this post was submitted on 20 Nov 2025
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I thought hidden SSIDs aren't discoverable :(
Every WiFi router and network has something called an SSID and a BSSID. The SSID is the friendly name that you use to show off your puns to your neighbors. The BSSID is a 6 byte MAC address. All devices use the BSSID when connecting and communicating.
With a non hidden SSID, your router broadcasts the SSID and BSSID.
The BSSID doesn't change even if you change your SSID (Though APs with support for multiple SSID create a different BSSID per network) and it's what is actually used for geo location.
When it's hidden, it doesn't send the SSID out, but sends out packets with the BSSID. Clients then scream out to the void "anybody know the SSID 'My Secret SSID??'" Then it'll respond.
So basically hidden networks still send out the unique identifying address and then when you take your phone with you, you're just telling everybody what your home WiFi is called.
Hidden SSIDs are not that useful.
Would've been cool if the APs would rotate the mac address