Installer inadequacies

[Bill Davidsen]

Tim wrote:
> On Sat, 2013-01-19 at 14:50 -0700, Paolo Galtieri wrote:
>> Another idiocy in the F18 installer is that there is no way to
>> configure wireless connectivity if the WAP does not broadcast its
>> SSID. Clicking on the configure button does nothing unless you select
>> an entry from the drop down list.  You don't even get a message saying
>> you need to select a wireless connection.
>
> Yeah, well, when you break networking by not broadcasting the SSID, what
> do you expect?
>
Actually "missing capability formerly working in previous releases" is not quite 
the same thing as "breaking networking," and on a related note, broadcasting an 
SSID which does not contain printing characters in YOUR character set isn't "not 
broadcasting the SSID." Yes, I have slightly broadened the discussion, that was 
what some WAP I have used did when no SSID was provided.

> SSID is a normal, and expected, part of wireless networking.
> Hiding it is not a security solution, of any kind.
>
There is no "a security solution," layered security includes many things, no one 
of which can be considered a solution.

When this discussion came up the years ago I actually set up two retired 
unsecured 801.11b WAP  (not connected to anything important), one called NODE41 
and one using all blanks. They were next to a college dorm. NODE41 got over 
hiding SSID, though before canned scripts and strong encryption there may have 
been some benefit, just a data point.

> Hiding it is an idiocy promulgated by dimwits who have no idea what
> they're talking about.
>
If my points are so weak that I have to resort to calling names, I avoid making 
them. That's why I actually checked to see if there was any difference.

-- 
Bill Davidsen <davidsen at tmr.com>
   "We have more to fear from the bungling of the incompetent than from
the machinations of the wicked."  - from Slashdot