My neighbor's kid just asked me why my home network has a weird name

I was setting up a new access point on my porch in Denver last month when the 14-year-old from next door wandered over. He pointed at my phone screen and said, 'Why does your Wi-Fi say FBI Surveillance Van 3?' I explained it was a small trick to make random people less likely to try and connect to it. His eyes got wide and he said, 'Oh... so you're basically hiding in plain sight.' That simple comment from a kid made me realize even silly, basic steps have value. Anyone else have a go-to method for making their home network look less tempting?

3 comments

3 Comments

taraanderson9d ago

Honestly, that just paints a target for bored hackers.

gibson.sarah8d ago

My router's named "Network Unavailable". Works like a charm.

jordan_webb9d ago

Ha, that's actually pretty smart. It's like how I never leave a backpack in my car, even if it's just gym clothes. The whole idea is to not look like the easiest target on the block. @taraanderson has a point about bored hackers, but most people are just looking for an open signal, not a challenge. That kid nailed it, hiding in plain sight works for way more than just wifi names. Makes you think about all the little things we do that actually add up.