EX7500 - No connection to router if SSID Broadcast is turned off on the EX7500

[techie2018]

I just got a Nighthawk X4S EX7500 and upgraded the firmware to the latest:

1.0.0.46_1.0.62

After setting up the connection to the router, everything ooks to be fine. Status shows everything is connected: 2.4, 5G

One Wifi is set to Yes, IP is set to static, WPS is turned off.

But once I go to Settings - Wireless and uncheck Broadcast this Network name (SSID), the EX7500 won't connect to the router if it is rebooted.The Power and WPS lights are on but the Router Connection light is off.

Does the EX7500 always have to have the SSIDs broadcasted?

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

It sounds like it might, though the manual suggests that is not the case - so it would be a bug.  I guess you could try setting up the extender again, but this time keep the SSID hidden in the router.  You won't be able to use WPS, you'll have to use the procedure on page 13 here:  http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/EX7500/EX7500_UM_EN.pdf

There is basically no security benefit in hiding the SSID, so personally I'd change the setting in the router.  The network itself can't be hidden, and anyone capable of cracking the wifi encryption can find the SSID.  

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

It sounds like it might, though the manual suggests that is not the case - so it would be a bug.  I guess you could try setting up the extender again, but this time keep the SSID hidden in the router.  You won't be able to use WPS, you'll have to use the procedure on page 13 here:  http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/EX7500/EX7500_UM_EN.pdf

There is basically no security benefit in hiding the SSID, so personally I'd change the setting in the router.  The network itself can't be hidden, and anyone capable of cracking the wifi encryption can find the SSID.  

[techie2018]

Yes I was afraid of that.

I have SSID hidden on my router and manually setup the EX7500.

I was just hoping if the Settings contained that setting, it wouldn't prevent the whole device from working.

I guess I'll be leaving it on for now. Hopefully they fix this or document it so other don't fall into all the troubleshooting I had to go through.

Thanks StephenB.