New ISP and router = new WiFi SSIDs or no? (Sky)

WJA96 said:
I'm not sure why you need a password on your guest wifi? Especially if you're running Unifi, Untangle or pfSense where you can very tightly lock down what users of that network can do. If you find someone trying to do something silly you can just lock them down even harder.
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I don't see why you wouldn't. I don't want to give internet access of any sort to randoms that happen to be walking past my house.
 
the-evaluator said:
There's no difference in the security of combined or split SSIDs.
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I meant as in it's good security practice to change your passwords every now and again. So, good to use this opportunity to change my wifi password. But, I cba :p

the-evaluator said:
The homeplugs are paired to each other, not to the router so you shouldn't need to make any changes.
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Ok good to know, thanks!

Bouton Aide said:
Do you people not have QR codes printed out?
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Doesn't help with my Google Homes, Harmony Hub, Amplifier, Sky Q etc though does it...
 
the-evaluator said:
I don't see why you wouldn't. I don't want to give internet access of any sort to randoms that happen to be walking past my house.
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That assumes that those randoms can access my WiFi. The external access points don't broadcast the Guest SSID. Indeed they don't broadcast any SSID and the internal access points are all set to very low power and low RSSI to keep the clients locked onto the most local access point. No randoms, no passwords. Any guests can access the guest wifi.
 
WJA96 said:
That assumes that those randoms can access my WiFi. The external access points don't broadcast the Guest SSID. Indeed they don't broadcast any SSID and the internal access points are all set to very low power and low RSSI to keep the clients locked onto the most local access point. No randoms, no passwords. Any guests can access the guest wifi.
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You know the QR codes can be connected to even if the SSID is hidden? a hidden flag is can be added to the QR code.
 
So, following up on this thread I'm all set with Sky as of yesterday. Seems fine and I have SSIDs split as before.

But I realised seen as both SSIDs use the same password I could just join them up (as long as I use one of the existing names).

So what's recommended? My Q box is plugged into ethernet, so is my AppleTV and other TV devices. Main WiFi devices are my Google Homes, Chromecast, Harmony hub, and mobile phones.

Thanks.
 
the-evaluator said:
How are the SSID's currently split? If they're split into 2.4GHz & 5GHz networks then you may as well leave things like that. Personally I like having split SSIDS in this way.
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Yeah, I just have XXXXX and XXXXX-5g with the same password on both. So it'd be easy to have both channels on the first SSID.

I wonder what's better for devices with regards to swapping between SSIDs compared to swapping channels via the same SSID? :confused:

My work Macbook doesn't seem to like the 5g SSID in my spare room/study for example as it's furthest from my router. (But I do have powerline adapters for it anyway so it's irrelevant.)
 
Bouton Aide said:
You not writing the password down.
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You are printing it out though :p

In all seriousness, a QR code for a Guest network isn't a problem and makes life a hell of a lot easier when friends are over. But i'm with @WJA96 in that it's a terrible idea for your "personal" networks.

WJA96 said:
I'm not sure why you need a password on your guest wifi?
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Corporate guest network, sure with a captive portal; residential, why wouldn't you add security to your Guest network and prevent "unknowns" accessing it?
Just adds a load of work and no-one has time for that when you/we deal with "this" stuff day-in-day-out.

Plus it's a possible (bigger) attack vector leaving any network open.

WJA96 said:
The external access points don't broadcast the Guest SSID.
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"security by obfuscation", up there with writing passwords down ;)
 
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Scam said:
Yeah, I just have XXXXX and XXXXX-5g with the same password on both. So it'd be easy to have both channels on the first SSID.

I wonder what's better for devices with regards to swapping between SSIDs compared to swapping channels via the same SSID? :confused:

My work Macbook doesn't seem to like the 5g SSID in my spare room/study for example as it's furthest from my router. (But I do have powerline adapters for it anyway so it's irrelevant.)
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There's less range on a 5GHz network than a 2.4GHz network so I can see why the Macbook may have struggled.

Personally I'd leave things as they are and keep your different 2.4 & 5GHz networks. If you happen to get some IoT stuff that doesn't like 5GHz then you'd likely have to fight to get it to connect to the combined network. No such problem if you can specifically tell it to connect to your 2.4GHz network.
 
visibleman said:
"security by obfuscation", up there with writing passwords down ;)
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It's not obfuscation. They don't broadcast the guest SSID ie. they don't broadcast the guest network at all. The guest network is only broadcast by the access points in the public rooms and the room locking is controlled by very tight RSSI values. In effect the Guest network is geofenced to the public areas of my house. And the guests can just connect without a password and then if they try to download anything they shouldn't it's controlled by filter policies in Untangle.
 
visibleman said:
You are printing it out though :p

In all seriousness, a QR code for a Guest network isn't a problem and makes life a hell of a lot easier when friends are over. But i'm with @WJA96 in that it's a terrible idea for your "personal" networks.
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It wouldn't be printed like plain text, you can't reverse it to give you a plain text password (not that I know of) so it's more secure than just writing a password down on a piece of paper and leaving it lying around.

Try it.... you might like it. :D
 
the-evaluator said:
It's trivial. Use any old QR decoder such as this one or an iOS/Android app and it'll give you the password in plain text.

Using a QR code is more convenient than sharing a password but it's just as insecure as writing down a password.
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Just tested it, didn't even know this could be done so there we have it. :D

Still doesn't change that my door has my QR codes on though. :p
 
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