connecting guests after disabling bcast

I have a wireless network which I have now set to stop broadcasting my network as my linksys book suggested. My questions is, how do my houseguests access my network if they can't see it? I have not enabled wep, so it is just a matter of them seeing my network. Do I have to go in and enable broadcast before my guests arrive? Or is there a way they can ask for my network.

Thanks

 

I know Linksys and other manufacturers say that but they are not accurate. Disabling the broadcast of a SSID provides no actual security from a potential attacker. It just makes it less visible. There is no good reason not to broadcast a SSID. There are tools available that can even detect hidden SSID's.

It is recommended that you change the default SSID to something else so it doesn't represent your home/small office network. You didn't specify which operating systems you were using but reading your previous threads you are running XP so I take you are using that.

If you are not broadcasting the SSID, the wireless service in Windows XP won't detect it. Details here.

Your computer connects to an access point that broadcasts its SSID instead of an access point that does not broadcast its SSID
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;811427

 

Thanks a lot. I decided to enable wep ... I will just put that 24 digit number into all the xps that visit. What a pain.

Thanks again. You are always there.

 

You're welcome.