Can a AirPort guest network be closed?

[Unspeaked]

Is there anyway to make a AirPort guest network closed using the guest network function of an AirPort Extreme Base Station?

It seems to be like the guest network is always visible, even if the primary network is closed.

 

[SqB]

Go into airport utility and uncheck the box

 

[skorpien]

I believe Unspeaked meant can the SSID be hidden. Although from the setup screen SqB posted, it doesn't seem like it can be. Maybe Apple will fix it in a future update...

 

[Unspeaked]

I believe Unspeaked meant can the SSID be hidden. Although from the setup screen SqB posted, it doesn't seem like it can be. Maybe Apple will fix it in a future update...

Yes, that's exactly what I meant.

And you're right, I've looked all over and haven't found any way to customize the guest network outside of the options in the screen shot.

Too bad, it's a nice feature, but it basically just gives you the option of name/password. No way to specify type of encryption, visibility and other little things that would be nice to have control over.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that a future update will address this. Apple seems to add new features to the AirPort Utility all the time, so maybe it's not so far fetched...

 

[SqB]

Yes, that's exactly what I meant.

And you're right, I've looked all over and haven't found any way to customize the guest network outside of the options in the screen shot.

Too bad, it's a nice feature, but it basically just gives you the option of name/password. No way to specify type of encryption, visibility and other little things that would be nice to have control over.

I'll keep my fingers crossed that a future update will address this. Apple seems to add new features to the AirPort Utility all the time, so maybe it's not so far fetched...

Sorry for the misunderstanding. You can actually control the encryption level on the guest network. It's one of the options.

I'm not exactly sure I understand the desire to hide the network. That doesn't really provide any level of security (hidden≠secure) and seems to defeat the purpose of a guest network. If the desire is to keep random people off of it, turning on the guest network security and setting a password that you can give to your chosen guests would be the way to go.

 

[Kevin H]

Sorry for the misunderstanding. You can actually control the encryption level on the guest network. It's one of the options.

I'm not exactly sure I understand the desire to hide the network. That doesn't really provide any level of security (hidden≠secure) and seems to defeat the purpose of a guest network. If the desire is to keep random people off of it, turning on the guest network security and setting a password that you can give to your chosen guests would be the way to go.

I have the opposite question and I am not sure of the answer from this discussion. I think I am going to get the AirPort Extreme.

I want to hide my main network but I want the guest network to be visible. Is that how it works by default? I will have a password and security on my guest network too.

 

[Altemose]

I want to hide my main network but I want the guest network to be visible. Is that how it works by default? I will have a password and security on my guest network too.

For future reference, it would be best to start a new thread rather then resurrecting one that is over five years old in light of all of the changes that the AirPorts have gone through. By default, both the main SSID and guest SSID are visible, but you can hide the main SSID and leave the guest SSID visible in AirPort Utility.