Question Hiding the SSID of an AP

[requiredAlias]

I hope this is the proper forum.
I have an Asus router with the SSIDs 'Asus24' and 'Asus5.' (All SSIDs in this post are fictional.) I have an AP with SSIDs 'AP124' and SSIDs 'AP15.' I have a second AP with SSIDs 'AP224' and 'AP25.' What I would like to do is hide the SSIDs of the two APs. I know? it can be done because my neighbor has a router and two APS, but only the router SSIDs are visible (show up when I open my phone and go to available network list). How do I hide the SSIDs of the APs?

 

[COLGeek]

This is likely not a matter of hiding the SSID, but one of rebroadcasting the SSID from the router. You can setup most APs to send out the SSID of the router itself (how mine are setup).

 

[requiredAlias]

Very good. A quick Google search shows I can set my Netgear router (now an AP) as a Repeater. Is that all I need to do?
The other AP is a Ubiquiti. It seems I can set it up as a repeater, but with a little more work.
I presume that means I remove the SSIDs associated with them and just set them up as repeaters.

 

[COLGeek]

What are the makes/models of the devices in question?

 

[SkyNetRising]

How do I hide the SSIDs of the APs?

You go into access point settings and set SSID as hidden (disable SSID broadcast).
New devices will not be able to detect this access point on wifi by SSID.
Only devices, that were previously connected to this access point, will connect to it automatically.
For other devices it will require some minor level of hacking (depending on other security settings on access point).

 

[kanewolf]

Very good. A quick Google search shows I can set my Netgear router (now an AP) as a Repeater. Is that all I need to do?
The other AP is a Ubiquiti. It seems I can set it up as a repeater, but with a little more work.
I presume that means I remove the SSIDs associated with them and just set them up as repeaters.

Ubiquiti APs will only act as a repeater (WIFI in and WIFI out) only with other Ubiquiti WIFI sources. You can not use a Ubiquiti AP to repeat a non-Ubiquiti WIFI source. If you have a wired backbone network between these WIFI sources, you don't want to use "repeater", you want to use "access point" mode. Even with access point mode, you should be able to set the SSIDs and passwords to be the same across all your WIFI sources.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

Hiding the SSID is not only a violation of the wireless RFC's but it's also one of, if not the most useless thing you can do. Determining this hidden SSID is a very trivial task for anyone properly equipped and takes only seconds. In addition, any device built in strict compliance with the RFC's will not even be able to connect to such a network.

 

[requiredAlias]

What are the makes/models of the devices in question?

Netgear router R6050.
Ubiquiti UAB-AC-LR.
I've set these SSIDs because instructions for the devices say 'create an SSID.' If I read Titan correctly, I can set my APs to the same SSID as the router and only one SSID will show in the network list. Is that correct? If it is, do I no longer have to search for the strongest signal when connecting a device?

 

[kanewolf]

Netgear router R6050.
Ubiquiti UAB-AC-LR.
I've set these SSIDs because instructions for the devices say 'create an SSID.' If I read Titan correctly, I can set my APs to the same SSID as the router and only one SSID will show in the network list. Is that correct? If it is, do I no longer have to search for the strongest signal when connecting a device?

Yes, you can set all your WIFI sources to the same SSIDs and passwords.
Which WIFI source a device connects to, when there are multiple options is difficult to predict. The way to influence the choice is by turning DOWN the transmit power on your APs and router so that you minimize the overlap between signals.

 

[requiredAlias]

And only the one SSID shows up on my (or anyone's) network list on phones? OK, two SSIDs. One for 2.4 and one for 5. That's outstanding.

 

[kanewolf]

And only the one SSID shows up on my (or anyone's) network list on phones? OK, two SSIDs. One for 2.4 and one for 5. That's outstanding.

Yes. Some devices or software may show that there are multiple physical devices broadcasting that SSID, but only one SSID per band in your case.

 

[COLGeek]

Netgear router R6050.
Ubiquiti UAB-AC-LR.
I've set these SSIDs because instructions for the devices say 'create an SSID.' If I read Titan correctly, I can set my APs to the same SSID as the router and only one SSID will show in the network list. Is that correct? If it is, do I no longer have to search for the strongest signal when connecting a device?

Yes. That is correct.