SSID
The name of a wireless network, as it appears in the list of available networks.
Most businesses run at least two: a corporate network for managed devices and a guest network isolated from everything internal. A third for building systems and IoT is a sensible addition.
Guest wireless should be genuinely isolated, not simply a different name on the same network, and client isolation should be enabled so guests cannot see each other.
Where this comes up
SSID sits inside our networks and infrastructure work. If you are trying to work out what this means for your own environment rather than in the abstract, that is the page worth reading next, and a short call will get you a straight answer faster than either.
Related terms
Wireless access point The device that provides wireless network coverage and bridges wireless clients onto the wired network. WPA3 The current wireless security standard, improving on WPA2 with stronger authentication and protection for open networks. Network segmentation Dividing a network into zones with controlled traffic between them, so a compromise in one does not reach the others. Guest network A wireless network for visitors that provides internet access without any route into internal systems.