--- src/iwapi.c.orig	2004-01-29 16:25:07.000000000 -0500
+++ src/iwapi.c	2004-01-29 16:27:10.000000000 -0500
@@ -243,7 +243,8 @@
 
     /* We are not interested in the return values of these functions due to driver issues */
     iw_set_mode(i, IW_MODE_INFRA);
-    iw_set_essid(i, ap->essid);
+    if (ap->essid && *ap->essid)
+        iw_set_essid(i, ap->essid);
     //iw_set_freq(i, &ap->freq);
     iw_set_ap(i, &ap->ap);