I know that it stands for Basic Service Set IDentifier (meaning Internet Provider (IP) Address?). I'm trying to setup my network on my laptop using Ubuntu 9.04 and part of the info it asks for is for the BBSID. I've seen this on other linux distro's and kept thinking that I need to find out what it is and how I find out what the BSSID is for my system.

I ran 'ifconfig' and got:

eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:00:e2:82:94:46
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)

eth1 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:20:e0:8e:75:44
inet addr:xxx.xxx.x.xxx Bcast:xxx.xxx.x.xxx
Mask:xxx.xxx.xxx.x
inet6 addr: fe80::220:e0ff:fe8e:7544/64 Scope:Link
UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:11111 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:7191 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:9024440 (9.0 MB) TX bytes:1425948 (1.4 MB)

lo Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:xxx.x.x.x Mask:xxx.x.x.x
inet6 addr: ::x/xxx Scope:Host
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:16436 Metric:1
RX packets:654 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:654 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
RX bytes:182429 (182.4 KB) TX bytes:182429 (182.4 KB)

(I 'x'-ed out the addresses for personal security reasons. My wireless uses 'eth1' to access the internet.)

Is the 'inet addr' my router's hardware address (BSSID?)? I noticed that the 'inet addr' is different in the loopback, I confess confusion on that.

Also, I am using a Linksys wireless router and I was wondering if I can access the routers' configuration console on my computer? When I lived in Dallas, Tx and I had DSL (2WIRE router), all I had to enter in the address box was 'http://gateway.2wire.net' and got the console to access the routers' configuration, firewall, etcetera.

Thanks,
QBall

The MAC Address of the wireless access point you want to connect to.

Sorry but I do not see how that answers my first question or you saying that it is the 'mask' address?

My original post was a 2 part question (maybe I'll have to post the 2nd question on it's own?):

1) Is the BSSID the 'inet6 addr:fe80::220:e0ff:fe8e:7544/64' or is it the IP address or something else?

2) Is there a way to configure the Linksys router via my browser (like I did with the 2WIRE router) and if so, how?

Thanks for the help, I guess I'm just not understanding what you were trying to say?

QBall

http://www.javvin.com/wireless/BSSID.html

As Suncoast stated, BSSID is the MAC address of the access point. It will show up--e.g.--if you do something like "iwlist -scan wlan0" or "iwconfig".

If you use something like WICD, I assume it appears there also......My laptop's not here, so I can't check.

Yes---you will typically find the router setup page at 192.168.1.1 (enter this in a Browser)

Oops. I assumed facts not in evidence. Adding to the fine response from pixellany....

Every network hardware device has a "physical" address, called a MAC address. Also called a "hardware" address. These addresses are physically coded into the hardware (firmware.) It is a 6 part hexadecimal identifier expressed as ff:ff:ff:11:11:11 . The first three sections represent a specific manufacturer. Linksys, 3Com, Etc. The second half represents a number assigned by the manufacturer. A serial number if you will. The better LAN cards will have this number printed on them. All the access points I've seen have the MAC address printed on the outside label. So the BSSID is the MAC address of the wireless access point.

While you have an active connection, ping any active host. Then type "/sbin/arp -a" and you will see your IP address to MAC address associations. Just as DNS matches names to IP addresses, the arp protocol associates MAC addresses to IP addresses on the local network. This is the OSI layer 2, or DataLink layer at work.

There are a couple of ways to connect to a wireless access point. The SSID is a alphanumeric name setup by the access point administrator and broadcast like a beacon. However this beacon can be silenced, and the client has to broadcast a request to find that SSID. An alternative is to use the BSSID, or MAC address of the access point to. The point of both methods is to automatically connect to the correct access point. If neither is defined, the client will be prompted to select an access point from a list of detected access points.

Steve

I entered that address in the browser and it showed a pop-up:

WTF is "WRT54GS"?

Thanks,
QBall

WRT54GS is a Linksys 5 port Wired Router/Gateway/Switch and Wireless Access Point with Speedboost. And it means you are connecting.

If it's new or recently reset, leave username blank and use admin or Admin for the password.

And if it isn't new or recently reset and I don't remember the name and password...I'm TSOL? :/ Or is there a way to recover username and pwd (or do I have to do a reset)?

Thanks,
QBall

Do you have the manual for your router? If not, I'm sure this info is on the Linksys website.

If you never set or changed your password, then try something like "admin" (for both login and password)

I am a novice. LOL. So you forgot your modem/router user id and password. Hey if I am not mistaken, there is a reset button on back of the modem/router. There is a pin sized hole, you would stick like a paperclip in the hole and press for like 10 seconds or so. That should set it back to default, and I believe that after that you would use the word admin(all lower case) as the user ID and then for the password, you would also use the word admin. Once you are in, CHANGE THE PASSWORD TO SOMETHING YOU WILL REMEMBER, like your driver license number or some other thing YOU WILL NOT FORGET.

I thought this thread was for BSSID. I still haven't seen anything that answers the question. I have typed in IFCONFIG at the command line. This lists all of your network addresses. there is a listing for "wanl0". I believe this is for your wireless. There is a HWaddress: and a number, if I am understanding all of this other superfluous information THIS is your BSSID, but I am not sure either. I am a blockhead, I need something to state BSSID:[number] and not leave it to me to figure out. I mean, isn't that obvious, I am posting to something that has not been responded to in 6 months.

Try 6 years!