Doesn't remember hidden network

Question

Level 1

10 points

Doesn't remember hidden network

My preferred wireless network at work has a hidden SSID. (It doesn't have a password, go figure.)
I can sign into it fine every time by going to Settings>Wi-Fi>Other... and entering the name of the network.
But every time I lose the connection, even transiently, I need to manuallly sign in again by re-entering the network name in Settings.
On Airport with my PowerBook under 10.5.2 this doesn't happen. There, Network Preferences remembers the hidden network and keeps it as a "known network". But evidently not the iPhone. Anyone else have this experience?
Incidentally, the problem is the same whether "Ask to Join Networks" is On or Off.
John

iPhone, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on Apr 11, 2008 9:02 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Kyn Drake

Level 7

21,597 points

Apr 11, 2008 12:55 PM in response to madde001

Just as a point of reference, my phone doesn't require me to manually enter the SSID in order to find it (and it's password protected to boot!).

Reply

Answer 2

Apr 11, 2008 11:01 AM in response to madde001

I would try using the Reset Network Settings option - Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

This will delete all saved wi-fi network settings for all wi-fi networks but may resolve this problem.

Reply

Answer 3

Apr 11, 2008 12:31 PM in response to madde001

That's the way it works. If the network does not broadcast SSID the phone will not be able to connect automatically. For any computer to connect to a "hidden" network it must try all SSID it knows, because the computer must include the SSID in the request to connect. I'm surprised a Macbook does this, but I guess Apple considered it a useful feature. However, I would not want my phone to do this because if I lost the phone the finder could connect to networks that were trying to protect themselves.

Not broadcasting SSID but leaving the network unsecured is like painting over your house number but leaving the front door open. Encryption is much more important than hiding the network.

Reply

Answer 4

madde001 Author

Level 1

10 points

Apr 14, 2008 2:00 PM in response to Kyn Drake

Sorry I was offline for a couple of days....

Well--problem solved. Did a Settings>General>Reset>Reset Network Settings as suggested by Allan above, and now I connect automatically across restarts to my hidden SSID network. Thanks!

Lawrence, I totally agree about the lack of a password -- very dumb. I complained to our IT dept, and evidently this is a "transitional" situation where they used to have a completely public wifi in this zone, then wanted to make it secure, but a bunch of clients for some reason "couldn't handle passwords" (...huh?), so they make the network hidden but non-password protected to deprecate it and stop new users coming on board. Eventually it's supposed to be dropped and replaced with a password-protected net. (That's the theory, but the current situation has been around for at least a year...)

Thanks for all your help, guys.

John

Reply

Answer 5

Apr 11, 2008 1:17 PM in response to Kyn Drake

Is the SSID broadcast turned off on your router, like the OP's?

Reply

Answer 6

Kyn Drake

Level 7

21,597 points

Apr 11, 2008 2:41 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Turned off and password protected.

Reply

Answer 7

Apr 15, 2008 1:17 PM in response to madde001

I have two wireless networks, both with hidden SSIDs. The iPhone will occasionally "forget" them, but my Mini does too. It's just a minor nuisance.

Reply