The NetGear R6230 Router allows one to define 4 separate SSID networks : 1) a private 2.4Ghz, 2) a private 5Ghz, 3) a guest 2.4Ghz, and 4) a guest 5Ghz. When connecting my laptop to the router via the wireless connection, I'm able to select which of those 4 SSID's I want to use. However, when I connect to the router via a hard-wired connection, I don't have the ability to choose which network I'm going to be a part of - it defaults to one of the two private network SSID's. It's not consistent though. One time it will connect to the 2.4Ghz one and another time it will connect to the 5Ghz one. How do I configure the router to always use a single private network and not what ever it chooses at any given time?

WMM2 wrote:I also know that I don't have any control, in Windows, over the naming convention of the wireless SSID's - that name is assigned within the router configuration. I defined MiWiFi, MiWiFi2, MeWiFi, and MeWiFi2 on the router and windows recognizes them when I turn-on WiFi connectivity. The puzzling part is the identification of a wired ethernet connection as a wireless SSID name, which is named "Ethernet" in the "Adapter Options" utility within the Windows Network and Internet Control Panel. MiWiFi2 is being assigned to my wired "Ethernet" connection as a "second name", in addition to the configurable name of "Ethernet." Notice that the WiFi connection also has a "second name" of MiWiFi2. I certainly understand why Windows would provide the name of the SSID for the WiFi connection, but I don't understand the logic of providing that same name to the wired Ethernet connection.The configurable name is the network adapter name, not the network connection name. The logic is that the Ethernet connection does currently connect to the same network (same LAN IP, same default gateway, same router MAC address, ...) - just like the MiWiFi2. The mistake is not with you - the mistake is within Netgear (still burned in into the minds of some community members here) that they require you to configure multiple SSIDs for what is connecting to the very same network. Just spotted a new released Netgear simple wireless AP here (WAX204) which does not have this useless logic for dedicated names for each radio band. That's why you have two normal "MiWiFi" networks and two guest "MyWiFi" on air connecting to the very same network.

> [...] when I connect to the router via a hard-wired connection, I> don't have the ability to choose which network I'm going to be a part of> - it defaults to one of the two private network SSID's. [...] What's the actual evidence behind this conclusion? I claim that there is only one LAN, and SSIDs affect only wirelessconnections. A "guest network" can impose some firewall-like rules torestrict communication between "guests" and other client devices, butthere's still only one LAN. A wired connection in unrelated to any(wireless-network) SSID. > How do I configure the router to always use a single private network> and not what ever it chooses at any given time? I don't think that the question makes sense. Do you mean the Windowsdesignation of a network connection as "Private" or "Public"? That'sindependent for every different network connection, wired or wireless. What, exactly, are you doing and observing? More facts; lessinterpretation.

This first image shows my 4 wireless SSID's and no wired connection (CAT-5 cable unplugged):MiWiFi2 is the 2.4Ghz private network (internal)MeWiFi is the 5Ghz guest network (external)MiWiFi is the 5Ghz private network (internal)MeWiFi2 is the 2.4Ghz guest network (external) The second image shows that I turned off WiFi and plugged in the CAT-5 cable. The wired connection now points to the internal private 2.4Ghz network and the wireless connections are no longer shown.The third image shows the Network and Sharing Center and identifies the wired connection as MiWiFi2, a private network with an Access Type of Internet and a Connection Type as Ethernet.As stated in my original post, sometimes the private network associated with the wired connection shows the SSID, MiWiFi, which is the 5Ghz network. I guess the bottom-line question is does it matter which SSID is displayed for the wired connection. If not, this is, at best, a misleading "feature."

WMM2 wrote: I guess the bottom-line question is does it matter which SSID is displayed for the wired connection. If not, this is, at best, a misleading "feature." The puzzle is how you think the wifi SSID has anything to do with your wired connection. It looks to me that you are confusing the name of your local wired Ethernet network with the SSID. Just because they have the same label does not make them same network. It may just the tag that Windows gave your router. This is something that Windows does all the time. For peace of mind, try changing the name of the Ethernet network. Or change the wifi SSID and reel back in shock as the Ethernet network keeps its original label.

> [...] The wired connection now points to the internal private 2.4Ghz> network [...] Not really. Someone seems to have assigned the name "MiWiFi2" to theEthernet connection on that Windows system. This is confusing becausethere is no actual relationship between that Ethernet connection and anywireless SSID. > [...] sometimes the private network associated with the wired> connection shows the SSID, MiWiFi, which is the 5Ghz network. "sometimes"? Perhaps the name is the same, but that is the extent ofthe "association". You should be able to change the name of theEthernet connection (on the Windows system) to something completelydifferent; it is unrelated to any SSID. Or you could change thewireless SSIDs (on the router). (But that would create extra work.) > [...] does it matter which SSID is displayed for the wired connection.> If not, this is, at best, a misleading "feature." For an Ethernet connection, it's only a (Windows) name, not a(wireless-network) SSID.

Set a default SSID for private wired connections

19 Replies

antinode
Guru
Nov 21, 2020
> [...] when I connect to the router via a hard-wired connection, I
> don't have the ability to choose which network I'm going to be a part of
> - it defaults to one of the two private network SSID's. [...]

   What's the actual evidence behind this conclusion?

   I claim that there is only one LAN, and SSIDs affect only wireless
connections. A "guest network" can impose some firewall-like rules to
restrict communication between "guests" and other client devices, but
there's still only one LAN. A wired connection in unrelated to any
(wireless-network) SSID.

> How do I configure the router to always use a single private network
> and not what ever it chooses at any given time?

   I don't think that the question makes sense. Do you mean the Windows
designation of a network connection as "Private" or "Public"? That's
independent for every different network connection, wired or wireless.

   What, exactly, are you doing and observing? More facts; less
interpretation.
- WMM2
  Aspirant
  Nov 21, 2020
  This first image shows my 4 wireless SSID's and no wired connection (CAT-5 cable unplugged):
  MiWiFi2 is the 2.4Ghz private network (internal)
  MeWiFi is the 5Ghz guest network (external)
  MiWiFi is the 5Ghz private network (internal)
  MeWiFi2 is the 2.4Ghz guest network (external)
  
  The second image shows that I turned off WiFi and plugged in the CAT-5 cable. The wired connection now points to the internal private 2.4Ghz network and the wireless connections are no longer shown.
  The third image shows the Network and Sharing Center and identifies the wired connection as MiWiFi2, a private network with an Access Type of Internet and a Connection Type as Ethernet.
  As stated in my original post, sometimes the private network associated with the wired connection shows the SSID, MiWiFi, which is the 5Ghz network.
  
  I guess the bottom-line question is does it matter which SSID is displayed for the wired connection. If not, this is, at best, a misleading "feature."
  - michaelkenward
    Guru - Experienced User
    Nov 22, 2020
    
    WMM2 wrote:
    
    I guess the bottom-line question is does it matter which SSID is displayed for the wired connection. If not, this is, at best, a misleading "feature."
    
    The puzzle is how you think the wifi SSID has anything to do with your wired connection.
    
    It looks to me that you are confusing the name of your local wired Ethernet network with the SSID. Just because they have the same label does not make them same network. It may just the tag that Windows gave your router. This is something that Windows does all the time.
    
    For peace of mind, try changing the name of the Ethernet network. Or change the wifi SSID and reel back in shock as the Ethernet network keeps its original label.

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Set a default SSID for private wired connections