What Is an SSID? What your Wi-Fi name really means

Your router’s SSID may seem like harmless tech jargon, but understanding what it is and how it works is a crucial part of staying private and secure online. Whether you're logging onto public Wi-Fi or optimizing your home network, your SSID plays a bigger role than you might think.

In this guide, the Nym teams explains what an SSID is, how it works, and most importantly, how it impacts your digital privacy. We'll also walk through how to find, hide, and change your SSID, and why using a decentralized VPN like NymVPN can give you another layer of protection no matter where you're connected.

What is an SSID?

SSID stands for** Service Set Identifier**. It’s the technical name for your Wi-Fi network's name — the one you see when scanning for available connections on your phone or laptop. Every Wi-Fi router broadcasts an SSID to help devices find and connect to it.

For example, when you see network names like “Starbucks_WiFi” or “Home_Network_24GHz,” you're seeing SSIDs. They’re used to distinguish one network from another, especially in areas where multiple networks overlap.

How does an SSID work?

Your router constantly transmits a beacon signal that includes the SSID. Devices nearby can scan for this signal, display the SSID in a list of available networks, and attempt to connect if they have the right credentials.

You can think of it like a digital name tag: it tells your device, “I’m this network, do you want to connect?”

Why SSIDs matter for your online privacy

SSIDs seem trivial, but they can have serious implications for your privacy, especially in public or shared spaces. Here’s why:

• SSIDs are often revealing: People often name their networks things like “SmithFamilyWiFi” or “Apt12B_WiFi,” which can give away personal information or location data.

• Saved SSIDs can be tracked: Devices remember SSIDs they’ve connected to before. Some can be tricked into broadcasting that list, exposing your connection history.

• Fake SSIDs = real threats: Hackers can create malicious hotspots with names like “Free_Cafe_WiFi” or even mimic a known network name to lure unsuspecting users. This is called an Evil Twin attack.

To limit your exposure, follow our Wi-Fi safety tips and avoid automatically connecting to known networks without verifying them first.

How to find and manage your SSID on Mac

To view your current SSID:

• Click the Wi-Fi icon in the top-right corner of your screen (menu bar). The SSID you're currently connected to appears at the top of the dropdown list.

1. To forget a network or prevent auto-join: Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).

2. Go to Network > Wi-Fi.

3. Click Details (or Advanced) next to your Wi-Fi network.

4. Find the network in the list and click Forget This Network or uncheck Auto-Join.

Cleaning up saved SSIDs helps reduce tracking from previously joined networks.

How to find and manage Your SSID on Windows

To see your current SSID:

• Click the Wi-Fi icon in the taskbar (bottom-right corner). The SSID you're connected to appears at the top of the list, usually marked as “Connected.”

To manage saved networks:

1. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi.

2. Click Manage known networks.

3. Select a network and click Forget to remove it.

4. You can also adjust connection priority and auto-connect settings for saved networks.

Removing unused SSIDs or disabling auto-connect can help keep your device from joining unsafe networks without your consent.

How to find and manage your SSID on iPhone

While you can't change the SSID from your iPhone (you’ll need router access for that), you can view and manage which Wi-Fi networks (SSIDs) your phone connects to:

To see your current SSID:

1. Open the Settings app.

2. Tap** Wi-Fi**.

The SSID you’re currently connected to appears at the top with a checkmark next to it.

To forget or stop auto-joining a network:

1. In Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the ⓘ icon next to the network name.

2. Tap Forget This Network to remove it entirely.

3. Or toggle off Auto-Join to prevent automatic reconnection without deleting it.

This helps limit unwanted tracking based on past SSID connections.

How to find and manage your SSID on Android

Instructions may vary slightly depending on your Android device and OS version, but most follow this general path:

To view your current SSID:

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap the Wi-Fi or Internet icon.

2. Tap the name of the connected network: this is your SSID.

To forget or stop connecting automatically:

1. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Internet (or Wi-Fi).

2. Tap the gear icon ⚙️ or the network name.

3. Tap Forget to remove it from your saved networks.

4. Or, toggle off Auto-connect to stay in control of when you join.

How to change your SSID (and why you should)

Changing your SSID can improve your network security and anonymity. Here’s how:

1. Log into your router’s admin panel (usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1).

2. Enter your credentials (default usually “admin/admin”).

3. Look for “Wireless Settings” or “SSID Settings.”

4. Rename your network to something neutral and unidentifiable (e.g., "Network_001").

Avoid using personal names, addresses, or anything that could be tied back to you. For extra privacy, disable SSID broadcasting, which hides your network from public scans. Just know that this can make connecting more tedious and isn't foolproof.

Can you be tracked by your SSID?

Yes — both your network’s SSID and your device’s history of previously connected SSIDs can be used to track or fingerprint your online behavior. Apps and malicious actors can exploit this information to:

• Infer your home or workplace location

• Target you with local phishing or spoofing attacks

• Build profiles based on your movement or browsing history

If that sounds unsettling, it should. That’s why using privacy-focused tools like a residential VPN can help obscure your network behavior by encrypting your traffic and masking your IP address.

Using a VPN doesn’t hide your SSID — But it still helps

Here’s the thing: a VPN won’t hide your SSID, but it does protect the data you send over that network. If you connect to a malicious Wi-Fi hotspot — even one using a legit-looking SSID — a VPN encrypts your traffic so that even if someone is snooping, they can’t see what you’re doing.

NymVPN uses a decentralized network with cover traffic to mimic real user traffic, making it harder to track, fingerprint, or block. It’s especially powerful when you’re traveling, using public Wi-Fi, or managing smart home devices with weak security protocols.

Check out our guide to how IP tracking works and how a VPN can keep you anonymous in real-world browsing situations.

How to stay private when using Wi-Fi

Here are some quick tips to protect your privacy in relation to SSIDs:

• Rename your network to something generic

• Hide your SSID if you're willing to deal with manual connections

• Forget old networks on your devices regularly

• Avoid public Wi-Fi or always use a VPN when you do

• Enable WPA3 encryption on your router if supported

• Use a privacy-first VPN like Nym for daily browsing