What is SSID ? Understand how this feature can help protect your router

 

Do you know what SSID is? It is an acronym for " service set identifier " - something like " service set identifier ". This simple information is nothing more than the name of your network and modifying it can make the connection between your devices and the Wi-Fi network more secure.

In other words, choosing the name of your Wi-Fi network can be crucial to its security. An accessible or flashy name can end up attracting the presence of the most curious while a more measured or secure choice can result in a network of little interest to eavesdroppers.

What do you need to know about the SSID?

First, be aware that Wi-Fi network names can be up to 32 characters long. In addition, they are of the “ case sensitive ” type, that is, they distinguish between upper and lower case letters. For this reason, a network called “minharede” is different from another called “MinhaRede”. So pay close attention when choosing the name for yours.

You can also use special characters when creating network names, but they are not considered convenient, as older devices may have problems reading. All routers offer a default name for the networks, but it is convenient that you change them on your first login.

The connection can be public or private. In establishments with a large circulation of people and offering free Wi-Fi, it may not be necessary to enter a password. In private connections, like your home or office, it is important to define a strong name and create a strong password to ensure protection.

How to hide an SSID

To facilitate identification, the SSID of your network is always displayed in a visible way, so that all devices in the vicinity can find it. However, one form of protection is to turn off the display of the SSID. That way, those who want to connect to the network will have to know, necessarily, login and password - and not just the password as usual.

To make this change, simply access your router's settings. In the same place, you can change the name of the network and also the password. Another option available on routers is to configure the rules of what can and cannot do in terms of names. Therefore, keeping an eye on this step is essential for your safety.

In addition, maintaining a different name for your network avoids a number of problems. Networks with repeated names, for example, within the same area can cause confusion on devices. Names with special characters should also be avoided.

And finally, avoid leaving the default network name that is provided by the router. If in the vicinity someone decides not to tamper with the SSID, then you will have networks with a similar name and the chances of falling into connection problems are great.