In the default configuration mode, all access points send out their SSIDs in Beacon frames. This allows clients in the vicinity to discover them easily. Hidden SSIDs is a configuration where the access point does not broadcast its SSID in Beacon frames. Thus, only clients that know the SSID of the access point can connect to it.

Unfortunately, this measure does not provide robust security, but most network administrators think it does. Hidden SSIDs should not be considered a security measure by any stretch of the imagination. We will now take a look at how to uncover hidden SSIDs.