SSID
Also known as: Network Name · Wi-Fi Name
An SSID is the name of a Wi-Fi network, the one shown in the list of available networks on a phone or laptop.
SSID stands for Service Set Identifier — it's simply the name a Wi-Fi network broadcasts so devices can tell it apart from others nearby. It's what lets a person pick the right network out of a list.
In practice, the SSID is what shows up in a phone's or laptop's Wi-Fi list, often the company name or a mix of location and purpose. Multiple access points can broadcast the same SSID, so a device walking through a building switches between them seamlessly without reconnecting manually.
A common misunderstanding: hiding an SSID (not broadcasting it) isn't real security — the network can still be found with basic tools, and hiding it mostly just makes normal connecting more annoying. Likewise, a separate SSID alone doesn't create network separation; guest and internal Wi-Fi need distinct VLANs to actually be isolated from each other.
What it means in practice
Running too many different SSIDs on the same access points noticeably slows Wi-Fi down, since each SSID adds radio overhead. NDVDL plans SSIDs so staff, device, and guest networks stay clearly separated without piling on more than necessary.
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