Before the advent of wireless connections, computer networks were created using ethernet cables, physical connections through a cable between the server computer and the rest of the computers that were part of the network. The problem when setting up this type of network was its high cost but its main advantage was security.
With the advent of wireless networks, the cost of setting up networks was greatly reduced since no type of cable was needed, but unlike cable networks, security is its main problem, since anyone can try to access it, something that cannot be done with a cable network, without have physical access to the network.
In addition, cable networks generally did not have internet access, so there was no way to access the company's servers. The Internet has become a fundamental part of the work of millions of people, so that in most cases, the teams of a work center not only have access to the management program, shared documents and others, but also they have internet access.
By having access to the internet, it is possible to access the internal network by infecting any of the computers sending malicious software masked in an image or document, to guarantee access to the equipment and therefore to the internal network of the company.
In the event that the equipment do not have internet access, to prevent other people's friends from being able to access company information, the only way that thugs have is to try to access through the Wi-Fi network, hence security in this type of network is one of the most important aspects to take into account.
Although it is true that security in this type of network has increased a lot in recent years, no 100% secure software or completely secure hardware. Hackers can exploit vulnerabilities both in the hardware (in this case the router that centers the activity of the company) or the type of encryption used.
In order to access Wi-Fi networks, the first thing you need to know is the SSID. But What is the SSID?
What the SSID
The SSID, which we could translate into Spanish as an identifier for the set of services, is used in Wi-Fi networks to designate the connection used by computers to connect together and / or share a connection, such as the internet. In Spanish: is the name of the Wi-Fi network.
This name, which can be composed of up to 32 characters ASCII, allows us to identify the Wi-Fi networks to which we want to connect, whether in an airport, a cafeteria, in a store, in a shopping center or in our home without going any further.
What is the SSID for
The SSID allows us to know the name of the wireless network to which we want to connect. Most public establishments that offer internet connection use the name of the business to make it easier to locate it.
To connect to a wireless connection pointWe only need to know the name of the access point (SSID), along with the password. All wireless internet connection has an SSID, an SSID that is not exclusive, and we can find the same name in other places, especially among the routers of the operators, since in most cases, they always baptize their Wi-Fi networks with the same name.
How to find out what my SSID is
The easiest method to know what is the name of our network (SSID) is flip the router. At the bottom of it, you will find the name of the network along with the default password, a password that we must always change if we do not want a neighbor with bad intentions to access our network.
The operators, not only do they use the same SSIDs in their routers, but also have a bad habit of using the same password. On the internet we can find password libraries according to the names of the SSIDs. Not all routers with the same name have the same passwords, but they do have a very limited range of options, so you just have to try the different options that these types of libraries offer us to be able to access.
Can the SSID be changed?
The best thing we can do when we have just installed an internet connection is change the SSID. In this way, not only will it allow us to know more quickly what the name of our network is (especially if we want to share it with a visit) but we also prevent a neighbor with bad intentions from snooping on the content of our network or using it its benefit for activities that require a lot of bandwidth such as downloading content, streaming video platforms ...
How to change the SSID
To change the name of our Wi-Fi network (SSID) we must access the router through the data displayed at the bottom of the router. Once inside the router, we access the C tabonfiguration (represented by a cogwheel) and then polish on WiFi (W for Wireless).
To change the name of our network, we must access the section SSIDName and change it for the one we want. In the WPA PreSharedKey section (if we have the WPA / WPA2 PreSharedKey encryption mode set) we must establish which password we want to use.
Before making this change, both the password and the SSID, we must bear in mind that all the devices that are currently connected they will stop doing it and we will have to reconnect them using the new SSID and / or password.
How do I know if someone is connected to my Wi-Fi network?
Like Wi-Fi access points have a specific name, all devices that connect to this node, they have a specific name, name that allows us to identify them on the network. This allows us to check which computers have access to our Wi-Fi network and, where appropriate, to expel us if it is not one of those we have knowledge of.
One of the applications that offers the best results is Fing, an application that just runs it, scans all devices that have been connected at some point to our Wi-Fi network, it does not have to be connected at that moment for it to be shown in the registry.
If for whatever reason, the device name is not displayed, and we can identify it, we can add a name in order to be able to control all the devices that connect to our network and prevent someone from sneaking in.
Can the SSID be hidden?
As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, Wi-Fi networks are more vulnerable than ethernet connections, because all users who are in its range can try to access it. One solution is to hide the Wi-Fi network, an option that forces users who want to connect to manually set the SSID and password.
But, even if they are hidden, that does not mean that friends of others cannot find them. On the internet we can find applications such as Acrylic Wi-Fi that allow us to find these types of networks easily, so really, if you are looking for security, you will not find it by hiding the name of your network.
In this article we are always putting ourselves in the worst case, especially when it comes to security in medium or large companies. At a particular level, we must not fall into the paranoia that we are the target of hackers and we must protect our internet connection in every way possible.
Limit connections to the router using the MAC
While the SSID is not a unique and exclusive device, the MAC if it is. The MAC is like the license plate of a car in a country, a code composed of numbers and letters that cannot be repeated in the same country, although in this case, the MAC applies to all devices with an internet connection.
A method to prevent other people's friends from connecting to our Wi-Fi network even though they may have access to our password, is limiting access to the router through the MAC. Routers allow us to limit access to it to only the devices that we have previously authorized by entering their MAC.
If the MAC of the device to be connected is not among the accepted devices, will never be able to connect. While it is true that you can clone the MAC of the devices that have access to the Wi-Fi network, the first thing they must do is have physical access to it, something quite unlikely unless those affected / interested know each other in person.