NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Forum Discussion
RBRE960 SSID Broadcasting
Is there a configuration option to NOT broadcast our SSIDs? I can't find it, and I wonder if there's a good reason why this option isn't present.
This is for the RBRE960, which the product lookup here can't even find (go figure).
This feature was common on early WiFi routers. The first generation of Orbi products (RBR50) had (and still has) this option.
When the second generation Orbi was introduced (AX) this option disappeared. None of the succeeding Orbi products have this feature.
It was common (some time ago) to recommend "hiding" the WiFi SSID as some sort of security measure. "If they don't know your SSID they can't hack you." This turned out to be incorrect. Anyone with almost primitive hacking skills can learn the WiFi SSID very quickly. The security comes from having a very strong WiFi password. And, even then, hackers with the skill and patience can break the most common security systems on residential routers.
I have no clue what caused Netgear to remove this option. My own feeling is, "If the customer wants to do this, let him do it." Doesn't matter if it actually does nothing for security. I would also let the customer assign different SSIDs to 2.4G and 5G WiFi.
Unlike Elon, however, I do not own any companies, and Netgear doesn't ask my opinion on anything.
