Sunday, September 2, 2007

Computer Name and SSID

Over the weekend I was setting up a relative's wireless Network. The router was a Netgear WGR614. I configured the SSID and then I did a wireless network discovery. Several times. Not once did I pick up the actual SSID as configured in the router. Even with SSID broadcast and telling Windows which SSID to use, it would not find that network. I pulled out my Nokia E61 to try to find it and it was no problem. I was surfing via the Netgear within seconds. Then I took a look and some of the computer's settings. The Computer's name was the same name as the SSID. I really did not think that this could possible be an issue - why would it? I proceeded to change the SSID to something else. Next think I notice is a popup from Windows' Wireless Zero Configuration telling me it found the network and was connected. Has anyone ever heard of a computer name - SSID name conflict?