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Commonly confused · Wireless & Mobility

SSID vs BSSID vs ESSID: What's the Difference?

The SSID is the human-readable network name. A BSSID is the MAC address that uniquely identifies one AP radio's basic service set. An ESSID (or ESS) is the same SSID served by multiple APs so clients can roam seamlessly.

vsvs

ESSID

SSIDBSSIDESSID
What it isNetwork nameMAC address of an AP radio's BSSOne SSID spanning multiple BSSs
FormatUp to 32 characters48-bit MAC addressSame name as the SSID
UniquenessCan be reused by anyoneUnique per radio per WLANShared across APs
Seen by usersYes, in the network listUsually only in analyzer toolsAppears as one network name
PurposeIdentify the WLANIdentify the specific AP cellEnable roaming across a building or campus
ExampleCorpWiFia4:56:30:12:ab:c1CorpWiFi on 40 APs
Remember it

SSID is the name, BSSID is the specific radio, ESSID is the name stretched across many radios.

Exam tip

Questions describe roaming between APs with the same network name (ESS) or ask what uniquely identifies an AP radio (BSSID). An evil twin copies an SSID, so the BSSID is how analysts tell the rogue apart.

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