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Author Topic: Bridge Compatibility with SSID hidden.  (Read 4160 times)

jacobs

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Bridge Compatibility with SSID hidden.
« on: December 27, 2009, 09:17:30 PM »

Hello all!  I have a friend who recently bought this product, and I agreed to help him through the setup as I am a computer technician.  First thing I had him do was to upgrade the firmware to v1.21 as has been recommended around the forums I searched.  His Access Point has SSID broadcast disabled, but we couldn't make the bridge work with the SSID off.  We then turned it on and everything went smoothly.  After testing, it is clear that as soon as he turns the broadcast off on the router, the connection is lost with the bridge, and cannot be regained.  While I am fully aware that disabling SSID broadcast is a laughable security measure, I believe the client should be able to have it if he wants it.  In fact, the firmware update summary says that this issue was fixed.

The other useful information is that he is using WPA2-PSK encryption, and he assures me that he has 2 laptops successfully connecting to the AP with SSID broadcast off and MAC filtering on.

Does anyone have any tips/has this problem not in fact been fixed fully in the firmware upgrade?
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lizzi555

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  • Posts: 605
Re: Bridge Compatibility with SSID hidden.
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2009, 10:10:28 PM »

1. set DAP Switch to Bridge - not auto
2. set SSID to visible
3. Add DAP and all Clients MAC to MAC-Filter
4. Open DAP Wireless Menu and search for your wireless (do not use WPS)
5. Complete settings with encryption and save them
6. Check if connection works
7. Turn SSID broadcast to disabled
8. Restart DAP

Use WPA-2 PSK with AES only - no Auto settings in the router/AP
It works with invisible SSID after first connection - needs to save the correct MAC/SSID first.

Hope this helps
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jacobs

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Re: Bridge Compatibility with SSID hidden.
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2009, 11:47:25 PM »

I'm pretty sure we did everything except the auto on the AP.  In his case, he was allowing mixed WPA/WPA2 to allow backwards compatibility for an older laptop.  I see your point though, I did not have him confirm that he was indeed using WPA-2 on the DAP, and if he is using WPA he would likely be using TKIP cipher (at least that's what I understand from my own router's configuration).  It's curious that this would pose a problem, but my specialty is not in wireless.  Also, I'm not sure he's restarting the DAP between changes.

Thanks for the quick response!  I'll get with him tomorrow and we'll go through these steps and see if we can't get it.

I wish he were using a real router/AP instead of the all-in-one DSL modem that's like 4yrs old (some no-name brand too).  In order to child-proof" it, they like to use strange names for things.  When I tell him to disable SSID broadcast he says "Oh, you mean enter protected mode?".  Etc., etc., etc.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2009, 11:49:19 PM by jacobs »
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attweb

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  • Posts: 1
Re: Bridge Compatibility with SSID hidden.
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2009, 03:07:13 PM »

Lizzi555,

I just wanted to say thanks for taking the time to post the info...it bailed me out.

Thank goodness for these forums.  It really is the knowledge base for dlink products.

Thanks again.
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