ARLO Base Hub

[trebor711]

Are there any plans to have the home end-user be able to:

1. Change the SSID of the base station, and/or

2. Be able to hide the SSID and stop broadcasting it?

[TomMac · Accepted solution]

#1 No, there is no base access

#2 Hiding the SSID has not shown to be an effective way to prevent access

[trebor711]

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TomMac wrote:

#1 No, there is no base access

#2 Hiding the SSID has not shown to be an effective way to prevent access

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@TomMac...thank you for your answers.  However, I would like to comment that this should be an option given to end users.  For one, It would be nice to be able to change the generic NETGEARXX SSID to something less obvious.  It would also be helpful to hide the SSID even though as you state, it has shown not to be effective.  My concerns are less of someone accessing my base hub but rather an inexperienced hacker seeing the generic SSID and knowing there is an ARLO system in use and finding a way to steal the cameras. Hiding the SSID would just eliminate that. I thinl Netgear should reconsider and let the end user be able to hide the SSID. 

[Streak2]

I also noticed this but then the SSID format for the Arlo base is no different to the SSID on any other Netgear device ie. Netgearxx so it would be hard to tell which was a router and which was an Arlo base just by looking at the SSID.

[jguerdat]

Any access to the base risks inappropriate access to it. I, for one, vote against such capability.

[trebor711]

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jguerdat wrote:
Any access to the base risks inappropriate access to it. I, for one, vote against such capability.

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@jguerdat...while I agree with your risk assessment, I think there can be a way for Netgear to both hide the SSID and have NO access to the base.  I realize the SSID needs to be visable to the cameras so they can sync, but there should be some type of software which after a camera syncs to the base, the SSID gets hidden automatically.  Then when a new camera needs to be sync, pressing the sync button makes the SSID visable again.  I just feel having the SSID broadcasted all the time is an unwanted and unneeded invitation. 

[TheBigGExpress]

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TomMac wrote:

#2 Hiding the SSID has not shown to be an effective way to prevent access

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Not true.

Why not implement this trivial fix ?!?

[jguerdat]

Hasn't been true since WiFi came out.

https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/28653/debunking-myths-is-hiding-your-wireless-ssid-really-more-secur...

[TheBigGExpress]

This is a classic 'straw man' fallacy.

Your article is talking about regular WiFi access points, which are meant to be used by various clients.

Also, this article is talking about targeted hacking.  There are other 'high level' security issues here, besides the unnecessary confusion.

Of course, I can easily find many articles recommending hiding SSID, so your link doesn't make it a fact.

We, your CUSTOMERS, are trying to help you sell more product.

Do I get paid when you correctly don't broadcast your SSID?  No

How is broadcasting SSID helping your customers ?

I have many WiFi devices which don't broadcast their SSID.

This should never have been a part of Arlo from the beginning.