Router with on demand Wi-Fi

[pwrmx24]

Here's an idea. How about a router that sits and listens for an SSID and password. And then only transmits when it picks up those two items. Sure hiding the SSID is a good measure. But isn't the router still sitting there blasting away trons into the air for no reason when everyone is away at work?

 

[nukemaster]

I think this would depend on the router.

Disabling SSID broadcast is about as close as we are now. I mean that(broadcasting) is a beacon all the time(vs the computer calling out for the network[like it has to when the ssid is not broadcasting]) so with it off, you reduce lots of transmitting on the router end.

Some routers allow scheduling the times the wireless is on. This would at least allow you to have it shut off after office hours.

 

[Tom Tancredi]

Here's an idea. How about a router that sits and listens for an SSID and password. And then only transmits when it picks up those two items. Sure hiding the SSID is a good measure. But isn't the router still sitting there blasting away trons into the air for no reason when everyone is away at work?

Your switching the roles and designs of both receiver (wireless adapter) and broadcaster (wireless access point / router). The receiver on your laptop only 'looks' for wireless connections when you tell it so, and can only pick up SSIDs to show the 'user' to select from. If the broadcaster isn't pumping out the SSID, yes by current 802.x standards it still is broadcasting so it can negotiate with a 'blind' receiver trying vainly to attach 'manually' to SSID MyWiFi (for example). See the receiver when using a hidden SSID, is blindly asking to connect to all WAPs signals which one IS actually MyWifi, then once it 'negotiates that' it is the right one, then it proceeds with the password.

So honestly, the broadcaster is actually 'listening' only for itself, but yes it still has a level of 'broadcasting' every so often that is a 'I am here to any looking for SSID' just to make sure the connections don't "drop" just because they can't see the SSID. Your solution would be a step back from that 'lower level' handshake.

If your concern is the 'power' that it is wasting all the times your at work, simply answer "SHUT IT OFF WHEN YOU GO TO WORK", that also (among all the other built in things) would prevent tampering while your away at work too. No power, no Internet, no broadcast.