Ad-hoc Node Using AP SSID

WiFi Manager raises this alarm when it sees the SSID used by the infrastructure devices clashing with the ones used by devices in Ad-hoc mode.

What is Infrastructure Mode ?


In wireless networking, infrastructure mode bridges a WLAN with a wired Ethernet LAN using Access Points. Most likely enterprises would be deploying infrastructure mode WLANs for it offers better security when compared to ad-hoc mode. (Security features such as authentication and data encryption are available in the infrastructure mode.)

What is Ad-hoc Node ?

A set of mobile devices within direct communication range establishing a network among themselves for transmitting data, without the use of a central base station (Access point) is called a ad-hoc network.  Adhoc networks are also referred to as IBSS (Independent Basic Service Set).  The smallest possible adhoc network is a network between two mobile devices.  The nodes participating in the ad-hoc network are called ad-hoc nodes.

Ad-hoc Wireless Networking

As explained above ad-hoc networks are not secure and administrators should take care to shut them down as and when they see it.  Since, it is easy to setup ad-hoc networks and since they are more convenient to use they do pop-up frequently and are difficult to control.  These ad-hoc networks can co-exist with infrastructure network, however when they share the same SSID with the infrastructure networks it creates lot of confusion for other client devices in its direct range. 

What should the WLAN Administrator do ?

• Wireless LAN administrators should analyze the reason for existence of such ad-hoc networks and should try to shut them down as early as possible.
• They should also educate the users of the LAN about the potential problems of operating such ad-hoc networks.
• Even when it is necessary to operate such ad-hoc networks, sufficient care must be taken to not use the SSIDs used by the infrastructure devices.
• Sometimes the SSID clash between the infrastructure and ad-hoc networks can be because of some discontinuation in the client devices.  Administrators should take care of resolving them at the earliest.