Windows 10 Hidden Network?

[GilpinGuy]

The last few days, when I fire up the laptop, I see my home network listed as well as "Hidden Network, Secured". WTF is this? I'm in the middle of nowhere and there is no way I'm seeing a neighbors network or something.

Also in the last few days, I have to reboot my router in order to connect to the net, even though the system shows "Connected" to my home network. I suspect that this Hidden Network is f-ing with my system somehow. All cell phones and tabs connect to the router just fine.

And this Hidden Network is not listed in my "Active Networks".

I'm no pro with this stuff. Any ideas what's up? Google wasn't much help.

[rondog]

Big Brother.

[brutal]

Xfinity?

probably your router is setup to present as a public hotspot but not showing the SSID.

http://www.itworld.com/article/2858142/mobile-wireless/dont-want-your-comcast-router-to-be-a-public-hotspot-heres-how-to-stop-it.html

[CS1983]

Xfinity?

probably your router is setup to present as a public hotspot but not showing the SSID.

http://www.itworld.com/article/2858142/mobile-wireless/dont-want-your-comcast-router-to-be-a-public-hotspot-heres-how-to-stop-it.html

Xfinity always shows up as Xfinity, though. Unless they have changed that to keep from having people rename their network Xfinity to lure folks into using it for MITM...

ETA: do you know if that disables one's ability to also use an Xfinity hotspot or just keeps your router from broadcasting as such?
----

OP -- log into your router w/ admin creds and see if somehow your network was switched to hidden SSID. Or, do you see your "Network" AND this?

[Great-Kazoo]

Don't discount seeing someone elses network. A lot of my devices at home can see select networks more than 1000 feet away, some as many as 1400. Signals are a complicated thing.

It could also be an IOT device you bought, like a stupid speaker-light or talking fridge or some other such bullshit.

At it means is theres a wireless network that isn't broadcasting it's SSID (title). It's not actually hidden.


This. There's 12 networks my device says i can connect to, with password i'm picking up at home..

[TFOGGER]

My home network is named "FBI Surveillance Van 01154". Keeps the drug dealers from trying to leech off my wifi...

[mb504]

Could just be the ssid that a neighbor set on their WiFi

[brutal]

Use at your own risk.

Try running the last free version of inSSIDer and see what the mac address is. if it's the same as your router, well...

http://www.techspot.com/downloads/5936-inssider.html

[GilpinGuy]

I'm on satellite (Wild Blue/Exede) and never saw this until the last few days.

My closest neighbor is a waaaaays off, but why would his network interfere with mine and block internet access until I reboot the router? Again, I'm not a guru here.

Thanks for the replies.

Oh yeah, no new devices either, like smart fridges, smart tv's or smart blow up dolls.

[ray1970]

My home network is named "FBI Surveillance Van 01154". Keeps the drug dealers from trying to leech off my wifi...


I like that.

[CS1983]

I've seen the issue with blocked access on Windows 8 and 8.1, not 10 so far.

what OS are you running?

You might try two things:

1) open cmd and type in the following: ipconfig /release *press enter* ipconfig /renew *press enter*.
2) assigning an IP address to your machine

Alternately, you could try plugging in vs wifi.

Also, you could try going into Device Manager (as Admin) and right clicking on your wireless card, uninstall, right click PC name at top and scan for hardware changes -- this will load the drivers fresh.

--

In reference to brutal's post, you could also try https://www.vistumbler.net/ -- we used this in both my Security class and my Wireless class; after install, on first loading it will prob ask if you want to download updates. Also, the first in the list should be your router since signal would be strongest. If the hidden (no SSID) network has the same MAC address, it's your router running a VLAN -- probably because your ISP has engaged in providing a hotspot through yours.

Here's a screenshot:
68983

[g17rtf2]

Have you done a network survey?

Try this program to see "ALL" wifi networks nearby and narrow down from there
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InSSIDer

https://d22blwhp6neszm.cloudfront.net/41/407419/MetaGeek_DownloadPage_inSSIDer_WiFiScanner_large.p ng