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Recommendation not to change the SSID
I noticed this statement in the manual: "The default SSID is randomly generated, and NETGEAR strongly recommends that you do not change this setting."
They use italics for emphasis. They don't just say "recommends", but "strongly recommends". I think that's the strongest recommendation anywhere in the manual. But they omitted the reason for the recommendation.
I've been assigning my own SSIDs for over 15 years without a problem. I've been using my own SSID with this Netgear router for over a year without a problem. So what's the problem?
Maybe they meant, "Don't change this unless you know what you're doing," but they didn't say that. In any case, that would apply to pretty much every setting in the box, so why would they single out SSID for such special treatment?
Does anyone know anything about this?
8 Replies
No problem changing it. Main purpose is for id'ing your radio. Not much value in reinforcing security as far as I am concerned.
Indeed. Netgear's advice makes no sense.
What are the benefits of sticking with the SSID it provides?
It is the password that matters.
I think I may have it now. IIRC, the default SSID is NETGEARnn. I think they strongly want you to advertise the Netgear brand to the users of every Wi-Fi device that's close enough to see your beacons. I'm not impressed by marketing masquerading as technical advice.
ElaineM wrote:BobLo The recommendation from the manual is to just allow users to easily locate or identify their own routers in case they forgot what it was.
How odd.The logic there doesn't work.
I am much more likely to remember an SSID that I create rather than some generic Netgear SSID that might look just like others in the neighbourhood.
