
- An SSID is usually 32 characters long.
- If you’re connected to a wireless network, look for the SSID sticker next to the barcode.
- In addition, you can find the SSID by going to your router’s settings. This will bring up a list of available networks.
- Once you’ve found the SSID, click the “Connected” button next to the name of the network to connect to.
- It’s best to choose an SSID that is unique.
- If you see multiple networks with the same SSID, you will have a problem connecting to any one of them.
- Also, you don’t want to share personal information with your wireless neighbor, so don’t use the same SSID as them. Otherwise, they’ll steal your information.
- However, if you’re connecting to a unsecured network, you can still choose a SSID that doesn’t reveal your identity.
How to find the lost SSID on Router?
Here are a few tips to find it on router.
- If you’ve lost the SSID of your wireless router, you can find it by pressing the reset button. Usually, this button is hidden inside a hole and requires a pin or toothpick to push. After pressing the reset button, hold it until the router reboots.
- It should then display your network’s SSID, along with the SSIDs of other networks in the vicinity.
- When you find your SSID, you can change the network name or even disconnect and reconnect to the network.
- To use your router, you should enable WPA2 AES security mode.
- In addition, you should set a strong password, usually at least 12 characters long and a mix of letters and numbers.
- Lastly, you should change the SSID of your network if you want to protect your device from being accessed by unauthorized users. As a general rule, it’s best to use a unique password, as your SSID may be hacked.
Read Also: How to use Astrill VPN on your Router
Finding SSID on Windows
- Select the WiFi icon located in the right notification area.
- All available networks will appear. SSID will be shown as Connected.
Download Astrill VPN for Windows
Finding SSID on macOS
- Select the WiFi icon located in the top right area.
- SSID will be shown with blue colored WiFi icon as Connected.
Download Astrill VPN for macOS
Finding SSID on Android
- Select WiFi from Settings.
- SSID name appears at the top under WiFi.
Download Astrill VPN for Andriod
Finding SSID on iOS
- Select WiFi from Settings.
- SSID name appears at the top with checkmark.
Some router brands may use a different SSID than another. In such cases, it is best to change the SSID. The reason for doing so is that routers with similar default SSIDs may cause confusion for users. If you want a unique SSID, use the “Custom” option.
What happens if there are multiple Wi-Fi networks?
Sometimes a WiFi network can be hijacked by an unauthorized user. This can happen if several people connect to the same network at once.
In such a case, it’s wise to change your WiFi password and ban MAC addresses from accessing the network. Rebooting your router can also kick unwanted guests off the network. While it might not stop the persistent hijacker, this method can prevent unwanted guests from accessing your network.
What’s the point of hiding your SSID?
- Hide your SSID in order to protect yourself from snoopers or other nefarious characters, but that doesn’t mean you should leave it unseen. While the added security benefits are minimal, hiding your SSID makes it harder for an attacker to find your network. Besides deterring illegal connections, hiding your SSID also makes your network harder to spot.
- While some networks may benefit from this security feature, hiding your SSID is not always a good idea. It’s impractical and encourages attackers. It doesn’t stop hackers from trying to eavesdrop on your network, but it does make your network less obvious to potential attackers. But there are other security controls you can implement that can protect your network and still be visible to those who would like to use them.
- Another security risk that you may run into is commjacking. Many mobile devices and laptops will ping your network to determine if it is a legitimate wireless network. Then they’ll use network scanners to search for it. That way, they can access the network and harm the user. That’s the real danger with SSID hiding. If your device isn’t obscured, hackers and snoopers can still find it.
Should you broadcast your SSID?
Many IT professionals recommend that you do not broadcast your SSID. Why? Because the SSID is a shared secret used to restrict access to your wireless network. While your WEP or WPA keys are not broadcast, the SSID is. So, when you decide to broadcast your SSID, be sure to consider the risks that come with it.
Although hiding your SSID may provide some sense of security to common users, it actually worsens network security. It’s easy for someone with traffic monitoring software to discover hidden networks and use them for malicious purposes.
Additionally, your phones are constantly broadcasting the SSID whenever you connect to the network. You might even find yourself drawn to a neighbor’s unsecured Wi-Fi if your signal is poor.
When choosing an SSID, be sure to choose a unique one. This identifier will be recognizable to other devices within a particular area.
Choose a memorable and easy-to-remember name. Avoid using your full name or other personal details. Instead, use your SSID to identify your network, and keep others from stealing it. You’ll be surprised at how many people use the same network as you.
Boost your network security
Wireless networks are less secure than their wired counterparts because they have no physical fences to protect against intruders. War-drivers are not uncommon, and they can attack your wireless network right from your parking lot. Other common types of attacks include insider threats, targeted attacks, and social engineering hacking. However, basic network security precautions can help protect your network against these types of attacks.
Having a visible SSID can boost the security of your network, but you should know that suppressing it will reduce your network’s profile among your neighbors. This also limits the convenience of setting up new clients on your Wi-Fi network.
Having to manually enter SSIDs on new client devices is an added inconvenience. Additionally, you must manually enter the SSID of your network when you give out your network password or security mode to guests.
Another effective way to improve the security of your wireless network is to change its name. This way, it is more difficult for hackers to figure out what type of access point you are using. To make this process even more secure, use a secure network management tool such as the Tanaza platform, which offers full SSID hiding. This tool can encrypt your network name and protect your home network from unauthorized access.
FAQs:
What is SSID used for?
The SSID is used by wireless devices to identify and connect to a specific wireless network. When a wireless device scans for available wireless networks, it detects the SSID broadcasted by nearby access points and displays them to the user. If a user chooses to connect to a particular wireless network, the device will use the SSID to establish a connection with the access point that is broadcasting that SSID.
Without an SSID, wireless devices would not be able to distinguish between different wireless networks and could potentially connect to unintended networks. The SSID is also used in conjunction with other security measures, such as WPA/WPA2 passwords, to prevent unauthorized access to a wireless network.
Who assigns SSID?
The SSID is typically assigned by the network administrator or user when setting up a wireless network. The SSID can be any alphanumeric string up to 32 characters long, and it should be unique to avoid conflicts with other nearby wireless networks.
It is recommended to choose a secure and complex SSID that is difficult to guess or crack, as the SSID is one of the factors used in securing a wireless network. When a wireless access point or router is initially configured, the administrator or user will choose a unique SSID that the device will broadcast.
The SSID can be changed at any time by the administrator or user through the device’s configuration settings.
What is the differences between SSID, MAC address, and IP address?
| SSID | MAC Address | IP address | |
| Format | Text string up to 32 characters long | 6-byte hexadecimal value (e.g., 00:1A:2B:3C:4D:5E) | 4-byte value represented in dotted-decimal notation (e.g., 192.168.0.1) |
| Scope | Local area network (LAN) | LAN or wireless local area network (WLAN) | LAN or Wide Area Network (WAN) |
| Usage | Used to identify a wireless network when multiple networks are available | Used to uniquely identify devices on a network | Used to identify devices on a network and facilitate communication between devices |
SSID
An SSID (Service Set Identifier) is a name given to a wireless network. It is used to identify a particular wireless network when multiple networks are available. SSID is a unique identifier that is used by wireless devices to connect to a particular wireless network.
MAC address
A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller (NIC) for use as a network address in communications within a network. MAC addresses are used to identify devices on a network uniquely. MAC addresses are unique to each device and are hardcoded into the device at the time of manufacture.
IP address
An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical identifier assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. IP addresses are used to identify devices on a network and facilitate communication between devices. An IP address is assigned dynamically or statically by the network administrator.
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