How to Obtain a Cisco Valet SSID

You'll need an SSID to connect to a wireless network.

Turn on your computer's wireless network card to pick up the service set identifier (SSID) of any Wi-Fi transmitter within range. Use a hard-wired Ethernet connection to discover the SSID of the Cisco Valet when it doesn't show up in the list of available networks automatically. Turning off the SSID broadcast option is a simple security measure used to reduce a wireless network's vulnerability. Requiring a physical connection to the router or prior knowledge of the SSID makes unauthorized wireless access more difficult for hackers.

Things You'll Need

• Ethernet cable
• Administrative rights on the Cisco Valet

Instructions

1. Connect a computer to the router with an Ethernet cable.

2. Open a browser window. Enter the Valet's IP address in the address bar, and press the "Enter" key.

3. Enter the administrative user name and password, then click the "OK" box to proceed.

4. Click the "Wireless" tab in the main menu bar at the top of the page.

5. Click the "Manual" button next to the Wireless Configuration entry.

6. Read the entry in the "Wireless Network Name (SSID):" text box. This is the SSID used to connect to the wireless network.

Tips & Warnings

• Turn on the SSID broadcast option by clicking the "Enable" button next to "Wireless SSID broadcast" below the SSID name.

References

• Cisco Knowledge Base: Accessing the Router's Web-Based Setup Page
• Cisco Knowledge Base: Changing the Wireless Network's Name (SSID) on a Linksys Router