Trying To Understand SSID on Mesh WiFi

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From what I can see on the WEB, SSID refers to the name of a WiFi network. So I have my service provider’s Internet modem connected to a WiFi hub using an Ethernet cable. From that hub another Ethernet cable connects to a switch from which all the devices using Ethernet cables are connected. My computer is connected using an Ethernet cable but still it must broadcast an SSID.

When I have FireFox or any other browser set to Never Remember History and to Clear Cookies on exit every time I try to log back into my security company’s WEB site, they are seeing a different SSID. This is causing me problems with logging into that company. Every time I try to log in their site see my computer as a new device and I have to wait for them to send me a verification code before being able to access Dash Board at that site.

What would cause my network to be putting out so many different SSIDs? If I set the FireFox’s settings to Remember History and not Clear the cookies, the SSID is the same on every log in. Is there a way to force FireFox to always use the same SSID when signing into any particular site like my security company?

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Websites (your Security company, for example) identified you by putting their cookie on your computer. The cookie is an identifier that it is you when you try to log in.

You are deleting cookies when you close the browser (Firefox), so the next time you try to log in, the identifier is gone and your Security company doesn’t know it’s you. So they have to send a code to verify.

You can save the information from that one website in Firefox so it doesn’t get deleted.
On the Firefox menu:
Tools\Options\Privacy & Security\Cookies and Site Data\Manage Data
You can specify which cookies t retain.
Tools\Options\Privacy & Security\Cookies and Site Data\Manage Permissions
You can specify which websites are always allowed to use cookies

Under History\Settings there are also options.

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Elly, woody, WShlewton

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PKCano wrote:

Websites (your Security company, for example) identified you by putting their cookie on your computer. The cookie is an identifier that it is you when you try to log in.

You are deleting cookies when you close the browser (Firefox), so the next time you try to log in, the identifier is gone and your Security company doesn’t know it’s you. So they have to send a code to verify.

You can save the information from that one website in Firefox so it doesn’t get deleted.
On the Firefox menu:
Tools\Options\Privacy & Security\Cookies and Site Data\Manage Data
You can specify which cookies t retain.
Tools\Options\Privacy & Security\Cookies and Site Data\Manage Permissions
You can specify which websites are always allowed to use cookies

Under History\Settings there are also options.

Thank you for the reply. I tried what you suggested but only part of it I guess. I was able to add 2 URLs in the Manage Permissions of the Cookies and Site Data. I added them 1 at a time and tested it by closing out of FireFox each time. It did no good because I was still required to wait for a verification code.

I will try to up load a screen shot of what I see when I try to find History\Settings. I may be looking in the wrong place but I didn’t see any other History once I got into FF’s options. If I was in the right spot you mentioned I only saw what you can see in the attachment.

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I’m sorry. I should have mentioned; I did try each different option you see in the drop down menu of History but though the settings button was displayed it remained grayed out.

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I’m using Firefox 75. This is what mine looks like

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WShlewton

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Thanks again. I am using FF 76.0.1 (64 Bit) and thanks to your screen shot I got that “Settings” button to be active. There was an option using that button to uncheck “Cookies” and that worked. By that I mean I was able to sign into my security site without having to wait for verification.  The only problem, and it may not be a problem at all, is in History\Settings  option specific site’s cookies could not be specified.

One question still remains in my mind. If SSID is the name of my WiFi network why would deleting cookies on FF’s exit change that name the next time I tried signing into any site. I do understand that site may thinking I am using a new device since their cookie was deleted but I don’t understand why my WiFi’s identification SSID would change and make it think that. Maybe I’m thinking too much about this.

 

Thanks again for the help.

 

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The SSID in this case is the identifier for your computer. The cookie identifies your computer and login to the security site.

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WShlewton

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WShlewton wrote:

SSID refers to the name of a WiFi network

SSID (Service Set Identifier) has nothing to do with the Web, browsers, logins..SSID in the UNIQUE identifier of your router, smartphone… .
It is security advised to hide/block transmitting the SSID of the router so passerby, hackers… won’t detect your network.
On a local network you can allow/deny devices access to the network based on their SSID. Your local cellular provider can block access to a stolen laptop, smartphone.. based on its SSID.

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WShlewton

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I disagree. Hiding SSID (wireless network identifier) of your WIFI network router does not make your network safe from hackers. We discussed this before, so check this treat:

https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/suggestions-for-keeping-neighbors-off-your-wi-fi/

Here is explanation, I recommed to go through this article:

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

Hiding SSID makes you more secure is a myth.

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Alex5723 wrote:

WShlewton wrote:

SSID refers to the name of a WiFi network

SSID (Service Set Identifier) has nothing to do with the Web, browsers, logins..SSID in the UNIQUE identifier of your router, smartphone… .
It is security advised to hide/block transmitting the SSID of the router so passerby, hackers… won’t detect your network.
On a local network you can allow/deny devices access to the network based on their SSID. Your local cellular provider can block access to a stolen laptop, smartphone.. based on its SSID.

So let me ask this. As I was working with the people at my security company to figure out what my problem was and when I would close out of FF while deleting the cookies, they told me when I tried signing in again it was a completely different SSID each time I tried to log in. Testing further, when I closed out of FF without deleting the cookies and tried signing back in the SSIDs were the same. At their computers as they were watching all these tests they identified whatever they saw as SSIDs. They even gave me the identifying numbers and letters but I did not write those down. Were they mistaken in calling them SSIDs or what could have been happening?

I am not at all sure how I would block my WiFi network from broadcasting an SSID but I do have great support on my Eero WiFi system and could ask them how. But if I did block it, would sites like my security company’s block me from accessing them since they appear to use SSIDs in identifying me?

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Perhaps they meant that the MAC address was changing?
That is a feature of Windows 10 you can enable or disable as shown here.

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WShlewton

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Alex5723 wrote:

It is security advised to hide/block transmitting the SSID of the router so passerby, hackers… won’t detect your network.

Do not do this, hackers can easily bypass this but your home devices may not connect or fail after set up without a broadcast SSID.

cheers, Paul

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BATcher, WShlewton, doriel, NetDef

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WShlewton wrote:

they told me when I tried signing in again it was a completely different SSID

I think they meant UUID.

cheers, Paul

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WShlewton, doriel

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WShlewton wrote:

So let me ask this

@WShlewton. A big apology. disregard everything I wrote. I just has a huge blackout writing nonsense .

Again, a big apology.

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WShlewton

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RockE wrote:

Perhaps they meant that the MAC address was changing?
That is a feature of Windows 10 you can enable or disable as shown here.

Thank you I will ask them about that MAC address.

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Paul T wrote:

Alex5723 wrote:

It is security advised to hide/block transmitting the SSID of the router so passerby, hackers… won’t detect your network.

Do not do this, hackers can easily bypass this but your home devices may not connect or fail after set up without a broadcast SSID.

cheers, Paul

Yes the maker of my mesh network, Eero, also advises against this.

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Paul T wrote:

WShlewton wrote:

they told me when I tried signing in again it was a completely different SSID

I think they meant UUID.

cheers, Paul

I will ask them this as well as asking them about the MAC address.

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WShlewton wrote:

I will ask them about that MAC address

MAC addresses never change unless you fiddle in a very specific place. The MAC address is akin to your street address. It is specific to your PC (network adapter actually).

cheers, Paul

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WShlewton

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I thank you all. I do think I have a better understanding of SSID now and it may be that my security company misidentified the number they were seeing. I hope to find out the answer to that soon.

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Paul T wrote:

WShlewton wrote:

I will ask them about that MAC address

MAC addresses never change unless you fiddle in a very specific place. The MAC address is akin to your street address. It is specific to your PC (network adapter actually).

cheers, Paul

Thank you. I did send the email asking my security site’s personnel the questions but they probably won’t know that distinction.

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[WShlewton]

Paul T wrote:

WShlewton wrote:

they told me when I tried signing in again it was a completely different SSID

I think they meant UUID.

cheers, Paul

I just got a reply from my security company. Here it is:

This is what I see and you should see it on your account on the web app.  It shows at the bottom of the page under Manage Logins and then device id.  It has “WebApp: Firefox 76.0 (SS-ID: b4M3S-LZLXy)/Windows 10   It changes every time you log in with your web browser.

So is this what I started this topic about – SSID? I see the dash between SS and ID so I am not certain it means SSID. If it does then should the part starting with b4 change? Or are they not truly seeing my network’s SSID?

 

• This reply was modified 5 years ago by WShlewton.

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What is the name of your network? (what you see when you try to connect wirelessly)

What is your computer name? Control Panel\System – computer name or
in Win10 Settings App\System\About\Device name

The reason it seems to be different to the security company is because you are deleting the cookie that identifies your computer and login: WebApp: Firefox 76.0 (SS-ID: b4M3S-LZLXy)/Windows 10

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WShlewton

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PKCano wrote:

What is the name of your network? (what you see when you try to connect wirelessly)

What is your computer name? Control Panel\System – computer name or
in Win10 Settings App\System\About\Device name

The reason it seems to be different to the security company is because you are deleting the cookie that identifies your computer and login: WebApp: Firefox 76.0 (SS-ID: b4M3S-LZLXy)/Windows 10

The network name is Eero

The computer name is my last name-PC, so LEWTON-PC

But neither of those seem to be identified in what the security company is seeing. I have my browsers set to not delete cookies now so I am able to sign in without problems. I was/am confused why SSID would change if it is a network identifier. But you said “seems to be different” because I was deleting the cookies so I guess that is the answer.

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Then this b4M3S-LZLXy may be an identifier the security company is issuing.
Whatever the source, if you leave their cookie, you probably won’t have the problem because the identifier it contains verifies that it is you.

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WShlewton

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I’m surprise nobody mentioned User Agent which is that string from your browser detected by the security firm.  From Wiki

For this reason, most Web browsers use a User-Agent string value as follows:

<i>Mozilla/[version] ([system and browser information]) [platform] ([platform details]) [extensions]</i>. ”

The string b4M3S-LZLXy refers to an name assignment for your computer.

Checking User Agent String Reveal String.

The page has a cross reference to a parser for the string data.  Now my browser string doesn’t include the computer details which may be something associated with my IP, computer name and/or cookie.  Perhaps that detail comes from a request as you login to the site.  The really curious might take a look at a wireshark-like tool to reveal the transaction.

 

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One point about MAC addresses – someone commented they never change. This is not true. An update in Android 10 defaulted to a software randomly generated MAC address for security. This stopped me connecting to my router as I had MAC filtering on. This is something to be aware of – great in that it adds extra security when you are out and about, but if MAC address is used as an identifier, it does not work.
Second point is more relevant here – I installed a wall power socket with built in wi-fi repeater. Some of these work in Proxy mode. In this, they replace the first six characters of the MAC (the MAC is split into 6 for manufacturer and 6 for serial) of the devices accessing it with the six characters of the repeater manufacturer.
So these are two circumstances in which MAC addresses DO CHANGE.

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Elly

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