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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 ju...
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.
BobLo wrote: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.
There's a conspiracy theory for you!
My concern was that leaving the SSID unchanged might suggest to casual visitors that the user has left everything else unchanged, leaving them open to attack through other routes.
We have seen reports here of people who fear that they have been hacked through the web interface of their modems.
michaelkenward wrote:There's a conspiracy theory for you!
The connotation of "conspiracy theory" is that an idea is overly cynical or suspicious. I don't think that applies, as I've too often seen marketing departments sticking their fingers into areas where they don't belong. And so far this is the only explanation that begins to make any sense.
I have no problem with the default SSID, only with the recommendation against changing it, sans explanation. The statement should be removed, if anyone at Netgear is listening.
If you run inSSIDer or Acrylic it tells what kind of router(and manufacturer) is regardless of SSID.
